What Has Excited You This Week?

We were asked to chat about this briefly to our neighbours at the start of College chapel today, and I was saying that my studies in the Psalter this week have moved from examining the theme of God's presence (my chapter 3) to that of God's Messiah (chapter 4). I wrote this at the end of chapter 3:

In sum, the most high, Zion-temple-dwelling God is present on earth with people by word and actions for their differentiation: redemption or condemnation, blessing or curse.

As our next chapter will show us, the Psalms’ writers and editors would not have us leave a discussion of God’s presence without recalling Emmanuel, God With Us. The omnipresent, all-seeing Son became a baby in the dimly lit stable; the Word laid aside glory and power that his voice and actions might be seen on earth; and he came to distinguish, to judge, to separate sheep and goats. The Psalter’s theology of the presence of God must draw us to [see] Jesus.

And I've just written this about the Messiah (the references in brackets are to the psalms I'm summarising):

The Messianic Plea Psalms speak in their own right, teaching of life after death possible by trusting the LORD (16), the guarantee of a massive congregation eternally praising one saved through death (22), the vicarious suffering of one both on behalf of God and the people (69) and of great betrayal through which God’s enemies are beaten and the betrayed is vindicated (109).

Likewise the Messianic Royal Psalms speak of one who rules the nations (2), the great bridegroom-king gloriously united with his bride (45), the blessings experienced under the rule of God’s righteous king (72), the steadfast love and faithfulness of YHWH which means that though the Messiah be temporarily spurned, there is hope for his return (89), the eternal king-priest’s enthronement and triumph (110) and the fulfilment of YHWH’s promises: Kingship, Temple and Zion (132).

Exciting, or what!