I wrote and taught a study on Hebrews in the Fall of 2023. At the time, I noticed Psalm 110 kept coming up and knew I would want to include it in a study of selections from the Psalter. I didn’t realize it is one of the most quoted of all the Psalms and quoted in 6 of the 13 chapters of Hebrews! Studying it has been so humbling, almost paralyzing me from writing about it. I truly feel unworthy to add anything. God, in His Grace, has helped me through, but it took me longer than the others. In the end, I realized I just need to show up to be found faithful. The battle is the Lord’s.
Along for the Ride
I think I am like most of my readers in that I love to watch an epic battle where good overcomes evil. To witness the courageous struggle when the stakes couldn’t be higher is riveting.
Psalm 110 brings to mind the battle in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis.1 It’s part of the Chronicles of Narnia series. Eric read these books to us when our sons, Nicholas and Drew, were children. And the movie has also become a favorite in the Fillinger household. This is a fictional series, but Lewis is a master storyteller and uses imagery from scripture to enhance our imaginations. In the above mentioned scene, the Witch is gaining ground and defeat appears imminent. Unbeknownst to those engaged in battle, the Lion is on the move. The Lion had willingly died in place of the traitor, Edward. He came back to life, and said, “when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in the traitor’s stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backward.” He arrives and it takes but one powerful roar to turn the tide. Narnia is set to right, and the victors take their place as rulers in the beautiful city.
I shared this account in “A Glimpse of Heaven”, which is chapter 10 of my book, Courage to Live.2 I do not imagine this battle taking very long for the King of Kings. What is gloriously fascinating is we are at least along for the ride, if not engaged in fighting as well.
Who is David’s Lord?
This royal Psalm deals with the role of the house of David in the life of God’s people.3 In the title, we learn this is a Psalm of David. Nowhere in the Psalter does so much hang on the title -of David.4 When David says, “The LORD says to my Lord,” or in Hebrew it is “Yahweh says to my ‘Adonay,” he is acknowledging a direct message from God to the King of kings, namely Jesus, the Messiah, and that this King is king David’s Lord, his master.4
As I look more closely, Yahweh was speaking a direct message to His King and David had the awesome privilege of recording it for our benefit. In the Old Testament, when we see LORD in capital letters, it is referring to Yahweh, the covenant keeping God of the Hebrews and any Gentiles that recognize Him as the One True Living God. When Yahweh says to His Son, “Sit at My right hand,” He is giving Him a place of prominence; this will be illustrated in the remaining verses.4
The rest of this first message from Yahweh tells us how long the Son would sit at His right hand. It says, “until I make Your enemies Your footstool.”
Would I reject The Messiah?
(my response to verse 1)
After only looking at the first verse of this glorious Psalm, already I have learned king David paid his Lord homage and submitted to His authority as coming from Yahweh Himself. Yahweh gave David’s ‘Adonay a place of prominence after He conquered death, and He will stay there until He returns. At which time, the dominion achieved will be decisive as He reigns forever.
I don’t think I have ever considered the significance of David’s Lord being my Lord. He is The Lord. If David is my brother then of course we have the same Lord. But why is it weightier that He is David’s Lord? King David, even though a wretched sinner, was idealized as the perfect king. And yet, even he paid proper homage to the King of Kings. This is obvious to me, but not to the Jews of the day. Jesus refers to Psalm 110 in the gospel of Mark 12:36 as does Peter in the book of Acts 2:33-35, both times trying to get the hearer to see Jesus Christ is the Messiah. Some listened and repented and others refused to acknowledge. My blind eyes have been opened, otherwise I may have been tempted to refuse the Christ as well. This thought is chilling. I can’t imagine being counted amongst those who reject Jesus as Lord, and yet, it is by Grace alone I have been saved.
Enforced Rule
The LORD and ‘Adonay are unified as Yahweh wields His scepter and sends forth from Zion (Jerusalem) the Rule of the Lord in the midst of His enemies, who are forced into obedience.4 This enforced Rule is contrasted with the willing and glad response of His people on the Great Day of His conquest when they will be resplendently clothed in holy armor in honor of the great moment.3,5
The second half of verse 3 had me stumped for a bit –“from the womb of the morning, the dew of Your youth will be Yours.” The Message says, God’s people will “join You at the fresh break of day” with all the “vigor of youth.”5 The picture is of the Messiah going forth in primal vigor, holiness, and glory as the Head of a dedicated army, willing to jeopardize their lives even unto death, but instead return with the King as overcomers.4
Leaning forward to beat Fort Payne.
Sophomore Indoor State Track.
Just Show Up
(my response to verses 2-3)
If you have read or watched The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, you may recall even though Aslan is victorious, Edward is wounded in battle. Lucy uses her spiritual gift potion to help heal him, and he makes a miraculous recovery. The four siblings go on to rule the four corners of Narnia.
In the battle before Jesus Christ’s millennial reign, the army of the Lord is willing to fight to the death but won’t need to. They merely need to show up with the strong and able King to be counted as a victor to reign and rule with Him. What we will be given depends on what we do with what we have been given here. If I am faithful here, I will be entrusted with much when the King Returns. And the stakes couldn’t be higher!
Sit at My Right Hand
A Psalm of David.
110 The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”
2 The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies! 3 Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power,[a] in holy garments;[b] from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours.[c]
4 The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”
5 The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. 6 He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs[d] over the wide earth. 7 He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head. Psalm 110:1-7 ESV
Nicholas reflects on win
C.S. Lewis, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Grand Rapids: Zonderkidz, 2005.
Julie Fillinger, Courage to Live: Learning to Live Again After Loss. Chicago: Kharis Publishing, 2024.
This is my favorite of the blog post I have read yet!
Thank you friend.