Psalm 110:1 “The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’”
During Jesus’ lifetime it was “commonly accepted by the Jewish community that Psalm 110 show-cased the Messiah”.1 Psalm 110 occurs in the New Testament more often than any other Hebrew scripture. It is directly or indirectly quoted at least thirty-three times, since any reference to the “right hand of the Father” should be seen as an indirect reference to Psalm 110:1.2
Theologian and pastor David Anderson3 insists it is unwarranted “to say the King is simply waiting around in heaven while he rests up for the final battle”.4 To ‘sit’ meant to take a chief place, because a ruler would sit while everyone else stood. More significantly, ‘at my right hand’ signifies a place of active authority. We still use the phrase ‘my right hand man’, meaning the one who gets things done.
So, when we think of Jesus being seated at the right hand of the Father, we don’t mean that He is just waiting for His return to earth. No, He is in the place of executive authority, actively involved in putting the Father’s will into effect. This is the significance which the New Testament writers intended, when they continually applied this verse to Jesus as Messiah.
Psalm 110:1 in the Synoptic Gospels
The Synoptic gospels reference to Psalm 110:1 occurs in two scenes: firstly, an argument with the Pharisees over David’s son, and, secondly, during Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin.
Jesus and the Pharisees
“While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, ‘What do you think about the Messiah?6 Whose son is he?’
‘The son of David’ they replied.
He said to them, ‘How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls Him Lord? For He says “The Lord said to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.’” If David calls Him “Lord”, how then can He be His son?’
No-one could say a word in reply, and from that day no-one dared to ask Him any more questions.” (Matt 22:41-46; see also Mk 12:35-37; Lk 20:41-44)
In this scenario Jesus is challenging the Pharisees over their concept of Messiah. There were various Messianic expectations among the Jews at this time, including a priestly figure, a new king, or a prophet like Moses. What they did not expect was a Messiah who was divine.
He is in the place of executive authority, actively involved in putting the Father’s will into effect.
So, when Jesus quotes Psalm 110:1 during the discussion, the Pharisees are nonplussed. They have just affirmed their belief that the Messiah must be the “son of David”. Nor do they question Jesus’ assertion that Psalm 110:1 shows David, inspired by the Spirit, to address Messiah as “My Lord”. But Jesus’ argument left them silent. If David called the Messiah “Lord”, then that implies divinity. Their inability to provide a theological answer so embarrasses them, they are afraid to engage in any further debate.
Jesus before the Sanhedrin
“Then the High Priest stood up and said to Jesus, ‘Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?’ But Jesus remained silent.
The High Priest said to Him, ‘I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.’
‘Yes, it is as you say,’ Jesus replied. ‘But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.’” (Matt 26:62-65; see also Mk 14:62-64; Lk 22:66-71)
This second scene is an incident during Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin. All three Synoptic versions show Jesus referring to Psalm 110:1 combined with Daniel 7:13. Jesus’ reference to Psalm 110:1 identifies that He saw the psalm as messianic and Himself as Messiah. When Jesus puts these two scriptures together, the Sanhedrin’s response is to accuse Him of blasphemy. The High Priest evaluates Jesus’ statement as equating Himself to God.7
His final confession of His identity, under oath to official Judaism, is referenced by Psalm 110:1. It was His final announcement to Israel as to who He was.
These scriptures, which are a declaration of His Messiahship, become Jesus’ final words to the highest religious authorities of the Jewish nation. His final confession of His identity, under oath to official Judaism, is referenced by Psalm 110:1. It was His final announcement to Israel as to who He was. No wonder it became a keynote text for His Jewish followers in the early church.
Psalm 110:1 in Acts
There are three passages in Acts which make direct or indirect reference to Psalm 110:1. These are Acts 2:32-36; 5:30-32; and 7:55-56:
Acts 2:32-36
“God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said: ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’
Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
Peter’s speech in Acts 2 is described in some detail by Luke, indicating the significance he accords it in setting the theological tone at the inception of the church. Peter quotes from various scriptures including Psalm 110 as evidence to link the manifestation of the Spirit which has just occurred with the dramatically radical concept of a crucified but resurrected Messiah.
Peter not only has to deal with the astonishing phenomena being witnessed by those present, but at the same time overcome their natural objections to the seemingly insurmountable contradiction in Jewish thinking of a crucified Messiah. He does so by linking a number of Hebrew scriptures, culminating with Psalm 110:1, showing a Messiah who is not just risen, but who is also seated at the right hand, the place of authority and power.
The address does not cease with a reference to the resurrection as an end in itself. Rather, the direct quotation of Psalm 110:1 announces a Messiah who is ruling in present authority.
So, Psalm 110:1 is the crescendo of the keynote message at the very inception of the new community of believers. The address does not cease with a reference to the resurrection as an end in itself. Rather, the direct quotation of Psalm 110:1 announces a Messiah who is ruling in present authority. The address becomes an evangelion, which means a proclamation that an authority figure has come to bestow power and blessing.8
Acts 5:30-32
“The God of our Fathers raised Jesus from the dead, whom you had killed by hanging Him on a tree. God exalted Him to His own right hand as Prince and Saviour, that He might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
Here Peter and the apostles are being examined by the Sanhedrin. When the high priest orders them not to teach in the name of Jesus, Peter responds that God has raised Jesus from the dead and has “exalted Him to His own right hand as Prince and Saviour, that He might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel” (Acts 5:31).
The first title, here translated as 'Prince' in the NIV, is found only four times in the New Testament. In fact, “in the Septuagint the term is usually used for a military or political leader”, and so “the concept of authority is again being emphasised”.9
Acts 7:55-56
Once again, we are before the Sanhedrin. Now “Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’” There is little agreement among scholars as to why Jesus is here standing rather than sitting, although a variety of explanations are offered. However, there is general agreement that once again Psalm 110:1 is used to reinforce the messianic identification of Jesus. And, indeed, once again the Sanhedrin perceive the reference as blasphemy and react accordingly.
These verses all show the importance of Psalm 110:1 for Jesus and the apostles, through which we can see the high level of importance placed on the assurance of Jesus’ current reign. Next week, we will look at the significance placed upon this idea in the epistles.
Notes
This article was based on an original research paper by the author, published by CMJ under their series of Olive Press Research Papers (No 21), which can be found on the CMJ UK website.
1. Anderson King-Priest p 114 - see note 3 below.
2. Anderson King-Priest p 3 & p 9
3. This study refers extensively to David Anderson The King-Priest of Psalm 110 in Hebrews (Peter Lang 2001); another major reference work is D M Hay Glory at the Right Hand: Psalm 110 in Early Christology (Society of Biblical Literature Monograph Series, No 18 Abingdon Press, 1973)
4. Anderson King-Priest p 294
5. Anderson King-Priest p 294
6. Following a discussion with one of the translators who told me that the NIV very nearly used Messiah rather than Christ throughout the New Testament, I have chosen to use Messiah in the scripture quotations for this study.
7. Anderson King-Priest p 92
8. It can be shown that the terms evangelion (gospel) and ecclesia (church) are both linked to the twin themes of the authority of Messiah and His delegated authority to believers.
9. Anderson King-Priest p 100 The Septuagint was the Greek translation of the Jewish scriptures in use at the time.