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Psalms and the Antichrist

The next subject that Gaebelein includes in his Harmony of the Prophetic Word is that of “The Wicked Leaders of the Apostate Forces at the End of the Age – The Antichrist.” Do the psalms contain any references or descriptions of the Antichrist? Gaebelein says they do: “If the Psalms are applied in dispensational light, and the afflicted, persecuted, and driven ones are seen to mean the faithful remnant of the Jews at the close of the age, we shall have no difficulty to find the wicked one, the enemy, fully described in them.” It certainly is true that if the “afflicted, persecuted, and driven ones” are the remnant of believing Jews during the Great Tribulation, then the psalms describe the Antichrist and his compatriots, but that is a pretty big “if.” While I would be hesitant to say that these passages are primarily dealing with the Tribulation and more inclined to see them as references to the trials of God’s people in the OT era, it is still true that the past and present tribulations are pointing forward to the coming time of Jacob’s trouble which will afflict the whole earth. In that sense, then, consider what Gaebelein sees as the descriptions of the Antichrist in Psalms:

The 10th Psalm contains one of the first descriptions of the Antichrist: “His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression; under his tongue is mischief and iniquity” (Ps. 10:7).

The Psalms which follow up to the 15th Psalm are all descriptive of the condition of things when that wicked one will have the rule. Many other passages could be quoted in which a wicked one, a person, is mentioned, and a godly people suffering under his dreadful régime cries to Jehovah for deliverance. The following verses in the 37th Psalm may be read in this light, making known the comfort the remnant of His earthly people will have: “For yet a little while, and the wicked is not, and thou considerest his place, but he is not. But the meek shall possess the land. And shall delight themselves in the abundance of prosperity” (v.10,11).

The 43rd Psalm shows us this evil person again. He is called in this Psalm “the deceitful and unrighteous man” (v.1). Still more do we find him in the 52nd Psalm: “Why boasteth thou thyself in evil, thou mighty man? The loving kindness of God abideth continually. Thy tongue deviseth mischievous things; Like a sharp razor practicing deceit. Thou hast loved evil rather than good, lying rather than to speak righteousness. Thou hast loved all devouring words, O deceitful tongue! God shall likewise destroy thee forever; he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy tent, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah” (v.1-5).

The 53rd Psalm is almost like the 14th….[It] describes the days of Antichrist in the earth: “Every one of them is gone back, they are together become corrupt; there is none that doeth good, not even one.” It is complete apostasy. The 55th Psalm also refers to Antichrist: “He hath put forth his hands against such as are at peace with him; he hath broken his covenant” (v.20).

The comfort of these psalms, that will be offered to the Jewish remnant during the Great Tribulation, is just as much ours today. Let us take courage from the unchanging testimony of God’s word.

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