The Psalms are the word of Christ

[aron]

Originally Posted by ABrotherinFaith

Isn't our righteousness in Christ and not from the law? When Paul says, "as it is written, there is none righteous, no not one" he's showing us that the law cannot save us because we can't keep it, but faith in Christ makes us righteous because He kept the law, He fulfilled it.

We do believe that Christ fulfilled the law, and that He then said to us, "A new commandment I give unto you." We are discipled to follow Him. This "new law" is of course fulfilled by the faith of "the new man" in Christ alone and not our "old man" in the flesh. Nonetheless the aspiration of the seeking OT psalmist to obey God's commands is not merely a "natural" aspiration, vain and a distraction to us. On the contrary; perhaps we can see that aspiration fulfilled, even in a higher "interior" or "celestial" level as in Christ Himself.

For example, look at the epistle to the Hebrews' characterization of Jesus. The author only heard about Jesus from others (2:3), yet says "We see Jesus"... where? Among the shadows of the scriptures, penned by the ancients, the writer sees the shining light; among the OT types and figures, the fulfillment emerges. Look at the detailed picture of Jesus that comes forth in this epistle -- surely this is a challenge to us, and an invitation!

Abraham was accounted as righteous...how does WL address that? Solely with respect to the law no one (save Christ) can be considered righteous. With respect to faith, all those who believe in God and Christ can be considered as such.

Agreed. And yet none of these basic tenets of the Christian faith, such as salvation by faith, implies that we should downplay the psalmists' devotions as 'natural' or 'fallen'. Jesus never said nor implied this, nor did Paul, nor did any of the NT writers, nor church Fathers that I am aware of. That kind of diminshment, I believe, came millenia later, mostly in reaction to the Catholic abuse of 'works'. Moreover, I am not aware of any Christian teacher of the last 500 years who so thoroughly disparages the Psalms (among other scriptures) as WL did. It was as if he trusted his "God's economy" template more than the actual words themselves.

The assembly of the righteous is the church as it stands in faith and in Christ. I think you're right on target when you say that the Psalms are Christ's words just as much as they are about him. To dismiss any of them is, I think, to miss the mark entirely. Such a slight misstep leads one far far away.

Amen. But I don't think we need to force anyone to "see Jesus", a la Hebrews 2:9, too extensively in the words of the OT text. If I get an insight into some aspect of the 'hidden life' of Jesus from some seemingly obscure verse (and the Psalms are loaded with obscurity) that doesn't need to be a point of doctrine, and contention toward others who "don't get it". OBW mentioned earlier on this thread about the peril of reading too much into the text, and treating possibility as fact. At the same time, I believe WL sold us far short of the goal by rejecting so much scripture. He not only would not enter in, but forbade any of the rest to enter (Matt 23:13). We know how he mocked those who were singing the Psalms as being unbalanced and departing from the NT revelation.

Ironically, one could say of the Psalms, a WL said about the Trinity, "It's not for doctrine... it's for dispensing". It's for experience, foremost; Jesus is not something for merely for interpretation or understanding. When you experience Jesus Christ it changes your life. The experience changes your outlook, your thinking, and your behavior. And I believe that Christ is right there in the Psalms, waiting for us.