History In The Psalms

Psalms 78, 105, and 106 are three psalms that concentrate almost completely on Israel’s history, and many other psalms make allusions to events from God’s dealings with his people in the past. In fact, you can find more than fifty references to Old Testament stories in the Psalms, not including all the stories in the life of David. Here are a few of them:

Creation: Psalm 19:4

The sun lives in the heavens

where God placed it.

God’s Covenant with Abraham: Psalm 105:9

This is the covenant he made with Abraham

and the oath he swore to Isaac.

Joseph in Egypt: Psalm 105:21

Joseph was put in charge of all the king’s household;

he became ruler over all the king’s possessions.

The Exodus from Egypt: Psalm 78:13

For he divided the sea before them and led them through!

The water stood up like walls beside them!

The Miracle at Meribah: Psalm 81:7

I tested your faith at Meribah,

when you complained that there was no water.

Guidance through the Wilderness: Psalm 136:16

Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness.

The Victories of the Judges: Psalm 83:9

Do to them as you did to the Midianites

or as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River.

Usually you don’t consult poets to learn about history. Shakespeare wrote many historical dramas, but he took a few liberties with the facts here and there. Longfellow also wrote narrative poems like The Song of Hiawatha and The Courtship of Miles Standish, but these tell more “history” than what actually took place.

Usually you don’t go to religion to learn about history either. Most world religions deal with philosophy and ethics. Whatever history is included is often legendary or unessential to the beliefs of the religion.

But Christianity (and Judaism before it) is different. As Christians, we see the acts of God in history as an essential part of our faith. We make a mistake if we think that Christianity is based solely on the catechisms and the teachings of Jesus (the Beatitudes, etc.). Christianity is rooted in history. We believe that our life is critically affected by things that happened in the past.

When the apostle Paul began his discourse on Jesus’ resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15, he began with history. Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. More than five hundred people were witnesses to the fact, and most of them were still around to verify it when Paul was writing.

Christians believe that when Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago, God became flesh. The crux of the gospel is not simply his teaching, as marvelous as that is, but his death and resurrection for us on a small hill outside Jerusalem about A.D. 30.

Old Testament history shows God at work for his people. The promises God made to his people were fulfilled in historical events. That’s why it was important for Jewish parents to keep reminding their children of them through stories and through historical psalms like Psalms 77, 78, 81, and 83. These examples of God’s acting on behalf of his people give new generations, including our own, hope that God will continue to act for us. In this way, we see history truly as his story.

When Israel out of Egypt came, they left the proud oppressor’s land

Supported by the great I AM, safe in the hollow of his hand.

And all things, as they change, proclaim, the Lord eternally the same.

CHARLES WESLEY