Jesus as Presented in the New Testament’s Most Quoted Psalm

Among all the verses in the Hebrew Bible, Psalm 110:1 is the most frequently cited in the New Testament. Moreover, verse 4 of the same psalm receives nearly an entire chapter’s worth of commentary in the book of Hebrews (Heb. 7:11–28). Clearly, the apostles and prophets regarded this messianic psalm as extremely important for understanding Jesus.

It would be beneficial for us to explore how this psalm portrays the Messiah we worship.

Messiah as David’s Lord and King (Ps. 110:1–3)

Like many other psalms, Psalm 110 is attributed to David. Nowhere is David’s authorship more significant than in this psalm. David was Israel’s human king and “lord,” though he was subject to Yahweh. In verse 1, David addresses someone else as his “Lord,” a figure distinct from Yahweh:
“The LORD [Hebrew, Yahweh] says to my Lord [Hebrew, Adonai ] : ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’”
David, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Matt. 22:43), seems to be overhearing a conversation between two individuals. We know who Yahweh is, but who is this other “Lord” that Yahweh invites to sit at his right hand, the one David calls “my Adonai”?
This passage was used by Jesus to confound the scribes and Pharisees (Matt. 22:41–46). They knew the Messiah was expected to be David’s son. But Jesus, referencing Psalm 110:1, asked them, “If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?” (Matt. 22:45). We now understand that Christ is both “the root and the descendent of David” (Rev. 22:16), “descended from David according to the flesh, and . . . declared to be the Son of God in power . . . by his resurrection from the dead” (Rom. 1:3–4).
The significance of this doesn’t end with the resurrection. The New Testament teaches that the invitation to “sit at Yahweh’s right hand” was fulfilled when Jesus ascended into heaven and took his seat there (1 Pet. 3:22; Heb. 1:3; 10:12; 12:2). As Peter argued on the day of Pentecost:
“David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.”’” (Acts 2:34–35)
From this, Peter concludes, “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36).
According to Psalm 110, Jesus is the ascended Lord and King. He sits on David’s throne (Luke 1:32; Acts 2:30), ruling “in the midst of his enemies” (Ps. 110:2) “until they are made his footstool” (cf. 1 Cor. 15:25).

Messiah as the Eternal High Priest (Ps. 110:4)

Psalm 110 doesn’t only depict the Messiah as David’s Lord and King; it also presents him as our eternal high priest. In verse 4, David says:
“The LORD has sworn
and will not change his mind,
‘You are a priest forever
after the order of Melchizedek.’”
In Israel, the priesthood originated with Aaron and was passed down through his descendants from the tribe of Levi. When the monarchy emerged a few centuries later, the roles of king and priest were kept separate. No one was allowed to be both. When King Uzziah tried to take on priestly duties, God punished him with leprosy (2 Chron. 26:16–21).
But here, David speaks of a figure who is both a king and a priest. He looks back to a precedent set by Melchizedek, a mysterious figure who appears briefly in Genesis 14 and is described as both “king of Salem” and “priest of God Most High” (v. 18).
A large portion of Hebrews 7 is dedicated to exploring the implications of Psalm 110:4. Three key points stand out:
First, consider the timing. This psalm was written long after the Levitical priesthood was established. The fact that it speaks of a priest from a pre – Levitical order suggests that “perfection was not attainable through the Levitical priesthood” (Heb. 7:11). Otherwise, there would be no need to change the law by introducing a priest from a different tribe (Heb. 7:12–14). The order of Melchizedek doesn’t fit the Levitical system, so if it’s to be revived, the Levitical priesthood has to give way.
Second, look at the word “swore.” “The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest . . .’” Jesus was made a priest “with an oath,” which sets him above the Levitical priests who were appointed “without an oath” (Heb. 7:20–22). Earlier in Hebrews, the writer noted that “when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath” (Heb. 6:17). The same principle applies to Jesus’s priesthood. Being made a priest with an oath “makes [him] the guarantor of a better covenant” (Heb. 7:22).
Finally, focus on the word “forever.” “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” This stands in contrast to the Levitical priesthood. The entire old – covenant priesthood was temporary, and each priest’s tenure was cut short by death. They were “many in number” because “death prevented them from continuing in office” (Heb. 7:23). But now, “another priest has arisen in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life” (Heb. 7:15–16).
This “indestructible life” refers to Jesus’s post – resurrection life. Hebrews views Jesus’s priesthood as something he prepared for during his earthly life but exercises in heaven, where he “always lives to make intercession for us” (Heb. 7:25; cf. 5:7–10). This aligns with Psalm 110, which begins with the priest – king being invited to sit at the LORD’s right hand in heaven.

A Messianic Psalm Full of Profound Teachings

Few psalms have had as much influence on New Testament writers as Psalm 110; none is quoted as often. Every time you read about Jesus being “at the right hand of God,” you’re hearing an echo of Psalm 110:1 (Matt. 26:64; Mark 14:62; Luke 22:69; Acts 5:31; 7:55–56; Rom. 8:34; Eph. 1:20; Col. 3:1).
A great deal of Hebrews’ in – depth teaching on Jesus’s heavenly priesthood is derived from Psalm 110:4, which uniquely links Jesus to Melchizedek in the Old Testament. In fact, Psalm 110:4 seems to be the “solid food” mentioned in Hebrews 5:13–14. The writer of Hebrews starts to explain it (Heb. 5:9–10), pauses to rebuke the readers (Heb. 5:11–14), and then returns to it in Hebrews 6:20. In essence, how much this psalm means to you could be an indicator of your spiritual maturity.
Let’s not overlook the wealth of knowledge in this psalm. Instead, let’s experience and discover that the Lord is good.