Psalm 110 Commentary
We have three “personalities”: The LORD, the Lord, and the psalmist. The psalmist is an observer. He is privy to the conversation between the LORD and the Lord. Consequently, he plays the role of the reporter.
Of course, we also have Melchizedek, the people (Israel), and the pagan kings.
Victory for God’s people remains the keyword and forms the background of the psalm.
In verse one, the LORD essentially orders the Lord to step aside as He steps in as the Commander-in-Chief of the armies of the LORD. The battle becomes the LORD’s.
Even without relying on the New Testament, Israel knew something about the Lord. He is the personality who interacted with Abraham. He also interacted with Moses at the foot of Sinai in the burning bush. And for our battle psalm, we could also think of the Commander of the armies of the LORD who interacted with Joshua.
All these interactions happened without any harm to humans. We can think of the Lord, and not the LORD. Their idea of the LORD was always heavier than would be permitted for human interaction!
It is clear that the psalmist thinks of Melchizedek as yet another appearance of the Lord. Melchizedek plays the role of the priest, but a higher one – higher than Israel’s founding father! He is also a king!
The psalmist is aware of the battles around which the appearance of Melchizedek is mentioned. So the defeat of the enemies of David’s time becomes important.
The New Testament identifies Jesus Christ as the Lord of Psalm 110. He is connected to the all-important victory of God’s people over their enemies.
The enemy, the “principalities, the powers, the rulers of the darkness of this age, spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places,” fights through the weapons of “adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries”. Ephesians 6:12 and Galatians 5:19
The New Testament also identifies Jesus and the LORD of Psalm 110. John 1:1.
With the New Testament, Jesus is no longer a mystery, but a “complex”, complete situation for humanity’s salvation and life. He comprises the “priest” and “king” functions of Melchizedek as they relate to humanity’s battle for life. But importantly, and also impossibly heavier than thoughts can accommodate, He is the LORD in human form, bringing about victory to God’s people.
Then verse 3 becomes even more beautiful! “Your people shall be volunteers in the day of Your power; in the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth.”
One such volunteer is the psalmist himself. He is addressed in verse 5. God’s people aren’t mere pieces of steel saved from rusting. They are participants in their own salvation by the grace and will of the LORD and the Lord.
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