THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Psalms: God's Nurture Of The Inner Man In The Life Of Faith

CX: Prophecy Of The Messianic King-Priest

(Psalm 110:1-7)

I. Introduction

A. By statements within Psalm 110, we know that it was not speaking about David, but was a prophetic oracle he had received from God about the King-Priest Messiah to come in David's line, B. K. C., O. T., p. 873.

B. We thus view Psalm 110:1-7 to discern the messianic offices of our Lord for our edification (as follows):

II. Prophecy Of The Messianic King-Priest, Psalm 110:1-7.

A. Verse one in the Hebrew text comprises this psalm's introductory notes along with verse one in the English Bible (Kittel, Bib. Heb., p. 1074), so we stay with the English Bible's numbering system for this lesson.

B. We thus translate Psalm 110:1-7 (as follows):

1. "Jahweh gave a divine oracle to my Adonai: 'Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet,'" Psalm 110:1.

2. "Jahweh will extend Your mighty tribal-staff-of-authority (matteh, H. A. W., Theol. Wrdbk. of the O. T., 1980, v. II, p. 574); rule in the midst of Your enemies!" (Psalm 110:2)

3. "Your people will volunteer in the day of Your army; in holy garments, from the womb of the morning, to You is the dew of Your youth [you will be continually renewed in vigor]," Psalm 110:3.

4. "Jahweh has taken an oath: 'You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.'" (Psalm 110:4)

5. "Adonai is at Your right hand; He shall smite through kings in the day of His wrath," Psalm 110:5.

6. "He shall decide destinies among the nations, He shall fill the places with corpses; He shall smite through the heads of the whole earth," Psalm 110:6.

7. "From the wadi [a seasonably rain-fed ravine, Z. P. E. B., v. Five, p. 893] in the way will He drink; because of this, He will lift up the head [be exalted; Ibid., B. K. C., O. T., p. 874]," Psalm 110:7.

C. We consider significant observations regarding this psalm (as follows):

1. As David is the psalm's author (intr. notes), Jesus used it to prove the deity and incarnation of the Messiah, David's son and yet his ["my"] "Adonai," Master, Who is addressed by Jahweh, the Father, Matt. 22:41-46.

2. Since one member of the Godhead addresses another member of the Godhead, Psalm 110:1 is proof from the Old Testament of the plurality of Persons in the Godhead, an argument that supports Trinitarianism.

3. The KJV "rod" (v. 2) is never a king's sceptre, but a tribal leader's staff (matteh) that indicates authority (Ibid., H. A. W.), which, in the case of Messiah, will be extended out to cover the whole world and thus subdue Messiah's enemies worldwide in His Messianic Kingdom!

4. Verse 3 figuratively describes the eagerness, holiness and vigor of the those who will follow the Messiah, continually renewing His human vigor in divine blessing, J. A. Alexander, The Psalms, 1975, p. 458-459.

5. The offices of King and Priest, once co-existing in the king-priest Melchizedek of Genesis 14:18-20 but divided under the Mosaic Law between the Aaronic priesthood and the Davidic kings, are reunited in the Person and ministry of Jesus Christ, v. 4; Ibid., Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 874.

6. Since Messiah "Adonai" is at the Father's right hand (v. 1), the position of authority (Ibid.), He will defeat kings and judge the nations, filling the places with corpses, a reference to the Battle of Armageddon that occurs at Christ's Second Coming, v. 6a,b; Revelation 19:17-21; 14:19-20.

7. The reference in verse 7 of Messiah refreshing Himself with a drink along the way "figuratively pictures His renewed vigor" and "His lifting up His head speaks of His being exalted," Ibid.

8. This psalm ALSO has application for our era of the Revelation 3:14-22 Laodicean Church where the overcomer is granted to sit in Christ's earthly messianic throne like He Himself sits in His Father's throne in heaven, Rev. 3:21: the "tribal leader's staff" (matteh, Psalm 110:2) extends out to influence the world, and the overcomer in our era will be a local believer likely in Church leadership who experiences in type the blessings of Psalm 110:1-7, blessings of influence, support, stability in ministry and conquest of foes!

Lesson: Psalm 110 (1) predicts Christ's fulfillment of the King-Priest roles in His coming reign on earth, (2) it reveals the deity and incarnation of Christ and the multiplicity of the Persons in the Godhead and (3) it shows that the overcomer in today's Laodicean Church era will be a local believer whose influence is made worldwide by God.

Application: May we extol our Lord Jesus Christ and the Godhead and also heed God today for great blessing.