Prophecy and the Psalms

An understanding of the prophetic future of Judah and Israel is helpful in understanding the Psalms. At the close of the historic books, both Judah and Israel are in captivity. Judah’s post captivity history has differed from that of Israel, whose identity as a people has been lost. As we are witnessing even today, Judah will be restored to her land in unbelief (Isaiah 18), and will ultimately rebuild her temple (Isaiah 66:1-6; 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Psalm 74). With the church having been taken out of this scene at the rapture, a period of tremendous trial will come upon the whole habitable world (Revelation 3:10). Lasting for seven years (Daniel 9:24-27), the first three and half years are known as the beginning of sorrows (Matthew 24:8; first book of the Psalms), while the last three and half years are a period of great tribulation (Matthew 24:15-24; second book of the Psalms).
The 75-day period following the great tribulation is called the Indignation (Isaiah 10:24-25, 26:20, 34:1-2; Daniel 11:36). During this time, many nations will attempt to crush Israel, challenging even the Lord himself. A remnant of Judah will be preserved (Zechariah 13:9). The experiences of this remnant under the chastening hand and governmental discipline of God, suffering for and confessing the national guilt of a broken law, and the still more awful burden of crucifying their Messiah, are very fully detailed in the Psalms. The Lord will gather the ten tribes back into the land (Matthew 24:31; Deuteronomy 30:1-10; fourth Book of the Psalms), causing them to pass under the rod, purging out the rebels at the border (Ezekiel 20:35-37).
With the close of the indignation, the Lord’s kingdom will have been established and He will reign over the earth in righteousness for a period of 1000 years—the Millennium (Psalm 72; Isaiah 35; Zechariah 14:9; Revelation 20:1-6). Those that remain of the Gentile nations will go up year by year to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts (Zechariah 14:16).