PSALMS: USE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

The Psalms: Use in the New Testament

Importance

The great importance of the Psalms to the authors of the New Testament is obvious from the fact that it is quoted more than any other OT book (approximately one-third of the quotes).

There are 70 quotations with an opening citation formula.

Sixty quotations are given without a specific citation.

There is a total of 220 identifiable allusions to the Psalms in the NT. These are found in all but five books: Galatians, Philemon, 2 and 3 John, and Jude.

Psalms Referenced

all but 29 psalms

The most popular are psalms 2, 22, 34, 69, 78, 89, 110 and 118.

20% of the verses are quoted or utilized.

The most popular verses are:

Psalm 110:1: “The Lord says to my Lord, 'sit at my right hand.'”

Psalm 2:7-8: “You are my son; today I have begotten you.”

Psalm 8:4-6: “What is man that thou art mindful of him?”

Psalm 118:22: “the stone the builders rejected”

Nature of the Usage

Many of these are illustrated by considering Psalm 22.

A. Use of shared language: compare verse 21 to II Timothy 4:17 containing the phrase “saved from the lion's mouth” The NT authors were steeped in OT language so it was natural for them to draw on it in their own writings. But that does not necessarily mean that they were consciously referring back to some particular OT passage that must be consulted before we can understand its usage in the NT.

B. As an illustration of a spiritual truth: compare verse 22 with Hebrews 2:12. The author of Hebrews quotes the psalm to prove a particular point. In Hebrews 1:5-13 alone, the author quotes five times from the Psalms and once each from Deuteronomy, II Samuel and Isaiah.

C. fulfillment of prophecy:

1. no actual citation (Psalm 22:16 – “They have pierced my hands and feet.”)

2. indirect citation (Psalm 22:7 = Matthew 27:39; Psalm 22:8 = Matthew 27:43) In these instances, it was assumed that the alert reader would recognize the fulfillment of prophecy without it actually being pointed out.

3. direct citation (Psalm 22:15 = John 19:28; Psalm 22:18 = John 19:23-24)

D. Jesus' usage (Psalm 22:1 = Matthew 27:46)

Jesus' approach to Scripture is always unique (“He spoke as one with authority”). It is almost as if he had written the OT passages that he quoted.

In summary, it has been said, “Every sentence [of the Psalter] can be applied to Jesus without straining its meaning. If David took up his harp to sing of his own sorrows, the Spirit of God guided him to describe those of one greater.” Therefore it is no accident that the ancient rabbis treated many of David's words in the Psalms as really applying to a coming Son of David rather than himself.