Psalm 110:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, "You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."

NIV: The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."

NASB: The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind, 'You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.'

CSB: The Lord has sworn an oath and will not take it back: "You are a priest forever according to the pattern of Melchizedek."

NLT: The Lord has taken an oath and will not break his vow: 'You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.'

KJV: The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

NKJV: The Lord has sworn And will not relent, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”

This passage uses two terms with similar English translations. One is Yahweh, or YHWH, a term used exclusively for God (Exodus 3:15) and usually printed in small capitals as "Lord." The other is Adonai, a more general term which often applies to God and is printed with normal font as "Lord." Here, God the Father, Yahweh, continues to speak to the Son, Adonai (Psalm 110:1–3). This psalm speaks about the Messiah, a role fulfilled by Jesus Christ.

Melchizedek is a mysterious figure who appeared to Abram (Genesis 17:5) after the defeat of Chedorlaomer's confederacy. He brought bread and wine and blessed Abram (Genesis 14:17–20). This figure is referred to as both king and priest (Genesis 14:18). Under the old covenant, only those of Levi could be priests, and only those of Judah could be kings. Yet Adonai—the "Lord"—was given kingly status (Psalm 110:2–3) and here is labelled a priest like Melchizedek.

The book of Hebrews explains how this points again to Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of God's prophecies (Hebrews 5:6, 10; 6:20). Chapter 7 goes into detail about what this means (Hebrews 7:17, 21). Hebrews chapter 8 applies this to explain that only Christ can be the Messiah, as only He is appointed both king and priest by God (Hebrews 8:1–2).

Psalm 110:4 is another important statement helping to identify Jesus as the promised Messiah. David hears statements made from YHWH (Exodus 3:15) to someone else, whom David still considers his "Lord" (Psalm 110:1). To this person, God the Father proclaims a never-ending priesthood compared to that of Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18–20). That makes the "Adonai" of this passage both a king and a priest. The book of Hebrews (Hebrews 5:6; 6:20; 7:17, 21) expands on what this implies about Jesus' role as Messiah.

David records statements made between two persons, described using the Hebrew terms YHWH and Adonai. These are promises made by God the Father to the Messiah. Adonai is guaranteed total victory over the earth as well as an unending priesthood. These references point to someone who is both king and priest: Jesus Christ, a descendant of David.

This is the most-often cited psalm in the New Testament. Psalm 110:1 is quoted in Matthew 22:44, Mark 12:36, Luke 20:42–43, Acts 2:34–35, and Hebrews 1:13. The book of Hebrews extensively comments on the meaning of Psalm 110:4. Many other verses refer to subjects touched on in the psalm. David hears YHWH speaking to someone David identifies as his "Lord." This helps to ground important concepts such as the Trinity and Jesus' role as Messiah.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.