Psalms

Psalms 110

7 verses · Wisdom · Old Testament

1Yahweh says to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool for your feet.” 2Yahweh will send out the rod of your strength out of Zion. Rule among your enemies. 3Your people offer themselves willingly in the day of your power, in holy array. Out of the womb of the morning, you have the dew of your youth. 4Yahweh has sworn, and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.” 5The Lord is at your right hand. He will crush kings in the day of his wrath. 6He will judge among the nations. He will heap up dead bodies. He will crush the ruler of the whole earth. 7He will drink of the brook on the way; therefore he will lift up his head.

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What others are saying

3 commentators · 12 notes on this chapter

Matthew HenryEnglish Puritan / Nonconformist · 1708–17142

Writes as a pastor rather than a critic. Expect devotional and practical application over historical or linguistic analysis, read through a Reformed covenantal frame — and expect the Old Testament to be read forward toward Christ throughout.

Why this voice is here: The most widely read English commentary for three centuries. Included as a baseline: where Henry and a modern voice diverge, the divergence itself is usually the interesting part.

v. 1–4

Some have called this psalm David's creed, almost all the articles of the Christian faith being found in it; the title calls it David's psalm, for in the believing foresight of the Messiah he both praised God and solaced himself, much more may we, in singing…

v. 5–7

Here we have our great Redeemer, I. Conquering his enemies (Psa 110:5, Psa 110:6) in order to the making of them his footstool, Psa 110:1. Our Lord Jesus will certainly bring to nought all the opposition made to his kingdom, and bring to ruin all those who…

John GillParticular Baptist / High Calvinist · 1746–17637

The most exhaustive and the most doctrinally committed here. Expect high — even supralapsarian — Calvinism applied consistently, and unusually heavy use of rabbinic and Talmudic sources for Jewish context. Where a passage bears on election or the will, Gill will read it in one direction, and knowing that in advance is the point.

Why this voice is here: The strongest Calvinist reading available in the public domain, and the best on Jewish background. Read alongside Clarke, not instead of him — between them you get both sides of the argument.

v. 1

The Lord said unto my Lord,.... The Targum is, "the Lord said in his Word.'' Galatinus (q) says the true Targum of Jonathan has it, "the Lord said to his Word;'' and produces an authority for it. These are the words of Jehovah the Father to his Son the…

v. 2

The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion,.... His royal and powerful sceptre, called the sceptre of righteousness, Psalm 45:6 and is no other than the Gospel, the power of God unto salvation; and which is mighty through him, for the reducing…

v. 3

Thy people shall be willing in the day of that power..... Or, in the day of thine army (s). When thou musterest thy forces, sendest forth thy generals, the apostles and ministers of the word, in the first times of the Gospel; when Christ went forth working…

Keil & DelitzschGerman Lutheran, conservative-critical · 1861–18753

The technical one, and Old Testament only. Expect Hebrew grammar, textual argument, and direct engagement with nineteenth-century critical scholarship — closer to a scholarly apparatus than a devotional read. Where a modern critic claims a text is late or composite, this is where the conservative counter-argument was made.

Why this voice is here: Old Testament only, and heavy going — but the place to look when someone asserts a passage cannot mean what it appears to.

v. 1–2

In Psa 20:1-9 and Psa 21:1-13 we see at once in the openings that what we have before us is the language of the people concerning their king. Here לאדני in Psa 110:1 does not favour this, and נאם is decidedly against it. The former does not favour it, for it…

v. 3–4

In order that he may rule thus victoriously, it is necessary that there should be a people and an army. In accordance with this union of the thoughts which Psa 110:3 anticipates, בּיום חילך signifies in the day of thy arriere ban, i.e., when thou callest up…

v. 5–7

Just as in Psa 110:2 after Psa 110:1, so now here too after the divine utterance, the poet continues in a reflective strain. The Lord, says Psa 110:5, dashes in pieces kings at the right hand of this priest-king, in the day when His wrath is kindled (Psa…

World English Bible — Public domain