The Local Churches Typified in the Book of Psalms

The Local Church Being Built up by Christ

Throughout the Psalms, there are many verses that prophesy of Christ’s sufferings, resurrection life, and ascension. When these verses are taken together with the New Testament references as their fulfillment, it becomes clear that Christ’s sufferings, resurrection life, and ascension are for the producing and building up of the church, especially the local church. Christ’s sufferings in death redeemed the church, and in resurrection, Christ became the life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45) to indwell the believers. Now, in ascension, Christ is fulfilling His heavenly ministry in God’s economy by dispensing Himself as the divine life into us until we are transformed (2 Cor. 3:18) and conformed (Rom. 8:29) to His image, and until the Body of Christ is built up to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:16). In the following passages, Witness Lee presents these verses concerning Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension, including their significance.

1. Through Christ’s Sufferings

Ephesians 5:25 says, “Christ…loved the church and gave Himself up for her,” indicating that He suffered for the church. Witness Lee enumerates Christ’s sufferings for God’s house, that is, for the local church, as revealed in Psalms 69-71.

In Psalms 69 to 71 we mainly see the sufferings of Christ and how He behaves and expresses Himself in all His sufferings. Let us note His sufferings as mentioned in Psalm 69 with the New Testament references concerning their fulfillment: (1) He was hated by many without a cause—Psalm 69:4, cf. John 15:25; (2) He bore reproaches for God’s sake—Psalm 69:7, 9, cf. Rom. 15:3; (3) The zeal of God’s house has eaten Him up—Psalm 69:9, cf. John 2:17. While Christ was suffering, the zeal of God’s house consumed Him. His suffering could not cause Him to forget the house of God. He was one hundred percent for God’s house, for He came to this earth with the express purpose of building it up. (4) He suffered much, and no one took pity upon Him—Psalm 69:29, 19-20, cf. John 16:32; (5) He wept and entreated God to deliver Him out of the waters of death—Psalm 69:10, 13-17, 1-2, cf. Heb. 5:7; (6) He asked God to set Him up on high—Psalm 69:29, cf. Acts 2:32-33; (7) He promised God that He would praise Him—Psalm 69:30-34, cf. Heb. 2:12; (8) While He suffered on the cross, He was given gall as His food—Psalm 69:21, cf. Mt. 27:34; (9) In His thirst on the cross He was given vinegar to drink—Psalm 69:21, cf. John 19:28-30; (10) He was smitten and wounded by God—Psalm 69:26, cf. Isa. 53:10. He was not only persecuted and crucified by man, but, because He suffered in our stead, He was smitten and wounded by God. (11) His suffering was for the salvation of Zion and the building of the cities of God’s people—Psalm 69:35-36, cf. Eph. 5:25b. His suffering was for God’s house, for the local church, for all God’s people. In other words, He suffered that God’s people might have a dwelling place on this earth. (12) His betrayer’s habitation will become desolate—Psalm 69:25, cf. Acts 1:20.

Psalm 70, briefly, is the desire uttered by the Spirit of the suffering Christ in the expression of the suffering saint. Psalm 71 is also the utterance of Christ in His suffering in the suffering saint’s expression.

(Witness Lee, Christ and the Church, 121-122)

Elsewhere, Witness Lee presents additional references to the sufferings of Christ for the local church:

Psalms 49 through 67 tell us how the saints enjoy the house and the city of God through Christ. Firstly we must indicate the various verses in this section which speak further concerning Christ. (1) He suffered the plot of men (Ps. 56:6, cf. Lk. 11:54; Jn. 11:57). (2) He was betrayed by His friend (Ps. 55:13, cf. Matt. 26:50). (3) He was falsely accused by the people (Ps. 55:3, cf. Matt. 26:59-68; Jn. 18:30; 19:7). (4) He was assailed by the assembly of the adversaries (Ps. 62:3-4, cf. Matt. 26:3-4, 57, 59).

(Witness Lee, Christ and the Church, 91-92)

As Witness Lee points out above, central to the revelation of Christ in the Psalms are passages concerning His work: specifically, His death, resurrection, and ascension. The Psalms reveal to us that Christ died on the cross for the sake of God’s house and God’s people in the local churches (Psalm 69:35-36). Furthermore, in resurrection and ascension, Christ regenerated us to be His believers and constituted us with the divine life to be gifts to His Body. Then Christ led us as a train of vanquished foes, we who were formerly enemies of God and enslaved to Satan. Now, as members of His Body, even as gifts to the Body, we may do the work of the ministry to build up the Body of Christ and thus participate in the fulfillment of God’s purpose (Eph. 4:11-16). Hallelujah!

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God’s House

Zion

City of God

Bride

Practical Salvation

Built Up

Victory

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