Psalm 110:4 kjv
The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
Psalm 110:4 nkjv
The LORD has sworn And will not relent, "You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek."
Psalm 110:4 niv
The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."
Psalm 110:4 esv
The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, "You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."
Psalm 110:4 nlt
The LORD has taken an oath and will not break his vow:
"You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek."
Psalm 110 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 14:18-20 | And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine... and he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him, and said, "Blessed be Abram..." And Abram gave him a tenth... | Introduces Melchizedek as King-Priest. |
| Num 23:19 | God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? | God's unchangeable word and oath. |
| 1 Sam 15:29 | And also the Glory of Israel will not lie nor change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind. | God's immutability affirmed. |
| Ps 89:34-37 | My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David... | God's irrevocable covenant oath. |
| Zech 6:12-13 | "Behold, the Man whose name is the Branch... He shall build the temple of the LORD... and be a priest on His throne." | Prophecy of King-Priest combining roles. |
| Heb 2:17 | Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God... | Christ became High Priest for reconciliation. |
| Heb 3:1 | Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus... | Jesus identified as High Priest. |
| Heb 4:14 | Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God... | Christ's high priestly ascent to heaven. |
| Heb 5:6 | As He also says in another place: "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." | Direct citation of Ps 110:4 applying to Christ. |
| Heb 5:10 | Called by God as High Priest "according to the order of Melchizedek." | Reinforces Christ's priestly calling. |
| Heb 6:13-18 | For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself... by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie... | God's oath is immutable and sure. |
| Heb 6:20 | where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. | Jesus' forerunner role and eternal priesthood. |
| Heb 7:1-3 | For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning... without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days... | Melchizedek's unique, non-genealogical status. |
| Heb 7:11-14 | If perfection were through the Levitical priesthood... what further need was there for another priest to rise according to the order of Melchizedek...? | Superiority of Melchizedek's order over Levi. |
| Heb 7:16 | who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. | Christ's priesthood is based on power, not lineage. |
| Heb 7:17 | For He testifies: "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." | Another direct citation applying Ps 110:4. |
| Heb 7:21 | (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him: "The LORD has sworn...") | Christ's priesthood guaranteed by divine oath. |
| Heb 7:24 | But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. | Christ's priesthood is eternal and permanent. |
| Heb 7:26-28 | For such a High Priest was fitting for us... who does not need daily... to offer up sacrifices... who does not need, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice daily for His own sins... | Christ's perfect, one-time sacrifice. |
| Heb 8:1-6 | We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle... | Christ as minister of the heavenly sanctuary. |
| Heb 9:11-15 | But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle... through His own blood, He entered the Most Holy Place once for all... | Christ's perfect atonement by His blood. |
| Heb 10:11-14 | And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever... | Christ's superior, singular sacrifice. |
| John 12:34 | The people answered Him, "We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever..." | Expectation of the Messiah's eternal reign. |
| Acts 13:34 | And as concerning that He raised Him up from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus: "I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David." | Links Messiah's resurrection to Davidic covenant. |
Psalm 110 verses
Psalm 110 4 Meaning
Psalm 110:4 declares a divine and immutable oath by Yahweh concerning the promised Messiah. It states unequivocally that the Messiah is not merely a King but also an eternal Priest, whose priesthood is established not after the temporary Aaronic or Levitical order, but after the unique, pre-Mosaic order of Melchizedek. This eternal, unchangeable priestly kingship signifies a new, superior covenant, surpassing the Old Covenant and providing ultimate mediation between God and humanity.
Psalm 110 4 Context
Psalm 110 is a royal, messianic psalm, likely a prophetic oracle from Yahweh to King David regarding "My Lord" (v. 1), which Jewish tradition and especially the New Testament interpret as the Messiah. The immediate context of verse 4 is the establishment of the Messiah's supreme authority, not only as a victorious King sitting at God's right hand (v. 1) but uniquely also as an eternal Priest. Historically, Davidic kings had certain cultic roles (e.g., bless, build the Temple), but they were distinct from the Levitical priesthood established through Aaron. Psalm 110:4 thus announces an unprecedented union of kingship and priesthood in a single figure, superior to both the Davidic monarchy and the Aaronic priesthood, thereby setting the stage for a new spiritual order that transcends the limitations of the Mosaic Covenant.
Psalm 110 4 Word analysis
The LORD (
YehovahorYahweh): This is God's personal covenant name, denoting His absolute faithfulness and unchanging character. When Yahweh acts, particularly by swearing an oath, it carries the highest possible certainty and divine authority, indicating an unbreakable promise rooted in His very being.has sworn (
nishba): This signifies a solemn, binding oath, typically accompanied by an appeal to oneself or a higher power. Here, God swears by Himself, indicating the utmost irrevocability and weight of the declaration. It points to a formal, covenantal act that secures the truth of what follows.and will not change His mind (
v'lo yinnachem): This phrase emphasizes divine immutability and steadfastness. It communicates that God's declaration is firm and unalterable. There will be no repentance, no relenting, no reversal on His part. This underscores the absolute certainty and eternality of the priestly office being established.'You' (
attah): Refers to the Lord (the Messiah/Christ) addressed in Psalm 110:1. This pronoun directly assigns the unique priesthood to this particular messianic figure, making Him the focal point of the divine oath.are a priest (
kohen): This Hebrew term denotes a minister in sacred rites, one who mediates between God and man, performing sacrifices and blessings. In the Israelite context, this office was strictly regulated, belonging to the tribe of Levi, specifically the family of Aaron. This verse transcends those tribal and family restrictions, introducing a new, distinct type of priesthood.forever (
l'olam): This term signifies eternality, for all time, unending. It starkly contrasts with the Levitical priesthood, which was temporal and passed down through generations upon death. This "forever" quality points to a living, enduring, and efficacious priesthood.according to the order of (
al-dibvrati): This Hebrew phrase suggests "after the manner," "in the likeness," or "in the way/arrangement of." It doesn't imply a lineage or a direct successor, but rather a unique type, pattern, or class of priesthood. It describes the distinctive character and quality of this Messiah's priestly role, which mirrors Melchizedek's singular status.Melchizedek (
Malki-tzedek): Means "King of Righteousness." He was the King of Salem ("peace") and "priest of God Most High" in Genesis 14. His appearance is mysterious—without recorded genealogy, father, mother, beginning, or end of days, offering bread and wine, and receiving tithes from Abraham. His dual role as king and priest, and his unrecorded lineage, make him a perfect type for the Christ, whose priesthood is not dependent on Mosaic law or physical descent but on divine appointment and eternal power.
Words-Group analysis:
"The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind": This phrase underlines the absolute certainty, irrevocability, and divine backing of the priestly declaration. It emphasizes God's sovereign will and faithful nature as the guarantor of this unique office. It contrasts human changeability with divine constancy.
"You are a priest forever": This highlights the eternal, enduring, and non-successional nature of the Messiah's priesthood. It signifies its superiority over the Levitical priesthood, which was subject to death and required a constant succession of priests. This eternal aspect ensures permanent mediation and a perpetually active ministry.
"according to the order of Melchizedek": This crucial phrase establishes the nature and character of the Messiah's priesthood. It differentiates it from the Old Covenant priesthood. It is not tied to the law or physical descent, but to a unique, timeless model combining kingship and priesthood, pre-dating the Law and thus intrinsically superior to it. It points to a high priest who also holds sovereign power.
Psalm 110 4 Bonus section
The Melchizedekan priesthood points to a key theological shift from shadow to reality. The Levitical priesthood was a "shadow" or "copy" of heavenly things, needing to be performed repeatedly because it could not perfect the worshipper (Heb 8:5, 10:1). In contrast, Christ's priesthood, modeled after Melchizedek, is the "true" and eternal one, operating in the heavenly sanctuary (Heb 8:2). His "endless life" (Heb 7:16) and singular, perfect sacrifice (Heb 7:27) mean He "has an unchangeable priesthood" (Heb 7:24). This eternal aspect means believers are permanently consecrated through His finished work. The uniqueness of Melchizedek's introduction in Scripture (no mention of parents, birth, or death) hints at the supernatural, non-genealogical, and eternal nature of the Messiah's priesthood.
Psalm 110 4 Commentary
Psalm 110:4 is a pivotal messianic prophecy, interpreted extensively in the New Testament, particularly in the Book of Hebrews, to explain the superiority and nature of Jesus Christ's high priesthood. The declaration is presented as an irrevocable divine oath, underscoring its absolute certainty and immutability—God will not change His mind concerning this appointed priest. This certainty reinforces the steadfastness of God's plan for redemption.
The core revelation is that the Messiah, distinct from the Levitical system, would be a "priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." This challenges the existing understanding of priesthood, which for Israel was exclusively tied to the Aaronic lineage and the Mosaic Law. By drawing on Melchizedek, a figure from before the Law (Genesis 14), the psalm prefigures a priesthood that transcends the limitations of the old covenant—it is not bound by lineage, temporality, or the need for repeated sacrifices.
Melchizedek's appearance as both king of Salem and priest of God Most High makes him a unique type for the Messiah. Unlike the Aaronic priests who only served in the Temple, Christ, as prophesied, would uniquely combine royal authority with priestly mediation. His priesthood is "forever" because He lives forever (Heb 7:24), eliminating the need for a succession of priests. His perfect, singular sacrifice (Heb 9:12, 10:14) definitively cleanses sin, contrasting sharply with the continuous, insufficient sacrifices of the Levitical system. This new priesthood inaugurated a New Covenant, offering complete access to God through Christ.
Practically, this means:
- We have a living, eternally effective High Priest who understands our weaknesses (Heb 4:15).
- Our access to God is direct and unhindered through Christ's mediation, not dependent on human rituals.
- The New Covenant provides a lasting solution to sin and reconciliation, guaranteed by God's unchanging oath.