Summer ’26 Sermon Series

Sing to the King

The Royal Psalms


What’s the appropriate orientation toward a king? How are people meant to relate to an absolute monarch?

In a way, this is a strange question to ask during the summer in which our nation is celebrating its 250th anniversary. What is America celebrating 250 years of? Isn’t it freedom from monarchy? How are Americans supposed to get excited about relating to Jesus as… king?

Yet that’s how scripture portrays him, and that’s how he describes himself. With direct claims about his “kingdom,” Jesus was constantly claiming royalty. And his hearers knew at least a little of what he meant, because they had grown up on Bibles filled with prophetic hopes and promises of an everlasting occupant on David’s throne. (Rome knew what he meant, too, which is why the claim “Jesus is Lord” ended up getting Christians killed.)

The crowds that listened to Jesus would have been familiar with a dozen or so of the Psalms now sometimes classified as “royal psalms” because of their emphasis on the Davidic king as a central figure. As Israel had sung these songs in the years following David and Solomon, there had been tension in the singing: is the king going to be faithful? Is he going to be good? Is he going to win? After all, plenty of David’s heirs went into battle and weren’t victorious; assumed the throne and weren’t good or particularly faithful! So generation after generation, it must have seemed an open question: “Is God going to be with this king or not?” …until centuries came and went with no king at all on David’s throne.

Along comes Jesus, who tantalizes the crowds (Mt. 22:41-46) when he quotes one of the best-known royal psalms and asks the Pharisees (in effect), “Who is David talking about in Psalm 110?” In other words: “Who is this true messianic king David alludes to?”

This summer, we reflect on that same question.

By first looking at ten royal psalms in their original contexts, reflecting deeply on how each portrays the people relating to their king, and then re-reading the psalms (as Jesus did!) as pointing to him, we will aim to see Jesus in clearer light, and to better understand how we ought to relate to him.

There isn’t just one “right” answer to the question of how we relate to him, by the way. God has been using these psalms to expand my own personal collection of answers to that question. Specifically, I’m being convicted that I’ve spent too much of my Christian life thinking that “Jesus is my king” only means “I bow the knee to him” or maybe “I join him in battle.” But the royal psalms give us a much wider variety of responses, a plethora of modes of song.

In different seasons, this song can sound different. A new set of circumstances brings about a new melody and through-line. Fortunately for us, the Psalms give us a wide variety of ways to sing to our king – some perhaps better suited than others to our diverse personalities, relationships, giftedness, and callings. Sometimes we want a party song! Other times a “cry song” fits the moment better. We do occasionally need the intensity of a battle song, but at other moments, a romantic ballad is what’s appropriate.

As we more intentionally employ this multiplicity of expression, we may find our appreciation for king Jesus begin to grow.

By way of a preview, consider our orientation to the king in each of these royal psalms. We Christians are:

  • Psalm 2 – enemy combatants invited to take refuge with the king

  • Psalm 18 – the faithful who join the king in admitting our need for rescue

  • Psalm 20 – those who join the king in prayer and are answered as he is answered

  • Psalm 21 – those who join the king in his unshakable joy in God

  • Psalm 45 – the king’s fruitful bride

  • Psalm 72 – the afflicted poor whose fortunes are reversed as the king extends his rule

  • Psalm 89 – objects of ridicule because of our association with a ridiculed king

  • Psalm 101 – those privileged to serve the king because of our proven integrity

  • Psalm 110 – volunteers who join the priest-king on his day of battle

  • Psalm 132 – worshipers who journey to the temple because of God’s promises to the king

  • Psalm 144 – happy/blessed people growing like plants/ornate like buildings because we’ve been saved through our king

And if this is who we are, that means that Jesus is:

  • Psalm 2 – the conquering king who generously offers amnesty to any who kiss him

  • Psalm 18 – the king who admits his need for rescue

  • Psalm 20 – the king who looks to God in prayer

  • Psalm 21 – the king who doesn’t just do the right thing out of duty but delights in God

  • Psalm 45 – the stunning and respected bridegroom

  • Psalm 72 – the enforcer of justice and righteousness for the downtrodden

  • Psalm 89 – the ridiculed king who clings to God’s promises

  • Psalm 101 – the good king who surrounds himself with upright servants

  • Psalm 110 –the priest-king who recruits an army to join him on his day of battle

  • Psalm 132 – the king determined to establish an enduring temple for the name of the Lord

  • Psalm 144 – the king who makes his people happy/blessed once he himself is rescued

Come along with us on this journey this summer. When you’re out of town for a week, listen in and catch up. And invite a friend who hasn’t yet met Jesus; they may just find themselves wanting to join you in singing to the king!


Tim Higgins