Psalm 110 - The Last Days Psalm

Recently I was asked to teach Psalm 110 for my Sunday morning fellowship group. The first verse of this Psalm is posed as a question by Jesus in response to the Pharisees, during Holy Week in Jerusalem...

The Question

Matthew 22:41-46 (NASB95)
Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question:
"What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?”
They said to Him, “The son of David.”
He said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying,
‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES BENEATH YOUR FEET”’?
“If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?”
No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.

Jesus asked the Pharisees this question “how is He both David’s son and David’s Lord?” The Pharisees could not answer because they would have to admit:

1. The Messiah is eternal
2. The Messiah is divine
3. The Messiah was David’s Lord when he heard these words from heaven

David Guzik comments:

The Pharisees were partially right in saying that the Messiah is the Son of David. But they didn’t have a complete understanding of who the Messiah is. He is not only David’s Son (a reference to His humanity), but He is also David’s Lord (a reference to the deity of Jesus, the Messiah).

Introduction

I was inspired to memorize Psalm 110 many years ago due to its frequent quotations in the New Testament. In fact, this Psalm is “the most frequently quoted Old Testament chapter in the New Testament.” More on that later…

Psalm 110 is a “royal psalm”, meaning a psalm extolling the power and majesty of the king. But it’s much more than that - it’s a Messianic prophecy. It reveals many truths that are foundational to New Testament theology.

This is one Psalm where it really helps to know a little Hebrew, especially if you memorize it as I did. You see, “the LORD” in all caps is what most Bibles use for the name YHWH. "The Lord" in name case is how they translate the Hebrew word adoni (my lord) and Adonai - the title of the Messiah in this Psalm.

So, this little writing scheme comes out to be confusing when you are hearing or reciting this Psalm.

For this and other reasons, I have done a little extra translating of this Psalm, carefully studying the text and borrowing words from other translations where possible. As you might notice in your Bible footnotes, there are even a few places where the translators admit difficulties with the Hebrew meaning. In some cases, using the Septuagint (Greek) helps, but keep in mind that the Jewish scribes who translated the Septuagint before Christ didn’t even understand this Psalm!

Days to Come

Psalm 110 speaks of two days to come, and about the coming Messiah and high priest not yet visible to mortal eyes.

The days prophesied to come after David’s reign are:

• The day of the Messiah’s power (verse 3)
• The day of the Messiah’s wrath (verse 5)

These days are also prophesied by Isaiah:

Isaiah 61:1-2 (NASB95)
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
Because the LORD has anointed me
To bring good news to the afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to captives
And freedom to prisoners;
To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn…

This prophecy is read by Jesus in Luke 4:17-19, proclaiming His commission to rescue His oppressed people.

Note that in Isaiah the Messiah proclaims two periods:

• The year of the LORD’s favor
• The day of vengeance of our God

But as Luke records Jesus introducing His ministry, the latter day of vengeance is omitted. That time will be prophesied shortly before His crucifixion and ascent to the throne of heaven (Luke 21:22).

Psalm 110

1 A Psalm of David.

The declaration of Yahweh to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”

King David sees a vision and records it in this Psalm. It was understood to be a revelation of Messiah coming with power and wrath, even by the Pharisees in Jesus’ time. What they didn’t understand was the word “my Lord” used for the Son of David, and the fact that His kingdom would be based in heaven until His return on the “day of His wrath.”

This first verse is quoted in Mat 22 and 26, Mark 12 and 14, Luke 20 and 22, Acts 2, and Hebrews 1.

The position of Christ at the right hand of God is referenced in Romans 8:34, Ephesians 1:20, Colossians 3:1, Hebrews 1:3, 8:1, 10:12, 12:2, and 1 Peter 3:22

In these scriptures, the Right Hand of God brings:

• Deliverance: Exodus 15:6
• Eternal Pleasure: Psalm 16:11
• Righteousness: Psalm 48:10
• Support: Psalm 63:6-8
• Salvation: Psalm 80:17-19

The “man of YHWH’s right hand” is:

• Mighty and Exalted: Psalm 89:13
• Valiant: Psalm 118:15-16
• The Creator: Isaiah 48:12-13

The Day of His Power

2 Yahweh sends forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of Your enemies.”

David sees Jesus holding the scepter of His kingdom in a world full of enemies. But Jesus doesn’t just send out decrees, nor does He send out squadrons of soldiers to enforce His orders. Almighty God sends forth the scepter of His power - the Holy Spirit - to rule the hearts and lives of believers.

Note that this scepter is not the rod of iron (Hebrew “shevet barzel”) in Psalm 2. It is Hebrew “matté”, a word which is also translated as “tribe” in many verses. The use of this word teaches us that the power of the Holy Spirit is implemented through the “tribes” of the New Testament, symbolically being the church, founded on the testimony of the twelve apostles.

This prophecy is fulfilled in Jerusalem at Pentecost as His disciples “receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them” (Acts 1:8)

3 Your people - freewill offerings in the day of Your power. Arrayed in holy splendor, your young men come to you like dew from the morning’s womb.

Verse 3 References:

• Freewill offering: Rom 12:1, Deuteronomy 16:10
• Day of your power: Acts 1:7-8
• Holy array: 1 Chron 16:28-29
• Dew from morning’s womb: Isaiah 26:19

‭‭

4 Yahweh has sworn and will not change His mind, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”

David Guzik commented:

This oath was so important that the author of Hebrews refers to it five times:

• Hebrews 5:5-6 and 5:10 emphasize that this was Yahweh’s declaration, not something that the Messiah claimed for Himself.
• In Hebrews 6:20, the emphasis is on the idea that Jesus the Messiah serves now and forever as a living, active High Priest for His people.
• Hebrews 7:17 emphasizes that the priesthood of Jesus the Messiah according to the order of Melchizedek is better than the priestly order of Aaron, because it is eternal and will never end.
• Hebrews 7:21 emphasizes that the priesthood of Jesus the Messiah according to the order of Melchizedek is better than the priestly order of Aaron because it was founded on a direct oath of Yahweh, unlike the priestly order of Aaron.

The designation as high priest according to the order of Melchizedek made Christ Jesus “the source of eternal salvation … to all those who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9-10).

The Day of His Wrath

5 The Lord at Your right hand has shattered kings in the day of His wrath.

• The Lord - this is Christ Jesus, at the right hand of almighty God.
• Shatters kings - this is a prophetic past tense verb, action that is foreseen to have happened on this day.
• Day of His wrath - this could be a day or months or years (Revelation 6:16-17).

6 He will judge among the nations, He has filled them with corpses, He has shattered Rosh (the head) over the whole earth.

• He will judge - during His judgments there will be opportunities for repentance, but the nations will not repent. (Rev 9:20-21, 16:8)
• He has filled them with corpses - this scene is like that at the end of Revelation 19, when the armies of the beast are being fed to the birds.
• He has shattered Rosh - Rosh is a Hebrew word meaning “head” or “chief”. In this verse it is singular, likely the mystical title of the Beast and his dominion. (See Ezekiel 39:1)

7 He will drink from the brook by the wayside; in like manner He will lift up Rosh (head).

This last verse is the hardest to translate and the hardest to understand. Most translations make this verse seem mundane and anticlimactic.

But the phrase “lift up head” is enigmatic.

I will offer two possible explanations. The two are used in this story about Joseph in prison, interpreting dreams

Genesis 40:13 (NASB95) within three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office; and you will put Pharaoh’s cup into his hand according to your former custom when you were his cupbearer.

…

Genesis 40:19 (NASB95) within three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head from you and will hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat your flesh off you.”

One interpretation:

After kneeling to drink water from the brook, like David when he conquered Goliath, the Messiah cuts off the head of his Satanic enemy with the sword coming from His mouth. Lifting up the head He shouts a proclamation of victory while his armies rush in to lay claim to the land (1 Samuel 17:51-52)

A second possibility:

After the battle is ended and the enemy is defeated, Christ kneels to drink from the brook by the wayside. (Could this be the brook that flows from the throne of temple in Ezekiel?)

Being refreshed He lifts up His head, symbolizing His exaltation as the victorious Lord of all creation.

In defense of the first interpretation, there is the first Messianic prophecy of Jesus’ victory over the serpent of old in Genesis 3:

Genesis 3:15 (NIV) And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."

The offspring of the woman is Christ Jesus. The offspring of the serpent is the antichrist beast of Revelation.

But the phrase “lift up head” usually has a more positive connotation in the Psalms, signifying blessing and honor. On balance I think this favors the second interpretation, or perhaps both!

After some more study of the Old Testament and Psalms, I also see the Lord lifting up my head to give me victory through His strength. Here are some verses to remember as we seek to be more like Jesus…

Psalms 3:2-3 (NASB95)
Many are saying of my soul,
“There is no deliverance for him in God.” Selah.
But You, O LORD, are a shield about me,
My glory, and the One who lifts my head.

Psalms 27:5-6 (NASB95)
For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle;
In the secret place of His tent He will hide me;
He will lift me up on a rock.
And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,
And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

Summary

• Psalm 110 establishes the deity of Messiah the Son of David as the only begotten Son of God. Jesus identified Himself as the subject of this prophecy through His life and testimony on earth, and through His resurrection and ascension to the throne of heaven.
• This Psalm affirms the power of the Holy Spirit working in these last days through the church.
• It offers assurance that the Lord Jesus will always be at the right hand of God to forgive and intercede for us as the high priest of heaven.
• Finally, it gives us the assurance that God will avenge the cruel wickedness of the enemy and his evil kingdom in the final day of judgement.

 

Isaiah 30 - Apocalypse in a Nutshell

I want to focus on Isaiah 30 in this post, because it pertains to the church (Zion, the kingdom of God) and the threat posed by the resurgent Islamist head of the beast (Assyria).

BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS,

and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him;

 and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.

So it is to be. Amen.

Revelation 1:7

For behold, the Lord will come in fire,

and his chariots like the whirlwind,

to render his anger in fury,

and his rebuke with flames of fire.

Isaiah 66:15

Both Jews and Christians recognize Messianic prophecy embedded in the writings of Old Testament prophets, even in prophecies that were fulfilled long ago. Such is the case with most of the book of Isaiah.

The Ungodly Alliance

Through a land of trouble and anguish,

from where come the lioness and the lion,

the adder and the flying fiery serpent,

they carry their riches on the backs of donkeys,

and their treasures on the humps of camels,

to a people that cannot profit them.

Egypt’s help is worthless and empty;

therefore I have called her

“Rahab who sits still.”

Isaiah 30:6-7

The LORD admonishes Israel not to go to Egypt for help against the Assyrian armies. Against God's advice, the stubborn and rebellious children of God will carry out an ungodly plan, and make an ungodly alliance. They make an alliance with those who cannot possibly help. Does this sound familiar today? The alliances made by the western powers cause them to make ungodly compromises on the battlefield and lead them into treaties with untrustworthy nations that undermine their true friends in the region.

Rebellious People

And now, go, write it before them on a tablet

and inscribe it in a book,

that it may be for the time to come

as a witness forever.

For they are a rebellious people,

lying children,

children unwilling to hear

the instruction of the LORD;

Isaiah 30:8-9

There is no doubt that this prophecy is to be carved in stone for a distant time in the future. Thus the prophecy applies now. The children are those who have been set aside by covenant with the LORD, who have become rebellious and rejected God. Today this would be the apostate church.

A Thousand Shall Flee at the Threat of One

Because you despise this word

and trust in oppression and perverseness

and rely on them,

therefore this iniquity shall be to you

like a breach in a high wall, bulging out, and about to collapse...

For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel,

“In returning and rest you shall be saved;

in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”

But you were unwilling, and you said,

“No! We will flee upon horses”;

therefore you shall flee away...

A thousand shall flee at the threat of one;

at the threat of five you shall flee,

till you are left

like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain,

like a signal on a hill.

Isaiah 30:13-17

Because of their rejection of God, the rebellious children are subject to terror. The idea that multitudes will flee from the threats of a few people is the very definition of terrorism. It can only be defeated as spoken of GOD, by "the strength that comes from repentance and faith." I fear that my generation lacks the faith of our fathers, and many who don't "bug out" and run to the hills will simply compromise with the beast and take his mark on their heads and hands.

Judgment Begins in God's Household

For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God;

and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome

for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

I Peter 4:17

At the end of this season of testing, God's wrath will be turned away from his children and focus on those who will be eternally judged.

Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you,

and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.

For the LORD is a God of justice;

blessed are all those who wait for him.

Isaiah 30:18

This final time of tribulation will bring the world to its "last and greatest harvest." For those who remain faithful, those with wisdom will shine like stars in the darkness. They will lead many to righteousness, but the wicked will become more wicked. The church will put away their idols and again be led by the Holy Spirit. I believe even many of the children of Abraham will be revived in this great harvest of souls. When those who dwell in Jerusalem cry out, the Lord will hear their cry and no longer hide from them, but their eyes will see his face and their ears will hear his voice.

When the Towers Fall

And on every lofty mountain and every high hill

there will be brooks running with water,

in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.

Moreover, the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun,

and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days,

in the day when the LORD binds up the brokenness of his people,

and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow.

Behold, the name of the LORD comes from afar,

burning with his anger, and in thick rising smoke;

his lips are full of fury,

and his tongue is like a devouring fire...

Isaiah 30:25-27

In the final day, the Day of the Lord, this chapter says the sun will shine seven times brighter as the LORD approaches, burning with anger and shrouded by clouds of thick smoke. John also mentions that the sun will burn with intense heat before the Lord returns. The world may not know it, but when the Lord comes with the fiery seraphim of heaven, all that light and heat is just a preview of what is to come. The return of the Lord will be a day of comfort and rejoicing for those who suffered at the hands of the beast, but a day of terror for the terrorist. The king mentioned at the end of this chapter is the beast, the spawn of Satan, the one who will be cast alive into the lake of fire. 

The Assyrians will be terror-stricken

at the voice of the LORD, when he strikes with his rod.

For a burning place has long been prepared;

indeed, for the king it is made ready,

its pyre made deep and wide,

with fire and wood in abundance;

the breath of the LORD, like a stream of sulfur, kindles it.

Isaiah 30:31,33

One Giant Misstep for Mankind

Regarding the Supreme Court decision on gay marriage, justice Anthony Kennedy was a Ronald Reagan appointee. He must surely be "rolling over in his grave" right now - just as much as this decision causes my stomach to turn. Justice David Souter, another Republican appointee from the first Bush administration, carefully timed his retirement to allow Obama to appoint another liberal justice to the court.

Did it ever occur to either of these justices that the people overwhelmingly elected a Republican president at the time and thus expressed a desire for conservative justices on the Supreme Court? Why did Souter wait for Obama and not retire under Bush? This raises my blood pressure a couple of notches when I think about it.

However, the Court can only hold back the tide of majority opinion for a short time, as the ruling today proves. Unfortunately the majority in America has turned against unchangeable truth and taken the next step on its pathway to apostasy and depravity.

First let me say that I don't judge anyone; our Supreme Judge will decide our eternal destiny - not based on our sins which may be forgiven - but based on our acceptance or rejection of Jesus Christ as Lord.

So for the record, I regard all same-sex relationships simply as friendships whose intimate details I would prefer to remain private, and I will never endorse or render services for a ceremony that sanctifies practices the Bible clearly calls sin. Furthermore, I will do everything in my power to peacefully oppose those who would use the power of government to force me or my Christian brethren to do so. I would go to jail before giving up my right to hold and express this opinion and freely practice my faith.

Refining Fire

Today I visited a church in Ingram, Texas with a good friend and brother-in-Christ. I was blessed because of what the pastor spoke about - seeking and seeing God's face.

He started with Exodus 33:20:

"But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live."

The pastor asked if that were true, why did Exodus 33:11 say "The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one would speak to a friend?"

I had been studying Exodus 24 just this past week where it says that the elders of Israel "saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank."

As the pastor pointed out, why is the Bible full of admonitions to "seek God's face" if seeing God would bring death? His point was that the verse in Ex 33:11 only applied to that one time. But I saw a larger point.

I also studied the meaning of the word "fire" last week (at a friend's request). I found some interesting things about fire. Fire consumes the sacrifices laid on the altar before God. The Bible says God himself is a "consuming fire". In that same chapter of Exodus 24, "to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountain top."

Moses and the elders of Israel passed through this consuming fire and returned alive. If this can be the case, why does the Bible say that no man can see God and live? Put another way, what dies in the presence of God?

The Greek word for fire is "PYR" or "PUR". This Greek root is found in English as "pyre" and "pyromania" for example. I believe it is also at the root of the word "purify", as when a refiner purifies metal in a fire.

If it's not obvious by now, being in the presence of God will destroy our flesh and energize our spirits. This is why we are admonished to seek God's face, to allow his intense glory to burn away the dross in our lives and expose the precious mettle of Jesus! Glory to the God of heaven whose burning majesty will consume his enemies! Jesus said "he who loses his life for my sake will find it." Paul said to "offer your bodies as a living sacrifice" to be consumed by the blaze of his glory on the altar of this earthly life. It is a terrible wonderful thing to come into God's presence: terrible if we come in the flesh, but wonderful to know that what separates us from God is dying there in His presence just the same. If we dwell in His presence, one day we will "shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven" when there is no more flesh to burn away.