The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies!
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights the Father's divine decree to His Son, establishing His reign and ultimate victory over all opposition. It's not just an invitation to rest, but a profound declaration of the Son's authority and the Father's promise to ensure His complete triumph.
The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies!
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm opens with a divine decree from God the Father to God the Son, identifying the Messiah as "my Lord." It's a heavenly mandate for the Son to take his place of honor and authority beside the Father, a position of immense power and reign. This regal invitation is tied to the ultimate subjugation of all Christ's adversaries, underscoring His future, complete victory.
This single verse is a conversation, a divine decree passed down from the highest authority to a beloved Son. But who is speaking, and to whom?
The opening of Psalm 110 presents a cosmic dialogue. "The LORD" (Yahweh, the eternal God the Father) speaks "to my Lord." Who is this "my Lord" that David, the author, acknowledges as superior to himself? The New Testament makes it abundantly clear: this is Jesus Christ, the Messiah.
A Superior Lord
David, a king and a man after God's own heart, calls this figure "my Lord." This isn't just a term of respect; it signals a profound superiority. Even though the Messiah would be David's descendant (as Jesus was), He is also David's Lord, existing before and above him. This title acknowledges His divine nature and His ultimate authority.
Divine Counsel
The words spoken are not a casual suggestion but an eternal decree. "The LORD said..." This reflects a decision made in the heavenly council, a plan established before time. It's a promise of exaltation and a declaration of future victory, setting the stage for the Messiah's reign.
Imagine being invited to take a seat at the right hand of the most powerful King in the universe. What does this invitation truly signify?
The divine instruction is simple yet loaded with meaning: "Sit at my right hand." This isn't an invitation to idleness, but a commission.
A Place of Honor and Authority
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Sitting at the right hand of a king was the highest seat of honor. It signified absolute trust, immense authority, and a co-regency. For the Messiah, it means He shares in the Father's glory and exercises supreme dominion over all creation.
The Completion of Work
This 'sitting' also implies that His work of atonement and suffering is completed. Having accomplished His mission on earth, He now rests from His redemptive labor and takes His rightful place of authority. His reign is not one of struggle, but of established victory and ongoing governance.
Reigning Until Victory
The psalm ends with a powerful image of total victory. What does it mean for Christ's enemies to become His footstool?
The ultimate purpose of Christ's enthronement is declared: "until I make your enemies your footstool." This imagery speaks of complete and utter subjugation.
The Custom of Conquest
In ancient Near Eastern cultures, conquering kings would literally place their feet on the necks or prostrate bodies of defeated enemies to signify their total dominion. Psalm 110 invokes this potent symbol.
Christ's Enemies Defined
These enemies aren't just human adversaries. They include sin, death, Satan, and all opposing spiritual forces. While some have already been decisively defeated through Christ's finished work, the final, complete eradication of all opposition is a future certainty.
A Promise of Certainty
This isn't a hopeful wish; it's a divine promise. The Father pledges to bring about the complete triumph of the Son's reign. Every force that stands against Christ will ultimately be brought into submission, acknowledging His absolute authority.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the covenant God of Israel (YHWH). He is the self-existent One who enters into a personal, faithful relationship with His people.
Adonai · Hebrew Noun
A title denoting authority, master, or lord. In this context, it refers to the Davidic king or the promised Messiah who holds supreme authority under God.
yamin · Hebrew Noun
A position of supreme power, honor, and authority next to a king. To sit at the right hand indicates sharing in the sovereign rule and judicial authority of the monarch.
hadom · Hebrew Noun
A place of total subjugation and defeat. In ancient Near Eastern contexts, placing feet on a conquered enemy signified the complete victory and dominion of the victor.
Tsiyyon · Hebrew Proper Noun
The city of David, chosen by God as His dwelling place and the center of His earthly government. It symbolizes the presence of God and the seat of divine authority from which the King reigns.
matteh · Hebrew Noun
An instrument of authority, power, and sovereign rule. It represents the king's right to command, judge, and maintain order among his subjects and against his enemies.
Attributed to David, this psalm likely reflects on the divine commission given to Israel's kings. However, its profound theological depth and the address 'my Lord' point beyond David to the ultimate King, the Messiah, whose reign and victory over enemies are eternal.
c. 1000 BC
Davidic Kingdom Established
David solidifies his rule over Israel, establishing Jerusalem as the capital and a dynastic line that would be associated with God's promises.
c. 1000 BC— this verse
Davidic Authorship of Psalm 110
The psalm is traditionally attributed to David, who, as king, understood the concepts of divine appointment, authority, and subjugation of enemies.
c. 1000 BC
Theological Understanding of Kingship
The concept of God's anointed king ruling with divine authority and facing opposition was central to Israelite political and religious thought.
c. 6th century BC
Exile and Messianic Hope
During the Babylonian exile, the hope for a future Davidic king (Messiah) who would restore Israel and defeat its enemies became more prominent.
c. 1st century AD
Jesus' Ministry and Claims
Jesus' life, teachings, death, and resurrection were interpreted by his followers as the fulfillment of prophecies, including Psalm 110.
c. 1st century AD
Early Church Interpretation
The New Testament writers (Jesus, Peter, Paul) explicitly cite Psalm 110:1 as referring to the exalted status of Jesus Christ after his ascension.
Jesus himself quotes this verse to demonstrate that the Messiah is both David's descendant and his Lord, highlighting the divine nature of the one being addressed by the LORD.
Hebrews 1:3This passage directly links the Messiah's ascension and seating at God's right hand with his superior status and his finished work of purification, echoing the exaltation described in Psalms 110:1.
1 Corinthians 15:25Paul directly references the promise made in Psalms 110:1, explaining that Christ's reign at God's right hand continues until all enemies, including death itself, are ultimately subdued under his authority.
Acts 7:55-56Stephen's vision during his martyrdom sees Jesus standing at the right hand of God, fulfilling the prophetic declaration of Psalms 110:1 and signifying Christ's active, reigning presence even in the face of opposition.
gillPsalms 110:1: "A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool."
The Lord said unto my Lord,.... The Targum is, "the Lord said in his Word.'' Galatinus (q) says the true Targum of Jonathan has it, "the Lord said to his Word;'' and produces an authority for it. These are the words of Jehovah the Father to his Son the Messiah; the "Adon", or Lord, spoken of in Isaiah 6:1, the one Lord Jesus, and only Potentate; the Lord of all, the…
wesleyPsalms 110:1: "<> The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool."
110:1 The Lord - God the father. Said - Decreed it from eternity, and in due time published this decree, and actually executed it; which he did when he raised up Christ from the dead, and brought him into his heavenly mansion. Unto - Unto his son the Messiah, whom David designedly calls his Lord, to admonish the whole church, that although he was his son according to his human nat…
The verse highlights the Father's divine decree to His Son, establishing His reign and ultimate victory over all opposition. It's not just an invitation to rest, but a profound declaration of the Son's authority and the Father's promise to ensure His complete triumph.
This psalm opens with a divine decree from God the Father to God the Son, identifying the Messiah as "my Lord." It's a heavenly mandate for the Son to take his place of honor and authority beside the Father, a position of immense power and reign. This regal invitation is tied to the ultimate subjugation of all Christ's adversaries, underscoring His future, complete victory.
This psalm opens with a divine decree from God the Father to God the Son, identifying the Messiah as "my Lord." It's a heavenly mandate for the Son to take his place of honor and authority beside the Father, a position of immense power and reign. This regal invitation is tied to the ultimate subjugation of all Christ's adversaries, underscoring His future, complete victory.
"The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies!" — The verse highlights the Father's divine decree to His Son, establishing His reign and ultimate victory over all opposition. It's not just an invitation to rest, but a profound declaration of the Son…
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Last reviewed October 2026