By Geoff Stevens

Another school shooting. This time a Christian school. Many people are asking where God was. Why doesn’t God do something about all the tragedy in the world? Doesn’t He care?

Psalm 110 answers this question. Surprisingly, King David was invited to hear God the Father conversing with the Son, which is so significant that NT writers quote or reference this chapter more than any other OT passage.

Three problems arose for God when Adam and Eve sinned:

1. How can God’s kingdom be reclaimed?
2. How could God redeem rebellious humanity?
3. How can man gain everlasting life and be prepared to have dominion in the coming kingdom?

Psalm 110 shares the Father’s brilliant plan for solving these dilemmas and helps us to understand His actions on earth. We will see why the Father invited King David to overhear the conversation and include it in the Bible. It is one of the most critical chapters in the Hebrew Scriptures.

The first verse has one of the few OT uses of LORD (Yahweh) that does not reference Jesus, but God the Father. David hears the LORD (God the Father) saying to his Lord (Adonai), that is, Jesus:

“Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”

In v 2, He speaks about His rule going out from Zion (= Jerusalem), therefore extending over His enemies.

Verses 5-6 form an inclusio, or bracket, so this psalm begins and ends with the promised victory the Father will bring about for the Davidic King, the Son. In veiled Hebrew poetry, we find this promised King, not an ordinary one, but the Seed of the woman promised in Gen 3:15, would ultimately have victory over Satan. He will come “in the day of His wrath” (the Tribulation), “judge the nations,” “fill the places with dead bodies” (the Battle of Armageddon), and execute the leaders of many countries. He will also defeat the devil and throw him into the lake of fire. This great coming King assures victory!

In the Davidic line, there were many kings; most were wicked. But humanity needed a king who would inspire them to follow willingly. We need a properly vetted King—One not like us—to whom we can give our allegiance.

We need a noble, entirely just, all-powerful King who will finally punish evil, do away with the curse and its effects, and destroy the devil forever. The drama of redemption further unfolds through the Davidic Covenant by alerting us that the “Seed of the woman” would be a perfect human king, battle-tested and proven to be incorruptible.

What is currently happening in this aspect of God’s plan? After the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection of the Davidic King, God the Father told the Son (Eph 1:20) to sit next to His throne (a place of great honor) until the Father destroys and subjugates (makes a footstool of) His enemies. Thus, God the Father’s plan of destroying evil and the devil and restoring the rightful King is on schedule, and the entire creation (Romans 8) awaits this great day. Jesus claimed that this verse spoke about Him (Matt 22:41-46) when He asked the Pharisees how David could call his son his Lord.

The third, probably biggest, problem the Fall created was how mankind can once again rule. The key to this passage, and why the Father included David in the conversation, is this fantastic concept of mankind’s voluntarily deciding to follow the Lord into battle: “Your people shall be volunteers in the day of Your power” (v 3).

Men avoid suffering. We want comfort and instant gratification. How can anyone motivate people to go into battle and endure suffering and even death? We have difficulty doing difficult things without immediate payoff. However, this all-inspiring King will change the human heart.

“In the beauties of holiness” (v 3) speaks of the imputed righteousness of Christ that these warriors will have at the Second Coming. They will be “clothed in fine linen, white and clean” (Rev 19:14).

In v 4, the Father promises the Son that He will be the much-needed priest of humanity “according to the order of Melchizedek.” This priesthood is superior to the Aaronic priesthood because Abraham tithed to Melchizedek, who united both offices––the king-priest of ancient Jerusalem (Gen 14:18). He was a forerunner of Christ (Heb 5:6; 6:20; 7:17,21).

Blood is the currency of the spiritual realm. God’s justice required pure, innocent blood to pay the ransom for humanity. This extraordinary High Priest sacrificed Himself on the cross for all humanity.

The Father’s brilliant plan of the incarnation and the Son’s inspiring character fully solve our dilemma. This plan to defeat the devil stunningly through the incarnation inspires humanity to engage in freewill service to the story’s hero, the Descendant of David.

When human beings realize that in this King, they also have a High Priest who sacrificed Himself, who suffered for them, and who is understanding and compassionate, they cannot help but rush to volunteer their lives as freewill offerings (Rom 12:1-2) to this great King-Priest! Realize, of course, that even most born-again people today do not realize these things. Most are stuck in bondage to legalism and false theology.

God has everything under His control. He is building His Church and allowing us to earn the right to rule with Him (cf. Eph 1:17-23; 2 Tim 2:12; 4:7-8).

He invites us to suffer and to follow Him until every seat in His ruling entourage is filled (Rom 8:17b-30). Just as the King had to be vetted, so we, too, must be vetted. Will we endure suffering? (2 Tim 2:12). As we gain “wisdom and revelation” (Eph 1:17) of this great King-Priest’s Personhood, we will lay down our agenda and pick up His; we will serve the local church.

This King is entirely noble; righteousness will win over evil. His life of suffering is an example to follow; He walked in my shoes. He gave His life for us, compassionately understands our weaknesses, and prays for us! The brilliance of the Father’s plan and the awe-inspiring King-Priest are worth giving our all to! If we faithfully follow Him, one day we can rule alongside this great, noble King and Priest, ride into battle, and vanquish evil with Him!

This encouraged King David to remain faithful, as it should all believers down through the ages. God is looking for a few good men and women to rule with the Lord Jesus Christ when He returns (Matt 22:14).

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For seven years Geoff (BS Physics, Th.M DTS) has been the teaching pastor at Grace Bible Church in Kamiah, ID. He has taught theology and apologetics at the undergraduate and graduate levels. He is also part of the GES OT commentary team.