Psalms — Chapter 110

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

2The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

3Thy 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.

4The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

5The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.

6He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.

7He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.

1Jehovah saith unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

2Jehovah will send forth the rod of thy strength out of Zion: Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

3Thy people offer themselves willingly In the day of thy power, in holy array: Out of the womb of the morning Thou hast the dew of thy youth.

4Jehovah hath sworn, and will not repent: Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek.

5The Lord at thy right hand Will strike through kings in the day of his wrath.

6He will judge among the nations, He will fill [the places] with dead bodies; He will strike through the head in many countries.

7He will drink of the brook in the way: Therefore will he lift up the head. Psalm 111

1A psalm of David. Here is the Lord’s proclamation to my lord: “Sit down at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.”

2The Lord extends your dominion from Zion. Rule in the midst of your enemies.

3Your people willingly follow you when you go into battle. On the holy hills at sunrise the dew of your youth belongs to you.

4The Lord makes this promise on oath and will not revoke it: “You are an eternal priest after the pattern of Melchizedek.”

5O Lord, at your right hand he strikes down kings in the day he unleashes his anger.

6He executes judgment against the nations. He fills the valleys with corpses; he shatters their heads over the vast battlefield.

7From the stream along the road he drinks; then he lifts up his head.

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.

Summary
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
Videos
Reflection

Summary

A Messianic/royal psalm — 'The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand'; the Messiah-King is also an eternal priest after the order of Melchizedek; the most-quoted psalm in the New Testament.

Authorship & Background

Author: Multiple authors — primarily David (73 psalms attributed), plus Asaph (12), Sons of Korah (11), Solomon (2), Moses (1), Heman (1), Ethan (1), and anonymous. The Psalter was compiled over approximately 1000 years and served as Israel's hymnal and prayer book. The book is divided into five 'books' (1-41, 42-72, 73-89, 90-106, 107-150), paralleling the five books of Moses. Key themes: worship, lament, praise, trust, kingship, creation, wisdom, Messianic prophecy, and the full range of human emotion brought before God.
Classification: Royal/Messianic Psalm — The Most Quoted Psalm in the New Testament Attributed Author: David (superscription: "A Psalm of David") Key Themes: Christ's deity and lordship, the session of Christ at God's right hand, the eternal priesthood of Melchizedek, the conquest of all enemies, the union of king and priest in the Messiah
Historical Context: Psalm 110 is the single most important Messianic psalm and the most frequently quoted or alluded to Old Testament passage in the New Testament (over 25 references). Jesus Himself used verse 1 to prove the Messiah's deity (Matt 22:44) — if David calls the Messiah "my Lord," how can the Messiah be merely David's son? He must be divine. The psalm presents two divine decrees: (1) The LORD seats David's Lord at His right hand (v.1), and (2) The LORD swears an eternal priesthood (v.4). This combines the offices of KING and PRIEST in one person — impossible under the Levitical system (where priests came from Levi, kings from Judah). Only the Messiah fulfills both. The order of Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18) provides the precedent: a priest-king who preceded and exceeded the Levitical order. Hebrews 5-7 expounds this at length.
Structure:
  • Divine Decree 1: Enthronement at God's Right Hand (v.1)
  • The Messiah's Rule from Zion (vv.2-3)
  • Divine Decree 2: Eternal Priesthood (v.4)
  • The Messiah's Conquest (vv.5-7)

Map & Geography

  • Zion (v.2): The hill on which Jerusalem/the Temple stood; often used poetically for God's dwelling.

Videos

The Bible Project — Psalms Overview

Reflection

  • 1. Jesus is LORD, not merely a good teacher (v.1). This psalm proves that the Messiah is divine — David's Lord, not merely David's son. The Messiah is God. There is no middle ground on this claim.
  • 2. Christ is enthroned NOW (v.1). He is not waiting to become King. He sat down at the right hand of God after His ascension. His kingship is present tense, even while enemies remain active.
  • 3. He is both King AND Priest (v.4). No other figure in Israel's history could be both. Jesus alone combines perfect intercession (priest) with sovereign authority (king). He rules AND mediates for you simultaneously.
  • 4. His people are willing (v.3). The mark of belonging to Christ is willing devotion, not forced compliance. If your service to God is unwilling, something has gone wrong — His people VOLUNTEER freely.
  • 5. Every enemy becomes a footstool (v.1). The outcome is not in doubt. Whatever opposes Christ will ultimately be placed under His feet. The "until" is a guarantee, not a question.