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Psalms for the End of Days or the Conclusion

The overwhelming majority of English Bibles translate the Old Testament from the Masoretic text, created between 800-1,000 years after Jesus Christ. Prior to this, the Old Testament that everyone read was the Greek Old Testament, translated from the original Hebrew between 250 and 150 years before Jesus Christ.

These two texts are very different in many places, including one especially notable theme in the Book of Psalms. In Masoretic text-based Bibles there are 55 psalms that, depending on translation, are written to or for the chief musician, the choirmaster, the choir director, the director of music, and such like. However, when reading either the Brenton or Thomson translation of the Greek Old Testament there’s not a single mention of chief musicians and the like but, rather, all of these psalms — plus one more, making a total of 56 psalms — are written “for the end” (Brenton) or “for the conclusion” (Thomson). That’s just over one third of all psalms.

Εἰς τὸ τέλος

The underlying Greek phrase translated as “for the end” is “Εἰς τὸ τέλος”.

Given the times that we’re living in — the end of the world or conclusion of the age — this makes every one of these psalms, individually and together, especially pertinent for all believers. These psalms contain nuggets of encouragement for all of us who will live through the sorrows or birth pains prior to Jesus’ return. Thus, it would behove us all to read and meditate upon these psalms with the end of days in mind.

Although these psalms are specifically written for the end, it should go without saying that so much of God’s word specifically speaks of the end of days. And, of course, all of God’s word is applicable at all times, as Paul wrote in his second epistle to Timothy:

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2 Timothy 3:16)

And given the times we are in, let’s remind ourselves of what Jesus said about the end of days. The following passage is from Matthew 24, but I suggest you also read Mark 13 and Luke 21. And, of course, the Book of Revelation.

Related: Why the Greek Septuagint is Superior to the Masoretic Text

Matthew 24:3-31

3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

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