These literary links point further to Ps. 1’s affinity with Ps. 2’s focus on major redemptive-historical realities, especially the reign of Israel’s eschatological king throughout the creation (“the ends of the earth”) and judgment of the latter-day enemy.
The introductory function of Pss. 1–2 indicates that this theme of eschatological kingship throughout all creation and judgment is going to be the heartbeat of the whole Psalter, and that the individual’s behavior is inextricably linked to this cosmic theme.
The fact that most of the psalms were written by King David (at least about eighty-four of them) also underscores the kingship theme running throughout. Psalm 41 appropriately closes Book 1, since it is written by King David and is a prayer that he will triumph over his enemies (note the use of Ps. 41:9 in John 13:18 in application to Judas’s betrayal of Jesus).
Beale, G. K. (2011). A New Testament Biblical Theology: The Unfolding of the Old Testament in the New (p. 77). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
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