Focal Passage: Psalm 110:1-7
When we think of a footstool, we typically think of some type of ottoman designed to prop up one’s feet. When Psalm 110:1 declares, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool” the word picture is much more dramatic. Ancient artworks demonstrate a conquering king, such as Tiglath-Pileser III or Hadrian, with his foot on the neck of his conquered foe to demonstrate the absolute defeat and humiliation of his enemy (see also Joshua 10:24).
Jesus’ referencing of Psalm 110:1 to identify the Messiah as the Son of David was recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The same passage was later noted in Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost as he explained that David, who had not yet ascended into the heavens, was clearly speaking of Jesus (Acts 2:34-35). Numerous other New Testament passages found in the Gospels, Paul’s letters, and Hebrews employ part of the same verse as they refer to Jesus sitting at the right hand of the Father.
As we seek to rightly understand the Bible, we use a principle called the analogy of faith or analogy of Scripture. Simply stated, it means that Scripture interprets Scripture. As David prophetically wrote this messianic Psalm, he, like all Old Testament prophets, wrote things beyond his full understanding. Thankfully God gave us the New Testament to help us understand the fulfillment of this passage.
This Psalm refers to Jesus being enthroned at the right hand of God as the Father brings about the defeat of His enemies (Hebrews 10:12-13). Who are these enemies? They are the enemies of the cross of Christ, enemies of the grace of God, enemies of the gospel! They are the prideful souls who seek eternal life from a god of their own making, and who attempt to earn it by the vain works of their hands.
This King who will be given total rule over His enemies and whose followers will gladly lay down their lives for His kingdom (Psalm 110:2-3) was described by David as “a priest forever according to the pattern of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110:4b). Hebrews 7 reflects on the encounter between Abram and Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18-20) and quotes Psalm 110:1 to explain that Jesus is like Melchizedek (a type of Christ) because He “did not become a priest based on a legal regulation about physical descent but based on the power of an indestructible life” (Hebrews 7:16). Neither of them served as a result of the Mosaic Law, because they were not descendants of Aaron. Jesus, as both our Priest and our atoning sacrifice, inaugurated the new covenant to replace the old covenant because “He is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been established on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6).
The remainder of Psalm 110 paints a frightening picture for the enemies of Christ, including the crushing of kings and leaders throughout the world and the heaping of corpses (Psalm 110:4-5). This King of kings “will drink from the brook by the road” (Psalm 110:7a), because a sovereign King has no fear of vulnerability before His foes.
Jesus said, “Anyone who is not with me is against me” (Matthew 12:30a). In the end you will either reign with the Messiah (II Timothy 2:12) or suffer eternal defeat (Revelation 20:15). B&R — Rust is associational mission strategist for Holston Baptist Association.