Pastor Fredo Ramos: Psalm one ten, as we continue praying our Psalms, David writes, the Lord said to my Lord, send the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet. The Lord will extend your powerful kingdom from Jerusalem. You will rule over your enemies. When you go to war, your people will serve you willingly. Or in other words, in the day of God's power, his people will come to fight.
You are arrayed in holy garments, and your strength will be renewed each day like the morning dew. The Lord has taken an oath and will not break his vow. You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. Verse five, the Lord stands at your right hand protect you. He will strike down many kings when his anger erupts.
He will punish the nations and fill their lands with corpses. He will shatter heads over the earth, but he himself will be refreshed from the brooks along the way. He will be victorious. Psalm one ten by many, has been identified as a messianic Psalm, which is a fancy way to describe David in prayer is catching a vision for this future king. Which is why he says there in verse one, the Lord Yahweh said to my Lord.
Now it's interesting that David, who is the king at this moment, is honoring his lord but also saying to his other lord. In other words, he's he's thinking about his future line of rulers, which in tradition would say David's the superior, but he's saying someone will come later than him who he also will honor as Lord, which is the precise psalm that Jesus quotes throughout the gospels trying to help the people understand the authority that Jesus himself has. And so this is a messianic psalm where David is praying to God, penning this prayer and also it's a prayer that points us ultimately to the Messiah Jesus who is both king but also as verse five says, a priest in the order of Melchizedek. Now Melchizedek is an interesting figure throughout the old testament who we're told did not have a genealogy. So many have regarded him as someone who didn't have a beginning or an end and so he kind of prefigures Jesus and we're told that Jesus comes as a priest in the order of Melchizedek.
In other words, he's an eternal priest, a priest from the very beginning. And so what's so beautiful about this particular Psalm is that in David's day, it was not common, in fact, it was against the law to have a king who was both kingly but also priestly. We saw that happen in the life of Saul. But David in prayer is again catching a vision for one day we will have a king who's both the victorious ruler of his people and over his enemies, but he's also the priest. In other words, he's able to make a sacrifice for us.
He's able to sympathize with those who need divine care and compassion, which perfectly embodies Jesus, both human divine, both lion and lamb. Right? We can come to him. And so this prayer, as kind of lofty and theological as it sounds, is very practical practical to us in our daily life. As we think about following Jesus today, he is the conquering king, but he also can sympathize with you and your weaknesses.
And so he will lead you down the path of life, but he'll also carry you in times of need. And so I want to encourage you today as you think about Jesus as your mediator, the one who is both king and priest. Surrender to him because he is the strong one, but also surrender to him because he is the caring one. He is the priest who loves you and will walk with you through the ups and downs of your day today. Jesus, we hear you inviting us now.
And Lord, I just pray that you would help all of us to catch a vision of both your power and your compassion. Your strength and victory is king who will rule over the nations, but also your gentleness and your lowliness. And also to see that we also live in your kingdom. We serve in your army, but this is an army not made with hands that are full of weapons, but hands that are ready and full of love and compassion because you bring victory through sacrifice. You bring victory through love and service.
And so would we follow you today as our king priest who leads us yes into victory, but also encourages us to care for others. And so would we be led by your spirit to do the same today? We pray in Jesus name. Amen.