Bible Commentaries
Psalms 110

Verse 1

Psa 110:1

Psalms 110

THE MESSIAH TO BE BOTH KING AND PRIEST

According to the superscription this is "A Psalm of David," and there is absolutely no doubt whatever of the truth of this. This writer is a worshipper of Jesus Christ, the head of our holy religion, in whom are "hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge," and therefore we accept His words regarding this psalm as true.

Regarding the first two lines of this psalm, Our Lord said that, "David in the Spirit here addresses the Messiah (Son of David) as Lord; and if David called him `Lord,’ how is he his son?" (Matthew 22:42-45). Thus Jesus Christ not only affirms the Davidic authorship here, but adds the fact that the psalm is inspired by the Holy Spirit.

We have pointed this out as the prelude to saying that, "In the self-styled `advanced’ criticism of the mid-century type of Bible enemies, there is nothing that exposes their evil atheism any better than their treatment of this psalm." Not only do such persons reject what Christ said here, but they even delete the whole reference in Genesis 14 to Melchizedek from the Bible, there being no solid evidence whatever for such high-handed mutilation of the Holy Scriptures. We shall not burden the reader with any further attention to such worthless criticisms by unbelievers. For those who are willing to accept the word of the followers of Satan instead of the word of Christ, they should be reminded that when our mother Eve did the same thing, all of the tragic sorrows of humanity became the swift and certain consequence.

Psalms 110:1

"Jehovah said unto my Lord,

Sit thou at my right hand,

Until I make thine enemies thy footstool."

The implication of the Messiah being both the son and the Lord of David is clear enough. Christ is both God and man; as man, Christ descended through the earthly posterity of David, as indicated in the Genealogy give in Luke 3. Thus, in that sense, Christ was the "Son of David"; but, as God incarnate, he was also David’s Lord, and the Lord of all people.

The Savior’s mention of this passage followed the Pharisee’s answer to Jesus’ question, "What think ye of Christ; whose son is he?" They replied, "The Son of David." Jesus’ question was, therefore, "How can your answer be true? David referred to the Christ as `Lord’ in this passage; how then can he be David’s son?" See my comment in Matthew.

"Sit thou on my right hand" (Psalms 110:1). These are the words of God Himself addressed to David’s `Lord.’ Now just who is it, in the history of mankind that these words could possibly indicate, other than Jesus Christ who indeed has, "Sat down on the Right Hand of the Majesty on High?"

"Until I make thine enemies thy footstool" (Psalms 110:1). Paul in his letter to the Corinthians picked this up, writing, "He must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet" (1 Corinthians 15:25). Thus, Paul refers this passage unequivocally to Christ.

E.M. Zerr:

Psalms 110:1. This verse is quoted at Matthew 22:44; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:42; Acts 2:34. The New Testament passages furnish the information that identify the persons in the verse. The Lord is the God of Heaven and my Lord is Christ. The whole verse is the direct speech of David, making a prophecy (although past tense in form) of the ascension and crowning of Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords. Until looks to the same period mentioned in Hebrews 10:12-13, and is practically the same thought expressed by Peter in Acts 3:21.

Verse 2

Psa 110:2

Psalms 110:2

"Jehovah will send forth the rod of thy strength out of Zion:

Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies."

"The rod of thy strength." The marginal reading here has "sceptre of thy strength," indicating that it is the King who is spoken of, Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

"Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies." This is a very important verse because of the light it casts upon the nature of the reign of Jesus Christ. Dramatically contrary to the false millennial conception of Christ’s reign as being some kind of a utopian paradise on earth where there is universal acceptance of Christ’s holy rule, the truth that appears here is that the reign of Christ will be "in the midst of his enemies," in spite of them, and in their presence, regardless of their hatred and opposition. The rule of Christ will be only in the hearts of those who love him. But eventually, "all enemies" of Christ shall be put down; and then, Christ will not begin his rule; he will end it (1 Corinthians 15:28).

E.M. Zerr:

Psalms 110:2. The Lord is the same person so termed in the preceding verse, and the pronoun thy refers to Christ. The thought is that God would empower his Son to become a successful ruler. The reign was to issue from Zion which was that part of Jerusalem that was headquarters for the kingdom of Christ.

Verse 3

Psa 110:3

Psalms 110:3

"Thy people offer themselves willingly

In the day of thy power, in holy array:

Out of the womb of the morning

Thou hast the dew of thy youth."

"Thy people offer themselves willingly." Christ’s rule will be over those people alone who willingly and wholeheartedly submit themselves to his authority.

"Out of the womb of the morning, ..." As Rawlinson said, "The intention of this last clause is very doubtful.” Delitzsch rendered the passage thus:

"Out of the womb of the morning’s dawn

Cometh the dew of thy young.”

"Some understand it of Messiah himself, applying it to his perpetual youth; but the larger number interpret it of Messiah’s army.” The quotation which we take to be Rawlinson’s understanding of the passage is as follows:

"As dew out of the early morning dawn, descending by a silent, mysterious birth from the star-lit heavens, so comes to Messiah his mighty host of followers.”

E.M. Zerr:

Psalms 110:3. One word in the lexicon definition for willing is "spontaneity." The force of the word lies chiefly in its contrast with the Mosaic system which included infants in its membership. Such members had no will in the matter but were enrolled in the list as soon as they were circumcised. In the system of Christ a person must be old enough to accept the service of his own choice before he can become a part of the institution. It is the same thought indicated in Hebrews 8:10-11 which was cited from Jeremiah 31:31-34. The added thought would be logical, therefore, that such persons would be expected to be willing to obey a ruler whom they had voluntarily accepted over them. Day of thy power means the Christian Dispensation. The material appointments of the tabernacle and temple service were designed "for glory and for beauty" (Exodus 28:2). That was a type of the spiritual service that was to be rendered under Christ, and a service that is rendered willingly would indeed constitute the beauties of holiness. Dew appears in the morning and soon disappears as a general thing. As a contrast, the vigor and strength and freshness of the reign of Christ will continue throughout the "day" of the Dispensation; will continue as it was from the womb of the morning, or from the time the reign started. (Daniel 2:44.)

Verse 4

Psa 110:4

Psalms 110:4

"Jehovah hath sworn, and will not repent:

Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."

This is a reference to the Melchizedek whom Abraham met following the slaughter of the kings (Genesis 14), and unto whom Abraham paid tithes. In our commentary on Hebrews (Vol. 10 of the New Testament Series), we have devoted eleven pages to the detailed discussion of this verse, along with the episode in Genesis involving Abraham and Melchizedek, and also the New Testament deductions founded upon those Scriptures.

A brief summary of the important declarations of Hebrews 7:1-10 is here included.

MELCHIZEDEK; A TYPE OF CHRIST

Melchizedek’s name (King of Righteousness).

His being king of Salem (King of Peace)

His receiving tithes of Abraham,

His blessing Abraham

His bringing forth Bread and Wine

His being served by both Jews and Gentiles

His being both king and priest

His having no beginning of life or end of it

His priesthood was like the endless priesthood of Jesus Christ

Only one of these resemblances between Melchizedek and Christ shall be noted here, namely, his having neither beginning of life nor end of days.

The meaning of this is simply, that as far as the scriptural record is concerned, this was true of Melchizedek. The author of Hebrews through inspiration saw that it was by God’s purposeful design that the story of Melchizedek had been so deployed upon the sacred pages of Genesis that he appears in isolated splendor, and that the purpose of that was to make Melchizedek’s priesthood suggest that of Jesus Our Lord. To be sure, in the case of Melchizedek, the record only suggests that; but it was and is literally true in Jesus Christ.

E.M. Zerr:

Psalms 110:4. The same identity of persons and pronouns should be observed here as in the preceding verses. God assured his Son that he was to be a priest, and confirmed the promise with an oath. Will not repent means that God will not change his mind. In v. 3 a contrast was shown between the priesthood of Christ and the Levitical priesthood. ’ In the present verse another contrast is revealed. That is, the priesthood of Christ was to differ from that of the Levites in the same way that the Levitical priesthood differed from that of Melchisedek. I shall note only one of The types here, and will reserve the more detailed discussion of the subject for its proper place in the book of Hebrews. The family history of Melchisedek was purposely left out of the divine record. The apparent lack of any genealogy for Melchisedek was to be a type of the actual lack of it in the case of Christ. (Isaiah 53:8; Acts 8:33.)

Verses 5-6

Psa 110:5-6

Psalms 110:5-6

"The Lord at thy right hand

Will strike through kings in the day of his wrath.

He will judge among the nations,

He will fill the places with dead bodies;

He will strike through the head in many countries."

The scene here is that of the Final Judgment of mankind on the occasion of the Second Advent of Christ.

"He will judge among the nations" (Psalms 110:6). Not merely the Jews, but all nations shall appear before the judgment seat of Christ, to whom God has committed judgment.

"He will fill the places with dead bodies" (Psalms 110:6). Rawlinson translated this, "He will fill the earth with dead bodies.” For the New Testament description of this same event, see Revelation 19:17-18, where it is called "The Great Supper of God."

E.M. Zerr:

Psalms 110:5. The Lord in this place is Christ, for he is the one who is at the right hand of God. Strike through kings refers to the authority of Christ over all other rulers, bringing them either into obedience to his law, or shaming them by his condemnation of them for their rebellion against his divine rule.

Verse 7

Psa 110:7

Psalms 110:7

"He will drink of the brook in the way:

Therefore will he lift up the head."

This verse is for the purpose of indicating the humanity of the Messiah. Just as in Isaiah, where Immanuel (The Messiah) is revealed as a member of the Godhead by his name (Immanuel), and then his humanity is stressed by the fact of his eating butter and honey (Isaiah 7:14-15), here we have a glimpse of the same thing. This great Judge of all men and all nations, "in the way," that is, the way of his earthly ministry, which is literally "on the way" to the Judgment Day, he shall (as an ordinary man) quench his thirst with water.

"Therefore will he lift up the head." This is a reference to the kind and healing character of the Messiah during his earthly ministry. It stands here in contrast with our Lord’s "striking through the head" with death, mentioned in the preceding verse.

This is one of the most wonderful psalms in the whole Psalter. It provides a description of the Coming Messiah that deserves to stand alongside the most eloquent prophecies of the Son of God in the entire Bible.

E.M. Zerr:

Psalms 110:6. This is a highly figurative passage and means the triumph of Christ over all enemies of righteousness. Judge among the heathen has special reference to the universal domain of the Christian Dispensation. It was to include all nations, not the Jews only. The same thought is signified by the phrase many countries.

Psalms 110:7. When a commander is engaged in a successful campaign into the territory of an enemy, he does not wish to take "time out" to return to headquarters for provisions. If he is being successful in his invasion, he will find drinking water right in the path of the march. Such an exploit will not only supply the army with the physical necessity of the body, but will strengthen the moral by the encouraging prospect, so that all parties will lift up the head in the spirit of a conqueror.