Psalm 119 speaks directly about the law. In this psalm the word "testimonies" is used twenty-two times, and the word "testimony" is used once. This psalm also speaks many times about the word. It is true to say that the law typifies Christ as a portrait of God. This is why the law is called the testimony of God. The law is a portrait of God, and eventually this portrait is not merely the Ten Commandments but a living person, Christ. Christ is the law of God, the portrait of God. Christ is also the word of God.

After Psalm 119, which closes something and also opens something, there is no further revelation in the Psalms concerning Christ. After we see Christ, we should ascend. Hence, after Psalm 119 we have the psalms of ascents, indicating that the Christian life is a life of ascending.

What kind of interest do you have in knowing the Psalms? Are you interested in coming to the Psalms to learn about godliness or to find comfort? Many Christians love the Psalms because they contain instruction concerning godliness and words of comfort. Sixty years ago I also loved the Psalms in this way, but today my love for the Psalms is different. I love the Psalms because this book is full of revelation concerning Christ which we cannot see in other books of the Bible. The four Gospels give us a fourfold record of what Christ is and of what He has done. However, the Gospels do not reveal Christ as much as the Psalms do. Sometimes the Psalms are quoted in the Gospels. For example, Psalm 118:22-23 is quoted in Matthew 21:42, and Psalm 110:1 is quoted in Matthew 22:44. Without the Psalms we cannot have a clear view concerning Christ. If you consider all the points regarding Christ in the Psalms, you will see that the Psalms present us a particular picture of Christ.

The title of this message on Psalms 111 through 118 is "The Praise of God's Elect Consummating in the Particular Position of Christ." This group of psalms may be called "psalms of hallelujahs." Psalms 111, 112, and 113 all begin with the word "Hallelujah." These psalms, therefore, are psalms of praises to God, and these praises consummate in a particular position of Christ. This means that Psalm 118 does not come out of nothing but is the issue of the praises of God's elect. As we consider these psalms, we will see that the praises in them are different from the praises in the foregoing psalms.