Read these Psalms as if Jesus were saying them during Holy Week

Many of the Psalms receive another spiritual dimension when prayed from Jesus’ perspective.

Even though the Psalms were written thousands of years before the birth of Jesus Christ, many of them receive a new spiritual dimension when prayed from his perspective. This is not a mere coincidence, as the traditional author of the Psalms is King David.

Jesus is widely recognized as the new David, the Messiah and true heir to the throne. This unique Davidic connection allows a reader to place Jesus as the speaker of many of the Psalms. Even Jesus himself did this while hanging upon the cross.

Here are a few examples from the Psalms. Take time to read the entire Psalm and enter into Jesus’ Passion in a new way.

Read more:
7 Penitential Psalms to meditate on during Lent

Psalm 22

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Why so far from my call for help,
from my cries of anguish?
My God, I call by day, but you do not answer;
by night, but I have no relief.

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the glory of Israel.
In you our fathers trusted;
they trusted and you rescued them.

To you they cried out and they escaped;
in you they trusted and were not disappointed.
But I am a worm, not a man,
scorned by men, despised by the people.

All who see me mock me;
they curl their lips and jeer;
they shake their heads at me:

Psalm 31

In you, Lord, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your righteousness deliver me;
incline your ear to me;
make haste to rescue me!
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to save me.

For you are my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake lead me and guide me.
Free me from the net they have set for me,
for you are my refuge.

Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, Lord, God of truth.
You hate those who serve worthless idols,
but I trust in the Lord.

I will rejoice and be glad in your mercy,
once you have seen my misery,
[and] gotten to know the distress of my soul.
You will not abandon me into enemy hands,
but will set my feet in a free and open space.

Psalm 102

Lord, hear my prayer;
let my cry come to you.
Do not hide your face from me
in the day of my distress.

Turn your ear to me;
when I call, answer me quickly.
For my days vanish like smoke;
my bones burn away as in a furnace.

My heart is withered, dried up like grass,
too wasted to eat my food.

Psalm 118

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
his mercy endures forever.
Let Israel say:
his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Aaron say,
his mercy endures forever.
Let those who fear the Lord say,
his mercy endures forever.

In danger I called on the Lord;
the Lord answered me and set me free.
The Lord is with me; I am not afraid;
what can mortals do against me?
The Lord is with me as my helper;
I shall look in triumph on my foes.
Better to take refuge in the Lord
than to put one’s trust in mortals.
Better to take refuge in the Lord
than to put one’s trust in princes.

Read more:
3 Steps to praying the Psalms, and finding hope in our darkness