Tag: Psalms 107-110
The son of David, Priest and King!
Scripture reading for June 25th: Psalms 107-110
Psalm 110 is one of David’s psalms used by Jesus Christ to confound his adversaries. Jesus was being tested by the teachers of the law to prove that he could not be the messiah. To counter their arguments, Jesus quoted Psalm 110:1 and attributed it to King David speaking under the power of the Holy Spirit. “The Lord said to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” (Psalm 110:1) “David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?” (Mark 12:36-37a) Jesus’ question was designed to help these teachers of the law connect with the plain teaching of God’s Word that the messiah would be a son of David as well as his Lord! (2nd Samuel 7:12, 13, 16)
The psalm is a prophetic picture of the messiah who would come from the line of David. This messiah would sit at God’s right hand and rule until the Lord God put all His enemies under His feet. The messiah would be made or declared a priest as well as a ruling king! These offices were not combined in the Old Testament history of God’s people. Up to this point, Melchizedek was the only person who was both a priest and a king. (Genesis 14:18-20) (Hebrews 5:5-10, 6:19-7:28) Melchizedek was the King of Salem (Peace) and a priest of the Most High God. The descendant of David who was to come would be a priest and king like Melchizedek!
Priests normally did not sit, but this King was seated at God’s right hand! We now know He was seated because His work of sacrifice on behalf of the people was completed! (Acts 5:31) (Ephesians 1:20) David had a revelation of the throne in heaven following the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus is interceding for us as a priest before God, seated at His right hand! (Romans 8:34)
This King/Priest is ruling in the midst of His enemies now, waiting for them to bow their knees! (Psalm 11o:2,3) He is marshaling His troops for a day of battle! This King will judge nations and crush rulers of the earth! He will be refreshed after the battle and exalted as the King of Glory! (Psalm 110:7) Truly, this King is the Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Son of David and David’s Lord!
Save Me From My Enemies!
Scripture reading for June 25th: Psalm 107-110
Psalm 109 is one of the Psalms of David where he calls on God to get even with his enemies. We don’t know what enemy David had in mind, but the attack on him was one of lying and evil speaking against his character. We can do some very heavy damage with our tongues and the words can go deep and cut at the heart of a person. David felt these words of hatred surrounding him and bringing false accusations. (Psalm 109:2-4) He felt that he had tried to be a true friend, but that he had been betrayed by one whom he had considered a friend.
How is a person to deal with this kind of situation? The word of God tells us that we can’t “get even” because we are not in a position to judge another person. All vengeance belongs to God, who alone can repay justly. David appeals to God to do just that! He calls for God to send an evil man against him to give him a taste of his own medicine. He asks that his own prayers would condemn him! (Psalm 109:6-7) He even asks that God would not forgive his sins and that his memory be cut off from the earth! (Psalm 109:14-15) David also asked that this man’s curses come back on him and wrap around him. (Psalm 109:17-20)
David’s prayer then turns to his own need of grace. “But you, O Sovereign Lord, deal well with me for your Name’s sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me. For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.” (Psalm 109:21-22) David knew that God was the only help he could depend on in this crisis. He was not able to deal with this crisis with physical power or his kingly authority. God alone was the source of mercy and healing for his wounded heart! David expressed his faith and confidence in God’s mercy and justice to deliver him!
This psalm reminds us that God is just and will in the end deal justly with all men. We must wait on the Lord and entrust our vindication to Him. We need mercy, not judgment! Jesus Christ taught us to pray for our enemies’ forgiveness instead of their condemnation. Our new model is “Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)
“Sit at my right hand”
Scripture reading for June 25th: Psalms 107-110
Psalm 110 is one of David’s psalms that was used by Jesus Christ to confound his adversaries. Jesus was being tested by the teachers of the law to try to prove that he could not be the messiah. To counter their arguments, Jesus quoted Psalm 110:1 and attributed it to King David speaking under the power of the Holy Spirit. “The Lord said to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” (Psalm 110:1) “David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?” (Mark 12:36-37a) Jesus’ question was designed to help these teachers of the law connect with the plain teaching of God’s Word that the messiah would be a son of David as well as his Lord! (2nd Samuel 7:12, 13, 16) This is a hard concept for us to grasp and this psalm has been difficult for some to understand throughout history.
The psalm is a prophetic picture of the messiah who would come from the line of David. This messiah would sit at God’s right hand and rule until the Lord God put all His enemies under His feet. The messiah would be made or declared a priest as well as a ruling king! A priest represents the people before God by intercession and sacrifice. The king was to rule on behalf of God. These offices were not combined in the Old Testament history of God’s people. There was one person in history who was both a priest and a king. His name was Melchizedek. (Genesis 14:18-20) (Hebrews 5:5-10, 6:19-7:28) Melchizedek was the King of Salem (Peace) and a priest of the Most High God. He received tithes from Abraham and blessed Abraham. This descendant of David who was to come would be a priest and king like Melchizedek!
Priests normally did not sit down while at work. This King who was seated at God’s right hand who also was a Priest was invited to sit! He was sitting down, because His work of sacrifice on behalf of the people was completed! (Acts 5:31) (Ephesians 1:20) David was seeing a vision of the throne in heaven following the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who offered His own sinless body as the payment for the sins of the whole world! John the Baptist remarked of Jesus: “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) Jesus now is interceding for us as a priest before God, seated at His right hand! (Romans 8:34)
This King/Priest is ruling in the midst of His enemies now, waiting for them to bow their knees! (Psalm 11o:2,3) He is marshaling His troops for a day of battle! There is a coming day of wrath where all enemies who have not become one of his troops by bowing their knees will suffer a crushing defeat! (Psalm 110:5-6) This King will judge nations and crush rulers of the earth! He will be refreshed after the battle and exalted as the King of Glory! (Psalm 110:7) Truly, this King is the Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Son of David, David’s Lord!