Sometimes, a Bible passage may say more than its human author intended. David’s hymn to a royal personage describes a Messiah-figure serving as a mighty general, holy priest and king, actually sitting at the right hand of God himself, for all time. Who did he have in mind? Not King Saul, surely. Himself? Someone else? For centuries, Christians have identified ‘my Lord’ as Jesus Christ (although he was never a warlord), declaring this King is reigning now and for ever.

Considering the state of our current world and our personal lives, that might seem a rather difficult idea. But this psalm declares that our King is steadily working now to crush the evil corrupting all human life, judging between what’s true and false, and extending his rule into human lives day by day all around our world. In times of difficulty, we need to remember the one who is sitting on the throne, who adopted us as his children, and is never going to change his mind on this (v 4). He is always going to defeat what you and I cannot defeat, and one day will bring in his final kingdom of righteousness and peace.