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Psalms 110
Observations (Literal)
1. David’s Lord
Psalm 110 opens with one of the most remarkable statements in the Old Testament: Psalm 110:1 (ESV) “The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool‘”. David records a conversation between the LORD (Yahweh) and one whom David himself calls “my Lord” (Adonai). From my observation, this immediately raises an important question. Why would David refer to another as “my Lord“?
As Israel’s anointed king, David occupied the highest royal office in the nation under God. Although future kings would arise from David’s own lineage, they would naturally look back to David as their royal father and predecessor. One would therefore expect David’s descendants to regard David as their lord—not David to regard one of his future descendants as his Lord.
Yet David deliberately reverses that relationship. This reversal strongly suggests that David understood the coming Messiah to be far more than merely another king descended from his lineage. Several observations support this conclusion.
- David was Israel’s anointed king and held the highest royal office in the nation under God.
- David knew that the promised Messiah would come from his own lineage and would therefore be genuinely human.
- Under normal circumstances, every future king descended from David would rightly regard David as his royal father and predecessor.
- Yet David calls his future descendant “my Lord“.
From my observation, the most natural explanation is that David recognized the coming Messiah as possessing an authority and dignity that exceeded his own. David therefore prophetically acknowledged that his future descendant would be more than merely another human king. The opening verse also distinguishes between Yahweh and David’s Lord (Adonai) while presenting both within the same divine conversation. Although the doctrine of the Trinity is not fully revealed until the New Testament, this passage beautifully anticipates the distinction of Persons later revealed more fully in Scripture.
2. Jesus’ Interpretation
Jesus Himself identified Psalm 110 as a Messianic prophecy. Matthew 22:41–46 (ESV) “Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, saying, ‘What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?‘ They said to him, ‘The son of David.’ He said to them, ‘How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying, “The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet”? If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?‘ And no one was able to answer him a word…“
Jesus was not questioning whether the Messiah would descend from David. Both He and the Pharisees agreed that the Messiah would indeed be David’s Son. Rather, Jesus challenged their incomplete understanding of the Messiah’s identity. The Pharisees believed the Messiah would simply be another human descendant of David who would restore Israel’s kingdom.
Jesus demonstrated that David himself understood something far greater. If the Messiah were merely David’s human descendant, why would David call Him “my Lord“? Jesus’ argument depends entirely upon David’s words. The Psalm therefore not only identifies the Messiah as David’s Son but also reveals that He possesses a greatness that surpasses David himself.
From my observation, Jesus’ use of this Psalm also establishes an important principle of biblical interpretation. God intentionally revealed many Old Testament passages as prophetic foreshadowings of the Messiah’s life, ministry, death, resurrection, priesthood, and kingdom. Psalm 110 therefore stands as one of the clearest Messianic Psalms in all of Scripture.
Word Study
“Sit at My Right Hand”
The invitation to sit speaks of completed work and royal authority. Throughout Scripture, sitting represents a position of rest following the completion of one’s appointed work. From my observation, the Messiah’s seating at God’s right hand signifies that His redemptive work has been accomplished and that He now reigns with the authority bestowed upon Him by the Father. The imagery of the Messiah seated at God’s right hand also anticipates the fuller New Testament revelation concerning Christ’s exaltation and His unique sharing in divine authority.
“Until I Make Your Enemies Your Footstool”
The Messiah remains seated until every enemy is placed beneath His feet. Throughout the Old Testament, placing one’s enemies beneath one’s feet symbolizes complete victory and absolute dominion. A similar picture appears in: 1 Kings 5:3–4 (ESV) “You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the warfare with which his enemies surrounded him, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet. But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side…“. As David’s kingdom could not enjoy complete rest until his enemies were subdued, so the Messiah’s reign anticipates the final subjection of every enemy under His authority.
“The LORD Sends Forth from Zion Your Mighty Scepter”
The scepter symbolizes royal authority and sovereign rule. The fact that the scepter proceeds from Zion indicates that the Messiah’s kingdom originates from God’s covenant purposes, yet its authority extends far beyond the borders of Israel. Adam Clarke fittingly observed that the mighty scepter ultimately represents the Gospel itself: “The doctrine of Christ crucified… is the powerful scepter of the Lord… the power of God unto salvation to all them that believe”. This beautifully captures the global scope of the Messiah’s reign. His kingdom is established not through military conquest but through the proclamation of the Gospel
“Your People Will Offer Themselves Freely on the Day of Your Power”
Psalm 110:3 (ESV) “Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours“. This verse shifts the reader’s attention from the Messiah Himself to those who belong to Him. Unlike earthly kingdoms that often rely upon coercion or military force, the Messiah’s kingdom is characterized by a willing people who freely devote themselves to His service. The Hebrew word translated “power” is חַיִל (chayil, Strong’s [H2428]). Although commonly translated power or strength, the word possesses a much broader range of meaning. Depending upon its context, it may refer to:
- strength,
- might,
- wealth,
- efficiency,
- ability,
- valor,
- military force,
- or an army.
The richness of this word beautifully complements the imagery of the Psalm. The Messiah certainly possesses irresistible authority and unlimited power. Yet His kingdom is not composed of unwilling subjects compelled into service. Rather, His people willingly present themselves to Him. Several commentators have fittingly described the Church as an army of willing volunteers rather than an army of slaves. I find this observation particularly significant because it highlights an important characteristic of the Messiah’s reign. His people are not merely conquered. They are devoted. Their obedience flows from loyalty and love rather than external compulsion.
“In Holy Garments; From the Womb of the Morning”
This portion of the verse is among the most poetic expressions found anywhere in the Psalms. The imagery shifts from military language to language describing beauty, purity, freshness, and vitality. The phrase: “in holy garments” portrays God’s people clothed in holiness as they present themselves before their King.
Their beauty is not merely outward but reflects the consecration and purity appropriate for those who belong to the Lord. David then continues: “From the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours“. This expression is not describing the Messiah Himself so much as the character of His people.
Just as the morning dew appears fresh each day, so the Messiah’s people are portrayed as possessing continual vigor, freshness, and youthful strength. The imagery suggests a people continually renewed and joyfully devoted to their King. Although the exact meaning of this poetic language has been understood in various ways throughout Church history, the overall picture is remarkably consistent. David presents the Messiah surrounded by a people who freely serve Him, clothed in holiness, renewed like the morning dew, and prepared for His service.
“The LORD Has Sworn and Will Not Change His Mind”
Psalm 110:4 (ESV) “The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind…“. This declaration introduces one of the strongest covenant statements found anywhere in Scripture. Unlike human promises, which may fail through weakness, forgetfulness, or changing circumstances, God’s oath rests upon His own unchanging character. Two attributes of God are especially emphasized.
First, God is perfectly righteous. He neither deceives nor speaks falsely. Every promise He makes is trustworthy.
Second, God is omnipotent.
He not only desires to fulfill His promises but possesses unlimited power to accomplish everything He has declared. Human beings often make promises they sincerely intend to keep but later discover they are unable to fulfill. God never encounters such limitations.
What He purposes, He accomplishes.
What He promises, He performs.
David therefore emphasizes not merely that God has spoken, but that He has sworn an irrevocable oath. This prepares the reader for one of the most remarkable declarations in the entire Psalm.
“You Are a Priest Forever After the Order of Melchizedek”
At this point the Psalm takes an unexpected turn. Throughout Israel’s history, the offices of king and priest remained distinct.
- Kings descended from the tribe of Judah.
- Priests descended from the tribe of Levi.
Under the Mosaic Covenant, these offices were intentionally separated. Yet David now declares concerning the Messiah: “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek“. This immediately raises an important question. How can the Messiah simultaneously serve as both King and Priest when the Mosaic Covenant never permitted those offices to be united in the same individual?
The answer cannot be found within the Levitical priesthood itself. David therefore directs our attention backward—far beyond Mount Sinai and the establishment of the Levitical priesthood—to another priest who appears centuries earlier in the book of Genesis. That priest is Melchizedek. It is here that the study becomes especially significant. David does not merely say that the Messiah is a priest. He says that He is a priest forever and that His priesthood belongs to an entirely different order than the priesthood established under Moses. Everything that follows in Hebrews 5–7 is built upon this single verse.
Psalm 110:4 serves as the bridge between Genesis 14 and the book of Hebrews, revealing that God’s ultimate plan for the Messiah’s priesthood was established long before the Levitical priesthood ever existed.
“After the Order of Melchizedek”
David’s declaration raises an important question. Why did he identify the Messiah as a priest after the order of Melchizedek rather than after the order of Aaron? At the time David composed this Psalm, the Levitical priesthood had been firmly established for centuries. Every legitimate priest in Israel traced his lineage through Aaron, yet David deliberately bypasses the Levitical priesthood altogether and instead points back nearly a thousand years to the mysterious figure of Melchizedek.
David’s choice immediately tells the reader that the Messiah’s priesthood will not derive its authority from the Mosaic Covenant or from Levitical genealogy. Instead, it belongs to an entirely different priestly order—one that predates both Moses and Aaron. This observation also prepares the reader for the argument developed later by the writer of Hebrews. The author of Hebrews does not invent a new theology concerning Melchizedek. Rather, he explains the significance of the prophetic statement David had already made centuries earlier.
“After the Order of…”
The expression “after the order of Melchizedek” deserves careful examination. The Hebrew preposition translated “after” is עַל (ʿal, Strong’s [H5921]). In its most common usage, ʿal denotes the ideas of upon, over, above, according to, concerning, or in relation to. Like many Hebrew prepositions, its precise meaning is determined by its context. It carries the broader idea of relationship rather than simple succession.
It does not merely mean that the Messiah comes chronologically after Melchizedek. Rather, His priesthood stands in relationship to Melchizedek’s priesthood. It corresponds to it, reflects it, and is patterned after it. Some lexicons also recognize nuances such as above, over, or superior, depending upon the context. These nuances should not replace the primary meaning, but they are worth noting because they naturally harmonize with the broader argument of Hebrews, where Christ’s priesthood is demonstrated to be superior to the Levitical priesthood.
“Order”
The Hebrew word translated “order” is דִּבְרָה (dibrah, Strong’s [H1700]). Strong’s defines the term as referring to a manner, arrangement, cause, estate, or order. The emphasis is not upon membership within an organized institution but upon a particular manner, pattern, or established relationship. This observation becomes especially important when considered historically. At the time Melchizedek appears in Genesis 14:
- There was no Levitical priesthood.
- There was no priestly tribe.
- There was no Aaronic succession.
- There was no organized priestly order as Israel would later know it under the Mosaic Covenant.
This makes it unlikely that David intended the word order to describe a formal priestly institution existing in Melchizedek’s day. Rather, he appears to describe a priesthood characterized by the same kind or pattern as that possessed by Melchizedek.
The Septuagint
The Septuagint translates “order” with the Greek word τάξις (taxis, Strong’s [G5010]). The word commonly refers to:
- arrangement,
- order,
- rank,
- fixed succession,
- or appointed position.
While taxis can certainly describe an organized order or rank, it should again be interpreted within its historical setting. Melchizedek did not belong to an established Levitical order because no such order yet existed. The Septuagint translators were not suggesting that Melchizedek belonged to an organized priestly institution similar to the later Levitical priesthood.
Rather, they appear to use taxis to describe the nature, rank, or character of Melchizedek’s priesthood. In other words, the Messiah’s priesthood belongs to the same kind of priesthood as Melchizedek’s, not because He descends from Melchizedek genealogically, but because both possess a priesthood established directly by God rather than inherited through Levitical ancestry.
A Different Kind of Priesthood
This is precisely why David’s prophecy is so remarkable. The Messiah is not merely another Levitical priest. Neither is He merely another king descended from David. He uniquely unites both offices within Himself. His kingship comes through David. His priesthood comes through a pattern that predates the Law itself. This distinction becomes the very foundation of the argument developed throughout Hebrews 7.
The writer of Hebrews is not arguing that Christ somehow joins the Levitical priesthood. Rather, he argues that Christ belongs to an entirely different priesthood—one foreshadowed by Melchizedek and prophetically announced by David centuries before Christ’s incarnation.