Yahweh Says to My Lord – Psalm 110

In Israel Yahweh has been very careful to separate the powers or powerful people.  No one can be both priest and king.  Prophet, priest and king have separate jurisdictions.  A king can be a prophet, as David was.  Melchizedek, the priest/king of Salem (Jerusalem) held both offices, and probably was a prophet, as well.  Jesus will be a priest after Melchizedek’s order, as well as a priest and prophet.  Because He is sinless he can function in all three roles without need for accountability or balance of power.

A Psalm of David.

The LORD says to my Lord:  “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”

The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter.  Rule in the midst of your enemies!  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.  The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”

The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.  He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth.  He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head.  (Psalm 110 ESV)

David says Yahweh will declare to David’s Lord that David’s Lord will have a place at Yahweh’s right hand, ruling in the midst of his enemies with a loyal troop of people.  And not only will David’s Lord serve as king but Yahweh will make him a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, bypassing the Aaronic priesthood in this case since David’s Lord is from the tribe of Judah.  David’s Lord will be at Yahweh’s right hand defeating earth’s kings on the Day of Yahweh, the day of wrath, accomplishing Yahweh’s ultimate judgment.  David’s Lord will find refreshment by the brook Yahweh provides and lift up his head as king over Yahweh’s creation.  

David’s Lord is the Messiah, Jesus, and in Matthew 22 Jesus uses this psalm to confound the religious leaders of Israel.  How can the Messiah be David’s offspring, as they admit, and yet be his Lord, as this psalm describes?  He does not explain but we understand that Jesus is both God and human, two natures in one person, the only suitable one to die in our place as a sacrifice for sin, the supreme priestly act.