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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.
So, dearly beloved, “he rejoiced as a strong man to run the course.” Which course, if not the course of our mortality, which he was willing to share with us? This course is the way along which the human race passes. They all pass along it, you see, starting on it when they are born, finishing it when they die. And this stream of the human race from beginning to end is constantly issuing from the hidden sources of nature. It was from this rapid and turbulent stream that Christ was willing to drink. You heard just now in the psalm, “From the torrent he drank in the way.” This torrent has brought us to birth, has carried us on to death. As though from the hidden source of a spring, Christ has taken to himself the very depths of the sea. Each for our sake—he was both born and died.
"He shall drink of the brook in the way, therefore shall he lift up his head" [Psalm 110:7]. Let us consider Him drinking of the brook in the way: first of all, what is the brook? The onward flow of human mortality: for as a brook is gathered together by the rain, overflows, roars, runs, and by running runs down, that is, finishes its course; so is all this course of mortality. Men are born, they live, they die, and when some die others are born, and when they die others are born, they succeed, they flock together, they depart and will not remain. What is held fast here? What does not run? What is not on its way to the abyss as if it was gathered together from rain? For as a river suddenly drawn together from rain from the drops of showers runs into the sea, and is seen no more, nor was it seen before it was collected from the rain; so this hidden rain is collected together from hidden sources, and flows on; at death again it travels where it is hidden: this intermediate state sounds and passes away. Of this brook He drinks, He has not disdained to drink of this brook; for to drink of this brook was to Him to be born and to die. What this brook has, is birth and death; Christ assumed this, He was born, He died. "Therefore has He lifted up His head;" that is, because He was humble, and "became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross: therefore God also has highly exalted Him, and given Him a Name which is above every name; that at the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in Heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ the Lord is in the glory of God the Father." [Philippians 2:8-11]
Hence it is also well said through the Psalmist: "He shall drink of the torrent in the way, therefore shall He lift up His head." For indeed from the very beginning of the world a torrent of death had flowed forth in the human race: but the Lord drank of this torrent in the way, because He tasted death in passing. And therefore He lifted up His head, because what He laid in the tomb by dying, He raised above the angels by rising again; and from that point He struck down the ancient enemy forever, from the very place where He temporarily permitted the hands of persecutors to rage against Him.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 110:7 offers a profound prophetic glimpse into the character and destiny of the coming Messiah, portraying His humble endurance during His arduous mission and the subsequent, glorious triumph that results from it. This concise verse encapsulates the divine paradox of suffering preceding exaltation, revealing the necessary path to ultimate victory and sovereign rule.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 110:7 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its profound messianic message. The most prominent is Metaphor, where "drinking of the brook in the way" serves as a powerful metaphorical representation of the Messiah's humble endurance, self-denial, and willingness to undergo hardship during His earthly mission. This imagery evokes a journey or campaign where sustenance is taken quickly and pragmatically, without comfort or luxury, symbolizing the practical and often unglamorous realities of His redemptive work. Following this, the verse utilizes Parallelism (Cause and Effect), explicitly linking the Messiah's act of "drinking of the brook" (the cause, representing His suffering and humility) to the outcome of "lifting up the head" (the effect, representing His exaltation and triumph) through the conjunction "therefore." This structure emphasizes the divine necessity and purposeful sequence of the Messiah's path. Additionally, the verse employs vivid Imagery, painting a concise but potent picture of a weary traveler or warrior taking a quick, necessary drink, immediately followed by the triumphant posture of one who has achieved victory and honor. This striking contrast between humble sustenance and glorious exaltation encapsulates the core theological truth of the Messiah's journey from humiliation to ultimate glorification.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 110:7 stands as a poignant summary of the divine pattern for the Messiah: suffering preceding glory. It reveals that the path to ultimate authority and triumph for God's chosen King involves a necessary period of humble endurance and self-denial. This is not a detour but an integral part of the divine plan, demonstrating the Messiah's perfect obedience and His solidarity with humanity in its fallen state. The "brook in the way" signifies the practical, often unglamorous, realities of His mission, which He embraced fully. His subsequent exaltation, "lifting up the head," is the divinely appointed vindication and enthronement, a testament to God's faithfulness to His covenant promises and the ultimate triumph of His righteous King. This theological truth undergirds the entire Christian understanding of Christ's work, where His humiliation on the cross directly leads to His glorification at the right hand of God, establishing a foundational principle for both His redemptive work and the pattern for His followers.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 110:7 offers profound encouragement and a compelling model for believers navigating the complexities of life. Just as Christ endured humility and suffering "in the way" before His glorious exaltation, we are called to embrace a similar path of perseverance and faith in the midst of our own trials and hardships. The imagery of "drinking of the brook" reminds us that our journey may involve moments of discomfort, self-denial, and reliance on simple, immediate provisions, rather than seeking constant comfort or luxury. These are the necessary acts of sustenance that enable us to continue our spiritual pilgrimage, building character and deepening our dependence on God. This verse assures us that such endurance, when rooted in obedience to God's will, is not in vain. Our temporary struggles are part of a divine design, leading to ultimate triumph and spiritual exaltation. We are promised that if we suffer with Him, we shall also reign with Him, and our light and momentary afflictions are preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. This truth empowers us to face challenges with hope, knowing that our "lifting up the head" in vindication and joy awaits us in Christ, both in this life as we experience God's vindication and in the age to come.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is Psalm 110:7 considered a messianic prophecy?
Answer: Psalm 110 as a whole is one of the most explicit and frequently cited Old Testament messianic prophecies in the New Testament. The psalm begins with God's invitation to "my Lord" to sit at His right hand (Psalm 110:1), a clear reference to the Messiah's supreme authority. It also prophesies His eternal priesthood after the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4). Verse 7, therefore, concludes this prophetic narrative by describing an essential aspect of this divinely appointed King's journey—His necessary endurance before His ultimate triumph. New Testament authors and Jesus Himself consistently applied the entire psalm, including this verse's underlying theme of suffering leading to glory, directly to Christ, affirming its messianic nature.
What does "drinking of the brook in the way" truly symbolize in this messianic context?
Answer: In the messianic context, "drinking of the brook in the way" symbolizes the Messiah's humble endurance, self-denial, and willingness to undergo hardship during His earthly mission. It depicts a pragmatic act of quick, necessary sustenance, not one of comfort or luxury, taken amidst the rigors of a journey or battle. It represents the Messiah's full identification with humanity's struggles and His reliance on simple, immediate provisions as He pursued His redemptive purpose. This imagery foreshadows Christ's earthly life of humility, His facing of opposition, and His ultimate suffering, even unto death, demonstrating His unwavering focus on His mission without seeking worldly ease or personal comfort, but rather fulfilling the Father's will.
How does "lifting up the head" relate to Christ's resurrection and ascension?
Answer: The phrase "lifting up the head" perfectly encapsulates Christ's resurrection and ascension. It signifies His ultimate triumph, vindication, and the assumption of His rightful sovereign authority and honor. After His profound humiliation and suffering, culminating in His death on the cross, His resurrection was God's public declaration of His victory over sin and death, a divine "lifting up" from the grave. His ascension to the right hand of God, as described in Acts 2:33, is the ultimate "lifting up of the head"—His enthronement as King and High Priest, where He now reigns in glory and exercises all authority in heaven and on earth. This sequence directly fulfills the prophetic pattern of suffering leading to glory found in Psalms 110:7, demonstrating God's vindication of His Son and the establishment of His eternal reign.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 110:7 finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "brook in the way" vividly portrays the humble, arduous path Jesus walked during His earthly ministry. He did not come as an earthly king in splendor, but as a servant, enduring hunger, thirst, weariness, and constant opposition from religious leaders and the world. His life was one of profound self-denial, epitomized by His teaching that the Son of Man had nowhere to lay His head (Matthew 8:20). The ultimate "drinking of the brook" was His agonizing prayer in Gethsemane, where He wrestled with the "cup" of God's wrath, choosing perfect obedience to the Father's will even unto death on the cross (Luke 22:42). Because of this profound humility and perfect obedience, even to the point of death, God "therefore" highly exalted Him. The "lifting up the head" is powerfully realized in Christ's triumphant resurrection from the dead, His vindication over sin and death, and His glorious ascension to the right hand of the Father, where He now reigns as King of kings and Lord of lords (Philippians 2:9-11 and Acts 2:33-36). Thus, Psalms 110:7 perfectly encapsulates the divine pattern of Christ's suffering, which was the necessary prelude to His eternal glory and sovereign rule, securing salvation and establishing His everlasting kingdom.