The Lord Said to My Lord – Psalm 110

“A Psalm of David. The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.’” Psalm 110:1

Under the direction of God’s Holy Spirit, David called his “yet-to-be-born” son, “Lord.” In 2 Peter 1:17, Peter quoted the words that God spoke from heaven about Jesus: “This is my Son, whom I love. With Him I am well pleased.” The Lordship of Christ is certain. God has confirmed it.

In Matthew 22:41-42, Jesus asked the Pharisees what they thought about the Messiah, and then, asked them directly, “Whose Son is He?” They answered, “The Son of David.” Then, He asked them a follow up question, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls Him Lord?” How could a son of David be the Messiah sent into the world by God? Then, Jesus proceeded to quote, “The Lord said to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.’” Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary states, “The Jews understood the words, ‘My Lord,’ to denote the Messiah.” The words of Jesus here confirm that belief.

Peter quotes David’s “The Lord said to my Lord” Bible verse during his message on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2:34. Paul quotes it in his writings to the churches in 1 Corinthians 15:25, Ephesians 1:22 and Hebrews 10:13. Thus, Psalm 110 celebrates the coming reign of Jesus Christ over all the kingdoms of this world.

According to 1 Kings 2:19, Psalms 45:9; Mark 16:19; and Ephesians 1:20, to sit at the right hand of God is to sit at the supreme place of honor. Sitting at the right hand of God denotes both His dignity and His dominion. All the favors that come from God to man, and all the service that comes from man to God, pass through His hand.

God the Father has Christ sit down while He makes His enemies to bow before Him. The phrase, “make Your enemies Your footstool” is an expression “taken from the custom of Eastern conquerors to signify a complete subjection.” [1]

The enemies of Christ will become His footstool. Jesus Christ has enemies. Satan has filled their hearts with hatred for Him. But one day, every knee will bow to Jesus and every tongue will profess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God our Father.

Once, while participating in a Christian meeting in a particular nation, a spirit of fear tried to influence me to leave. Thoughts came to me, “We all are going to be arrested. What will the authorities do to us?” But then, the Lord spoke to me and said, “You may or may not have to stand before earthly authorities, but everyone in this room will bow before Me.” After that, the fear of God became greater in me than the fear of man, and I continued to witness for Christ in that nation for another 10 years. Incidentally, no one attending that meeting that night was arrested. It all ended well.

“The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies!” Psalm 110:2

Christ sets up His kingdom in “Zion.” Zion or Jerusalem is also known as the city of David. Zion is where Christ died to stone for our sins. Zion is where He resurrected from the dead for our resurrection. And Zion is where the Holy Spirit was poured out and birthed the Church.

Matthew Henry, in his commentary, sees the Gospel as the rod of God’s strength. For, says He, “the power of the Holy Spirit comes to us with the Gospel proclamation.”

In Romans 1:16, Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.” In, 1 Thessalonians 1:5, Paul wrote, “Our Gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction.” In Luke 24:49. Jesus told the disciples, “I am going to send you what My Father has promised, but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Some interpret “the rod of His strength” as a shepherd’s rod and staff, denoting Christ’s tender care for His Church. [2]

“Your people shall be volunteers in the day of Your power. In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth.” Psalm 110:3

God’s volunteers serve Him in the power of the Holy Spirit. They present themselves to Him as living sacrifices. The Holy Spirit endues the servants of Christ with power to be His witnesses.

Christ grants the beauty of holiness to those who believe in Him and profess Him. After our sins are washed away by the blood of Christ, and we gladly offer ourselves to obey Him, Jesus baptizes us with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit beautifies us with the holiness of God.

Matthew Henry interprets “the dew of Your youth” as young people converting to Christ. Young people flocking to Christ, like dew on the ground in the morning, helps the Church to be a bright witness for God in a dark world.

“The Lord has sworn and will not relent, ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.’” Psalm 110:4

The story of Melchizedek is recorded in Genesis 14. After Abraham defeated a coalition of kings, he met a priest named Melchizedek. Melchizedek means king of righteousness. He is also referred to as king of Salem. Salem is Hebrew for peace and the ancient name of Jerusalem. [3]

Melchizedek is interpreted by many to be the preincarnate Messiah. Like Jesus, He is a king and a priest. In Hebrews 7:3, we read, “He is without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life,” meaning He is an eternal. Melchizedek brings out bread and wine to bless Abraham, which Christians often parallel with the Last Supper. [4] He had the honored title of priest of the Most High God. He blessed Abraham, demonstrating his greatness over the patriarch. Abraham gave Melchizedek a tithe, a tenth part of all the spoils of battle. Melchizedek is associated with Jesus in the Book of Hebrews.

Hebrews 5:5-10 emphasize that God declared Jesus a priest in the order of Melchizedek. It was not an honor that He claimed for Himself. Hebrews 6:20 emphasizes that Jesus serves now and forever as a living, active High Priest for His people. Hebrews 7:17 and 7:21 emphasize that the priestly order of Melchizedek is better than the priestly order of Aaron, because it is eternal and will never end. [5]

“The Lord is at Your right hand. He shall execute kings in the day of His wrath.” Psalm 110:4

Our Lord Jesus will certainly execute evil kings in the day of His wrath. Revelation 6:15-17 speaks of the wrath of the Lamb on kings of the earth, great men, rich men, commanders, mighty men, slaves and free people. In response, they say to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

“He shall judge among the nations He shall fill the places with dead bodies. He shall execute the heads of many countries.” Psalm 110:6

This passage likely refers to the great slaughter that happens in Revelation 19:11-21. In this passage, Christ appears on a white horse. The armies of heaven follow Him on white horses. Jesus strikes the nations with the words of His mouth. He treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. Birds eat the flesh of kings, captains, mighty men, horses and of people, free and slave, small and great. The kings of the earth, and their armies, had gathered against Christ but were defeated. The birds (vultures) were filled with their flesh.

“He shall execute the heads of many nations” recalls what the Lord God said to the serpent in Genesis 3:15, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed. He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” Those heads of nations who compromise with the devil and serve him will be crushed. [6]

“He shall drink of the brook by the wayside. Therefore, He shall lift up the head.” Psalm 110:7

Matthew Henry sees the brook by the wayside as the bitter cup which the Father gave to Christ. He drank of the wrath of God. Christ drank of this brook when He was made a curse for us. In John 18:1, it is written that Jesus “went out with His disciples over the Brook Kidron.” In Hebrew, Kidron (קִדְרוֹן) means “dark.” He drank of the dark waters of sin by the wayside to take our sin out of the way of our salvation. By believing in Jesus, we are exempted from God’s wrath on sin.

“Therefore shall He lift up the head.” In John 19:30, when on the cross, Jesus bowed His head, and died, but three days later, He arose to life again. He lifted up His head as a conqueror.

Jesus lifts up the heads of all who profess Him. In John 11:25, He declared, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.”

Praise the Lord! I am so glad that David’s Lord is also my Lord. I hope and pray that you believe in and profess Him as your Savior and Lord as well.


[1] Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary (see also Joshua 10:24; Judges 1:7)
[2] Matthew Henry’s Commentary
[3] Enduring Word Commentary
[4] www.soundcitybiblechurch.com/articles/2016/3/1/is-melchizedek-jesus
[5] Enduring Word Commentary
[6] Matthew Henry’s Commentary