I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
Psalm 78:2-3
The positioning of the Psalms has always been a mystery. Let's take the Psalms of David for instance. Psalms 3-5 all were written in response to the coup of David's son, Absalom, which happened late in his reign. Psalm 5 deals specifically with the advice of David's traitorous counselor Ahithophel. Why are these Psalms near the front of the book and not much later? Events that happened much earlier in the life of David often appear later. The Psalm of repentance after the adultery and murder revolving around Bathsheba appears as the 51st Psalm although it happened much earlier. There was, however, an ancient teaching that the Psalms were arranged by the Holy Spirit in such a way to outline the last days revolving around the rebirth of Israel and the Acharit Hayamim--the End of Days. Each Psalm was believed to give pertinent prophetic information for a given year as the coming of Messiah neared. Furthermore, the Psalms were/are divided into five books: Genesis (Psalms 1-41), Exodus (Psalms 42-72), Leviticus (Psalms 73-89), Numbers (90-106), and Deuteronomy (107-150). In their reestablishment as a nation, Israel would go through the steps of nationhood just as in the beginning. The Psalms were believed to sing the story of their reinstatement. Let's consider a few Psalms in this light.
That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation. Psalm 9:14 Tel Aviv has been the entrance point to Israel since it became a city. The picture above is the dedication of that city to God. Ironically, this gate to Zion was dedicated and established in 1909. Some feel that Psalm 9 seems to speak of this.
Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth; Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places. Psalm 17:10-12 As WWI was winding down in 1917, British General Edmond Allenby was trying to liberate Jerusalem from the Ottoman Turks without hostilities in the streets of this ancient city. The story goes that he cabled London and was given a Bible verse when asked how to accomplish this task. It was Isaiah 31:5, "As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it." It gave him the idea of flying aircraft over the city in a mighty display of power. Every available plane was used, and the Turks, many of whom had not seen airplanes, were so frightened that they threw their arms down and surrendered the Holy City. Is it possible that the verse above seemingly references this event. God surely had Jerusalem, the apple of His eye where His Son was crucified and will reign, under the shadow of many British wings that day! Speaking of Britain's part, what is the symbol of Great Britain? Isn't it a lion?
The Psalms numbering 34 to 44 seem to outline the rise of Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. Psalm 37 alludes to the loss of Jewish privilege in Germany and seems to give comfort that the Nazi train is about to wreck. "For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming." Psalm 37:9-13
Psalm 38 continues with this terrible cry for relief. This was also the year of Kristallnacht (The Night of Broken Glass) when the Jews of Germany suffered terribly while the world looked on. "My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off. They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long." Psalm 38:11-12 Continuing in the same vein, consider Psalm 40 and 1940, the year the Jews of Warsaw were rounded up and compassed about in the ghetto. "For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me. Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me. Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil." Psalm 40:12-14
Of all, Psalm 42 seems to speak of the terrors of the holocaust and the nagging question asked by many--where was God in all of those deaths. 1942 saw millions of Jews killed throughout Europe. "My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?...As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?" Psalm 42:3 and 10 Having visited several concentration camps while in Europe I have always remembered the pictures of the many bodies and the dry bones of the ovens of cruelty.
Psalms 45-46, then, would outline the end of the Holocaust and WWII. The rejoicing Psalm of understanding (a maschil), Psalm 45:5-6, states. "Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under thee. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. 1946, then, would be the first full year of peace after the horrendous loss of life during this war. Of course, most of the world was desolated as a result of the new weapons and the brutality of the war. Notice the caption verses below the picture.
Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Psalm 46:8-10
Of course the greatest year in Jewish history was 1948. This year was specifically prophesied in Ezekiel to the be the year that Israel would be reborn. Before the fledgling nation born in a day, as Isaiah said, could apply to the UN for statehood, it had to overcome British policies and ships holding back the Jews from returning to their ancient homeland. Speaking of British ships, biblically Britain is known as Tarshish. "Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind." Psalm 48:7. The nations involved with the UN voted to allow the return of the Jews to Israel and the establishment of a Jewish state seems to be indicated as well. However, as they passed the refurendum, the Arab states immediately threatened the Jews should they declare statehood. Those same UN nations ran from the possibility of a Middle East war. "For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away. Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail." Psalm 48:4-7 Of course there was great rejoicing among Jews and Christians worldwide when the long dispersed nation was reestablished. The descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were now freely walking about in their own reformed nation. "Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments. Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof." Psalm 48:11-12
David Ben Gurion and the Proclamation establishing Israel
May 14, 1948
There are many other of these neat coincidences. The Suez war of 1956 may be referenced in verses 1-3 of Psalm 56. Psalm 67 is such a jubilant Psalm of praise as one would expect after the witness of Jerusalem is returned to the people of Torah. Psalm 73 reminds us that the nation was nearly destroyed by the vicious and sudden attack of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The Arabs nearly drove the young IDF into the sea. "But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped." Psalm 73:2 There seems to be as many of these coincidences as there are Psalms.
So is this true? God does know the past from the future. If it is, our ant-Israeli President should take notice of Psalm 109 as it would align with his taking office in January of 2009. At any rate, one thing is for sure--Jesus Christ is soon2Come!!
I'll share some news soon!!
I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp. Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?
Psalm 49:4-5
