Self-confidence often escapes me. For various reasons–some known, some not–I often find myself plagued by self-doubt and uncertainty. This is one reason why I am so thankful for words like Psalm 110, which lead us to catalyse our confidence in our great God!

In Psalm 110, we hear the declaration of God’s unrelenting commitment to his Son. God assures his anointed that he will equip him for victory over his enemies. But in this, there is also an assurance for those who abide under his rule. The King’s success will ensure safety for the inhabitants of his kingdom. God’s resolute faithfulness to his Son is the bedrock of hope for his people.

Verse 4 captures this so powerfully. In a word of promise (“The Lord has sworn…”), God expresses his unchangeable will (“…and will not change his mind”) to have his anointed one reign for all eternity as our mediator and advocate (“a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek”). This reign and responsibility will never end, nor will the blessings that flow from it.

Jesus wanted us to know the significance of this Psalm in understanding him as God’s Son (Matt 22:44, Mark 12:36; Luke 20:42). On the day of Pentecost, the apostle Peter explained how Jesus’ death and resurrection fulfilled once and for all the victory promised in this Psalm (Acts 2:34). Similarly, the apostle Paul shows how Christ’s resurrection provides the victory over death as the ultimate enemy (1 Cor 15:25). Finally, the writer to the Hebrews (Heb 5:6; 7:21; 7:15-17) helps us see how the indestructibility of Christ’s resurrected life guarantees the safety of his people. We have a very faithful God. When we look to Jesus, we see his eternal faithfulness on display. It is a great blessing to draw confidence from him. Let’s pray this will always be the case.  Let’s also pray that as God has expressly demonstrated his faithfulness to us, we will continually express our faithfulness to him and each other.