For most of us, the words Christmas scriptures bring to mind the first two chapters of Matthew and Luke. We may even remember the prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Micah.
Rarely will we think of the psalms as part of the Christmas story, yet at least a dozen passages from the Book of Songs include references related to Christ’s birth. A few qualify as outright prophecies; other statements are less direct, but hindsight allows us to make delightful connections.
So for each passage quoted below, see if an aspect of the Christmas story doesn’t come to mind! (To keep this post from getting too long, I’ve included just six examples. Answers appear below.)
1. “The Lord said, ‘I have made a covenant with My chosen one, I have sworn to David, My servant, I will establish your offspring forever and build up your throne for all generations” (Psalm 89:3-4 HCSB).
2. “[The Lord] himself will redeem Israel from all their sins” (Psalm 130:8).
3. “Light shines on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart” (Psalm 97:11).
4. “The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all peoples see his glory” (Psalm 97:6).
5. “Send me a sign of your favor. Then those who hate me will be put to shame, for you, O Lord, help and comfort me” (Psalm 86:17 NLT).
6. “Praise the LORD and pray in his name! Tell everyone what he has done” (Psalm 105:1).
7. “Because of your temple at Jerusalem, kings will bring you gifts (Psalm 68:29).
Answers:
1. Jesus’ lineage and reign described in Matthew and Luke fulfill this prophecy perfectly (Matthew 1:1; Luke 1:32-33).
2. Psalm 130:8 sounds very similar to Matthew 1:21, doesn’t it?
3. The Light of the world began to shine that night in Bethlehem, and the angel of the Lord proclaimed great joy for all people (Luke 2:9-10).
4. The psalmist may have thought he was writing about the stars, sun, and moon—all declaring the power and glory of God. Little did he know his words foreshadowed events on the night Jesus was born, when the heavenly host proclaimed, “Glory to God in the highest heaven” (Luke 2:9) and the shepherds saw the glory of the Lord shining around them (v. 9, 13-14).
5. This verse also brings to mind the lowly shepherds (whom others often despised) as well as the angel’s words, “This shall be a sign unto you . . .” The birth of the Messiah brought great help and comfort to all his people, but perhaps especially the marginalized. For everyone, the long wait for his appearing was over.
6. The shepherds followed this directive as they left Jesus’ birthplace and “spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child” (Luke 2:17). They glorified and praised God for all the things they’d seen and heard, just as they had been told (v. 20).
7. That’s exactly where the Magi went first—Jerusalem—seeking the one born king of the Jews (Matthew 2:1-2.) And of course they came bearing gifts–gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:10-11).
Isn’t it amazing–from the Book of Songs written eons ago, come the distant strains of the exquisite, eternal Christmas Song that we celebrate to this day:
All your works declare Your glory;
all creation joins to sing.
Praise resounds as earth rejoices
in the birth of Christ the King (2)!*
*the last four lines of “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee,” stanza 2)
Art & photo credits: Steve Ruegg; http://www.stockvault.net; http://www.pixabay.com; http://www.wikimedia.org (2); http://www.pixabay.com.
Thank you Nancy… for all you do to glorify God… all year long… Praise be to God on high… and peace on earth. May you and your family be so delighted in His promises. Blessings to all!
In Christ,
John and Gail Paglialungo
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I was just journaling some of God’s delightful promises this morning! Thank you, Gail, for being a faithful reader and for your encouragement. Merry Christmas to you and John!
Nancy, you’ve just revealed why the entire Bible is a love story between God and His people. What God foretold through the wise came to be, and will come again when Jesus returns for His own.
Merry Christmas, my friend!
The Bible IS one glorious, united, cohesive whole isn’t it. For me, God’s wonders never cease within its pages! I know you feel the same. Merry Christmas to you also, Martha, and precious family!
Oh I never saw number seven before!
How delightful for me to be able to share something new with you, Pastor Pete. The joy of discovery never grows old, does it!
Merry Christmas to you and all God’s best in the Year ahead!
Thank you, Pastor Pete. I pray the same for you and your family!
Excellent! Very informative. Thank you, Nancy. Merry Christmas 🎄
You’re welcome, David. It was a delight for me, finding each reference in the psalms related to Christmas, and I hoped my readers would find delight in them too!
Amen, Nancy! It’s like that “bug in a rug.” Being in the threads, it has a limited view, but when it sprouts wings and flies over the whole rug, it sees how all the different colored stitches form a beautiful pattern. God’s Word has always painted a picture of Redemption. We are privileged to be able to read all of it and see how it all fit together.
Ann, what a terrific analogy! And you are so right–it IS a glorious privilege to read and study the Bible to see how it fits together. It’s also a great joy, as I know you’d agree!
wow how cool to read these today, You have such a heart for the psalms. Merry Christmas dear friend
Thank you, Jean, not only for this gracious comment, but for ALL the gracious comments you leave here! I SO appreciate your faithfulness to read these posts and provide ongoing encouragement and support. Merry Christmas to you (a dear friend to me too!) and MANY blessings for the coming year.
Beautiful and informative! I love the Psalms and have a new perspective now thanks to you! Merry Christmas to you, Steve, and your entire family!
So glad this post provided a new perspective on the psalms, Cheri. We did enjoy a very Merry Christmas, thank you!
Old Testament references to the coming of Christ always fascinate me (esp. those of the prophets you mention) but I’ve never given the Psalms enough consideration for their ties to the rest of the Bible. The Good Book is a bottomless font of hope. Merry Christmas, Nancy!
A bottomless font of hope indeed! I haven’t reached the bottom yet and never will. There’s always more to discover, more to enjoy, more to grow by. At my age, that’s very good news! Thank you, Dave, and Happy New Year!