Psalm 110:1

 Psalm 110:1

 

Before we get into the Psalm 110:1 study there is a personal experience I need to share that goes with this study of Scripture.

 

On the morning of January 2, 2003 I woke up to go to work after the New Year holiday. As I was going through my usual morning routine, the Lord began to impress upon my spirit about our spiritual authority that we have in Christ. During prayer, the Holy Ghost impressed familiar Scriptures about our authority on me. After prayer, while eating breakfast, the Holy Ghost continued to speak to me, impressing upon me to look at some good teaching books on the authority of the believer. So while I finished breakfast I looked at the verses on authority and the book by Kenneth Hagin, The Authority of the Believer.

 

         As I continued getting ready for work I made the decision to study up on the very important subject of our authority in Christ. On the drive to work as I was cutting through Indian Hill something happened. The only way to describe it is something similar to the old TV sets where you had to adjust the vertical knob. My vision became completely wavy in a vertical motion. There was no physical sensation in my body or my head, it was exclusively visual, and even my thoughts were not impeded. In fact I had the presence of mind to slow the car to a stop, fearing I would lose my ability to see. [The following thought process could have been my normal thoughts or could have been the devil injecting these thoughts in my mind in conjunction with this attack to cause me to react in fear.] I realized I was all by myself, there were no cars ahead of me or behind me, and I remember thinking, No one can help me! I began to think of a dear friend of mine, who had a brain aneurism while driving to work, and he died three days later. I thought, this is how he must have felt, all by himself with no one to help. All of a sudden, the Spirit of God rose up in me and I said loudly, “Satan, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I rebuke you and I take authority over you and command you, take you’re stinkin hands off me, in Jesus name!” Immediately it began to subside and after about 15-20 seconds, it was over. I think the whole thing only lasted about a minute from beginning to end, but it seemed to last a lot longer. That night I went to the doctor and in the next few weeks went through a series of tests to find out what happened to me. In the end, the tests all came back negative in the sense they did not find anything that could have caused it, and since that morning I have experienced nothing like it.

 

         The bottom line is I believe it was an attack of the enemy, and that God in his grace, mercy and faithfulness to His covenant reminded me beforehand of the authority I have in Christ, so that I would use that authority against the attack that would happen later that morning.

 

Psalm 110:1

 

The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

 

a. NLT: The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.” [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. NIV: The LORD says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” [THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.]

c. YLT: The affirmation of Jehovah to my Lord: 'Sit at My right hand, Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.’ [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Amplified Bible Classic: The Lord (God) says to my Lord (the Messiah), Sit at My right hand, until I make Your adversaries Your footstool. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Septuagint: [In the Septuagint, Psalm 110:1 is listed as Psalm 109:1] The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

 

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: The word of HASHEM to may master, “Wait at My right, until I make your enemies a stool for your feet. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ltd.]

1. “The LORD said unto my Lord…”

 

a. [The] LORD [Strong: 3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw' from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.]

 

b. said [Strong: 5002 n'um neh-oom' from 5001; an oracle:--(hath) said, saith.]

c. [unto my] Lord [Strongs: 113 'adown aw-done' or (shortened) adon {aw-done'}; from an unused root (meaning to rule); sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine):-- lord, master, owner.] [Unger’s Bible Dictionary: “Adonai, the plural of Adon,…the Jews, out of a superstitious reverence for the name Jehovah, always, in reading, pronounce Adonai where Jehovah is written.]

 

1). Psalm 110:1 is quoted or alluded to 21 times in the New Testament, which makes Psalm 110:1 the most quoted Old Testament verse in the New Testament.

 

a). Matthew 22:44; 26:64; Mark 12:36; 14:60-64; 16:19; Luke 20:42, 43; 22:66-69; Acts 2:33-36; 5:31; 7:55, 56; Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:25; Ephesians 1:20; 2:6; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3; 1:13; 8:1; 10:12, 13; 12:2; 1 Peter 3:22.

b). In Psalm 110:1 and in 110:4 we have words spoken between two Persons of the Godhead. The LORD and the pre-Incarnate Christ/LORD.

2). It is clear from the first citation in the New Testament, Matthew 22:41-46 that the Jewish understanding of this verse was that it was referring to the Messiah.

 

a). Matthew 22:41-45 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,

22:42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David.

22:43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,

22:44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?

22:45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?

22:46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

 

2). It is clear from another citation in the Gospels that Jesus applied it to himself, declaring that He was not only the Messiah, but also God.

a). Mark 14:60-64 And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?

14:61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?

14:62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

14:63 Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses?

14:64 Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.

 

3). Before we go any further I want to read a passages cited in Paul’s epistles.

 

a). Colossians 3:1, 2 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

 

b). The Holy Ghost through the Apostle Paul exhorts us to set our minds on   those things at the right hand of God. The Lord wants us to know our authority and to use it to enforce the Covenant.

 

4). The reason Psalm 110:1 is the most quoted Old Testament verse in the New Testament is because the sitting down of Christ at the right hand of God after the resurrection is the most pivotal moment in the establishment of the New Covenant.

 

a). Jesus said in John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

 

5). The baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues was poured out only after Jesus sat down at the right hand of God.

 

a). Acts 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

 

6). Without the giving of the Holy Ghost, the enforcement of the New Covenant, beginning with the new birth would have been impossible. First of all, it is the Holy Ghost that recreates the human spirit when a person becomes born again.

 

a). Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

 

b). 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

 

7). Secondly, it is the Holy Ghost that does the miracles and signs and wonders.

 

a). Hebrews 2:4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

 

b). Mark 16:19, 20 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

16:20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

 

8). This is why it was of the utmost importance that the disciples were told by Jesus to wait at Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high. 

 

a). Acts 1:4-8 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

1:5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

1:7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

 

2. “…Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”

  

a. Sit [thou] [Strong: 3427 yashab yaw-shab' a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle), (down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry.]

 

b. at my right hand [Strong: 3225 yamiyn yaw-meen' from3231; the right hand or side (leg, eye) of a person or other object (as the stronger and more dexterous); locally, the south:--+ left-handed, right (hand, side), south.]

 

c. until [Strong: 5704 `ad ad properly, the same as 5703 (used as a preposition, adverb or conjunction; especially with a preposition); as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with):--against, and, as, at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as), (hither-)to, + how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that, till, toward, until, when, while, (+ as) yet.]

 

d. I make [Strong: 7896 shiyth sheeth a primitive root; to place (in a very wide application):--apply, appoint, array, bring, consider, lay (up), let alone, X look, make, mark, put (on), + regard, set, shew, be stayed, X take.]

 

e. thine enemies [Strong: 341 'oyeb o-yabe' or (fully) owyeb {o-yabe'}; active participle of 340; hating; an adversary:--enemy, foe.]

 

f. thy footstool [Strong: 1916 hadom had-ome' from an unused root meaning to stamp upon; a foot stool:--(foot-)stool.]

 

1). Jesus is sitting next to the Father waiting and expecting his enemies to be made his footstool.

 

a). Hebrews 10:12, 13 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

10:13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

 

b). Hebrews 10:13 (NRSV) And since then has been waiting until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.

 

2). The Father promised Jesus He would make Jesus’s enemies His footstool. How would He accomplished it?  Notice the progression in this passage.

 

a). Mark 16:15-20 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

16:20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

 

b). In between Mark 16:19 and Mark 16:20 there is a 10 day period. In the 19th verse Jesus sits down on the right hand of the Father. Ten days later the Holy Ghost comes and fills the disciples and the New Covenant goes forth in the power of the Holy Ghost.  

 

3). We are positionally seated in heavenly places. The image of us seated in heavenly places in Christ is not, God the Father, then God the Son Jesus and then a whole bunch of chairs where we sit. That is not it. It’s God the Father and next to Him, God the Son Jesus and we are IN Christ. That’s it! When God the Father spoke those words to Christ Jesus He was speaking them to us also. We were quickened with him, raised with him and seated with Him.

 

a). Ephesians 2:4-6 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together, and made us sit together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together, in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

 

4). The Apostle Paul prayed for the church to get a revelation of the authority that was given to us when Christ was raised from the dead and was seated at the right hand of God.

 

a). Ephesians 1:15-23 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and your love unto all the saints,

1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

1:23 Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.

 

5). The authority given to the church is exceedingly great! It is far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named! All things are put under his feet. When the Father spoke the words to the Son; “Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool!” He was speaking them to us also. Look at the authority in the name of Jesus.

 

a). John 14:12-14 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

 

b). ask [Strong: 154 aiteo ahee-teh'-o of uncertain derivation; to ask (in genitive case):--ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require.] [Zodhiates: The seeking by the inferior from the superior, to ask call for, to demand.]

 

6). All of the prayer that we will offer up to God will be that of a inferior to a superior, but because of the authority that we have in Christ, sometimes the “ask” will be a demand, not demanding of God of course, but of the devil.

 

a). Acts 16:16-18 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

16:17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

16:18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

 

7). Notice also Paul’s faith filled behavior he exhibited later in the Book of Acts.

 

a). Acts 28:1-6 And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.

28:2 And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.

 28:3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

28:4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.

28:5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

28:6 Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

 

8). We should be shaking off attacks of the enemy just like this, temptations, symptoms, fiery darts of the enemy.

 

a). Ephesians 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

 

9). As we saw previously we are IN Christ.  We are his body, to the extent we are his flesh and bones.

 

a). 1 Corinthians 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

 

b). Ephesians 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

 

10). Let’s look at this from other Scripture.

 

a). Matthew 12:42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

 

b).There is no question that Jesus, when he said, “a greater than Jonas is here”,  was referring to himself in this passage. But more is being said here than meets the eye. Jesus said of John the Baptist that he was more than a prophet, indeed the greatest born of woman.

 

(1). Matthew 11:7-11 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out in the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

11:8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.

11:9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

11:10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

11:11 Verily I say unto you, among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

 

c). Jesus was saying that John was not only the greatest prophet but also the greatest born of a woman. Why? Because he was the forerunner of the Messiah! His position, his calling of being the forerunner of the Messiah placed him in the position of being the greatest Old Testament prophet, the greatest born of a woman; but Jesus does not stop there; he goes on to say “…that he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

 

(1). Jesus is saying that the least of those in the kingdom of heaven, the New Testament age is greater than John. If he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than the greatest prophet, the greatest born of woman, where are we at? Most New Testament believers do not realize the greatness of their ministry. They go through life believing they are just sinners saved by grace. Such belief is a slap in the face of God. Yes it is true that no one has reached sinless perfection on this earth, but as we grow in Christ we should sin less and less. Positionly in Christ we are greater than the greatest Old Testament prophet. Yes, a greater than Jonas is here, in the New Testament believer.

 

(2). Colossians 1:26, 27  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

 

(3). Ephesians 5:30 For we are members of his body, and of his bones.

 

(4) When we are living our lives to the glory of God, and being transformed into his image…a greater than Jonas is here! Jesus is seated next to the Father and waiting for us to grow up in Him and use the authority that he has given us and he is expecting us, using that authority to make his enemies his footstool. Saints, it is God’s will for us to see and experience the exceedingly great authority that He has given us. As Ephesians 1 declares, it is “far above all principality and power” and He expects us to use it. Study in the Bible what it says about this authority, meditate on it, let the word of His grace build you up spiritually, giving you revelation and grace for you to begin walking in what God has provided to us through Jesus Christ. Stop thinking of yourself as an unworthy worm. This New Covenant places us in a position far superior to that of Old Covenant saints, not from anything we have done but what He has done for us in Christ. Because Christ Jesus is in you, when you walk into a room, a greater than Jonas is here, a greater than John the Baptist is here!