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Psalm 110

The scene of this psalm is full of grandeur and majesty: David is just coming into power as king over all Israel.  A great coronation ceremony is underway, and, as David ascends to the throne, the people sing, "Jehovah said to my lord (king) David sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool."  It's as though Jehovah Himself sang this song to David!  He promises the new king of His chosen people that He shall bring all his foes into subjection under him.

And the song continues, "The Lord shall send the rod of your strength out of Zion in the midst of your enemies."  In other words, the rod of David's authority, the symbol of his great power and strength will go out from Zion - from the very tabernacle of Jehovah Himself - and will cover the whole earth.  So David is seen as the GREAT ruler, the conqueror of the world!

But he won't even have to exercise military might to gain that triumph.  The song tells him that, "Your people shall be volunteers in the day of your power!"  His rule, in other words, will be so wonderful that people even from foreign places will voluntarily and gladly bow to him as the great king.

The song continues, "In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, you have the dew of your youth."  The meaning of "holiness" is separateness or uniqueness, and David is seen here as a unique king, as one from the "womb of the morning," glowing like the sun as he rises in his place - the only one of his kind.

In fact, the song continues, so unique will be this reign of David, that, in addition to being king, he will also be a priest forever, "a priest after the order of Melchizedek."  It's a reference to the man mentioned in the fourteenth chapter of Genesis, a man who was apparently a priest-king.  He came out of Salem (later Jerusalem) to bless Abraham after Abraham's military victory over some kings who were threatening to conquor a great many places, including not only Sodom, where Abraham's nephew Lot lived, but Salem as well .

We discover that though this man was king of Salem, yet he was also a "priest of the Most High God."  It seems likely that he was one of those rare persons at the time who, similarly to Abraham, worshipped the one true God.  Even his name, in fact, is quite significant.  Literally translated the name Melchizedek means, "My king is righteousness."  And, as king of Salem (Hebrew = "peace"), he is thereby "king of righteousness and peace."

In the psalm before us, David too is seen as a new and unique king, a king who, like Melchizedek, is also a "priest of the most high God - another " king of righteousness and peace!

Now of course David himself didn't nearly fulfill this lofty description.  But it's very likely that, in composing this song, David was prophetically looking forward to his greater Son, our Lord Jesus Christ - Who is indeed both King of righteousness and King of Peace!

The application for us, then, is that we too may very appropriately use this psalm to sing of our Lord and King Jesus Christ. May we today join the people of that day in singing of our King!

And, as king of salem  capitalize?

I was thinking of building a house next door to ours so that you could move in and be my editor!  Thanks AGAIN!