Introduction
This work by Richard P.
Belcher Jr. has to be one of the best works this author has read in a very long
while. He treats the Scripture with an awe and respect that sometimes can seem
to be lacking in Christian commentator circles. One aspect that is highly appreciated about
this work is that while its used on a seminarian level, it is still accessible
to the average reader.
Belcher has an approach that
many people may have never even thought to consider; after he lays out the
first several introductory chapters he gets in to the wealth of knowledge of
interpretation he has. He spends the
first three chapters covering interpretive issues, and different approaches to
messianic psalms, the third chapter focuses primarily on the Christological
approach to the Psalms. For those of us new to this method of reading the
Psalms Belcher opens up a whole new world to us,; he uses chapters four through
six to show how Christ can be seen even when not directly pointed to. He calls
these psalms, psalms of orientation, disorientation and new orientation.
After teaching the reader
how to see Christ in words they may have never thought of, he takes the
concluding three chapters of the book (like a good Presbyterian with a three
point sermon) and shows the reader where Christ is spoken directly of. Chapter seven is about the royal psalms that
speak of the king, and the ultimate king Jesus. The eighth chapter is what
everyone has been waiting for, the direct messianic psalms that leave no
question whether or not Jesus is meant to be revealed or heard in the psalm. In
the final chapter everything is tied together and we can now understand how
Christ can be found in the Psalms even when there seems to be no allusion to
him.
Assessment
Before the reader leaves the
first chapter, he has been encouraged to read the psalms not just looking for
Jesus but in doing proper exegesis. It is important to remember that the way
the Psalms are found are not how they were written, because the Psalms of Moses
would come long before the Psalms of David. Belcher says, “The structure of the
Psalms has significance for the meaning of the individual psalms and reflects
the concerns of those who edited the Psalter.”[1]
In chapter two he argues
against the thought that none of the Psalms could be messianic which is a view
some have taken. He argues, “The view that none of the psalms are Messianic
would seem to run into a problem because the New Testament looks back to the
psalms and understands them as being fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah.”[2]
While Belcher says, “The New Testament implies that all Psalms have a
relationship to Jesus Christ.”[3]
There are other scholars who would say that not every Psalm directly or even
indirectly points to Jesus. Craig Broyles for example says that Psalm 88
complains of life long suffering and would be inappropriate to Jesus.[4]
If all a person does is take
a casual glance at the table of contents they would be confused reading about orientation,
disorientation, and new orientation. Upon reading the actual material it was
easier to understand while it could still possibly use better categorization.
One of his strongest chapters was on the Royal Psalms as they are commonly
referred to. It was in this section that his writing truly began to flourish
and shine especially his commentary on Psalm 45.
Analysis of Psalm 45
When teaching upon this
Psalm this side of the cross, I can see no way not to preach it with a
typological emphasis. According to Willem A. VanGemeren, “Because of the
theological significance of the wedding and the Davidic king within God’s order
of life in Israel and Judah, the wedding song takes on typological
significance.”[5]
And while it is easy for the modern day reader to get caught up in the
typological view, the historical context must always be kept in view. Belcher
emphasizes, “Thus it would appear that this psalm is rooted in a particular,
historical royal wedding.”[6]
There is one major thing
that stands out in the middle of a Psalm that is focused on the king and less
on God; the reference to the Lord in verse six needs a closer look. The word
used here for Lord is elohim instead of Yahweh, and is part of the Elohistic
Psalter.[7]
There are some who try and deny that this is referenced to the Lord himself and
point that this is about the Davidic king. Broyles offers us a great solution,
“we should realize that once this verse is applied to Jesus Christ the son of
David (as in Heb 1:8-9), the problem of human and divine identity disappears.
We should have no problem
seeing the body of believers as the bride of Christ because the Apostles did
not have that problem; even some of the prophets were speaking of the bride of
Christ before he came. In reading of Rev 21:2 there it is noted of the change
and the readying of a bride. Paul speaks to his followers and tells them, “For I
feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to
present you as a pure virgin to Christ.[8]
Analysis of Psalm 22
How
does Psalm 22 speak of the Messiah? For anyone who has read the accounts of the
crucifixion the words in the very first of this psalm should sound rather familiar.
David at the time of writing this psalm was going through a trial of his own.
There are some scholars that will try and say there should only be messianic
meaning taking from this Psalm while others will say it has both. One way the
psalm can be understood is viewing the suffering of the individual in Psalm 22
as suffering a type of suffering similar to Christ’s own.[9] As we read through the
rest of the psalm it should be recommended to read it as a prophecy and not a
typology. A typology is more of an analogous style of understanding; while
prophecy in this sense is something that points ahead to what is coming.
If
we examine verses twelve through eighteen we can see even more clearly the
prophetic nature of this psalm. When we focus so much on the Christological
nature of the psalm we can sometimes miss other aspects of it. For example in verse
fifteen it speaks of being laid in the dust of death; Broyles points out, “The
one who sapped him of life and made him vulnerable to ferocious attack is God himself.”[10] However, if we understand this verse in light of Christ
and the way he surrendered himself to the father, and that God was ultimately
in control. The only thing left to consider is whether or not David knew he was
writing about the end of the life of the Savior and ultimate Davidic king.
Conclusion
This
has been a great work to read to gain an even greater understanding of Christ.
It is so easy to think that the only way to learn about Jesus is to read the NT
over and over, he is on every page of the Bible even if in just a whisper.
David Murray has a work out entitled Jesus
on Every Page it would be an excellent compliment to this work. If you are
looking for a way to enjoy the Psalms and go deeper I would recommend this book
to a new believer all the way up to a seasoned veteran follower of Jesus.
Bibliography
Belcher Jr.,
Richard P. The Messiah and the Psalms. Glasgow: Mentor, 2006.
Broyles, Craig C. Understanding the Bible
Commentay Series- Psalms. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1999.
VanGemeren,
Willem A. Expositors Bible Commentary-Psalms . Edited by Frank E.
Gaebelein. Vol. 5. 12 vols. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1991.
[4] Craig C.Broyles, Understanding
the Bible Commentay Series- Psalms. (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1999)120.
[5] Willem A.VanGemeren, Expositors Bible Commentary-Psalms .
Edited by Frank E. Gaebelein. Vol. 5. 12 vols. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1991)343.
[8] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version
(Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001).
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