150 Days of Psalms - Psalm 110

Psalm 110 is a "Messianic" psalm, meaning it is written about David and/or his descendants, but it's ultimate fulfillment is found is the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ. The title is "The Priestly King" which is a term also used for Jesus.
Because of it's obvious and historical designation as a Messianic Psalm it has been set to music by many famous composers over the years.


George Frederick Handel's setting of Psalm 110 - in Latin. Quite lovely! My guess is that you won't want to listen to the entire 40 minute piece, but I encourage you to enjoy hearing just a little bit of it. (You can also find setting by Vivaldi, Mozart, Bach and others, but I think I like Handel's the best.)

"Dexit Dominus Domino meo" = "The Lord said to my Lord."


Jesus used this psalm to question the religious leaders of the day. He was showing that Messiah was before David.

You can see this in Matthew 22.
41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 "What do you think about the Christ ? Whose son is he?" "The son of David," they replied. 43 He said to them, "How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him 'Lord'? For he says, 44 " 'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet." ' 45 If then David calls him 'Lord,' how can he be his son?" 46 No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Even though this psalm is only seven verses long, it is the most frequently quoted psalm in the New Testament.

Acts 2:34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, " 'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand 35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."

1 Corinthians 15:25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

Ephesians 1:20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,

Colossians 3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Hebrews 1:3 The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

Hebrews 7:17 For it is declared: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." 21 but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever.' "

(also Hebrews 5-7 is a long passage comparing Jesus Christ to Melchizedek, a priest and king who met Abram after a victorious battle and Abram gave a tithe - a tenth - of all the spoils to Melchizedek.)

1 Peter 3:22 who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand--with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

Here is a page from a Bible that was made around 1210. The picture is in a letter 'D' because in Latin the first word of the psalm begins with a 'D.'

Notice the enemies under their feet being used as a footstool.