Psalms 110

The Messiah sits in his kingdom at the right hand of God, his enemies being subdued under him, Psalm 110:1 , Psalm 110:2 . The nature and extent of his government, Psalm 110:3 . His everlasting priesthood, Psalm 110:4 . His execution of justice and judgment, Psalm 110:5 , Psalm 110:6 . The reason on which all this is founded, his passion and exaltation, Psalm 110:7 .

The Hebrew, and all the Versions, except the Arabic, attribute this Psalm to David: nor can this be doubted, as it is thus attributed in the New Testament. We have in it the celebration of some great potentates accession to the crown; but the subject is so grand, the expressions so noble, and the object raised so far above what can be called human, that no history has ever mentioned a prince to whom a literal application of this Psalm can be made. To Jesus Christ alone, to his everlasting priesthood and government, as King of kings and Lord of lords, can it be applied.

The Jews, aware of the advantage which the Christian religion must derive from this Psalm, have labored hard and in vain to give it a contrary sense. Some have attributed it to Eliezer, the servant or steward of Abraham; and state that he composed it on the occasion of his master's victory over the four kings at the valley of Shaveh, Genesis 14: Others say it was done by David, in commemoration of his victory over the Philistines. Others make Solomon the author. Some refer it to Hezekiah, and others to Zerubbabel, etc.: but the bare reading of the Psalm will show the vanity of these pretensions. A King is described here who is David's Lord, and sits at the right hand of God; a conqueror, reigning at Jerusalem, King from all eternity - having an everlasting priesthood, Judge of all nations, triumphing over all potentates, indefatigable in all his operations, and successful in all his enterprises. Where has there ever appeared a prince in whom all these characters met? There never was one, nor is it possible that there ever can be one such, the Person excepted to whom the Psalm is applied by the authority of the Holy Spirit himself. That the Jews who lived in the time of our Lord believed this Psalm to have been written by David, and that it spoke of the Messiah alone, is evident from this, that when our Lord quoted it, and drew arguments from it in favor of his mission, Matthew 22:42 , they did not attempt to gainsay it. St. Peter, Acts 2:34 , and St. Paul, 1 Corinthians 15:25 ; Hebrews 1:13 ; Hebrews 5:6 , Hebrews 5:10 ; Hebrews 7:17 ; Hebrews 10:12 , Hebrews 10:13 , apply it to show that Jesus is the Messiah. Nor was there any attempt to contradict them; not even an intimation that they had misapplied it, or mistaken its meaning. Many of the later Jews also have granted that it applied to the Messiah, though they dispute its application to Jesus of Nazareth. All the critics and commentators whom I have consulted apply it to our Lord; nor does it appear to me to be capable of interpretation on any other ground. Before I proceed to take a general view of it, I shall set down the chief of the various readings found in the MSS. on this Psalm.

Psalm 110:1 ; Said unto my Lord. Instead of לאדני ladoni , "my Lord," one MS. seems to have read ליהוה layhovah , "Jehovah said unto Jehovah, 'Sit thou on my right hand,'" etc. See De Rossi.

Thy footstool. לרגליך הדם hadom leragleycha , "the footstool to thy feet." But eight MSS. drop the prefix ל le ; and read the word in the genitive case, with the Septuagint, Vulgate, and Arabic. Many also read the word in the singular number.

Psalm 110:3 ; Instead of קדש בהדרי behadrey kodesh , "in the beauties of holiness," קדש בהררי beharerey kodesh , "in the mountains of holiness," is the reading of thirty our of Kennicott's MSS., and fifty-three of those of De Rossi, and also of several printed editions.

Instead of ילדתך yaldutheca , "of thy youth," ילדתיך yaladticha , "I have begotten thee," is the reading, as to the consonants, of sixty-two of Kennicott's and twenty-three of De Rossi's MSS., and of some ancient editions, with the Septuagint, Arabic, and Anglo-Saxon.

Psalm 110:4 ; After the order, דברתי על al dibrathi , דברתו dibratho , "His order," is the reading of twelve of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS.

Psalm 110:5 ; The Lord, אדני adonai : but יהוה Yehovah is the reading of a great number of the MSS. in the above collections.

Psalm 110:6 ; Instead of בגוים baggoyim , "among the heathens" or nations, גוים goyim , "he shall judge the heathen," is the reading of one ancient MS.

Instead of ראש rosh , "the head," ראשי rashey , "the heads," is the reading of one MS., with the Chaldee, Septuagint, Vulgate, and Anglo-Saxon.

Psalm 110:7 ; For ירים yarim , "he shall lift up," ירום yarom , "shall be lifted up," is tthe reading of six MSS. and the Syriac.

Instead of ראש rosh , "The head," ראשו rosho , "His head," is the reading of two MSS. and the Syriac.

A few add יה הללו halelu Yah , "Praise ye Jehovah;" but this was probably taken from the beginning of the following Psalm.

The learned Venema has taken great pains to expound this Psalm: he considers it a Divine oracle, partly relating to David's Lord, and partly to David himself.

1. David's Lord is here inducted to the highest honor, regal and sacerdotal, with the promise of a most flourishing kingdom, founded in Zion, but extending every where, till every enemy should be subdued.

David is here promised God's protection; that his enemies shall never prevail against him; but he must go through many sufferings in order to reach a state of glory.

3. The time in which this oracle or prophecy was delivered was probably a little after the time when David had brought home the ark, and before he had his wars with the neighboring idolatrous nations. The kingdom was confirmed in his hand; but it was not yet extended over the neighboring nations.