Toward the end of our last study in Psalm 68, I asked whether the psalm was messianic and said that this is not an easy question to answer. In some ways the psalm is messianic, in some ways it is not. There is no difficulty answering the same question about Psalm 69, because it is clearly about Jesus. In fact, it is one of the most obviously messianic psalms in the Psalter. This is why, for instance, next to Psalms 22 and 110, it is the psalm most frequently cited in the New Testament. Seven of its thirty-six verses are directly quoted, and others furnish themes relating to Christ's work that are expanded in the gospels.

Our commission is to preach the gospel of salvation by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ throughout the whole world and leave the conquest of the world to Jesus. This is because he alone is king. Indeed he is the King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16). He is in complete control of all things. He will reign in power. All nations will come to him, and before him every knee will bow, “in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:10, 11).

We come, then, to the final stanza, the epilogue, in which the kingdoms of the earth are called upon to praise God (vv. 32-35): “Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth, sing praise to the Lord, to him who rides the ancient skies above, who thunders with mighty voice. Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the skies. You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary, the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.”

It is true that much of what follows can be explained well by the reign of God in Zion in David's time. But the psalm also looks beyond David's time to a day of future blessing, and that certainly has to do with the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.