Context – This song of King David addresses three figures: “The Lord” (Yahweh, God the Father), “lord” (Adonai, the Messiah), and “Melchizedek” (The King of Salem and High Priest of the Lord forever from Genesis 14 and Hebrews 5-7):

Psalm 110:1-4 – The Lord says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” 2 The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of your enemies!” 3 Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy splendor, your young men will come to you like dew from the morning’s womb. 4 The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”

Context – In Matthew, after Jesus has masterfully answered several trap questions from the religious leaders, He asks one of His own about the Messiah from Psalm 110 that they cannot answer. In Acts, Peter proclaims this same passage at Pentecost along with the previously missing answer:

Matthew 22:41-46, Acts 2:32-36 – While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” “The son of David,” they replied. 43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says, 44 “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”’ 45 If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 46 No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions… Acts 2:32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand 35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’ 36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

Context – Some scholars believe that Melchizedek was the preincarnate Jesus. Others think that he was a representation of the Christ to come. Either way, the writer of Hebrews focuses on this connection to show how Jesus is our perfect, everlasting King and High Priest:

Hebrews 7:17,22,25-27 – For it is declared: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek”… 22 Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant… 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. 26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.

• What two offices or positions was the Messiah supposed to hold?
• How can the Messiah be King David’s Lord if He is born after David as his son?
• What does Jesus as King and High Priest mean for His followers?