On Thursday, May 21, many Christians celebrated Ascension Day, the anniversary of when, 40 days after His resurrection, Jesus ascended into Heaven. In Psalm 110, written 1000 years before Jesus was born, David meditates on what that event means for us. Why is it so important that Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven (Psalm 110:1)?

Because – let’s face it – these days it sure doesn’t look like Jesus is in charge of this world at all. But the chaos and the violence all around us don’t disprove Jesus’ authority. No, verse 2 says that He rules in the midst of His enemies, which implies that they remain all too active on earth. And verse 1 admits that Jesus will remain in Heaven, at the right hand of the Father, until His enemies are defeated by the power of God.

But Jesus is not just some faraway Heavenly King, helpless to help us here on earth. Verse 4 points out that He is like Melchizedek, who was both king and priest of Salem in the days of Abraham. In offering Himself as a perfect sacrifice on the cross, Jesus made a way for all His people to be saved from our sins, to enter into the very presence of God, in spite of our unworthiness (see also Hebrews 7:1-3, 17-28). Even while He remains in Heaven, He is doing a lot for us.

So it is no wonder that, even though the authority and power of King Jesus remain a matter of faith for now, His people still choose to follow Him. As verse 3 says, those who trust in Him as Savior and bow the knee to Him as Lord volunteer freely in His army, offering ourselves willingly in His service. After all, it is the very least we can do for the One Who gave Himself completely for us.

And, given the awesome power and authority He holds, such surrender to Him is also the wisest course of action. For as verses 5-7 indicate vividly, when He comes again, all powers that continue to oppose Him will be fully and finally broken. On that day, all those who have rejected His gracious offers of forgiveness will receive the punishment all their sins deserve, a punishment they refused to allow Him to absorb in their place.

So, until He comes again, while He sits at the right hand of the Father, let us rejoice that we have such a King and a Priest. And let us give Him all the honor and glory and worship that He deserves.

Psalm 110 (NASB)

A Psalm of David.
The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand, Until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet.”
2 The LORD will stretch forth Thy strong scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of Thine enemies.”
3 Thy people will volunteer freely in the day of Thy power; In holy array, from the womb of the dawn, Thy youth are to Thee as the dew.
4 The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind, “Thou art a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”
5 The Lord is at Thy right hand; He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath.
6 He will judge among the nations, He will fill them with corpses, He will shatter the chief men over a broad country.
7 He will drink from the brook by the wayside; Therefore He will lift up His head.