TRV
Study This Verse
Commentary on Psalms 110 verses 5–7
Here we have our great Redeemer,
I. Conquering his enemies (Psa 110:5, Psa 110:6) in order to the making of them his footstool, Psa 110:1. Our Lord Jesus will certainly bring to nought all the opposition made to his kingdom, and bring to ruin all those who make that opposition and persist in it. He will be too hard for those, whoever they may be, that fight against him, against his subjects and the interest of his kingdom among men, either by persecutions or by perverse disputings. Observe here,
1.The conqueror: The Lord - Adonai, the Lord Jesus, he to whom all judgment is committed, he shall make his own part good against his enemies. The Lord at thy right hand, O church! so some; that is, the Lord that is nigh unto his people, and a very present help to them, that is at their right hand, to strengthen and succour them, shall appear for them against his and their enemies. See Psa 109:31. He shall stand at the right hand of the poor, Psa 16:8. Some observe that when Christ is said to do his work at the right hand of his church it intimates that, if we would have Christ to appear for us, we must bestir ourselves, Sa2 5:24. Or, rather, At thy right hand, O God! referring to Sa2 5:1, in the dignity and dominion to which he is advanced. Note, Christ's sitting at the right hand of God speaks as much terror to his enemies as happiness to his people.
2.The time fixed for this victory: In the day of his wrath, that is, the time appointed for it, when the measure of their iniquities is full and they are ripe for ruin. When the day of his patience has expired, when the day of his wrath comes. Note, (1.) Christ has wrath of his own, as well as grace. It concerns us to kiss the Son, for he can be angry (Psa 2:12) and we read of the wrath of the Lamb, Rev 6:16. (2.) There is a day of wrath set, a year of recompences for the controversy of Zion, the year of the redeemed. The time is set for the destruction of particular enemies, and when that time shall come it shall be done, how unlikely soever it may seem; but the great day of his wrath will be at the end of time, Rev 6:17.
3.The extent of this victory. (1.) It shall reach very high: He shall strike through kings. The greatest of men, that set themselves against Christ, shall be made to fall before him. Though they be kings of the earth, and rulers, accustomed to carry their point, they cannot carry it against Christ, they do but make themselves ridiculous by the attempt, Psa 2:2-5. Be their power among men ever so despotic, Christ will call them to an account; be their strength ever so great, their policies ever so deep, Christ will be too hard for them, and wherein they deal proudly he will be above them. Satan is the prince of this world, Death the king of terrors, and we read of kings that make war with the Lamb; but they shall all be brought down and broken. (2.) It shall reach very far. The trophies of Christ's victories will be set up among the heathen, and in many countries, wherever any of his enemies are, not his eye only, but his hand, shall find them out (Psa 21:8) and his wrath shall follow them. He will plead with all nations, Joe 3:2.
4.The equity of this victory: He shall judge among them. It is not a military execution, which is done in fury, but a judicial one. Before he condemns and slays, he will judge; he will make it appear that they have brought this ruin upon themselves, and have themselves rolled the stone which returns upon them, that he may be justified when he speaks and the heavens may declare his righteousness. See Rev 19:1, Rev 19:2.
5.The effect of this victory; it shall be the complete and utter ruin of all his enemies. He shall strike them through, for he strikes home and gives an incurable wound: He shall wound the heads, which seems to refer to the first promise of the Messiah (Gen 3:15), that he should bruise the serpent's head. He shall wound the head of his enemies, Psa 68:21. Some read it, He shall wound him that is the head over many countries, either Satan or Antichrist, whom the Lord shall consume with the breath of his mouth. He shall make such destruction of his enemies that he shall fill the places with the dead bodies. The slain of the Lord shall be many. See Isa 34:3, etc.; Eze 39:12, Eze 39:14; Rev 14:20; Rev 19:17, Rev 19:18. The filling of the valleys (for so some read it) with dead bodies, perhaps denotes the filling of hell (which is sometimes compared to the valley of Hinnom, Isa 30:33; Jer 7:32) with damned souls, for that will be the portion of those that persist in their enmity to Christ.
II. We have here the Redeemer saving his friends and comforting them (Psa 110:7); for their benefit, 1. He shall be humbled: He shall drink of the brook in the way, that bitter cup which the Father put into his hand. He shall be so abased and impoverished, and withal so intent upon his work, that he shall drink puddle-water out of the lakes in the highway; so some. The wrath of God, running in the channel of the curse of the law, was the brook in the way, in the way of his undertaking, which must go through, or which ran in the way of our salvation and obstructed it, which lay between us and heaven. Christ drank of this brook when he was made a curse for us, and therefore, when he entered upon his suffering, he went over the brook Kidron, Joh 18:1. He drank deeply of this black brook (so Kidron signifies), this bloody brook, so drank of the brook in the way as to take it out of the way of our redemption and salvation. 2. He shall be exalted: Therefore shall he lift up the head. When he died he bowed the head (Joh 19:30), but he soon lifted up the head by his own power in his resurrection. He lifted up the head as a conqueror, yea, more than a conqueror. This denotes not only his exaltation, but his exultation; not only his elevation, but his triumph in it. Col 2:15, Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them. David spoke as a type of him in this (Psa 27:6), Now shall my head be lifted up above my enemies. His exaltation was the reward of his humiliation; because he humbled himself, therefore God also highly exalted him, Phi 2:9. Because he drank of the brook in the way therefore he lifted up his own head, and so lifted up the heads of all his faithful followers, who, if they suffer with him, shall also reign with him.
"The Lord on Your right hand" [Psalm 110:5]. The Lord had said, "Sit on My right hand;" now the Lord is on His right hand, as if they changed seats....That very Christ, the "Lord on Your right hand," unto whom You have sworn, and it will not repent You: what does He, Priest for evermore? What does He, who is at the right hand of God, and intercedes for us, [Romans 8:34] like a priest entering into the inner places, and into the holy of holies, into the mysteries of heaven, He alone being without sin, and therefore easily purifying from sins. He therefore "on Your right hand shall wound even kings in the day of His wrath." What kings, do you ask? Have you forgotten? "The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers took counsel together against the Lord, and against His Anointed." These kings He wounded by His glory, and by the weight of His Name made kings weak, so that they had not power to effect what they wished. For they strove amain to blot out the Christian name from the earth, and could not; for "Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken." [Matthew 21:44] Kings therefore fall on this "stone of offense," and are therefore wounded, when they say, Who is Christ? I know not what Jew or what Galilean He may have been, who died, who was slain in such a manner! The stone is before your feet, lying, so to speak, mean and humble: therefore by scorning thou dost stumble, by stumbling you fall, by falling you are wounded...."But on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder." [Luke 20:18] When therefore any one falls upon it, it lies as it were low; it then wounds: but when it shall grind him to powder, then it will come from above. See how in these two words, it shall wound him and grind him to powder: he strikes upon it, and it shall come down upon him: are distinguished the two seasons, of the humiliation and the majesty of Christ, of hidden punishment and future judgment. He will not crush, when He comes, that man whom He does not wound when He lies in a contemptible appearance....
Continue studying Psalms 110:5 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Psalms 110:5 stands as a profound prophetic oracle, declaring the active and decisive role of the enthroned Messiah in executing divine judgment. Following His ascension and placement at the right hand of God, this verse foretells a climactic moment when the Messiah, as a conquering King, will unleash righteous retribution upon all earthly opposition, specifically targeting rulers who defy God's sovereign will, culminating in their absolute and irreversible defeat.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 110:5 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of divine authority and impending judgment. Imagery is central, painting a vivid and powerful picture of a conquering King who "strikes through" His enemies, evoking a sense of decisive military victory and overwhelming strength. This visual metaphor underscores the absolute nature of the Messiah's triumph. The phrase "at thy right hand" functions as a powerful Symbol of supreme authority, honor, and shared power, universally understood in ancient cultures to denote a position of ultimate executive power and favor. The reference to "kings" is a form of Synecdoche or Metonymy, where a part (kings, representing earthly rulers) stands for the whole (all earthly and spiritual opposition to God's reign). This allows the psalm to speak broadly and comprehensively about the Messiah's universal dominion and the subjugation of all hostile powers. Furthermore, the entire verse functions as Prophecy, foretelling future events concerning the Messiah's active role in judgment and providing a glimpse into the eschatological triumph of God's kingdom. The concept of "wrath" also involves Anthropomorphism, attributing a human emotion (anger/wrath) to God or the Messiah to convey divine displeasure and righteous judgment in humanly comprehensible, yet profoundly impactful, terms.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 110:5 is a cornerstone of biblical theology, serving as a pivotal Old Testament prophecy that finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in Jesus Christ. It underscores the active, reigning aspect of the Messiah's kingship, powerfully complementing the themes of His suffering and sacrificial atonement. The verse affirms God's absolute sovereignty over history and human affairs, demonstrating that all earthly powers are ultimately subject to His divine will and the supreme authority of His Anointed One. It foreshadows a future time when Christ's dominion will be fully and undeniably established, and all opposition will be brought to nothing, providing both a solemn warning to the rebellious and immense comfort and assurance to those who trust in His righteous reign.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 110:5 offers profound theological truths that translate into vital spiritual applications for believers today. In a world often characterized by political turmoil, pervasive social injustice, and seemingly insurmountable opposition to Christian values and the gospel, this verse provides immense comfort and unwavering assurance. It reminds us that despite appearances, Christ is not merely a historical figure or a distant deity; He is an actively reigning King, seated in ultimate authority at the right hand of the Father, who will decisively deal with all forms of evil and rebellion. This truth should embolden our faith, encouraging us to live with courage, conviction, and unwavering hope, knowing that our ultimate hope rests in a sovereign Lord who will ultimately triumph over all His enemies. For those who do not acknowledge Christ's authority, the verse stands as a solemn warning of the inevitable judgment that awaits all who refuse to submit to His kingship. It calls us to consider our allegiance and to align our lives with the purposes of the reigning King, living in anticipation of His final victory and the full establishment of His righteous, eternal kingdom.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who is "The Lord" in Psalms 110:5, and who is "thy"?
Answer: In Psalms 110:5, "The Lord" refers to the Messiah, as consistently interpreted through the lens of the New Testament. This is the same "my Lord" that God the Father (the "LORD," YHWH, in Psalms 110:1) addresses in the opening verse, inviting Him to sit at His right hand. The "thy" in "at thy right hand" refers to God the Father, indicating that the Messiah is positioned "at the Father's right hand," a place of supreme authority, honor, and shared divine power. Therefore, it is the Messiah, acting from His exalted position alongside the Father, who "shall strike through kings."
What does it mean that the Messiah "shall strike through kings"? Is this a literal battle?
Answer: The phrase "shall strike through kings" signifies a decisive, comprehensive, and ultimately complete defeat of all opposition to the Messiah's reign. While it certainly includes a literal, eschatological military conquest (as vividly depicted in Revelation 19:11-16), it primarily represents the comprehensive subjugation and abolition of all earthly and spiritual powers, systems, and ideologies that resist God's kingdom and His Anointed One. "Kings" symbolize all forms of human authority and rebellion that stand in defiance of God's sovereign will. The "striking through" implies a final, overwhelming victory that utterly crushes, dismantles, and abolishes all rebellion, establishing the Messiah's unchallenged and eternal dominion.
What is the "day of his wrath" mentioned in this verse?
Answer: The "day of his wrath" refers to a specific, divinely appointed time when God's righteous indignation and holy judgment will be poured out upon those who have persistently rebelled against Him and His Anointed One. It is not an arbitrary outburst of anger but a just and holy response to pervasive sin, unrepentant defiance, and the rejection of divine authority. This "day" is a recurring and significant theme in prophetic literature (e.g., Zephaniah 1:15) and points to the eschatological period when Christ will return in glory to judge the living and the dead, bringing an end to all evil, unrighteousness, and rebellion, and establishing His eternal kingdom of righteousness and peace. It is a time of terrifying reckoning for His adversaries and ultimate vindication for His faithful followers.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 110:5 finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. His resurrection from the dead, followed by His triumphant ascension to heaven, are the pivotal historical events that perfectly align with the prophecy of the Messiah being enthroned "at the right hand" of God the Father, as powerfully affirmed by Peter in his Pentecost sermon (Acts 2:33). This enthronement signifies not merely a position of honor but one of active, sovereign authority over all creation and all opposing powers, both visible and invisible, as Ephesians 1:20-22 powerfully declares. The "striking through kings in the day of his wrath" points directly to Christ's future return, not as a humble servant, but as the conquering King and righteous Judge. The book of Revelation vividly portrays this eschatological reality, depicting Christ returning on a white horse, with a sharp sword proceeding from His mouth "to strike down the nations," and treading "the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty" (Revelation 19:15). Thus, Psalms 110:5 is a profound prophetic glimpse into the full scope of Christ's messianic mission: His present reign from heaven, where He intercedes for His people and governs all things, and His future, decisive return to execute final judgment, bringing all rebellion to an end and establishing His eternal kingdom of righteousness and peace, for He "must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet" (1 Corinthians 15:25).