The Great Commission in the Psalms
Why does RPGM spend so much time, talent, and treasure on missions? Among numerous passages from most of the books of the Bible, I found thirty-eight Psalm passages in a resource called Biblical Basis for Missions: 30-Day Challenge.* (Called 30-DC from here forward.) The passages from the Psalms caught my attention because the book of Psalms is used regularly in Christian worship. Can we find passages in the Psalms that repeat and reinforce the imperative Jesus gave in Matthew 28:18-20? The psalmists praise God among the nations because of his character and works, and they invite others to do so. Let’s not try to distinguish between those passages that are prophetic in nature and those that have already been fulfilled. Instead, let’s examine the context of a few of the passages from 30-DC that come from the Psalms.
Psalms of Praise
Some of the passages listed in 30-DC are enthusiastic outpourings of praise, such as in Psalm 8:1 and 9. These words are like bookends to verses that outline God’s glory, which shines even from little children to the highest heaven and from mere men to the son of man. Hebrews 2:8-9 makes it clear that “the son of man” in Psalm 8 is a reference to Jesus. How are people in all the earth to know God’s excellence unless they have been told? We can draw the conclusion that God’s people have been enlisted to be engaged in missions to accomplish this.
Another verse about missions in a psalm praising God is Psalm 18:49. Psalm 18 recounts how God saved David from the powerful enemies encountered in battle who bore hatred against him. David thanks God for freeing him and placing him in a position to rule over these people. Paul, in Romans 15:8-10, used this verse to show that King David wrote not just about himself in this psalm, but also about his descendant, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the victor in this case because people who hated Jesus heard about him, received his mercy, and became his disciples; God’s people obeyed Jesus’ mandate in Matthew 28.
Psalm 57:9-11 continues the theme of giving praise to God among the nations. In this case the passage comes as part of an urgent prayer to rescue the psalmist. David wrote this psalm at a time when he was fleeing from Saul and hiding in caves. He recognizes that he was in a dangerous situation, surrounded by men with tongues like sharp swords who set traps for him. However, David steadfastly remembers his first priority: give glory to God. David knew God’s great love and that he would live to give thanks to God among the nations, joining with them in praising God. It is this great love of God that drives him to rejoice and give thanks among the nations.
Psalms of Justice
By contrast, verses concerning the nations in Psalms that call for God’s judgment, also known as imprecatory psalms, might be considered the last places to look for support for mission-mindedness. However, 30-DC does include verses from a few imprecatory psalms. One of these, Psalm 59, was written by David when Saul sent men to watch his house to kill him. David’s prayer is that God would punish them so that all people, even to the ends of earth, may know that God rules over his people.** In this case, the purpose of the curses David placed on his enemies was not only to punish them, but also to instruct them that men cannot rule Israel—God is their only king.
Another passage in 30-DC that is contained in the midst of imprecations is Psalm 79:9-10. These verses appear in a psalm that was written by someone who survived the destruction of God’s holy temple, witnessed how the blood of God’s servants was poured out around Jerusalem like water while their bodies were left unburied, and endured the mocking voices of his neighbors. The psalmist recognized the sin of his people and, in verse 9, sought reconciliation with God. Why should God listen to him? The psalmist’s answer: “for the glory of your name.” He knows that if the atrocities committed in Jerusalem were not avenged, the nations would be able to ask, “Where is their God?” The Gentile nations would be able to doubt God’s very existence. The psalmist’s prayer for his own deliverance was mixed with a zeal for the glory of God.*** Likewise, God’s people should seek a way for the deliverance of the nations. Why? To promote God’s glory so that the nations will know God’s power to bring justice.
Psalm 67 is a psalm that is often referred to when looking for the Biblical basis for missions. The psalmist asks God to bless his people so that the nations will know of God’s saving power. He explicitly appeals to the nations to praise God for his equitable judgments and guidance, even for Gentiles. He reminds the people of the earth to join Israel in joyfully praising and worshiping God.
In Psalm 98:1-9 the nations are instructed to make a joyful noise because they have learned of God’s righteous salvation. They are even anticipating his judgment with joy because he will judge the peoples with equity.
God teaches the Gentiles
Psalm 126:2 actually gives an example of how God’s mercy on Judah resulted in the nations recognizing God’s work on their behalf. This psalm was written to express the joy of the exiles when they returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. In this verse, we see the fulfillment of God’s promise to restore Israel, also resulting in teaching the Gentiles about God’s merciful faithfulness.
Psalm 72 is a prayer for Solomon when he ascended the throne. Included in it is a prayer that the king’s reign would also involve dominion over all Gentile kings (v. 11). They are to serve him by bowing down and giving tribute and gifts—the duties required of conquered people—not just because they have been conquered, but also because the king delivers the needy, has pity on the poor, and redeems their lives. This is a reference to the work of Jesus Christ, to whom all authority has been given (Matthew 28:18). Their duties have become expressions of joyful thanksgiving. The psalm ends with “...may the whole earth be filled with his glory.”
Surely these passages sum up Jesus’ commission in Matthew 28:18-20 to make disciples of all nations and teach them what he has commanded. God’s plan has not been completely fulfilled yet, but clearly his plan is to do so. God has called his people to take part in this great work, as the Psalms reveal.
*Biblical Basis for Missions: 30-Day Challenge is contained in the materials provided by the Center for Mission Mobilization for the Explore class taught by Keith Mann, Director of RP Missions.
**John Calvin, Commentaries, ad loc.
***John Calvin, Commentaries, ad loc.
Acknowledgment: The Core Learning reading material used in the RPGM Explore class, the questions, resources, and the prayer section are used with permission from the Center for Mission Mobilization and are contained in total in their booklet, Xplore. RP Missions is grateful to the Center for Mission Mobilization for developing this material and allowing us to make use of it.