In this message we want to see the mixed expressions of the psalmist's sentiment in his enjoyment of God in God's house in Psalms 28—30. When we put these three psalms under the "microscope" of God's New Testament economy, it is difficult to find anything in them that is up to the divine standard. The only point that might be worthwhile for us New Testament believers to consider is that David said his heart trusted in God (Psa. 28:7). Of course, when David said this, he did not have the realization that we have today in the New Testament.
It is somewhat easy to understand what is written in many of the psalms. In the New Testament, however, there are sayings which are very mysterious and difficult to understand. The Lord Jesus said, "Abide in Me and I in you" (John 15:4a). This is a very simple word, but who can fully understand it? When I was a young Christian, I tried to find a book to help me understand what it meant to abide in Christ. Eventually, I found a book by Andrew Murray concerning abiding in Christ, but all he said was that consecrating ourselves is to abide in Christ. This book did not help me understand what it means to abide in Christ. The truth concerning abiding in Christ is very mysterious and deep.
There are many things in the New Testament that are simple in terminology but deep and mysterious in their significance. The New Testament frequently uses the expression in Christ or in the Lord. When some missionaries translated the Bible into Chinese, they thought that the Chinese would not be able to understand the usage of the preposition in. Therefore, they translated "in the Lord" as "trust in the Lord" or "rely upon the Lord." This translation, however, brings in a wrong concept. Noah and his family had to get into the ark in order to be saved by the ark from God's judgment. In order to be saved they could not merely rely upon the ark; they had to be in the ark.
The New Testament terms are deep because the New Testament was written based upon the principle of the New Testament economy, which is the manifestation of God in the flesh. The great mystery of godliness is the manifestation of God in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:16). No one can fully comprehend this. No one can understand what Paul meant when he said, "I am crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me" (Gal. 2:20a). Who can understand what Paul meant when he said, "For to me, to live is Christ" (Phil. 1:21a)? He also said that he labored more abundantly than all the apostles, yet it was not he but the grace of God which was with him (1 Cor. 15:10). He spoke of the grace of Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit being with us all (2 Cor. 13:14). In Philippians he spoke of the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ being our salvation (1:19). We may read these expressions in the Bible, but who can understand them? It is easy for us to understand many of the psalms because they were written according to our human concept. The New Testament, however, was written altogether according to another concept on another "planet." This is why it is so difficult to understand.