Reading the Word

Psalm 110:1–7 (ESV)

A Psalm of David. ¹ The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” ² The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies! ³ 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. ⁴ The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” ⁵ The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. ⁶ He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth. ⁷ He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head.

Understanding and Applying the Word

Jesus quotes this psalm in Mark 12:36-37:

David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’ David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?” And the great throng heard him gladly.

Jesus points out that David, the king of Israel, calls another one “my Lord.” How could David, the king of Israel, refer to another as his Lord? The answer is that there would be a descendant from David who would be greater than David. Of course, that descendant is Jesus himself, the divine King of Israel. The remainder of the psalm speaks of Jesus’ reign and judgment over the nations.

Jesus is the promised King (i.e. Messiah) of the line of David. However, Jesus is not just any king. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is God in the flesh. He is the divine ruler of all creation whose kingdom will never end. And he will judge the nations with righteousness and justice. In the end, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11).

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