By Jay T. Robertson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, University of Mobile
GOD’S MESSIAH
Psalm 110:1–7
Psalm 110 is one of the most cited Old Testament texts in the New Testament. It is a royal psalm, meaning that its theme deals with the role of the house of David in the life of God’s people. This psalm, like Psalms 2 and 72, goes beyond the achievements of any merely human heir of David and looks forward to the Messiah.
When the people of God would sing this psalm in faith, they would celebrate God’s promises to David, long for the day when the Gentiles would receive the light and strive to be faithful to their calling until that great day. Christians sing this psalm to celebrate that Jesus has ascended to his Davidic kingship by His resurrection and that God is actively subduing the Gentiles into the Kingdom of God.
Jesus as King (1–3)
The word “declaration” is used for prophetic oracles in the Old Testament. In this psalm, “LORD” — literally “Yahweh” — refers to God the Father. He is making a declaration to David’s “Lord,” meaning someone who is greater than David. This is a reference to the divine Messiah.
In this intriguing verse, we see Yahweh declaring to the Messiah that He is to sit at God’s right hand. The Messiah — the Son of David and the Son of God — will rule the universe with Yahweh with preeminence, power and authority.
Yahweh will also make the Messiah’s enemies His footstool. God will subdue these enemies and make them subject to the authority of the Davidic king.
The idea that the risen Lord Jesus is the reigning Messiah King seated at God’s right hand appears in many passages in the New Testament (Acts 2:32–35, 1 Cor. 15:25 and Eph. 1:20). This is good news, Church. No matter how bad things seem right now, Jesus will prevail.
Yahweh will extend the Messiah’s rule and authority to defeat His enemies and establish His rule over all the nations.
Jesus as Priest (4)
If anything is stronger than a divine oracle, it is a divine oath. Not only will David’s Descendant be a King forever, but He will also be a Priest forever “according to the pattern of Melchizedek.” No greater guarantee could be made as Yahweh declares that nothing can thwart the certainty of His promise. This verse should strengthen our faith in God and our resolve
to be busy fulfilling the Great Commission.
In ancient Israel, the kings were selected from the tribe of Judah and the priests from the tribe of Levi. No single individual could qualify as both king and priest. Melchizedek, however, was described as both a king and a priest in Genesis 14:18–20, making him a type of the One who was to come.
The silence surrounding Melchizedek in Genesis made him an appropriate symbol of One who had neither “beginning of days or end of life” (Heb. 7:3).
Jesus as Victor (5–7)
In these verses we see God the Father and the Messiah working together, actively fighting against the kings of the earth, resulting in complete victory.
The army of volunteers in verse 3 is out of the picture, and it is God Himself — Father and Son — who judges and destroys everyone who persists in rebellion to His reign. This psalm should strengthen our faith in the promises of God and fortify our resolve to be busy in fulfilling the Great Commission.
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