Commentary - Psalm 110:5-7

Bird's-eye view

Psalm 110 is the most frequently quoted Old Testament passage in the New, and for good reason. It is a dense, prophetic declaration of the Messiah's person and work. It reveals Him to be both King and Priest, David's Lord, seated at the right hand of Jehovah. The first part of the psalm establishes His authority and the nature of His heavenly session. He is to sit and rule from on high until all His enemies are made His footstool. This rule is not passive; it is an active conquest accomplished through His people, who are made willing in the day of His power.

The verses we are considering here, verses 5 through 7, are a graphic depiction of the consequences of this rule for those who resist it. This is not a description of some far-off, end-of-time battle. This is the ongoing work of Christ the King throughout this age, from His ascension until His return. He is actively prosecuting His war against the rebellious nations and their kings. The language is stark and martial because the spiritual conflict is real and total. This is Christ, the Lord at the Father's right hand, executing judgment and securing a complete and final victory over all who oppose His reign.

Outline

Context In Psalms

Psalm 110 is a royal psalm, a coronation hymn for the Messiah. David, speaking by the Spirit, is overhearing a conversation between God the Father (Jehovah) and God the Son (Adonai, "my Lord"). This psalm is pure gospel, a foundational text for the New Testament's understanding of Christ's exaltation. It follows psalms that have cried out for deliverance and lamented the state of God's people, but here the tone shifts to one of absolute triumph and certainty. The King is on His throne, and victory is not in doubt. These final verses are the crescendo of that victorious declaration, showing the earthly manifestation of the authority granted in verse 1.

Verse by Verse Commentary

Psalm 110:5

The Lord is at Your right hand; He will crush kings in the day of His anger.

The subject shifts slightly here. In verse 1, Adonai (the Son) is seated at Jehovah's right hand. Here, Adonai, the Lord, is now described as being at Jehovah's right hand, the place of power and action. From this position, He is not idle. He is a warrior-king, and His work is to "crush kings." The word is definitive. It is not "He will debate with kings" or "He will gently persuade kings." He will shatter them.

This refers to all earthly rulers who set themselves up in opposition to Christ's authority. Think of Psalm 2: "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed." God's response there is to laugh at them in derision before breaking them with a rod of iron. This is that breaking. "The day of His anger" is not one single 24-hour period at the end of history. It is the entire gospel age, where Christ's patience with rebels eventually runs out, and judgment falls. We see this pattern throughout history, as empires that defy God are brought to nothing. This is the work of Christ from His throne.

Psalm 110:6

He will render justice among the nations, He will fill them with corpses, He will crush the head that is over the wide earth.

The scope of this judgment now broadens from kings to the nations they rule, the goyim. Christ will "render justice" or "judge" among them. This is a covenant lawsuit, and the verdict is guilty. For those nations that do not kiss the Son (Psalm 2:12), the sentence is executed. The language is stark and meant to shock our modern, sentimental sensibilities: "He will fill them with corpses." This is the result of holy war. When God's judgment comes upon a rebellious people, it is total.

Then we have the crushing of "the head that is over the wide earth." This is a direct echo of the protoevangelion in Genesis 3:15, where the seed of the woman would crush the serpent's head. The ultimate enemy here is not just a particular king or empire, but the entire worldly system of rebellion, headed up by Satan himself. Christ's work is to dismantle and crush this entire global enterprise of sin. He is not just saving individuals out of a sinking ship; He is sinking the enemy's battleships and claiming the seas for Himself.

Psalm 110:7

He will drink from the brook by the wayside; Therefore He will lift up His head.

After the carnage of battle, what does the victor do? He pauses for a moment of refreshment. This is a beautiful, poetic image. The warrior-king, having executed judgment, is thirsty from His exertions. He stoops to drink from a common brook along the way. This is not a picture of weakness, but of a warrior in the midst of His campaign. He is not done yet, but He has won a decisive victory and takes a moment to refresh Himself before continuing the pursuit.

"Therefore He will lift up His head." Because of His successful conquest and His refreshment, He is exalted. He lifts His head in triumph. This is a picture of vindication and ultimate victory. The battle is strenuous, but the outcome is certain. He will not grow weary or faint. He will see the battle through to its completion, and His head will be lifted up in glory forever. This is the certain hope we have in our King. He is reigning now, He is judging now, and He will continue to do so until all His enemies, including that last enemy death, are put completely under His feet.

Application

The message of this psalm is a potent antidote to the faintheartedness that so often plagues the modern church. We look at the state of the world, we see the arrogance of wicked rulers, and we are tempted to despair. We think the battle is being lost. This psalm grabs us by the lapels and tells us to look at the right place. Look to the right hand of the Father. Who is sitting there? Our Lord, Jesus. And what is He doing? He is ruling. He is actively, at this moment, crushing His enemies.

Our task is not to fret or wring our hands. Our task is to be His "willing people in the day of His power." We are the instruments through which He extends His rule. The rod of His strength goes forth from Zion, which is the church. When we preach the gospel, when we disciple the nations, when we build faithful Christian families and communities, we are participating in this conquest. The gospel is the power of God, and it is the means by which He shatters kingdoms and brings every thought captive to Himself.

So take heart. The kings of the earth may rage, but their thrones are temporary and tottering. Our King is on the eternal throne, and His victory is as certain as the rising of the sun. He has drunk from the brook, and His head is lifted high. Let us serve Him with reverence and godly fear, for our God is a consuming fire.