The Book of Psalms

Word Study

"The LORD said unto my Lord," Hebrew ne'um YHWH la'adoni (נְאֻם יְהוָה לַאדֹנִי), an oracle of the LORD (YHWH) to my Lord (Adon). The wonder is in a single word. The first "LORD" is the covenant name of God; the second is David's own superior, the One David calls "my Lord." How can the Messiah, David's own descendant, also be David's Lord? This is the very question Jesus put to the Pharisees, and they could not answer it.

"sit thou at my right hand," shev limini (שֵׁב לִימִינִי). This is the place of supreme authority, co-regency, the highest seat in the universe. The Messiah sits enthroned now, reigning in the present.

"thy footstool," hadom leraglekha (הֲדֹם לְרַגְלֶיךָ). Notice the word "until": He sits "until I make thine enemies thy footstool." The enemies are being brought, one by one, under His feet while He reigns, and meanwhile He is to "rule thou in the midst of thine enemies."

"thy people shall be willing," ammekha nedavot (עַמְּךָ נְדָבֹת), freewill offerings, a willing people. His people are not conscripts but volunteers. Made willing "in the day of thy power," they offer themselves gladly, as fresh and countless as the dew of the morning.

"in the beauties of holiness," behadrei-qodesh (בְּהַדְרֵי־קֹדֶשׁ). The willing offering is made in holy splendour. The King reigns, and His subjects serve Him with willing, holy hearts.

Explanation

The opening line is one of the most important sentences in the Old Testament, and its wonder is in a single word. "The LORD said unto my Lord." The first "LORD" is the covenant name of God, YHWH; the second "Lord" (Adon) is David's own superior, the One David calls "my Lord." And here is the marvel: David, the greatest king of Israel, calls the Messiah "my Lord." How can the Messiah, who would be David's own descendant, David's son, also be David's Lord, his superior? This is the very question Jesus put to the Pharisees, and they could not answer it. The answer is the mystery of the incarnation: the Messiah is both David's son, by human descent, and David's Lord, because He is God manifest in flesh, greater than David, worshipped by David. And to this Lord God says, "Sit thou at my right hand", the place of supreme authority, co-regency, the highest seat in the universe, "until I make thine enemies thy footstool." Notice that word "until": the Messiah sits enthroned now, reigning in the present, while His enemies are being brought, one by one, under His feet. And His people are not conscripts but volunteers: "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power", made willing by His power, they offer themselves gladly, "in the beauties of holiness," fresh and countless as the dew of the morning. The King reigns, and His subjects serve Him with willing, holy hearts.

Gospel Focus

"The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand", the New Testament applies this verse to Jesus Christ more than any other Old Testament text. Jesus Himself used it to silence the Pharisees: if David calls the Messiah "Lord," He must be more than David's son (Matthew 22:44-45). Peter preached it at Pentecost of the risen, ascended Christ, "The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand" (Acts 2:34), concluding, "God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36). For God "set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 1:20), where He "sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Hebrews 1:3). And there He reigns now, "till he hath put all enemies under his feet" (1 Corinthians 15:25). The "my Lord" of Psalm 110 is Jesus, God in flesh, enthroned at the right hand of God, and His willing people are the church, made willing by His grace, for "it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do" (Philippians 2:13). Bow before David's Lord and yours, the exalted Lord Jesus Christ.

Word Study

"hath sworn," Hebrew nishba (נִשְׁבַּע). This priesthood is confirmed by an oath. God binds Himself by the strongest possible pledge, so that what follows is not merely announced but sworn.

"will not repent," velo yinnachem (וְלֹא יִנָּחֵם), will not change His mind. He will never take the oath back; this priesthood cannot be revoked. What God has sworn here stands unalterable.

"a priest for ever," kohen le'olam (כֹּהֵן לְעוֹלָם). This one verse does something Israel had never seen: it joins in a single Person the two highest offices, which had always been kept apart. Kings came from Judah and priests from Levi, and no man could be both. The Levitical priests died and passed their office to their sons, an endless succession of dying men; but this Priest holds His office for ever, because He Himself lives for ever.

"after the order of Melchizedek," al-divrati Malki-Tzedeq (עַל־דִּבְרָתִי מַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק). Long before Levi was born, Melchizedek appears in Genesis 14 as both "king of Salem" and "priest of the most high God", king and priest together, blessing Abraham. He is the pattern of a royal priesthood older and higher than Levi's.

Explanation

This one verse does something Israel had never seen: it joins in a single Person the two highest offices, which had always been kept apart. In Israel, kings came from the tribe of Judah, and priests from the tribe of Levi; no man could be both. A king who tried to act as priest was struck down. Yet here God declares that His Messiah, the King enthroned in verses 1 to 3, is also a priest, "Thou art a priest for ever." How can King and Priest be one? The answer is given in the name Melchizedek. Long before Levi was born, Melchizedek appears in Genesis 14 as both "king of Salem" and "priest of the most high God", king and priest together, blessing Abraham. He is the pattern, "after the order of Melchizedek," of a royal priesthood older and higher than Levi's. And notice two things about this priesthood. First, it is confirmed by an oath: "The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent." God binds Himself by oath, the strongest possible pledge, and He will never take it back; this priesthood cannot be revoked. Second, it is "for ever." The Levitical priests died and passed their office to their sons, an endless succession of dying men; but this Priest holds His office for ever, because He Himself lives for ever. An eternal King who is also an eternal Priest, sworn by God and unchangeable, this is who the Messiah is.

Gospel Focus

"Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek", the letter to the Hebrews builds its whole doctrine of Christ's priesthood on this verse. Jesus was "called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec" (Hebrews 5:10), made a priest not by fleshly descent "but after the power of an endless life" (Hebrews 7:16). Because He lives for ever, "this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood" (Hebrews 7:24), and therefore "he ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25). Here is the glory of our salvation: the same Jesus who reigns as King at God's right hand also serves as our Priest, forever pleading His finished sacrifice and interceding for His people. And His priesthood rests on the unbreakable oath of God, "the LORD hath sworn, and will not repent", so it can never fail. Melchizedek, "without father, without mother... made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually" (Hebrews 7:3), was but a shadow; the substance is the Lord Jesus Christ, our eternal King and Priest.

Word Study

"the Lord at thy right hand," Hebrew Adonai al-yeminkha (אֲדֹנָי עַל־יְמִינְךָ). The closing verses add a third office to the King and Priest: Judge and conquering Warrior. The One seated at the right hand in verse 1 is here the One standing at hand to act.

"strike through kings," machatz... melakhim (מָחַץ מְלָכִים). No earthly power is exempt. The reigning Christ will come at last in judgment against every power that has set itself against Him, wounding "the heads over many countries."

"the day of his wrath," beyom appo (בְּיוֹם אַפּוֹ). There is a day appointed for it. The patience of His present reign will give way to the terror of His final wrath.

"judge among the heathen," yadin baggoyim (יָדִין בַּגּוֹיִם). His judgment reaches the nations, not one people only. The Messiah who sits enthroned now will one day rise to settle accounts with them all.

"drink of the brook in the way," minnachal badderekh yishteh (מִנַּחַל בַּדֶּרֶךְ יִשְׁתֶּה). Picture a warrior on a long, hard march, pausing to drink from a stream by the roadside. This is a picture of the Messiah's own path: on His way to His throne He stooped low and drank of the brook of suffering, the bitter stream of sorrow and death that lay across His road. He did not go around it; He drank of it.

"lift up the head," yarim rosh (יָרִים רֹאשׁ). Refreshed, the warrior presses on to victory with his head lifted high. The little word "therefore" carries everything: because He stooped to drink of that brook, He lifts up the head. There is no exaltation for the Messiah except through humiliation, and what was true of the Head is the pattern for all His members.

Explanation

The psalm's closing verses add a third office to the King and Priest: Judge and conquering Warrior. The Messiah who sits enthroned now will one day rise "in the day of his wrath" to "strike through kings" and "judge among the heathen." The reigning Christ will come at last in judgment against every power that has set itself against Him; the patience of His present reign will give way to the terror of His final wrath. But it is the very last verse that is the most tender and mysterious: "He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head." Picture a warrior on a long, hard march, pausing to drink from a stream by the roadside, and then, refreshed, pressing on to victory with his head lifted high. This is a picture of the Messiah's own path. On His way to His throne, He stooped low; He drank of the brook of suffering, the bitter stream of sorrow and death that lay across His road. He did not go around it; He drank of it. And therefore, because He stooped to drink of that brook, "shall he lift up the head." The lifted head of triumph comes by way of the lowly brook of suffering. There is no exaltation for the Messiah except through humiliation; the road to the crown runs through the stream of sorrow. And what was true of the Head is the pattern for all His members: the way up is down, and the lifted head is reached through the brook in the way.

Gospel Focus

"He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head", this is the story of the Lord Jesus Christ, from the brook of the cross to the lifted head of the resurrection and ascension. He stooped to drink the bitter stream: "he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." And therefore, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name" (Philippians 2:8-9). He "for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2). The lifted head was won through the drunk-of brook. And the day of His wrath, when He shall "strike through kings," is the day of His return, when He comes forth as the One who "in righteousness he doth judge and make war" (Revelation 19:11). So Psalm 110 gives us the whole Christ: the King who reigns, the Priest who intercedes, and the Judge who will come; and it shows His way, and ours, from the brook of suffering to the head lifted high.