The Law, Psalms, and the Prophets have references to Jesus. As Christians, we know this because He came to fulfill them, not end them. The fair-you-see in the Law, Psalms, and Prophets was also observed by many rabbis during the Exile. They developed many things (rules and synagogues) to compensate for no Temple to worship in, they wanted the Jewish God and faith to not be forgotten by their people in exile. But some leaders were sad-you-see because all they saw was the Law; they did not even like angels or supernatural things. Only the Law was important to them, not the warnings and directions of the prophets and the joyful lessons in the Psalms.

If your Bible has references and footnotes you will see First Testament references all over the pages. Our Book of Hebrews stresses the High Priesthood of Jesus, but I would love to have a transcript of Jesus talking to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, and Philip’s explanation to the Ethiopian eunuch.   

In this series I will highlight from Psalms, just Psalms, verses that foretell aspects of Jesus’ life, ministry, and mission as seen in the Gospels and Acts. (My note-taking phase has overwhelmed me.) Like with my other studies, I want you opening your Bible, leaf and ink preferred and go Berean on me. So, I will include some whole verses, but not all of them. Will I get all of the references? Probably not, the sheer volume of them and how they show up in the chapters is making it very hard to organize.  

Mary the Prophet

Luke quotes, in Chapter 1:46-55, a teenage girl who has had a trip south from Nazareth to the hill country around Jerusalem. In that week-long trip, she was a bundle of fulfilled prophecy, had joy for Elizabeth, nervous thoughts about Joseph, and had Holy Spirit excitement bubbling in her as she thought about countless Scriptures that she was about to deliver. Mary knew her God and His words; she made reference to four different Psalms: 138, 111, 103, and 107. I think that song exploded from her with tears, shouts, and dancing. Her psalms were not numbered or divided into verses, but she knew them and their promises.

• 138: 6 looks on the lowly. Written by David.
• 111: 9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name. (KJV) Mary actually quote the last line in this verse. More on this verse later. Possibly written by David; I say that because of verse 111:1.
• 103:17+18 generations and children. Written by David.
• 107:9 satisfies

Zechariah the Prophet

This older priest was standing in the empty Holy of Holies burning incense. See Luke 1. If he was a Sadducee, he switched parties. Nine months later, when his son John was born, he gives a prophecy that includes references to five Psalms: 72, 111, 18, 105, and 106.

• 72: 18
• 111: 9 Zechariah quoted the first part of our numbered verse; “redemption”. This Psalm is acrostic; so, the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet are divided in its ten verses. Verse 9 has three letters in it (by my count #17,18, and 19). We are used to seeing a verse per letter, like in Lamentations. Psalm 111:9 Hebrew Text Analysis Psalm 119 has 22 sections with 8 lines in each, I (personal project) rearranged it to 8 sections with 22 lines in each section.
• 18: 2
• 105: 8+9 He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac (KJV)
• 106: 45

The Wise Men

I believe this points to the Wise Men/gentiles. 72: 10-11 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. (KJV) There are two areas in Scripture that are described as Tarshish, one in the Mediterranean, the other south by the Red Sea. Tarshish may mean distance place or smelting place.

References of the Birth

• 22:9-10 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly.
• 71:6 By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.
• 139:13-16 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

All of these are KJV and I sourced many references from the NIV footnotes. Read the verses in your favorite translation, sometimes old English is hard.

I will include this one, but you will need to view it in the Wycliff Bible.

110:3 The beginning is with thee in the day of thy virtue, in the brightnesses of saints; I begat thee of the womb, before the day star. (From the beginning, thy strength was with thee, and from that day thou hast shone in the brightness of the saints; yea, I begat thee from the womb, before the day star.) This version is like the AMP/Amplified Bible. It explains verses and in different ways for people just learning English. The part in the paratheses is what caught my attention. Please remember that Psalm 110 was written by David.