Jewish tradition interpreted this psalm as referring directly to the Messiah King, the son of David; following that interpretation of it, Christians see in it an announcement of the divinity of Christ, true Son of God, and of his everlasting priesthood. It should, therefore, be read as a prophecy.

St Paul's Letter to the Hebrews explains how this psalm finds fulfilment in Jesus Christ, the Son of God: he is a priest for ever according to the order of Melchizedek. At the start of that letter, Christ is portrayed as higher than the angels, because to no angel was spoken the words that were spoken to Christ, 'sit at my right hand' (Hebrews 1:13). Jesus Christ did not appropriate to himself the glory of the high priesthood, for it was bestowed on him by the Father when he said to him, 'you are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek' (v.4; cf. Hebrews 5:6). In him therefore our hope is anchored, for what God promised on oath (Psalm 110:4) finds fulfilment in Jesus who has gone into heaven as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek (cf. Heb 6:19-20). Jesus did not belong to the tribe of Levi, not did the king referred to in the psalm. For this reason the authority of the Letter to the Hebrews also uses v.4 to show that the priesthood of Christ, given to him directly by God and under oath (Heb 7:20-22) means that the Levitical priesthood was something transitory and has ceased to have validity now that Christ has come.

This is one of the psalms that the Church uses on the solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ to say that Jesus is the Priest who offers us the bread and wine of his Body and Blood.