Psalms 110:1

PSALM 110

THE MESSIAH TO BE BOTH KING AND PRIEST

According to the superscription this is "A Psalm of David," and there is absolutely no doubt whatever of the truth of this. This writer is a worshipper of Jesus Christ, the head of our holy religion, in whom are "hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge," and therefore we accept His words regarding this psalm as true.

Regarding the first two lines of this psalm, Our Lord said that, "David in the Spirit here addresses the Messiah (Son of David) as Lord; and if David called him `Lord,' how is he his son?" (Matthew 22:42-45). Thus Jesus Christ not only affirms the Davidic authorship here, but adds the fact that the psalm is inspired by the Holy Spirit.

We have pointed this out as the prelude to saying that, "In the self-styled `advanced' criticism of the mid-century type of Bible enemies, there is nothing that exposes their evil atheism any better than their treatment of this psalm." Not only do such persons reject what Christ said here, but they even delete the whole reference in Genesis 14 to Melchizedek from the Bible, there being no solid evidence whatever for such high-handed mutilation of the Holy Scriptures. We shall not burden the reader with any further attention to such worthless criticisms by unbelievers. For those who are willing to accept the word of the followers of Satan instead of the word of Christ, they should be reminded that when our mother Eve did the same thing, all of the tragic sorrows of humanity became the swift and certain consequence.

Psalms 110:1

"Jehovah said unto my Lord,

Sit thou at my right hand,

Until I make thine enemies thy footstool."

In my commentary on Matthew (Vol. 1 of the New Testament series), pp. 357,358, we commented on the first verse of this psalm. The implication of the Messiah being both the son and the Lord of David is clear enough. Christ is both God and man; as man, Christ descended through the earthly posterity of David, as indicated in the Genealogy give in Luke 3. Thus, in that sense, Christ was the "Son of David"; but, as God incarnate, he was also David's Lord, and the Lord of all people.

The Savior's mention of this passage followed the Pharisee's answer to Jesus' question, "What think ye of Christ; whose son is he?" They replied, "The Son of David." Jesus' question was, therefore, "How can your answer be true? David referred to the Christ as `Lord' in this passage; how then can he be David's son?" See my comment in Matthew.

"Sit thou on my right hand" (Psalms 110:1). These are the words of God Himself addressed to David's `Lord.' Now just who is it, in the history of mankind that these words could possibly indicate, other than Jesus Christ who indeed has, "Sat down on the Right Hand of the Majesty on High?"

"Until I make thine enemies thy footstool" (Psalms 110:1). Paul in his letter to the Corinthians picked this up, writing, "He must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet" (1 Corinthians 15:25). Thus, Paul refers this passage unequivocally to Christ.