Psalm 110: Between The Lines

While all of the Psalms in the Bible are considered inspired, some are undoubtedly more pivotal and influential than others.  Psalm 110 is one of these, making several different appearances in the New Testament, once on the lips of Jesus Himself.

Jesus referred to this Psalm during His final week in Jerusalem.  After being peppered with many questions by the religious leaders, He turned a question to them in Matthew 22:41-46.  "Whose son is the Messiah?" He asked.  "He is the Son of David," replied the Pharisees.  "Why then," Jesus asked, "does David call him 'Lord?'"  Christ then quotes the opening verse of this Psalm to show that David looked to the Messiah as even his Lord - implying that someone greater than he would fulfill that role.

This same verse is also cited later in Acts 2 during Peter's Pentecost sermon.  It is presented as evidence that Jesus has been raised to heaven to sit at God's right hand.  Whereas David died and decayed in the grave, Jesus was resurrected and His body would see no corruption.  According to Peter, Christ is the living embodiment of this Psalm.

A different part of this Psalm is quoted by the author of Hebrews.  He is particularly interested in verse 4: "The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: 'You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."  In Hebrews 5:6, 7:17 and 7:21, this verse is cited to make the argument that Jesus, in His identity as the Messiah, also fulfilled the role of a priest - not a priest of the order of Aaron, but one in the order of Melchizedek.  It, too, is a subtle argument - the idea of Christ's timelessness (His mysterious pre-existence as the Son of God as well as His limitless forever future through His resurrection) and the office of the priest who makes an acceptable sacrifice (of Himself) for the sins of the world.

Who would have ever thought you could draw so much theology and inspiration from a short Psalm of David?  But that's what can happen when you read between the lines to see the meaning God has planted there beforehand!