Slices
Prepare
What do you see as the role of a king? What is the role of a priest? How did David, writer of the psalm, fulfil both these roles? How does Jesus fulfil them?
Bible passage
Of David. A psalm.
1 The Lord says to my lord:
‘Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.’
2 The Lord will extend your mighty sceptre from Zion, saying,
‘Rule in the midst of your enemies!’
3 Your troops will be willing
on your day of battle.
Arrayed in holy splendour,
your young men will come to you
like dew from the morning’s womb.
4 The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind:
‘You are a priest for ever,
in the order of Melchizedek.’
5 The Lord is at your right hand;
he will crush kings on the day of his wrath.
6 He will judge nations, heaping up the dead
and crushing the rulers of the whole earth.
7 He will drink from a brook along the way;
and so he will lift his head high.
Explore
As we have been looking at the story of Jacob’s family through the eyes of individuals, here we see a number of promises made by God to an individual – this time King David. Jacob learns to trust that God keeps his promises; here David asserts the same aspect of God’s character (v 4). David feels insecure on his throne, surrounded by enemies, but God confirms his priestly-kingship. David’s security is not in his own character, position or ability, but in who the Lord is and what he will do.
However, this psalm speaks of more than just God’s promises to David – it looks ahead to One who will be David’s Lord, the perfect priest-king (v 4). In Mark 12:35–37, Jesus quotes this psalm and applies it to himself. Hebrews unpacks this further in chapters 6–8. Although the discussion is complicated, the writer affirms that because Jesus is our priestking and has entered the holiest place on our behalf, we have a firm hope like an anchor for our souls (Hebrews 6:19).
Respond
1 Peter 2:9 states that we too are a royal priesthood. Read through Psalm 110 again. How might these promises apply to our priestly kingship now in the twenty-first century? Pray for yourself and your church about how you exercise this role within your community.
Deeper Bible study
‘Jesus shall reign where’er the sun / doth his successive journeys run; / his kingdom stretch from shore to shore, / till moons shall wax and wane no more.’1 Make your response.
As believers in the risen, ascended and glorified Lord Jesus, we read this psalm like a ‘telescope turned on the Messiah … the full reality of what David was only the shadow cast beforehand’.2 This is how the New Testament writers understand this psalm (it is quoted more often in the New Testament than any other) – as pointing to the Lord Jesus. In Mark 12:36,37, for example, Jesus identifies himself as the Lord that David acknowledges as his Lord (v 1).
We see Jesus here and worship him as the true king and our high priest. David’s reign was momentous, built on the promise of God that his rule would extend beyond Zion (v 2), but we know of its frailties and limitations. The internal struggles and external pressures meant there was only going to be partial fulfilment of the promises. The Messianic hope is of one greater than David, commanding reverence from all and extending that reign to exert a universal authority. The army of the Lord is willing, holy, young and fresh like dew (v 3), so that this reign can stretch from shore to shore, never running out of energy, never undermined by internal dissent. Enemies are still at work, but we trust the one who, having defeated death and been exalted, will complete his victory.
The psalm then turns from the king to the priest. The line of Melchizedek, the priest-king who first appears in Genesis 14, is distinct from the Israelite, Aaronic line of priesthood. Hebrews 7 explains that this is the basis of Jesus’ priesthood, ensuring it is an uncorrupted and everlasting priesthood, guaranteed by divine oath. Nothing can stand against the work of this priest-king. We kneel in gratitude that we are part of this compassionate reign.
Pray that ‘the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honoured’.3
1 Isaac Watts, 1674–1748, ‘Jesus shall reign’ 2 Alec Motyer, ‘Psalms’ in New Bible Commentary, 21st-Century Edition, 1994, p560 3 2 Thess 3:1
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Job 15–17; Psalms 83,84
Pray for Scripture Union
In many places where Christians are restricted by governments from working with children and young people, Scripture Union teams are ready to take risks as they share the good news. Pray that they will have good judgement and be able to balance courage with prudence.
