July 24, 2011
Jesus and the Psalms
Part Four
The Praise of Jesus and The Psalms
Matthew 21:16
If you do not recall a day in your life when you received eternal life as a free gift from Jesus, then this article will not make sense to you. Please click the eternal life button now and learn more about finding peace with God and being born again today.
As we continue our studies of Jesus as He quotes the Book of Psalms, we now look at His entry into Jerusalem during the last week of incarnate ministry. The blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. The chief priests and the scribes became indignant because the children were shouting in the temple: “Hosanna to the Son of David.” They approached Jesus in their anger and He provided an quotation from the Book of Psalms.
and said to Him, ‘Do You hear what these children are saying?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Yes; have you never read, “OUT OF THE MOUTH OF INFANTS AND NURSING BABIES YOU HAVE PREPARED PRAISE FOR YOURSELF’?
Matthew 21:16
The Miracles and the Children. Word had gone out from the religious leaders that anyone who confessed Jesus as Lord or the Son of God would be put out of the synagogue (John 9:22). In fact, after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, and performed many other miracles, the chief priests and Pharisees convened a council and determined from that day forward to kill Jesus (John 11:53). The children felt no such restraint and burst out into spontaneous praise, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” as they watched the healing miracles of Jesus in Matthew 21:15. Jesus still works miracles today, and people all over the world lift up His praise for all of His mighty acts. I am sure my day today will be better when I spend some time praising Him today.
The Indignation of the Religious Leaders. As the praise of the children rang through the temple, because they had just witnessed the wonderful compassion of Jesus Christ healing the lame and the blind, the chief priests and scribes became indignant (“ἠγανάκτησαν“). They were consumed with their anger because the children praised Jesus. They were showering praise upon the only person there worthy of divine praise, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh. Although the religious leaders hated the miracles of Jesus, they hated even more the praise of God that resulted from them. Who would be unhappy that God had healed the lame and the blind? Only people who do not know God or love God.
The Infants and Nursing Babies Prepared for Praise. Jesus not only accepts the praise of the children, He quotes Scripture in the Psalms to prove that He deserves their praise. Jesus cites Psalm 8:2: “From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength because of your adversaries, to make the enemy and the revengeful cease.” The Greek translation of the Old Testament, called the Septuagint (abbreviated LXX), translates the word “strength” (“עֹז”) as “praise” (“αἶνον“). Because of the similarity, Jesus apparently quoted from the Septuagint, which the crowds would have been familiar with because many understood the Greek language. The religious leaders would have understood the Hebrew quotation. Jesus emphatically answered the religious leaders with this quotation about praise, and the context of Psalm 8:2, including the rest of the verse, indicates that the enemies of God will cease because of the strength or praise from the mouths of infants and nursing babes. So, putting that all together, Jesus not only quotes the Psalm, but implies to the religious leaders that they should cease their attacks upon Him and His works.
And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and spend the night there.
Matthew 21:17
Jesus Left. After Jesus used Psalm 8:2 to answer and rebuke the religious leaders, Jesus left them there. He left behind the children’s praises “Hosanna to the Son of David” and the lame walking and the blind seeing. Jesus always works great and powerful miracles in our lives, starting with our great salvation by faith in Christ alone. When we believe that Jesus died for our sins, and rose again from the dead, God works the miracle of salvation in our lives. Jesus never leaves us, or forsakes us. He will abide in our hearts forever. We can all say “Hosanna to the Son of David” today and forever.
So we learn more about Jesus and the Psalms today.
● Unbelievers will always attack whatever Jesus does, and Satan always hates the works of Jesus and His children.
● Jesus quoted the Psalms to prove to the religious leaders that He deserved the praise and worship as the Son of David, because Jesus performed the miracles and presented Himself to Israel as Her eschatological king.
● Jesus has prepared praise from the mouth of infants and nursing babes, and so we should always join them in the praise of Jesus. Everyday, we should remember that Jesus deserves our worship and praise for the mighty acts He performs in our lives.
Application for Today
As I live today, I want to proclaim “Hosanna to the Son of David,” because Jesus has already begun to reign in the hearts of every believer. Someday, He will return to earth to reign over Israel, and restore them to their land in Israel. Until then, we can praise Jesus and live under His reign as His children. Will you be praising God today?
