Commentary - Psalm 110:1-3

Bird's-eye view

Psalm 110 is one of the foundational texts of the entire New Testament. It is quoted or alluded to more than any other Old Testament psalm, and for good reason. This psalm is a dense, prophetic oracle concerning the person and work of the Messiah. It reveals His divine nature, His priestly office, and His kingly authority. David, speaking by the Holy Spirit, pulls back the curtain of heaven and allows us to overhear a conversation within the Godhead itself. What we hear is the Father’s decree concerning the Son’s exaltation and ultimate victory over all His foes.

The psalm lays out the central reality of the new covenant era: the Son is seated at the right hand of the Father, reigning until all things are put under His feet. This reign is not passive; it is an active, ongoing conquest. From Zion, the Church, He extends His scepter and rules in the very midst of His enemies. This rule is accomplished through the willing service of His people, who are presented here as a glorious, youthful army, holy and numerous as the dew of the morning. This is a psalm of cosmic optimism, a declaration of the certain triumph of Christ the King. It is the charter of the Church's mission and the guarantee of her success.

Outline

Verse by Verse Commentary

Psalm 110:1

Yahweh says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand Until I put Your enemies as a footstool for Your feet.”

Yahweh says to my Lord: The psalm opens with a stunning revelation, a conversation within the Trinity. David, the king of Israel, says that Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel, is speaking to someone David himself calls "my Lord" (Adoni). Jesus stumped the Pharisees with this very verse, asking them how David's son could also be David's Lord (Matt. 22:41-46). The answer, of course, is that the Messiah is both fully human, a descendant of David, and fully divine, the eternal Son of God. David is not speaking of a mere human successor; he is speaking of his God. This is a direct affirmation of the deity of Christ, spoken a millennium before His incarnation.

Sit at My right hand: This is the language of coronation and co-regency. The Father invites the Son to take the position of supreme honor and authority. To sit at the right hand of the monarch was to share in his rule, to wield his power. This is not a posture of retirement or inactivity. It is the posture of an enthroned king who has completed the decisive work of redemption and is now governing all things. The ascension was not a departure from the world but an enthronement over it. Christ is seated, which means the foundational work of our salvation is finished (Heb. 10:12), and from that finished work, He now reigns.

Until I put Your enemies as a footstool for Your feet: Here we have the timeline and the goal of Christ's present reign. He will remain seated in this position of authority until a specific objective is accomplished: the total subjugation of all His enemies. The Father promises to do this for the Son. The imagery of the footstool comes from the ancient practice of victorious kings putting their feet on the necks of their conquered foes, a sign of absolute dominance. This is a promise of comprehensive victory. And notice the timeline. Christ must reign until all enemies are put under His feet (1 Cor. 15:25). This is not a reign that begins after the enemies are dealt with. The subjugation of His enemies is the very business of His present reign. This process is ongoing, accomplished through the preaching of the gospel and the advancement of His kingdom in history. The very last enemy to be destroyed in this process is death itself, which happens at the resurrection on the last day.

Psalm 110:2

Yahweh will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying, “Have dominion in the midst of Your enemies.”

Yahweh will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion: The Father not only installs the Son on the throne but also equips Him for His reign. The "strong scepter" is the rod of His authority, the instrument of His rule. And where does this rule originate? From Zion. In the Old Testament, Zion was the earthly dwelling place of God, the location of His temple. In the new covenant, Zion is the Church, the people of God (Heb. 12:22). This means Christ's reign over the world is administered from and through His people. The Church is the seat of His government on earth, the embassy of His kingdom. It is from us, as we preach the Word, administer the sacraments, and live in obedience, that the royal power of Christ is extended into the world.

Have dominion in the midst of Your enemies: This is the royal commission. The Son is commanded to rule, not in a sanitized environment free from opposition, but right in the thick of it. His throne is set up in the middle of rebel territory. The world is full of enemies, principalities, powers, ideologies, and rebellious hearts, and Christ's task is not to avoid them but to subjugate them. This is a profoundly optimistic and confrontational vision. The gospel does not advance by retreating into a holy huddle. It advances by planting the flag of King Jesus in the public square, in the arts, in the sciences, in every area of life currently occupied by the enemy. The dominion is to be exercised right where the opposition is fiercest.

Psalm 110:3

Your people will offer themselves freely in the day of Your power; In the splendor of holiness, from the womb of the dawn, The dew of Your youthfulness will be Yours.

Your people will offer themselves freely in the day of Your power: How does Christ exercise this dominion? He does it through a volunteer army. When the King displays His power, His people do not need to be conscripted. They are not mercenaries. They are willing, eager volunteers. The "day of Your power" refers to this entire age of Messiah's reign, the time when His royal might is being manifested. In this era, the Holy Spirit works in the hearts of God's people to make them willing subjects and joyful soldiers. Our service is not a grim duty but a free-will offering, a glad response to the glory of our enthroned King.

In the splendor of holiness: This describes the uniform of Christ's army. They are not arrayed in physical armor, but in the beauty of holiness. Our warfare is spiritual, and our primary weapon and defense is a life consecrated to God. We conquer not by carnal means, but by righteousness, truth, and faithfulness. This holiness is not a drab, joyless affair; it is a thing of splendor, of radiant beauty. It is the character of God Himself reflected in His people, and it is this that makes the Church so formidable.

from the womb of the dawn, The dew of Your youthfulness will be Yours: This beautiful poetic image conveys two things about Christ's army: their number and their vitality. Just as the dew appears fresh every morning, covering the ground in countless droplets, so Christ's people will be a vast and innumerable host. And they will be characterized by youthfulness, not necessarily in physical age, but in vigor, energy, and zeal. The kingdom of God is not a tired, dying institution. It is perpetually renewed, as if born fresh from the womb of each new day. This is a promise of constant, refreshing, and overwhelming growth for the Church. The King will never lack for a multitude of vigorous, holy, and willing soldiers to carry out His conquest.

Application

This psalm is a potent antidote to all forms of Christian pessimism and defeatism. Our King is not in exile, wringing His hands over the state of the world. He is on the throne, at the right hand of the Father, actively prosecuting a war He has already decisively won at the cross and resurrection.

This means our task is not to manage a graceful retreat from culture, but to press the claims of King Jesus everywhere. We are to rule in the midst of our enemies. This requires courage, but it is a courage born of confidence in our King's authority and power. He is reigning until all His enemies are made His footstool. This is a guaranteed outcome.

Furthermore, we are the instruments of that reign. His scepter is extended from Zion, the Church. This gives immense significance to our worship, our evangelism, and our daily obedience. We are not simply waiting for the end; we are participating in Christ's victorious reign right now. We are that volunteer army, clothed in the beauty of holiness, and we should be filled with the youthful vigor this psalm describes. Let us therefore serve our King with gladness and with the sure and certain hope that His kingdom is an everlasting dominion, and He will not fail or be discouraged till He has established justice in the earth.