The psalms Jesus quoted, the psalm words he spoke on the cross, and the messiah psalms, each with the New Testament verse that makes the link.
The psalms never name Jesus. The New Testament quotes them about him again and again. Jesus quotes them himself, in arguments in the temple, at supper and from the cross. Peter uses them to explain the resurrection, and the letter to the Hebrews builds its case from them. Every pick below names the New Testament verse that makes the link, so you can open it and check for yourself.
The picks are grouped as psalms Jesus quoted, psalms he prayed on the cross, psalms the apostles applied to his death and resurrection, and the messiah psalms in Hebrews. Christmas and Easter have their own pages. Tick the verses you want and print them on one sheet.
The Gospels record Jesus quoting these psalms in his own words, in debate and on the last night with his disciples.
The LORD says to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand,until I make your enemies your footstool for your feet.”
The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
The LORD says to my Lord, sit at my right hand. In Matthew 22:44 Jesus quotes it and asks how David can call his own son Lord. Mark 12:36 says David said it in the Holy Spirit.
The stone which the builders rejectedhas become the cornerstone.
The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. Jesus quotes it in Matthew 21:42 after the parable of the vineyard, and Acts 4:11 applies it to him.
From the lips of babes and infants you have established strength,because of your adversaries, that you might silence the enemy and the avenger.
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
When children in the temple shouted Hosanna, Jesus answered his critics with this verse in Matthew 21:16. His wording speaks of praise perfected from the mouths of children.
I said, “You are gods,all of you are sons of the Most High.
I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
I said, you are gods. In John 10:34 Jesus quotes this line when he is accused of blasphemy. The heading attributes the psalm to Asaph.
Yes, my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted,who ate bread with me,has lifted up his heel against me.
Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
A trusted friend who ate bread with the writer has lifted up his heel against him. In John 13:18, at supper, Jesus quotes it about the one who would betray him.
Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head.Those who want to cut me off, being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty.I have to restore what I didn’t take away.
They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.
Those who hate me without a cause. In John 15:25 Jesus says this word written in their law is fulfilled in the hatred he meets. Psalm 35:19 has the same phrase.
Two of the sayings from the cross are lines from the psalms.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me. Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34 record Jesus crying this line aloud. The psalm goes on to a scene of mocking and ends in praise.
Into your hand I commend my spirit.You redeem me, LORD, God of truth.
Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.
Into your hand I commend my spirit. Luke 23:46 gives Jesus's last words in this form, with Father added at the start.
The apostles read these psalms as speaking of what happened to Jesus. Each note names the verse where they do it.
I have set the LORD always before me.Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
I have set the LORD always before me. Peter quotes this verse and the three after it in Acts 2:25 to 28, and in Acts 2:31 says David spoke about the resurrection of the Christ.
The kings of the earth take a stand,and the rulers take counsel together,against the LORD, and against his Anointed, saying,
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
Kings and rulers take a stand against the LORD and his Anointed. The believers quote it in Acts 4:25 to 26, and in Acts 4:27 name Herod and Pontius Pilate gathered against Jesus.
For the zeal of your house consumes me.The reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.
Zeal for your house consumes me. John 2:17 says the disciples remembered it when Jesus drove the traders from the temple, and Romans 15:3 quotes the second half of the verse about Christ.
I will declare your name to my brothers.Among the assembly, I will praise you.
I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
I will declare your name to my brothers. Hebrews 2:12 puts these words in the mouth of Jesus, who, the verse before says, is not ashamed to call them brothers.
Hebrews reads these psalms about a king, a priest and a speaker who comes to do God's will as words spoken of or by the Son.
Your throne, God, is forever and ever.A scepter of equity is the scepter of your kingdom.
Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.
Your throne, God, is forever and ever. The heading calls Psalm 45 a wedding song, and Hebrews 1:8 to 9 quotes this verse and the next as spoken of the Son.
The LORD has sworn, and will not change his mind:“You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
A priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 5:6 quotes it of Christ, and Hebrews 7:17 quotes it again.
Then I said, “Behold, I have come.It is written about me in the book in the scroll.
Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
Behold, I have come, it is written about me in the scroll. Hebrews 10:5 to 7 quotes the passage as the words of one coming into the world, and Hebrews 10:10 names him as Jesus Christ.
Of old, you laid the foundation of the earth.The heavens are the work of your hands.
Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.
Of old you laid the foundation of the earth. The heading calls Psalm 102 a prayer of the afflicted, and Hebrews 1:10 quotes this line as spoken to the Son.
The Gospels record him speaking psalm words twice on the cross: Psalm 22:1 in Matthew 27:46 and Psalm 31:5 in Luke 23:46. Matthew 26:30 says that after supper he and the disciples sang a hymn before going out to the Mount of Olives, but it does not say which one. In Luke 24:44 the risen Jesus says that everything written about him in the law of Moses, the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.
The Bible gives no fixed list. The clearest cases are the psalms the New Testament itself quotes about Jesus. Psalm 2 speaks of the LORD's Anointed, Psalm 110 of a king at God's right hand and a priest forever, Psalm 45 of a king whose throne lasts forever, and Psalm 22 of a sufferer whose first words Jesus spoke on the cross.
The psalms the New Testament quotes about him, including Psalm 2, Psalm 16, Psalm 22, Psalm 45, Psalm 69, Psalm 110 and Psalm 118. None of them names him, and each pick on this page gives the New Testament verse that makes the link.
In his teaching he quoted Psalm 110:1, Psalm 118:22, Psalm 8:2, Psalm 82:6, Psalm 41:9 and the phrase hated without a cause, found in Psalm 69:4 and Psalm 35:19. From the cross he spoke Psalm 22:1 and Psalm 31:5.
The Gospels quote Psalm 22 at the crucifixion: its first line in Matthew 27:46, and Psalm 22:18, about casting lots for clothing, in John 19:24. Luke 23:46 gives his last words in the form of Psalm 31:5.
The New Testament reads several psalms as fulfilled in Jesus. John 13:18 says Psalm 41:9 was fulfilled in the betrayal, and Acts 2:31 says Psalm 16 spoke of the resurrection of the Christ.
The New Testament does not quote Psalm 23. Jesus calls himself the good shepherd in John 10:11, but Psalm 23:1 speaks of the LORD as shepherd.
Psalms for Easter and Holy WeekPsalms for ChristmasPsalms about SalvationPsalms about SufferingPsalms About the Holy SpiritPsalms of Lament