Psalm 110
At the Right Hand of the Father
After his death on the cross for the sins of his people, and after rising on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and ascending into heaven, Jesus took his seat at the right hand of the Father.
But what is he doing there?
This Psalm explores his two-fold role:
He reigns over all as our Lord
He intercedes for his own as our Priest
A Psalm of David.
1 The LORD says to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.”
2 The LORD sends forth from Zion
your mighty sceptre.
Rule in the midst of your enemies!
3 Your people will offer themselves freely
on the day of your power,
in holy garments;
from the womb of the morning,
the dew of your youth will be yours.
4 The LORD has sworn
and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest for ever
after the order of Melchizedek.”
5 The Lord is at your right hand;
he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.
6 He will execute judgement among the nations,
filling them with corpses;
he will shatter chiefs
over the wide earth.
7 He will drink from the brook by the way;
therefore he will lift up his head.
There are two Lords in the first verse. The first is in all capitals, LORD, which refers to the divine name of God (see Exodus 3.14). The second is in lower case, Lord, which refers to a ruler. The identity of the second one is essential to our understanding of God’s plans in the gospel.
After the Pharisees and Sadducees tried to trip Jesus up, testing him with politically hot and theologically complex questions (Matthew 22.15-40), Jesus turned the spotlight back on them.
When Jesus asked the Pharisees who they considered the Christ (God’s anointed saviour) to be, they responded that it would the Son of David. Jesus then, reciting the opening line of our Psalm, questioned them about who David referred to when he spoke of “My Lord” (Matthew 22.41-46). For both Jesus and the Pharisees knew Psalm 110 was all about the Christ whom God would empower and send forth. If the Christ would be David’s Son, how could he also be his Lord. This muted Jesus’s audience who were completely stumped.
At Pentecost, Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, explicitly identified Jesus to be the Lord of Psalm 110.1 (Acts 2.34-36). Jesus is both the Christ and Lord. He is both the Son of David and God the Son. As we remember at this time of year, Jesus is both fully God and fully man.
Jesus, our Lord and the Christ, is the centrepiece of God’s Kingdom plan for redemption and renewal.
All the enemies of God will be brought underneath the feet of Jesus (v1; Ephesians 1.20).
He is the King who will rule forever in righteousness over his eternal Kingdom (v2; Luke 1.33).
He is the Lord justified people of all nations will worship before (v3; Revelation 7.9).
Jesus is the Lord who will topple all grace-denying kingdoms (v5; Daniel 2.44).
Jesus will be the Lord who judges justly, seeing the corrupt finally receive their just punishment (v6; Acts 17.31).
And Jesus is the Lord who will be sustained and strengthened by his God for his work (v7; Matthew 4.11).
As we sing this Psalm, we remember that Jesus is the true Lord to whom we must yield our allegiance. We bow our hearts and spirits before him, confessing him as the Lord of our lives.
In the heart of this Psalm, we not only remember that Jesus is our true Lord but also rest in the truth that he is our Priest-King (v4).
Psalm 110.4 is the nucleus of the encouragement to struggling believers in the Letter to the Hebrews. Jesus is identified as being the Great High Priest in the Order of Melchizedek. Melchizedek is the mysterious Priest King of Salem from Genesis 14, to whom Abram pays honour and tribute. Unlike the Aaronic Priests whose sacrifices are insufficient to forgive fully and finally, Jesus as our Great High Priest, in the order of Melchizedek, is able to offer the full and final sacrifice (Hebrews 7.20-22; 10.14). This is because unlike the priests of the Old Covenant, he lives forever. So the work he does for us lasts forever.
For the weary hearted, this Psalm reminds us of the intimate concern and perfect ministry of Jesus. He is the one at the right hand of the Father, both ruling as our Lord and interceding for us as our Priest. We have an advocate in heaven, who knows us and has experienced all we have been through. And right now, he is speaking to the Father on our behalf.
Praise the Lord!
Glory be to God the Father, who sends forth our Lord from Zion.
Glory be to God the Son, our Great High Priest.
Glory be to God the Spirit, who clothes us in holy garments.
Ever three and ever One.
Home Group: Ecclesiastes 11.7-12.8
How does knowing we will die free us to live?
Why should the young rejoice in their youth (11.8-9)? How might removing vexation benefit our rejoicing (11.10; see 2.23)?
In 12.1, this is the first time God is referred to as Creator in Ecclesiastes. Why is that significant (see Genesis 1)? How does seeing our slow but inevitable deterioration encourage us to remember God (12.2-7)?
The Preacher repeats his motto verse from 1.2 in 12.8. How does realising everything is vapour/mist help us in our Christian lives?