Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 110:6

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Psalms 110:6. He shall judge among the heathen — David shall greatly extend his dominion, and rule over the Idumeans, Moabites, Philistines, c.

He shall fill-with the dead bodies — He shall fill pits - make heaps of slain there shall be an immense slaughter among his enemies.

He shall wound the heads — He shall so bring down the power of all the neighbouring kings, as to cause them to acknowledge him as their lord, and pay him tribute.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms 110:0 The ideal priest-king

Melchizedek was priest-king of the Canaanite city-state of Salem, later known as Jerusalem. He was a man so pure and upright that he was called king of peace, king of righteousness and priest of the Most High God (Hebrews 7:1-10). He first appears in the biblical record when he met and blessed Abraham, who was returning after a victory over some raiders. Abraham refused to take any reward from those who benefited from the victory, but instead made offerings to God’s priest. In this way he acknow ledged that God was sovereign ruler in human affairs (Genesis 14:1-24).

When David conquered Jerusalem and set up his throne there, he became heir to Melchizedek as Jerusalem’s ideal priest-king. (The Melchizedek kind of priesthood was distinct from the Aaronic kind of priesthood.) As God’s representative, David also was to be king of peace, king of righteousness and priest of the Most High God. It seems that David wrote this psalm to be sung by the temple singers to celebrate the establishment of his throne in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:6-12).

To David it seems that, with his conquest of Jerusalem, God has given him victory over all his enemies and invited him to sit in the place of supreme power (1). From Mount Zion in Jerusalem, David rules his people and conquers his foes (2). The people willingly offer themselves to the king for his service in spreading his rule throughout the land. An army of young men with the life-giving freshness of dew and the strength of youth present themselves to the king (3). Just as the authority of Melchizedek, God’s representative, had no historical or national limits, so David’s authority in the name of God is limitless, in time and extent (4). God will lead his king to universal conquest and rule (5-6). He will refresh him by renewing his vigour continually, till he stands victorious, master of all (7).

It becomes clear as we read the psalm that David was but a very faint picture of the universal priest-king. Jews in later times interpreted the psalm as applying to the Messiah, and Jesus agreed that this was a correct application (Matthew 22:42-45; see also Matthew 26:64; Acts 2:34-35; Hebrews 1:3,Hebrews 1:13). The Melchizedek priesthood that David inherited was a priesthood in name only, a mere title to add to the other titles held by the Israelite king. Jesus Christ’s priesthood after the order of Melchizedek is complete and never-ending (Hebrews 5:6; Hebrews 7:1-28). His final conquest and royal rule will be universal (1 Corinthians 15:24-25; Revelation 19:11-6).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

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

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

He shall judge among the heathen - Among the “nations.” That is, he shall set up a kingdom, or shall rule over the nations of the earth. He shall come to execute judgment and justice, and shall apportion to people what is due to them. See the notes at Isaiah 11:3-5.

He shall fill the places with the dead bodies - He shall make a great slaughter - indicative of conquest, and of the subjugation of the world to himself. It would be “as if” the bodies of the slain in battle strewed the ground, or filled the valleys of the earth.

He shall wound the heads - The same word is used here that occurs in the previous verse, and that is there rendered “shall strike.” It is the language of “conquest,” as if the world was to be subdued to himself by war.

Over many countries - Margin, “great.” Over vast and extensive regions, carrying his conquests into distant lands. This will be fulfilled only when all the earth shall be subject to the reign of the Messiah. 1 Corinthians 15:24-28.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 110:1-7 :

The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool ( Psalms 110:1 ).

This immediately gives to us the indication that this is one of those Messianic psalms. Or a psalm concerning the Messiah that has its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. And this first verse of the psalm is quoted in Hebrews as referring to Jesus Christ. "As the Lord said unto my Lord," or Yahweh said unto my Lord, Adonai, "Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool." Jesus is now sitting at the right hand of the Father in glory. And God is coming to judge the earth, to put down all of the enemies of Jesus Christ, to bring all things in subjection unto Him. And by the time the Great Tribulation is over, the nations will have been subdued and will be brought in subjection unto Jesus Christ who shall come to reign. But the Father said, or, "The Lord said unto my Lord, 'Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool."

So the writer of the Hebrews said, "God hath put all things in subjection unto Him, but we do not yet see all things in subjection" ( Hebrews 2:8 ). It hasn't yet come; yet it shall. But we see Jesus.

The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. The LORD hath sworn, and he will not change, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek ( Psalms 110:2-4 ).

Now here in this prophetic psalm is an interesting little shot. It takes us immediately back to the time of Abraham, who when five kings had gotten together and came down and captured four cities and took slaves and the loot from Sodom. And Abraham heard of it and his nephew Lot was there in Sodom. And so he gathered the servants of his own house, armed them, and they took out after this confederacy of kings. They caught up with them, and Abraham and his servants destroyed them and got back Lot and all of the captives, and all of the loot that these kings had taken.

Now as Abraham with his servants was coming back victorious, as they came near Jerusalem, the priest of the most high God in Jerusalem came out to meet Abraham with bread and wine. And Abraham gave to him a tenth of all that he had; that is, of the spoils that he had taken. Abraham paid tithes unto him. The priest was named Melchizedek. He had a second name, the King of Peace.

Now Abraham, the father of the nation; Abraham, the father of the faithful, those who will believe, in paying tithes to Melchizedek and receiving from Melchizedek a blessing, is showing that Melchizedek is actually one step above Abraham. For the lesser receives the blessing from the greater. And receiving the blessing from Melchizedek, the King of Peace, and paying tithes unto him, he was doing homage unto Melchizedek, known as the priest of the most high God.

Now Abraham had a son, Isaac, who had a son Jacob, who had twelve sons; one named Levi that was ordained by God to be the priestly tribe in Israel. And the family of Moses, Aaron, were chosen to be a high priest from the family of Aaron. Now Jesus, when He came, became the great High Priest unto God. For the duty of the priest was always twofold. The priest would appear before God for the people because the people themselves could not approach the holy, righteous God. It was necessary that they come to the priest who was a mediator, and the priest would go to God for the people. And then, having gone to God for the people, he would come out to the people and speak to them for God. And so God said unto Aaron, "And when you go forth and put My name upon the people, put My name on the people thus, 'The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: the Lord cause His face to shine upon thee, and give thee peace" ( Numbers 6:23-26 ). So he represented God to the people, but he represented the people to God, so he was a mediator.

Now in the New Testament, we have a new mediator, not a son of Levi. But He became the great high priest who went before God to represent us and who comes to us to represent the Father. But a Jew would immediately object to Jesus receiving the title of the great High Priest. For a Jew would say, "How can Jesus be a great high priest when He comes from the tribe of Judah? The Bible doesn't say anything about Judah being the priesthood, but speaks of Levi and the priesthood in Levi. Therefore, how can Jesus be the high priest coming from the tribe of Judah?" And this is how that difficulty is solved.

Even in the scripture itself, even in prophecy, God threw this in to the mind of the psalmist. As he's writing this psalm, God threw it in in order that there might be the basis for the high priesthood of Jesus. "For thou has sworn, and will not repent," "I have sworn and not will not repent," or, "The Lord has sworn, will not repent, 'Thou art a priest forever after,'" not the Aaronic order, or the Levitical order, but after "the order of Melchizedek." An order of priesthood which actually precedes the order of Levi and is superior to the order of Levi in that the father of Levi paid tithes and did homage unto Melchizedek.

So it is actually a superior order of priesthood, the priesthood of Melchizedek, to whom Abraham paid tithes and did homage. Therefore, Christ, a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Now, there are certain Bible scholars that believe that Melchizedek was actually none other than Jesus Christ in what is known as the theophany, the appearance of God in the Old Testament.

In the gospel of John, Jesus is having sort of an argument with the Pharisees concerning Abraham. And Jesus is talking about His Father being God. And they said, "We have Abraham as our father." And Jesus said, "If you had Abraham as your father, then you would believe in Me. For Abraham rejoiced to see My day." And they said, "Come on, who are you trying to kid? You're not fifty years old. What do you mean Abraham saw you?" And Jesus said, "Before Abraham was, I am" ( John 8:56-58 ).

But scholars believe that the reference to Abraham seeing or rejoicing to see My day is a reference to Melchizedek, when Abraham paid tithes unto him. So it is a very interesting verse that God has inserted here. We go back to Genesis, but we also go on to the book of Hebrews where this is used as the argument to the Jews to point out how that Christ can be our great High Priest, not after the Levitical order, but after the order of Melchizedek, a different order of priesthood. And showing that God had declared it, "The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, 'Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.'"

The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through the kings in the day of his wrath. He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies ( Psalms 110:5-6 );

Of course, this is talking now about the great judgment of God that is coming as He strikes through the kings in the day of His wrath. The day of God's wrath is come. Great Tribulation. "He will judge among the heathen, He shall fill the places with dead bodies." As the blood will flow to the horses' bridle throughout the whole valley of Megiddo.

he shall wound the heads over many countries. He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head ( Psalms 110:6-7 ). "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 110

This is a prophetic messianic royal psalm that describes a descendant of David who would not only be his son but his Lord. [Note: See Chisholm, "A Theology . . .," pp. 271-73, for further discussion of this psalm’s classification in the light of the New Testament’s use of it. See also Waltke, pp. 887-96, for discussion of messianism, and the Messiah and the New Testament.] This descendant would be both a king and a priest. David was a prophet, and in this psalm he revealed new information from God concerning the future. Such a prophetic message is an oracle.

There has been much speculation about the historical situation that formed the basis for what the psalmist wrote in this psalm. [Note: Elliott E. Johnson summarized 10 situations that various writers have suggested in "Hermeneutical Principles and the Interpretation of Psalms 110," Bibliotheca Sacra 149:596 (October-December 1992):430.] It is presently unknown, though David wrote it (cf. Mark 12:36). One view is as follows:

"David prophetically spoke the psalm to his ’lord,’ Solomon, when Solomon ascended to the Davidic throne in 971 B.C." [Note: Herbert W. Bateman IV, "Psalms 110:1 and the New Testament," Bibliotheca Sacra 149:596 (October-December 1992):453.]

This writer concluded that the New Testament applied this psalm to Jesus Christ. The traditional Christian interpretation is that David wrote that God the Father spoke prophetically to His messianic Lord (i.e., His Son).

More important than this psalm’s original historical context is its prophetic significance. The New Testament contains more references to this psalm than to any other chapter in the Old Testament (cf. Matthew 22:44; Matthew 26:64; Mark 12:36; Mark 14:62; Mark 16:19; Luke 20:42-44; Luke 22:69; Acts 2:34-35; Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:25; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3; Hebrews 1:13; Hebrews 5:6; Hebrews 7:17; Hebrews 7:21; Hebrews 8:1; Hebrews 10:12-13; Hebrews 12:2). David Hay found 33 quotations of and allusions to the first four verses in the New Testament. [Note: David M. Hay, Glory at the Right Hand: Psalms 110 in Early Christianity.]

"Psalms 110 is the linchpin psalm of the first seven psalms of Book Five of the Psalter. Besides occuring [sic] in the middle of the seven psalms (Psalms 107-113), Psalms 110 joins two different groups of psalms together. Psalms 107-109 express anguished pleas for deliverance; Psalms 111-113 overflow with praise for Yahweh. Psalms 110, the connecting psalm, reveals that the Messiah is both a King and a Priest who gives victory to His people . . . Thus because God more than meets the grief-stricken cries of His people, He is to be praised." [Note: Barry C. Davis, "Is Psalms 110 a Messianic Psalm?" Bibliotheca Sacra 157:626 (April-June 2000):168.]

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

3. The victory of Messiah 110:5-7

Messiah’s victory over His enemies will be great. David saw Messiah presently seated at God the Father’s right hand (cf. Hebrews 8:1; Hebrews 10:12). In the future He will wage war (cf. Joel 3:2; Joel 3:11-14; Revelation 16:16; Revelation 19:13-15). Messiah drinking by a brook pictures Him renewing His strength. Yahweh will exalt Messiah because of His victorious conquest. [Note: See Allen, Rediscovering Prophecy, pp. 173-94.]

Later revelation helps us understand that Messiah will come back to the earth with His saints; He will not wage this particular war from heaven (Zechariah 14:4; Revelation 19). He will fight against the nations that oppose Him at the end of the Tribulation. This is the battle of Armageddon (Daniel 11:36-45; Revelation 19:17-19). Following victory in that battle He will rule on the earth for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1-10).

The Epistle to the Hebrews expounds this psalm. It clarifies especially how Jesus Christ fulfilled what David prophesied here about Messiah being a king-priest (Hebrews 7:1 to Hebrews 10:18; cf. Zechariah 6:12-13). [Note: On the subject of David and Solomon functioning as both a king and a priest, see 2 Samuel 6:14, 17-18; 1 Kings 8:14, 55, 62-64; and Merrill, "Psalms," p. 186.]

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

He shall judge among the Heathen,.... Either rule among the Gentiles, making them through his Gospel obedient by word and deed, and so reigning in their hearts by his Spirit and grace; and, by making many converts among them, enlarge his dominion from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth: or inflict judgments on the Heathen; that is, the Papists, as they are called. These are the Gentiles to whom the outward court is given; the nations that will be angry when the time of his wrath, and to judge the dead, is come; and whom Christ will break in pieces with his iron rod; and are the Heathen that shall perish out of his land, when he is King over all the earth,

Revelation 11:2.

He shall fill the places with the dead bodies: the Targum adds,

"of the ungodly that are slain;''

namely, at the battle of Armageddon; when the fowls of the air shall be called to eat the flesh of kings, captains, and mighty men; of horses and their riders; of all men, bond and free, great and small,

Revelation 19:17.

He shall wound the heads over many countries; that is, kings over many countries; as the Targum explains it: it is to be read in the singular number, "he shall wound the heads over a large country" c; him who is the head over a large country; meaning either Satan, the god of this world, the wicked one, under whom the world lies; and who has deceived the inhabitants of the earth, and rules them at his pleasure; him Christ has wounded and bruised, even his head; destroyed him and all his power, policy, schemes, and works, agreeably to the first hint concerning him, Genesis 3:15 or else antichrist, who is head over a large country, or many countries; the whore that sits on many waters, which are people, nations, and tongues, and reigns over the kings of the earth; who has seven heads and ten horns; one of whose heads has been wounded already, of which it has been curing again; but ere long this beast will receive such a wound from Christ, as that he will never recover of it; when he shall consume him with the breath of his mouth, and the brightness of his coming; see Revelation 17:2 2 Thessalonians 2:8. Musculus renders it, "the head of the country of Rabbah": and refers it to David's conquest of the king of the Ammonites, whose head city was Rabbah, 1 Chronicles 20:1.

c ראש על ארץ רבה "caput super terram multam", Pagninus, Montanus; "vel amplam", Piscator, Coceius; so Gejerus & Michaelis.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      5 The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.   6 He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.   7 He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.

      Here we have our great Redeemer,

      I. Conquering his enemies (Psalms 110:5; Psalms 110:6) in order to the making of them his footstool,Psalms 110:1; Psalms 110:1. Our Lord Jesus will certainly bring to nought all the opposition made to his kingdom, and bring to ruin all those who make that opposition and persist in it. He will be too hard for those, whoever they may be, that fight against him, against his subjects and the interest of his kingdom among men, either by persecutions or by perverse disputings. Observe here,

      1. The conqueror: The Lord--Adonai, the Lord Jesus, he to whom all judgment is committed, he shall make his own part good against his enemies. The Lord at thy right hand, O church! so some; that is, the Lord that is nigh unto his people, and a very present help to them, that is at their right hand, to strengthen and succour them, shall appear for them against his and their enemies. See Psalms 109:31. He shall stand at the right hand of the poor,Psalms 16:8. Some observe that when Christ is said to do his work at the right hand of his church it intimates that, if we would have Christ to appear for us, we must bestir ourselves,2 Samuel 5:24. Or, rather, At thy right hand, O God! referring to Psalms 110:1; Psalms 110:1, in the dignity and dominion to which he is advanced. Note, Christ's sitting at the right hand of God speaks as much terror to his enemies as happiness to his people.

      2. The time fixed for this victory: In the day of his wrath, that is, the time appointed for it, when the measure of their iniquities is full and they are ripe for ruin. When the day of his patience has expired, when the day of his wrath comes. Note, (1.) Christ has wrath of his own, as well as grace. It concerns us to kiss the Son, for he can be angry (Psalms 2:12) and we read of the wrath of the Lamb,Revelation 6:16. (2.) There is a day of wrath set, a year of recompences for the controversy of Zion, the year of the redeemed. The time is set for the destruction of particular enemies, and when that time shall come it shall be done, how unlikely soever it may seem; but the great day of his wrath will be at the end of time, Revelation 6:17.

      3. The extent of this victory. (1.) It shall reach very high: He shall strike through kings. The greatest of men, that set themselves against Christ, shall be made to fall before him. Though they be kings of the earth, and rulers, accustomed to carry their point, they cannot carry it against Christ, they do but make themselves ridiculous by the attempt, Psalms 2:2-5. Be their power among men ever so despotic, Christ will call them to an account; be their strength ever so great, their policies ever so deep, Christ will be too hard for them, and wherein they deal proudly he will be above them. Satan is the prince of this world, Death the king of terrors, and we read of kings that make war with the Lamb; but they shall all be brought down and broken. (2.) It shall reach very far. The trophies of Christ's victories will be set up among the heathen, and in many countries, wherever any of his enemies are, not his eye only, but his hand, shall find them out (Psalms 21:8) and his wrath shall follow them. He will plead with all nations,Joel 3:2.

      4. The equity of this victory: He shall judge among them. It is not a military execution, which is done in fury, but a judicial one. Before he condemns and slays, he will judge; he will make it appear that they have brought this ruin upon themselves, and have themselves rolled the stone which returns upon them, that he may be justified when he speaks and the heavens may declare his righteousness. See Revelation 19:1; Revelation 19:2.

      5. The effect of this victory; it shall be the complete and utter ruin of all his enemies. He shall strike them through, for he strikes home and gives an incurable wound: He shall wound the heads, which seems to refer to the first promise of the Messiah (Genesis 3:15), that he should bruise the serpent's head. He shall wound the head of his enemies,Psalms 68:21. Some read it, He shall wound him that is the head over many countries, either Satan or Antichrist, whom the Lord shall consume with the breath of his mouth. He shall make such destruction of his enemies that he shall fill the places with the dead bodies. The slain of the Lord shall be many. See Isaiah 34:3; Ezekiel 39:12; Ezekiel 39:14; Revelation 14:20; Revelation 19:17; Revelation 19:18. The filling of the valleys (for so some read it) with dead bodies, perhaps denotes the filling of hell (which is sometimes compared to the valley of Hinnom,Isaiah 30:33; Jeremiah 7:32) with damned souls, for that will be the portion of those that persist in their enmity to Christ.

      II. We have here the Redeemer saving his friends and comforting them (Psalms 110:7; Psalms 110:7); for their benefit, 1. He shall be humbled: He shall drink of the brook in the way, that bitter cup which the Father put into his hand. He shall be so abased and impoverished, and withal so intent upon his work, that he shall drink puddle-water out of the lakes in the highway; so some. The wrath of God, running in the channel of the curse of the law, was the brook in the way, in the way of his undertaking, which must go through, or which ran in the way of our salvation and obstructed it, which lay between us and heaven. Christ drank of this brook when he was made a curse for us, and therefore, when he entered upon his suffering, he went over the brook Kidron,John 18:1. He drank deeply of this black brook (so Kidron signifies), this bloody brook, so drank of the brook in the way as to take it out of the way of our redemption and salvation. 2. He shall be exalted: Therefore shall he lift up the head. When he died he bowed the head (John 19:30), but he soon lifted up the head by his own power in his resurrection. He lifted up the head as a conqueror, yea, more than a conqueror. This denotes not only his exaltation, but his exultation; not only his elevation, but his triumph in it. Colossians 2:15, Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them. David spoke as a type of him in this (Psalms 27:6), Now shall my head be lifted up above my enemies. His exaltation was the reward of his humiliation; because he humbled himself, therefore God also highly exalted him,Philippians 2:9. Because he drank of the brook in the way therefore he lifted up his own head, and so lifted up the heads of all his faithful followers, who, if they suffer with him, shall also reign with him.