OUR KING AND PRIEST (Psalm 110)

I see my Lord in the Bible whenever I chance to look;

He is the theme of the Bible, the center and heart of the Book.

Don’t you love finding Jesus throughout scripture? He is not just in the New Testament. He did not begin in Bethlehem, just as the Holy Spirit did not begin at Pentecost. The Father is the eternal God.

We see Jesus in Psalm 110. It is one of the beautiful psalms about Christ.

Verses 1-7: “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries. He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.”

All of this is about Jesus, not David or some other king. Psalm 110 gives us a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ as both priest and king. That is a fascinating combination, one that is found only in Christ and fulfilled in the New Testament.

Throughout the Old Testament, there were kings and priests, but no single person served in both roles. Some kings thought they were priests and tried to do that job, but it didn’t work out so well.

David, himself a king, wrote in this psalm that there was One who was higher than he. The One who gives us access to God is also royalty, the true and rightful King who rules.

In verse 1, the Lord is seated at the right hand of the Father. This is a picture of Christ's ascension when He returned to take His rightful place and make intercession for us. He is at the place of access, the place of authority.

The latter part of verse 1 is about the future. It speaks of ultimate victory. There is coming a day when the Lord Jesus Christ will rule not only in Heaven but also over all the earth. Aren’t you looking forward to that day?

Verses 2-3 show us the Ruler who cares for the enemies and whom the people rejoice to see. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Verse 4 illustrates the shift from king to priest. We know that the mention of Melchizedek refers to the Lord Jesus Christ because the Book of Hebrews discusses this unusual historical figure. It is a beautiful picture of Christ as our priest and of His uniqueness.

Psalm 110 is about the Lord Jesus as our king and priest. We can be thankful today that He is victorious on both counts.

Here is a glorious thought: The One who is a King and Priest has also made us kings and priests.

There is only one perfect and beloved Son of God. But when you come to know Him as your personal Savior, you are brought into the family of God and given a brand-new position in Him.

The Bible says in Revelation 1:5-6,

“And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

Psalm 110 reminds us of who Christ is and what He has done for us. Our King has made it possible for us to rule and reign with Him. We are no longer slaves to sin and servants to the devil. We are not in bondage to this world’s system. Instead, we have been made kings. We are seated with Him now in heavenly places, and someday, we will rule and reign with Him on this earth and for all eternity.

In addition to that, our High Priest has opened Heaven’s door and left it open behind Him. It is as if He said, “I am going into the holy place. Would you like to come in with Me? You can.” So we follow Him as priests unto God, not having to go through any man or earthly organization or hierarchy. We come directly into the throne room of the Creator God of the universe.

How is that possible? It is only possible through Jesus Christ.

Psalm 110 is about Christ and what He has done for everyone who has put their faith and confidence in Him. I want to remind you today not only of who Christ is but also of who you are in Him and the access you have.

On a personal note, my favorite verse in Psalm 110 is verse 3. “Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.”

The “beauties of holiness" remind us of a holy God and how our entrance into His presence results in His beauty being reflected in our lives.

The “womb of the morning” is a great reminder that the morning hour is fresh, bringing new life and a new beginning. Jesus brings a new beginning, and we can come into His presence every day for the freshness He puts in us. “Dew of thy youth” is a reminder that, although we age, and so does the world, our Lord is perennially young and, as such, can renew our strength.

Psalm 110 shows us that if you learn today to spend time with your King and Priest, you will come to a greater understanding, appreciation, and experience of the “beauties of holiness,” “womb of the morning,” and “dew of thy youth.”

Do you need that freshness and strength put back into your life? Spend some time today in the presence of God, looking at Jesus Christ. Your King and Priest is everything you need.