17 June
Bible In 365 Days 
Psalms 21-25
Psalm 21
The battle is over, the victory is won, and the assembled people sing the song of victory. This song, while it celebrates one victory, runs beyond it and praises Jehovah for all He has done for the king. They had prayed, "Grant thee thy heart's desire" (Psalm 20:4). The prayer is answered and now they sing, "Thou hast given him his heart's desire" (Psalm 21:2). They had sung of victory because their trust was in the name of Jehovah (Psalm 20:7,8). Victory has been won and now they celebrate it (Psalm 21:7-12).
The contrast is very vivid between the king trusting in Jehovah and therefore sustained, supplied, and led in triumph; and the enemies who intended evil against Jehovah and who are swallowed up and destroyed and utterly overcome. From the experience of the king the whole nation learns its lesson. The opening declaration, "The king shall joy in Thy strength," issues in the final prayer, "Be Thou exalted, 0 Jehovah, in Thy strength: so will we sing and praise Thy power."
Again let us remember our conflict is spiritual and still the ancient hymn is ours, for our King also triumphed through the strength of Jehovah and to our final victories we follow in His train.
Psalm 22
Whatever may have been the local conditions creating this psalm, it has become so perfectly and properly associated with the one Son of God that it is almost impossible to read it in any other way. This and the two following psalms constitute a triptych of tablets on which are written the story of the Christ in His work as Saviour, Shepherd, and Sovereign.
As to this first, seeing that in the supreme mystery of the Passion Jesus quoted the first words, we are justified in reading it in the light of that Cross. It has two great movements. The first admits us, so far as that can be, to the lonely suffering of the One on the altar of sacrifice (Psalms 22:1-21). The second brings us into the presence of the joy of the Victor, as through the travail He saw the triumph (Psalms 22:22-31). In reverently reading the first, we must understand that all the desolation was the experience of One who had entered into the sinner's place. In rejoicingly reading the second, we must recognize that the height of joy is the ability to proclaim an evangel to those in need. And this is enough to write. For the rest, let the Spirit, who is the one Interpreter of the Christ of God, speak to our hear? and let us in amazement worship and obey.
Psalm 23
In the Messianic application this psalm properly follows that in which the work of the Christ as Saviour is portrayed. It is to those whom He has won through His passion that He becomes known as the Shepherd.
Of course, this psalm, as written, is even more wonderful because of the fact that its author did not live in the light of Jehovah which has come to us through the Incarnation. It shows us how very clearly faith saw through the mists of those preparatory days to some of the most precious-things about God. We still read the wonderful words of Jehovah and understand them, but the revelation of Him in Jesus is our interpretation and the psalm becomes richer for that fact. It is an unruffled song of rest. All the circumstances of the pilgrimage, want, weariness, journeyings, wanderings, perplexities, the shadowed mystery of the valleys, the thronging enemies, and the infinite beyond, are present and the singer knows them. They are mentioned however, only to sing of their negation by the graciousness of the Shepherd. Want is canceled. For weariness He has green pastures of rest. On journeys He leads by pleasant ways. From wanderings He restores. Through perplexities He guides and that by right ways. In the valleys of death's shadow His presence cancels fear. In the presence of enemies He makes a feast and is a Host royal in bounty. And finally the path runs on, not into a tangled wilderness but by the King's own palace.
Psalm 24
This is the final psalm of the three, and as in Psalms 22:1-31 the words so far exceed the possibility of exhaustion by any circumstances originating them as to create an opinion unanimously in favor of their Messianic application. In this song the Saviour who through suffering triumphed, the Shepherd; who through pilgrimage leads His own, is seen ascending to the place of power and authority.
The first movement recognizes the sovereignty of Jehovah over the created world and its inhabitants (verses Psalms 24:1-2). There is, then, a question which recognizes a need. The hill of the Lord which is the place of authority (Psalms 2:6) is vacant, and it is asked, "Who shall ascend into it?" . The answer declares the need for purity of conduct and character. Suddenly the antiphonal chanting of angels breaks forth. Some are accompanying the King as He approaches the place of power. Others wait, guarding the entrance. The first company claims entrance for Him. The second assembly challenges His right. The answer tells of might inherent and of victory in battle, and through the lifted portals we see Him pass and know Him for "Jehovah of hosts." By our calendars, yesterday He passed through Psalms 22:1-31. Today He is exercising the office of Psalms 23:1-6. Tomorrow, He will exercise finally the authority of Psalms 24:1-10.
Psalm 25
The sob of a great sorrow sounds throughout this psalm. The circumstances of its writing were those of desolation, affliction, distress, travail, as the latter part especially shows. Yet the main content is one full of help to all who are in sorrow. It is far more than a wail saddening all who read it. It is the voice of hope and confidence, and tells of succour and of strength.
It has three movements in it. The first (Psalms 25:1-7), and the last (Psalms 25:16-22) are prayers uttered out of great need. The central (Psalms 25:8-15) is contemplation and declaration of the goodness of God. Thus structurally the psalm is beautiful. Its central glory is a revelation of God's goodness and patience (Psalms 25:8-10). Then a sob at the heart of everything (Psalms 25:11). Immediately an account of the blessedness of the man who trusts. The opening verses contain the prayer of a distressed soul, whose thought of God is revealed in the central portion. The closing verses are the earnest cry of that soul to such a God, and in such confidence the details of the experience of suffering are named.
