Psalm 110
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Introduction
Introduction
Book 5
This Psalm may be referred to as a Royal Psalm, an Enthronement Psalm, or a Messianic Psalm.
There can be no doubt of David’s authorship. Jesus asked:
He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,
Peter also quoted fro this Psalm in his first sermon.
For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
But this Psalm repeatedly quoted in the New Testament as referring to the Messiah, and in such a manner as to show that this was the customary interpretation among the Jews. [ Matt. 22:44 (comp. Mark 12:36; Luke 20:42); Acts 2:34; Heb. 5:6; 7:17, 21.] The way in which it is quoted shows that this was the prevailing and received mode of interpreting the psalm.
We are introduced to the Priest-King, which none of Israel’s kings held these 2 offices. The Priest-King here spoken of is David’s Lord, a mysterious person typified by Melchizedek, and looked for by the Jews as the Messiah. He is none other than the high-priest of our profession, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. The Psalm describes the appointment of the kingly priest, his followers, his battles, and his victory. Its center is verse 4, and so it may be divided into the introduction, verses 1–3; the central thought, verse 4; and the supplementary verses, 5–7.
Verses 1-3 an introduction
Verses 1-3 an introduction
The Lord said unto my Lord,
Sit thou at my right hand,
Until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
The Hebrew reads Yahweh spoke to Adonai, the Holy Spirit recording a conversation; the Trinity is pictured in this one little phrase.
The name Yahweh is the incommunicable name of God. It is never given to a created being. The other word translated Lord—Adonai—means one who has rule or authority; one of high rank; one who has dominion; one who is the owner or possessor.
But David says My Lord, which refers to some one who was superior in rank to the author of the psalm; one whom he could address as his superior. The psalm, therefore, cannot refer to David. Spurgeon states: “my Lord.” This was an anticipation of the exclamation of Thomas, “My Lord and my God,” and it expresses the Psalmist’s reverence, his obedience, his faith, and his joy in Christ,
Sit thou at my right hand brings to mind several interesting thoughts:
It must it be referencing the Messiah—to one whom he owned as his superior—his Lord. It cannot refer to God as if he were to have this rule over David, since God himself is referred to as speaking to him whom David called his Lord.
2: Mark 16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
3 . Luke 22:69 69 Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God
4. Hebrews 10:12 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
5. Jesus is placed in the seat of power, dominion, and dignity, and is to sit there until the last enemy shall be destroyed, and then, according to the inspired word, “cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God even the Father.” The work of subduing the nations is now in the hand of Yahweh.
King James Version Psalm 110
2 The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion:
Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
The sceptre of thy power; that with which He shalt rule. It will be given to Him by Yahweh; and as it were, out of Zion; that is, as proceeding from the church, and as derived from that. It will be an appointment connected with the church, and will be as if the church had conferred it on Him. The idea is, that the Messiah would receive his designation, authority, commission, power from the church. He would spring from it (Isa. 11:1); would act for it; would do what was needful for its good; would wield power. Could we compare this rod or sceptre of power with Moses staff?
This is a commission to set up a kingdom in the very middle of those who were his enemies; in the hearts of those who had been and were rebellious. His kingdom is set up not by destroying them, but by subduing them so that they become his willing servants. They yield to him, and he rules over them. It is not a commission to cut them off, but one much more difficult,—to make them his friends, and to dispose them to submit to his authority. Mere power may crush men; it requires more than that to make rebels willingly submissive, and to dispose them voluntarily to obey.
For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
King James Version Psalm 110
3 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 consequence of the sending forth of the rod of strength, namely, the power of the gospel, out of Zion, converts will come forward in great numbers to enlist under the banner of the Priest-King, Messiah.
In the day of Messiah’s power his people would willingly offer themselves to him, in holy robes or adorning, like the glittering dew of the morning;—or, in numbers that might be compared with the drops of the morning dew. The essential ideas are:
(1) that he would have a “people.”
(2) that their subjection to him would be a “willing.”
(3) that this would be accomplished by his “power.”
(4) that they would appear before him in great beauty—in robes of holy adorning.
(5) that they would in some way resemble the dew of the morning;
(6) that to him in thus subduing them there would have the intensity of youthful hope.
Notice also they shall be willing; Literally, “Thy people [are, or shall be] willing-offerings.” The word rendered willing—נְדָבוֹת, nedaboth—is in the plural number;—“thy people, willingnesses.” The singular—נְדָבָה, nedabah—means voluntariness, spontaneousness: and hence it comes to mean spontaneously, voluntarily, of a willing mind. The idea is that of freeness; of voluntariness; of doing it from choice, doing it of their own will. They did it in the exercise of freedom. There was no compulsion; no constraint. Whatever “power” there was in the case, was to make them “willing,” not to compel them to do a thing against their will. That which was done, is evidently the act of devoting themselves to him who is the Messiah
In the beauties of holiness, has provoked many to conjecture, kings robes, priestly robes, outward appearance or is it all inward? In my mind I think of:
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
Verse 4 The central thought
Verse 4 The central thought
King James Version (Psalm 110)
4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent,
Thou art a priest for ever.
After the order of Melchizedek.
First, we see Yahweh has sworn, that is He has confirmed the appointment of the Messiah by a solemn oath, or as by an oath. That is, It is as sure and fixed as if he had taken an oath.
And will not repent. That is He will not change his purpose.
Before tackling a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, we need to ask who was Melchizedek? He may be referred to throughout the Bible but who was he?
King James Version Chapter 14
18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. 19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: 20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all
Order is our word manner, The meaning is, that he would be a priest after the manner of Melchizedek; or, such a priest as he was.
1. He would not be of the tribe of Levi.
2. He would not be in the regular line of the priesthood.
3 He would resemble, in the characteristics of his office, this ancient priest-king, combining in himself the two functions of priest and king; as a priest, standing alone; not gaining his authority from any line of predecessors; and having no successors.
If this verse did not have an New Testament references it would imply these things:
(1) That he who was spoken of would be, in a proper sense, a priest.
(2) That he would have a perpetual or permanent priesthood,—“for ever.”
(3) That lie would not be of the established line of priests in the tribe of Levi, but that his appointment would be unusual and extraordinary.
(4) That the appointment would come directly from God, and would not be from one’s ancestors.
(5) That as a priest he would resemble Melchizedek, according to the record which was found of Melchizedek in Genesis.
(6) That as Melchizedek was a priest of the Most High God, so he would be.
(7) That as Melchizedek combined in himself the functions of both priest and king, so these would be found in him.
(8) That as Melchizedek had no successors in office, so he would have none.
How far these things were applicable to the Lord Jesus Christ, and with what propriety the passage might be applied to him, may be seen by examining Hebrews, chap. 5. 6. 7.
Supplementary verse 5-7
The Lord at thy right hand
Shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.
Shall strike in Hebrew means shake, to agitate, to shake into pieces, to dash into pieces, and to crush. Here, I think it means breaking into pieces, or crushing. The kings are the enemies of the Messiah. The idea is that all would be subdued before the Messiah; the Messiah would establish a new dominion, that is the new heaven and the new earth…no one will be able to stand before Him.
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron;
Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
Be wise now therefore, O ye kings:
Be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
Serve the Lord with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry,
And ye perish from the way,
When his wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
But with righteousness shall he judge the poor,
And reprove with equity for the meek of the earth:
And he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth,
And with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies;
He shall wound the heads over many countries.
The Psalmists uses the verb shall; to me that indicates a promise. A promise we see completed in Rev. 19.
King James Version Chapter 19
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called sFaithful and tTrue, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and ghe treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Psalms, Volume 3 Psalm 110
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. Marg., 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 Cor. 15:24–28.
He shall drink of the brook in the way:
Therefore shall he lift up the head.
He shall drink of the brook in the way. The picture here seems to represent the Messiah as a victorious king and conqueror pursuing his enemies. In the previous verse the psalmist had shown him as one engaged in battle, and slaying his enemies with a great slaughter. Now he pictures him as pursuing those who should escape from the battle, and as pursuing them without fainting or exhaustion. He is like one who finds abundant springs and streams of water in his journeyings; who refreshes himself at those fountains and streams; who, therefore, is not faint and weary. He pursues his foes vigorously and with success.
Therefore shall he lift up the head. Therefore shall he win, or be successful. The head lowers when we are faint and exhausted, when we are disappointed and are ashamed, when we are conscious of guilt. It is lifted up in success and victory, in the fullness of hope. The idea here is, that the Messiah would be triumphant. He would achieve the victory over all his foes; he would pursue, without exhaustion, his retreating enemies, and he would return from the victory joyous and triumphant. All this is the image of a victorious hero; all this will be accomplished in the conquest of the world by the Gospel; in the subduing of the foes of God; in the final scene when the Redeemer shall deliver up the kingdom to God.
1 Corinthians 15:24–28 (KJV 1900)
Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
