Finding the Messiah in the songs of David.
by Moises Capetillo
When we tell the story of Jesus, many of us begin in Bethlehem. We picture angels filling the sky, shepherds rushing to a manger, and wise men traveling from the East. But the Bible insists His story did not start in a manger. Centuries before the birth of Christ, the psalmists were already singing about a Messiah who existed before David, who would suffer, reign, and redeem the nations.
As I read through the Psalms, I can’t help but picture them like a songbook that whispers the name of Jesus between every line. David may have thought he was writing about his own experiences — about kingship, suffering, and shepherding — but the Spirit of God was revealing a greater King, a greater Sufferer, and a greater Shepherd.
I used to be mystified with the term messianic psalm. However, this is simply a title given to psalms that were written about our King Jesus — prophetic psalms speaking of His testimony to come. Once I understood this, I began to read the Psalms differently, not just as songs of David but as inspired previews of the Messiah’s story.
Let me show you a few of these psalms where the Messiah steps forward from the shadows.
Eternal King: Psalm 2
Psalm 2 begins with the nations in an uproar. “Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed” (vv. 1, 2).
That word Anointed is the Hebrew Mashiach — Messiah. This psalm is not just about David or any earthly king; it points to the Son of God. The psalm even records God’s declaration: “You are My Son, today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance” (vv. 7, 8).
The New Testament writers knew exactly who this psalm was about. Both Acts 13:33 and Hebrews 1:5 apply these words to Jesus. From the very beginning, God was telling us His Son would reign, not only over Israel but over the nations. And the psalm closes with a strong call: “Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, . . . Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him” (v. 12).
The Messiah is not a local ruler. He is the King of kings, enthroned before time, worthy of our trust today.
Priest Forever: Psalm 110
This psalm is quoted more in the New Testament than any other. David begins, “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool’” (v. 1).
Think about that. David, the greatest king Israel had ever known, calls this figure “my Lord.” He recognized Someone greater than himself, Someone already present.
Then verse 4 makes an incredible statement: “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
Unlike the priests of Levi who lived and died, this priesthood is eternal. Hebrews 7 explains that Jesus fulfills this psalm completely. He is both King and Priest, ruling with authority and interceding for us forever. David’s Lord was not just a future heir; He was the eternal Messiah seated at God’s right hand.
Suffering Savior: Psalm 22
If Psalm 2 and Psalm 110 show us the Messiah’s glory, Psalm 22 shows us His suffering. It begins with words Jesus himself quoted from the cross: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (v. 1).
As you read on, the details are chilling:
They pierced My hands and My feet (v. 16).
They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots (v. 18).
All those who see Me ridicule Me; . . . saying, “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him” (vv. 7, 8).
Crucifixion wasn’t even practiced in David’s day, yet he described it with precision. This psalm shows us that the suffering of Jesus was not random; it was foreseen. From the beginning, God’s plan was for His Son to bear our sin.
Psalm 22 doesn’t end with pain but with hope: “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You” (v. 27).
Through His suffering, the Messiah brings salvation to the world.
Everlasting Shepherd: Psalms 23 and 72
Psalm 23 may be the most quoted chapter in all the Bible. We recite it in worship and at funerals. We sing it in church. We preach it from the pulpit and whisper it in our meditations. David says, “The Lord is my Shepherd,” but in John 10, Jesus steps forward and says, “I am the good shepherd” (v. 11). Suddenly the psalm takes on even deeper meaning. The One who leads us beside still waters and through the valley of death is not just David’s Shepherd. He is Jesus, our eternal Shepherd.
Psalm 72 takes this further, describing a King whose reign stretches from sea to sea, whose name endures forever: “His name shall continue as long as the sun. And men shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed” (v. 17).
Who could this be but the Messiah? Solomon’s throne did not last. David’s kingdom eventually fell. But the Son of God endures forever.
Songbook of Jesus
When we open the Psalms, we are not reading just Israel’s hymnbook. We are reading prophecy. Every line points forward to Jesus. Psalm 2 shows us the eternal King. Psalm 110 reveals the Priest forever. Psalm 22 unveils the suffering Savior. And Psalms 23 and 72 remind us of the everlasting Shepherd.
The psalmists did not know the details of Bethlehem, Calvary, or the empty tomb, but they sang of a Messiah who was already writing His story into history. Jesus himself said, “All things must be fulfilled which were written in the . . . Psalms concerning Me” (Luke 24:44).
And they were! So next time you read or sing a psalm, remember: You are joining an ancient chorus that proclaimed Jesus long before Bethlehem. The Messiah of the Psalms is the same eternal Son we worship today — the King, Priest, Savior, and Shepherd who reigns forever.
