_The kingdom, the priesthood, the conquest, and the passion of
Christ._
A Psalm of David.
The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make
thine enemies thy footstool.
The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in
the midst of thine enemies.
Thy people _shall be_ willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties
of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy
youth.
The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou _art_ a priest for ever
after the order of Melchizedek.
The LORD at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of
his wrath.
He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill _the places_ with the
dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.
He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the
head.
This is a peculiar and glorious prophecy concerning the kingdom of
Christ. This Psalm is cited by Christ himself, Matt. xxii. and he
applies it to his own kingdom and priesthood. It speaks gloriously of
Christ sitting at the right hand of the Majesty in the heaven, and as
being the son and the seed of David, according to the flesh, and also
David’s Lord and God, the Creator and the Maker of all things, all
power being given unto him in heaven and in earth: as the apostle also
saith, “Who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and
declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of
holiness.” Rom. i. 3.
Christ cites this Psalm, (which, as we have said, is a very glorious
one) to confound the Pharisees. Indeed there is not a Psalm like it in
the whole scripture; and it ought to be very dear unto the church;
seeing that it confirms that great article of faith—Christ’s sitting
at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. For Christ is here
declared to be a King and Priest; sitting at God’s right hand, not
only as truly man, but also as properly God; the Propitiator and
Mediator between God and men; the Omnipotent and the Eternal!
Christ is no where, throughout all the books of the prophets, and of
the whole scripture, so plainly and clearly declared to be “a Priest,”
and so “a Priest for ever,” who alone did, and alone could abrogate
the Aaronic and Levitical priesthood; and who is, and ever will be an
eternal propitiation and reconciliation for us; as is most
beautifully, most fully, and with a wonderful power of the Holy
Spirit, opened by the author of the epistle to the Hebrews.
Hence, this heavenly and golden Psalm has a blessed author (David) and
a glorious interpreter (Christ.) And all the apostles, all godly
consciences, and all who are not utterly unacquainted with the
temptations of sin, and of Satan, know how great and firm a
consolation it is against all the violent attacks of the devil, to be
able to see Christ as our High Priest. Hence it is that Paul breaks
forth into those great words, “If God be for us, who can be against
us! Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died; yea, rather
that is risen again; who is even at the right hand of God; who also
maketh intercession for us.” Rom. viii. 31–34.
It is, therefore, of infinite benefit to the universal church of
Christ, that the glorious things of this Psalm, the remission of sins,
and the reconciliation of God toward us, which are brought in unto us
by the priesthood of Christ, and which are infinite and eternal, are
most carefully and most fully explained to us in the epistle to the
Hebrews; and that such glorious doctrines of the truth concerning the
priesthood of Christ are always present, and ready to our hands.