The King Is a Priest at God s Right Hand. Psalm 110:1-7

1 Commentary by Clyde M. Miller Questions by John C. Sewell The King Is a Priest at God s Right Hand Psalm 110:1-7

2 Text: Psalm 110:1-7, The King Is a Priest at God's Right Hand Commentary by Clyde M. Miller 1. Jehovah saith unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool. 2. Jehovah will send forth the rod of thy strength out of Zion: Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. 3. Thy people offer themselves willingly In the day of thy power, in holy array: Out of the womb of the morning Thou hast the dew of thy youth. 4. Jehovah hath sworn, and will not repent: Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek. 5. The Lord at thy right hand Will strike through kings in the day of his wrath. 6. He will judge among the nations, He will fill the places with dead bodies; He will strike through the head in many countries. 7. He will drink of the brook in the way: Therefore will he lift up the head. ASV Introduction: I. This royal psalm is treated as messianic in the New Testament, and Psalm 110:1 is attributed to David (Matt. 24:43-45). A. Psalm 110:1, Jehovah saith unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool. ASV

3 B. Matthew 24:43-45, But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken through. Therefore be ye also ready; for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath set over his household, to give them their food in due season? ASV II. It appears that the psalm as a whole was written about a king rather than by one. A. Perhaps Psalm 110:1 and 4 are prophetic oracles concerning David, and the psalmist builds his psalm around these oracles. ASV 1. Psalm 110:1, 4, Jehovah saith unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool. Jehovah hath sworn, and will not repent: Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek. ASV 2. The word says, n e um, in Psalm 110:1 is a technical term frequently used in the prophets to indicate a divine revelation given to a prophet. a. The word is used only here in the psalms. III. For characteristics of royal psalms, see the introduction to Psalm 89. IV. A legitimate question is whether the psalm presents a direct prophecy about Christ or if it is used of the type-antitype kind of representation.

4 A. This commentary takes the latter view. B. The psalm is clearly messianic in either case. Commentary: God's Right Hand Psalm 110:1, Jehovah saith unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool. ASV I. Yahweh promises my lord, Aadoni, the king, victory over his enemies. A. The one at the right hand of a ruling monarch was considered second in command or authority. B. A person's right hand was a symbol of his strength and power (Jud. 5:26; Job 40:14; Psalm 21:8; 45:4; etc.), and God's right hand is frequently used in Scripture to indicate divine power (Ex. 15:6; Psalm 16:11; 17:7; 18:35; 20:6; 44:3; 48:10; 60:5; 63:8; etc.). 1. Judges 5:26, She put her hand to the tent-pin, And her right hand to the workmen's hammer; And with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote through his head; Yea, she pierced and struck through his temples. ASV 2. Job 40:14, Then will I also confess of thee That thine own right hand can save thee. ASV

5 3. Psalm 21:8, Thy hand will find out all thine enemies; Thy right hand will find out those that hate thee. ASV 4. Psalm 45:4, And in thy majesty ride on prosperously, Because of truth and meekness and righteousness: And thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. ASV 5. Exodus 15:6, Thy right hand, O Jehovah, is glorious in power, Thy right hand, O Jehovah, dasheth in pieces the enemy. ASV 6. Psalm 16:11, Thou wilt show me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; In thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. ASV 7. Psalm 17:7, Show thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them that take refuge in thee From those that rise up against them. ASV 8. Psalm 18:35, Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation; And thy right hand hath holden me up, And thy gentleness hath made me great. ASV 9. Psalm 20:6, Now know I that Jehovah saveth his anointed; He will answer him from his holy heaven With the saving strength of his right hand. ASV 10. Psalm 44:3, For they gat not the land in possession by their own sword, Neither did their own arm save them; But thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, Because thou wast favorable unto them. ASV

6 11. Psalm 48:10, As is thy name, O God, So is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: Thy right hand is full of righteousness. ASV 12. Psalm 60:5, That thy beloved may be delivered, Save with thy right hand, and answer us. ASV 13. Psalm 63:8, My soul followeth hard after thee: Thy right hand upholdeth me. ASV C. The Davidic king is actually a prince under God's control (cf. 1 Sam. 10:1). 1. 1 Samuel 10:1, Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not that Jehovah hath anointed thee to be prince over his inheritance? ASV 2. Footstool indicates figuratively that which is subordinate. 3. When applied to God's footstool, it may refer to the earth (probably universe, Isa. 66:1; Matt. 5:35), to Israel (Lam. 2:1), to the temple where Israel worshiped God (Psalm 99:1-5; 132:7), or to His enemies who would be brought into submission (Heb. 10:13). a. Isaiah 66:1, Thus saith Jehovah, Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: what manner of house will ye build unto me? and what place shall be my rest? ASV

7 b. Matthew 5:35, nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ASV c. Lamentations 2:1, How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger! He hath cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, And hath not remembered his footstool in the day of his anger. ASV d. Psalm 99:1-5, Jehovah reigneth; let the peoples tremble: He sitteth above the cherubim; let the earth be moved. Jehovah is great in Zion; And he is high above all the peoples. Let them praise thy great and terrible name: Holy is he. The king's strength also loveth justice; Thou dost establish equity; Thou executest justice and righteousness in Jacob. Exalt ye Jehovah our God, And worship at his footstool: Holy is he. ASV e. Psalm 132:7, We will go into his tabernacles; We will worship at his footstool. ASV II. Psalm 110:1 is quoted or alluded to several times in the New Testament and applied to Christ. A. David is treated as a type of Christ, the Hebrew Messiah (Matt. 26:63-64; Mark 16:19; Acts 2:34-35; 5:30-32; Rom. 8:34; 1 Cor. 15:25; Eph. 1:20; Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3,13; 8:1; 10:12-13; 12:2). 1. Matthew 26:63, 64, But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest said unto him, I adjure thee by the liv-

8 ing God, that thou tell us whether thou art the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus said unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven. ASV 2. Mark 16:19, So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken unto them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. ASV 3. Acts 2:34, 35, For David ascended not into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet. ASV 4. Acts 5:30-32, The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, hanging him on a tree. Him did God exalt with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins. And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God hath given to them that obey him. ASV 5. Romans 8:34, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. ASV 6. 1 Corinthians 15:25, For he must reign, till he hath put all his enemies under his feet. ASV 7. Ephesians 1:20, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, ASV

9 8. Colossians 3:1, If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. ASV 9. Hebrews 1:3, 13, who being the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; But of which of the angels hath he said at any time, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet? ASV 10. Hebrews 8:1, Now in the things which we are saying the chief point is this: We have such a high priest, who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, ASV 11. Hebrews 10:12, 13, but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; henceforth expecting till his enemies be made the footstool of his feet. ASV 12. Hebrews 12:2, looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ASV B. In Matt. 22:44, Jesus used the verse to set forth his preearthly existence, which allowed him to be David's Lord, as Christ ruled with God in heaven, and also made it possible for Christ to be David's son according to the flesh (cf. Rom. 1:3-4).

10 1. Matthew 22:44, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I put thine enemies underneath thy feet? ASV 2. Romans 1:3, 4, concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead; even Jesus Christ our Lord, ASV C. The Hebrew text makes no distinction between upper and lower case letters. 1. All the letters in our printed Hebrew texts are in the form of upper case. 2. It is, therefore, a matter of interpretation whether the second word lord should be capitalized. a. Those translators who believe that the word refers directly to Christ will obviously capitalize it, Lord (ASV, ESV, KJV, NASB, NASH95, NCV, NIV, NKJV). b. Those who believe that the word in its original context refers to the king will use the lower case letter, lord (RSV, NRSV, GNB). Promise of Strength Psalm 110:2, Jehovah will send forth the rod of thy strength out of Zion: Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. ASV I. God, who anoints the king and inducts him into office, also sends the king out against his enemies when he goes forth with the royal

11 scepter of equity and righteousness for the cause of truth (cf. Psalm 45:4-7). A. Psalm 45:4-7, And in thy majesty ride on prosperously, Because of truth and meekness and righteousness: And thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows are sharp; The peoples fall under thee; They are in the heart of the king's enemies. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: A sceptre of equity is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness: Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee With the oil of gladness above thy fellows. ASV Psalm 110:3, Thy people offer themselves willingly In the day of thy power, in holy array: Out of the womb of the morning Thou hast the dew of thy youth. ASV I. When the king goes out to battle, Israel will rally behind him and be loyal to him. A. Mountains, RSV, follows a multitude of Hebrew manuscripts which read harr e r?y instead of hardr?y, adornments/holy majesty. 1. The standardized Hebrew Bible reads the adornments of holiness (cf. KJV, NEB) or holy array (NASB), thinking of the nation as a holy, priestly nation (Ex. 19:6). a. Exodus 19:6, and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. ASV

12 2. There are variant readings for the rest of the verse which cannot be pursued here fully. B. The final clause seems to say, From the womb of the morning, to you (is) the dew of your youth. 1. If we supply are instead of is, the young men of the army are under consideration (cf. NASB). 2. It seems better, however, to understand that the daily renewal of the king's youthful vigor will be supplied by God. Note: (For a full discussion of the textual problems and variant readings of Psalm 110:3, see C. A. Briggs, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Psalms, Vol. 2, pp. 379-80. The Priestly Functions Psalm 110:4, Jehovah hath sworn, and will not repent: Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek. ASV I. The oath makes the promise unconditional, as the clause and will not change his mind, indicates (cf. Pss. 89:34-36; 132:11; Heb. 6:13-20). A. Psalm 89:34-36, My covenant will I not break, Nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness: I will not lie unto David: His seed shall endure for ever, And his throne as the sun before me. ASV B. Psalm 132:11, Jehovah hath sworn unto David in truth; He will not turn from it: Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne. ASV

13 C. Hebrews 6:13-20, For when God made promise to Abraham, since he could swear by none greater, he sware by himself, saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men swear by the greater: and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation. Wherein God, being minded to show more abundantly unto the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath; that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us: which we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and stedfast and entering into that which is within the veil; whither as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. ASV II. After the order of Melchizedek alludes to the fact that Melchizedek, like the Jebusite kings before him in Jerusalem, was a priest-king (cf. Gen. 14:17-24). A. Genesis 14:17-24, And the king of Sodom went out to meet him, after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, at the vale of Shaveh (the same is the King's Vale). And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was priest of God Most High. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth: and blessed be God Most High, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him a tenth of all. And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up my hand unto Jehovah, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take a thread nor a shoe-latchet nor aught that is thine, lest thou

14 shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men that went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their portion. ASV B. That David (2 Sam. 6:13-15) and Solomon (1 Kings 8:62; 9:25) performed priestly functions is clear. 1. 2 Samuel 6:13-15, And it was so, that, when they that bare the ark of Jehovah had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. And David danced before Jehovah with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Jehovah with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. ASV 2. 1 Kings 8:62, And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before Jehovah. ASV 3. 1 Kings 9:25, And three times a year did Solomon offer burnt-offerings and peace-offerings upon the altar which he built unto Jehovah, burning incense therewith, upon the altar that was before Jehovah. So he finished the house. ASV 4. The fact that other kings were condemned for acts of disobedience in connection with priestly functions does not negate this conclusion. a. Saul was condemned for violating a specific command from God through the prophet Samuel (1 Sam. 10:8; 13:8-15). i. 1 Samuel 10:8, And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will

15 come down unto thee, to offer burntofferings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace-offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come unto thee, and show thee what thou shalt do. ASV ii. 1 Samuel 13:8-15, And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. And Saul said, Bring hither the burnt-offering to me, and the peace-offerings. And he offered the burnt-offering. And it came to pass that, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt-offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash; therefore said I, Now will the Philistines come down upon me to Gilgal, and I have not entreated the favor of Jehovah: I forced myself therefore, and offered the burntoffering. And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept the commandment of Jehovah thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would Jehovah have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue: Jehovah

16 hath sought him a man after his own heart, and Jehovah hath appointed him to be prince over his people, because thou hast not kept that which Jehovah commanded thee. And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men. ASV b. Ahaz was condemned for engaging in the abominable practice of child sacrifice (2 Kings 16:1-4,12,13). i. 2 Kings 16:1-4, 12, 13, In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign. Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and he did not that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah his God, like David his father. But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations, whom Jehovah cast out from before the children of Israel. And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree. And when the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the altar: and the king drew near unto the altar, and offered thereon. And he burnt his burnt-offering and his meal-offering, and poured his

17 drink-offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace-offerings, upon the altar. ASV c. Uzziah was condemned for going into the sanctuary to burn incense, which was forbidden to any except the Aaronic priests (Lev. 16:17), (2 Chr. 26:16-21). i. Leviticus 16:17, And there shall be no man in the tent of meeting when he goeth in to make atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel. ASV ii. 2 Chronicles 26:16-21, But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up, so that he did corruptly, and he trespassed against Jehovah his God; for he went into the temple of Jehovah to burn incense upon the altar of incense. And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of Jehovah, that were valiant men: and they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It pertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto Jehovah, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honor from Jehovah God. Then Uzziah was wroth; and he had a censer in his hand to burn in-

18 cense; and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy brake forth in his forehead before the priests in the house of Jehovah, beside the altar of incense. And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out quickly from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because Jehovah had smitten him. And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a separate house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of Jehovah: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land. ASV C. There was more involved in their actions than merely offering sacrifices. 1. None but the Levitical priests could go into the sanctuary; therefore, Davidic kings could not make atonement for sin, for this required blood to be sprinkled in the sanctuary (Lev. 16). a. Leviticus 16:1-34, And Jehovah spake unto Moses, after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before Jehovah, and died; and Jehovah said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil, before the mercy-seat which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat. Herewith shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin-

19 offering, and a ram for a burnt-offering. He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with the linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: they are the holy garments; and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and put them on. And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two he-goats for a sin-offering, and one ram for a burnt-offering. And Aaron shall present the bullock of the sin-offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself, and for his house. And he shall take the two goats, and set them before Jehovah at the door of the tent of meeting. And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for Jehovah, and the other lot for Azazel. And Aaron shall present the goat upon which the lot fell for Jehovah, and offer him for a sin-offering. But the goat, on which the lot fell for Azazel, shall be set alive before Jehovah, to make atonement for him, to send him away for Azazel into the wilderness. And Aaron shall present the bullock of the sinoffering, which is for himself, and shall make atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin-offering which is for himself: and he shall take a censer full of coals of fire from off the altar before Jehovah, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil: and he shall put the incense upon the fire before Jehovah, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy-seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not: and he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon

20 the mercy-seat on the east; and before the mercy-seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times. Then shall he kill the goat of the sin-offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with his blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy-seat, and before the mercy-seat: and he shall make atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleannesses of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions, even all their sins: and so shall he do for the tent of meeting, that dwelleth with them in the midst of their uncleannesses. And there shall be no man in the tent of meeting when he goeth in to make atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel. And he shall go out unto the altar that is before Jehovah, and make atonement for it, and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about. And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleannesses of the children of Israel. And when he hath made an end of atoning for the holy place, and the tent of meeting, and the altar, he shall present the live goat: and Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, even all their sins; and he shall put them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a man that is in readi-

21 readiness into the wilderness: and the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a solitary land: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness. And Aaron shall come into the tent of meeting, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there: and he shall bathe his flesh in water in a holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt-offering and the burnt-offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people. And the fat of the sinoffering shall he burn upon the altar. And he that letteth go the goat for Azazel shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp. And the bullock of the sin-offering, and the goat of the sin-offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall be carried forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung. And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp. And it shall be a statute for ever unto you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and shall do no manner of work, the home-born, or the stranger that sojourneth among you: for on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins shall ye be clean before Jehovah. It is a sabbath of solemn rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls; it is a statute for ever. And the priest, who shall be anointed and who shall be consecrated to be

22 priest in his father's stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen garments, even the holy garments: and he shall make atonement for the holy sanctuary; and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar; and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make atonement for the children of Israel because of all their sins once in the year. And he did as Jehovah commanded Moses. ASV b. But these kings could (and at least David and Solomon did) offer thank-offerings to God with divine approval. Note: The phrase forever, as applied to Davidic kings, means as long as their kingly functions continue. III. This verse is treated messianically in the New Testament and applied to Christ as the antitype of the Davidic priest-kings (Heb. 5:6,10; 6:20; 7:11,15,21). A. Hebrews 5:6, 10, as he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek. named of God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. ASV B. Hebrews 6:20, whither as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. ASV C. Hebrews 7:11, 15, 21, Now if there was perfection through the Levitical priesthood (for under it hath the people received the law), what further need was there that an-

23 other priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be reckoned after the order of Aaron? And what we say is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there ariseth another priest, (for they indeed have been made priests without an oath; but he with an oath by him that saith of him, The Lord sware and will not repent himself, Thou art a priest for ever); ASV D. The contrast between the Old Testament priesthood and Christ's priesthood that is made in the book of Hebrews is between the Levitical, or Aaronic, priesthood and that of Christ. E. The similarity between the Davidic priestly functions and that of Christ is that they were priest-kings and they derived their authority from a source other than the priestly directives in the law of Moses (cf. Heb. 7:11-22). The King's Triumph Psalm 110:5-7, The Lord at thy right hand Will strike through kings in the day of his wrath. He will judge among the nations, He will fill the places with dead bodies; He will strike through the head in many countries. He will drink of the brook in the way: Therefore will he lift up the head. ASV Psalm 110:5, The Lord at thy right hand Will strike through kings in the day of his wrath. ASV I. The position of the Lord at the right hand of the king is a figure of divine protection (cf. Psalm 16:8; 109:31). A. Psalm 16:8, I have set Jehovah always before me: Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. ASV

24 B. Psalm 109:31, For he will stand at the right hand of the needy, To save him from them that judge his soul. ASV Psalm 110:6, He will judge among the nations, He will fill the places with dead bodies; He will strike through the head in many countries. ASV I. The pronouns here seem to refer to the Lord of Psalm 110:5. A. Psalm 110:5, The Lord at thy right hand Will strike through kings in the day of his wrath. ASV B. God will grant victory to the king. Psalm 110:7, He will drink of the brook in the way: Therefore will he lift up the head. ASV I. The pronouns here seem to refer to the king. Application: A. Therefore apparently refers back to Psalm 110:5,6. 1. Because God grants the king victory, the king can leisurely drink from a brook as he relaxes after the battle is won, and he can triumphantly "lift up his head" as he leads his victorious army home. I. God s prophetic word is one of the greatest evidences of the inspiration of the Bible. A. When we see the clear fulfillment of prophecies made centuries before, we can know that the hand of God has brought this to pass.

25 II. Equally significant is the fact that the messianic prophecies reveal truths about the nature and ministry of Christ that might be overlooked without the corroboration of the two testaments. A. God was planning and revealing, sometimes in veiled fashion and other times in clear fashion, his plans and purposes for the redemption of obedient believers. III. How we should appreciate all accounts of His wonderful works!

26 Questions Psalm 110:1-7 (Questions based on NIV text.) 1. Who wrote Psalm 110? What was the purpose in writing Psalm 110? 2. The says to my : at my until I make your a for your. 3. The will your from : you will in the of your. Your will be on your of in, from the of the you will the of your. 4. The has and will not his : You are a, in the of. 5. The is at your ; he will on the of his. He will the, up the and the of the.

27 He will from a beside the, therefore he will his. 6. Psalm 110 is a psalm and is treated as in the. 7. Was Psalm 110 written by a king, about a king or both? Give reasons for your answer. 8. Around what oracles was Psalm 110 built? What is an oracle? 9. What is meant by the expression a footstool for your feet? 10. What is God s footstool?

28 11. What is the application of Psalm 110:1? To whom does it make reference? 12. Explain the use of the word Lord/LORD in verse 1. 13. When does God go with the king against His enemies? 14. About what is it said God would not change his mind? Who is referenced by the word you in verse 4? 15. Explain what is meant by the expression, a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

29 16. What priestly functions did David and Solomon perform? Were they right in performing these functions? Explain your answer. 17. What priestly functions did Saul, Ahaz and Uzziah perform? Were they right in performing these functions? In view of your answer to question 16, if not why not? 18. Define the word forever as applied to Davidic kings. 19. Of whom is verse 4 speaking?

30 20. Of whom do verses 5-7 speak? Give reasons for your answer.