Psalm 110 (109):6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool" (Psalm 109:1). It is vital for us to contemplate this query presented to the Jews at the onset of the psalm. If the Jewish leaders assert that Christ is David's son, what are we to say? A denial contradicts the gospel, which begins with, "The book of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of David" (Matthew 1:1). Therefore, the Jewish response—Son of David—is validated by the Gospel. Both the doubt of the Jews and the faith of Christians testify to this truth. If David referred to Him as Lord, how then could He be merely a descendant? The Jews could not respond to this, for they failed to recognize Him as truly the Son of David. Let us, brothers and sisters, boldly affirm and declare our faith: with our hearts we believe for righteousness, and with our mouths we profess for salvation (Romans 10:10). Let us proclaim both the Son of David and the Lord of David, without shame, lest we incur the displeasure of the Lord of David.

We affirm that Christ has been seated at the right hand of the Father since His resurrection and ascension to heaven. Though we have not witnessed this with our eyes, we believe it wholeheartedly based on scripture and what we have been taught. It is through His identity as the Son of David that He assumes the title of Lord. The one born from David's lineage is exalted to be his Lord. This is indeed a remarkable mystery, as it is common for the son of a common man to rise to kingship and reign over his father. Even more astonishing is when a son ascends to become the lord over his father, or, as in unique cases, when a son assumes a higher spiritual authority than his father. Consequently, in taking on human flesh, suffering death, rising again in that same flesh, and ascending to the Father, Christ remains both the Son and the Lord of David, fully glorified.

Christ currently occupies the right hand of God, the Son positioned beside the Father, though veiled from our sight. We are called to believe. The scriptures contain two significant declarations: God’s command for the Son to "Sit at My right hand," and the promise to make His enemies a footstool beneath Him. While we may not currently observe Christ in His exalted position, we can recognize that His enemies have indeed become His footstool. If we see this evident, we should trust the reality of what remains unseen. Who are these enemies turned into His footstool? As stated, "Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?"

Thus, He sits at the right hand of God until all adversaries are placed under His authority. This reality unfolds continually, albeit gradually. The wrath of the nations and their confederacy against Christ will not thwart the fulfillment of the promise: "I will give you the nations as your inheritance, and the ends of the earth as your possession." They may attempt to erase the Christian name from the earth, but ultimately, they shall not prevail, for whoever stumbles upon this stone will be broken.

As the scripture continues, "The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion" (Psalm 109:2). It must be noted that the prophet does not refer merely to Christ's eternal kingdom, where He reigns alongside the Father, for God’s reign is without beginning or end (John 1:1). For it is also written, "To the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever" (1 Timothy 1:17). This eternal and invisible King reigns eternally, while His temporal kingdom, established through His humanity, commenced within the community of believers. His reign knows no end, as His enemies are subdued beneath Him and He remains beside the Father in glory.

When He sends the rod of His power from Zion, what is the outcome? He shall reign even in the presence of His enemies. This governance occurs now, amongst the unrepentant and hostile nations. The question arises: will He only rule in the future when the righteous and wicked receive their respective judgments? What a marvel it will be in that time when the righteous receive their eternal reward, and the wicked face complete judgment! Yet currently, amidst the clamor of sinful humanity and the unfolding of history, His power reaches out from Zion, establishing Him as ruler amongst His adversaries. Let us comprehend this wondrous truth unfolding before us.

The psalmist declares, "With Thee is the beginning of the day of Your strength" (Psalm 109:3). What does this mean with regard to His strength? If the very essence of Christ is the beginning, it may be more fitting to declare, "You are the Beginning," rather than "You have the Beginning." When questioned by others, He proclaimed unapologetically, "I am the Beginning" (John 8:25). As God the Father is the Beginning, the only-begotten Son embodies that same beginning. Thus, both the Father and the Son are the beginning, not as two separate beginnings but as one, unified in essence. Understanding the depth of this mystery discerned in the phrase "With Thee is the beginning" lays the foundation for recognizing that His authority as the Beginning remains eternally intertwined with the Father, never separated.

The power referred to here is evident when His rod of authority is dispatched from Zion, affirming His sovereign rule over those opposed to Him. This power is manifested in the glory of the saints, who are destined to shine in righteousness; however, this glory will come in its fullness with the resurrection, unlike the frail state of our current earthly existence.

"From the womb before the morning star I have begotten you" speaks to the divine generation of the Son. While earthly bodies need a womb, God's essence does not; He exists without physical attributes such as breasts, for He is the one "in the bosom of the Father who has declared Him" (John 1:18). Thus, "from the womb" symbolizes a hidden reality, something birthed from the depths of divine mystery. The phrase expresses confidentiality and the intimate nature of the Father-Son relationship.

The morning star signifies divine illumination, and before any celestial illumination arises, He existed as the light of the world, manifesting in human form within creation. The prophetic words of David underscore this mystery, emphasizing that the Lord who sits at the right hand belongs surely to the Father. Such an affirmation clarifies that Christ was born to be our eternal Priest, appointed forever after the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 109:4). His role as Priest is not because of His divine essence but due to the humanity He embraced to offer the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.

The Lord swears an enduring oath, one that bears unwavering certainty: "You are a Priest forever." In what sense does this hold? Is His priesthood ritualistic, as in the days of old, marked by blood and temple sacrifices? Such practices are abolished with the coming of Christ, who supersedes the Old Covenant and establishes a new priestly order in Himself, more glorious than that of Aaron, yet few may grasp its significance.

The scripture proclaims, "The Lord is at Your right hand" (Psalm 109:5). Here, we see the Lord positioned in a place of honor, where He intercedes for us. Being at the right hand of God, He executes judgment without fear of sin, shining forth His glory. This very glory overshadows the rulers of the earth who once plotted against Him. Their attempts to extinguish the name of Christ only render them powerless, as they encounter the weight of His presence. Their questioning of His identity results in their own stumbling.

"I will judge the Gentiles: He will replenish what has fallen" (Psalm 109:6). To those who oppose Christ, know that any towering pride will ultimately face ruin. If one humbles themselves before the One who reigns at the Father’s right hand, restoration awaits. But should one hold onto their arrogance, they are destined for downfall. Currently, Christ administrates His judgment, ready to lift up the humble yet scatter the proud.

"Out of the stream on the road He shall drink" (Psalm 109:7). Picture a constant flow representing the transient nature of human life, as individuals come and go, experiencing birth and death. In this stream, Christ willingly immersed Himself, partaking in our human condition through birth, death, and resurrection. Ultimately, His humility led to exaltation, as He is raised above all, to whom every knee shall bow, declaring Him Lord in the glory of the Father (Philippians 2:8-11).

Chrysostom remarks that He will judge, meaning He will adjudicate and punish the demons, for which they have sinned and embraced wickedness. Isychius points out that He did not state that He will judge the nations, but rather against the nations, referring to the devil. He condemned him, demonstrating his impotence in the nations, resulting in the downfall of the demons; for through Him, He also overthrew his forces, having come into the world through His death, vanquished death, and crushed the heads of the spiritual serpents.

Nevertheless, recognizing that disobedience and wickedness were present both in the far reaches of the earth and within Judea itself, the prophet also announces their downfall, declaring that all who defy Christ will meet with destruction in their obstinacy. He will judge the Gentiles, fulfill the prophecy of their downfall, and shatter the pride of many across the earth.