Psalm 110/Notes/Lexical.V. 1.790146

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  • YHWH's oracle (נְאֻם יְהוָה) is "an almost completely fixed technical expression introducing prophetic oracles."[1] The use of this term suggests that Psalm 110 (or, at least the quoted speech in v. 1) is to be read as a prophetic oracle.[2] Many translations render the noun phrase "YHWH's oracle" as a clause: "the Lord says/said to my Lord" (NIV, ESV, NLT, GNT).[3] The NET more closely reflects the grammar of the Hebrew text: "Here is the LORD's proclamation to my lord."[4]
  • The oracle is addressed to my lord. A "lord" is a "man who is in a position of authority over another person" (SDBH), and the third-person phrase "my lord" is often used when an inferior addresses a superior.[5] The title "lord" is often applied to kings, and thus the use of this word is the first of several indications in the psalm that the addressee is a king.[6]

Adon - lord.jpg

  • YHWH invites the king to sit at my right side (שֵׁב לִימִינִי). The Hebrew word for right side (יָמִין) (so GNT, CEV; cf. NGÜ, GNB), often translated here as "right hand" (e.g., KJV, ESV, NIV, NLT, NET), refers to "the side of the human body which is to the south when facing the direction of the rising sun" (SDBH). The right side/hand of a king is "the position of honor, privilege, and preference."[7] The NLT translation makes this assumption explicit: “Sit in the place of honor at my right hand" (NLT).
  • Because YHWH himself sits on a heavenly throne (see e.g., Ps. 11:4), to sit at YHWH's right might mean either to sit on a throne next to YHWH's throne[8] or to sit next to YHWH on his throne.[9] In either case, the king is invited in v. 1 to occupy a place of high honour in YHWH's heavenly throne-room.[10] Because only priests were allowed access into YHWH's throne-room,[11] the king's position at YHWH's right anticipates the oath in v. 4 that he is a priest forever. Thus, as Emadi writes, 'The language of “right hand” does more than metaphorically communicate authority, power, and kingship; it also highlights the messiah’s privileged position of access to Yahweh. David’s lord will reign from the very heavenly throne room of God... Thus, we do not have to wait until 110:4 to see the priestly identity of David’s lord. Like the messianic picture in Psalm 2, the Davidic messiah will exercise kingly authority while enjoying priestly access to the very presence of God.'[12]

Psalm 110 - yamin.jpg

  • YHWH promises that he will make your enemies a footstool for your feet. A footstool (הֲדֹם) refers to "a low stool... for resting the feet on when sitting," and it is "often associated with authority" (SDBH).[13]
  • In the biblical world, the placement of enemies under one's feet was an expression of authority and victory.[14] As in the Neo-Assyrian royal prophecies[15] and biblical narratives,[16] ultimate credit for subduing the king's enemies belonged to the king's god.
  1. ↑ HALOT 657. So SDBH on נְאֻם: "action by which humans or deities make a prophetic statement; in the case of a deity this is usually done through the mouth of a prophet or seer."
  2. ↑ Hilber argues convincingly that "the whole of Psalm 110 has integrity as a unified prophetic oracle" (Hilber 2005, 82). In the first place, the phrase נאם יהוה (v. 1) signals that the psalm is a "prophetic oracle." Secondly, the phrase נשבע יהוה (v. 4) is also found frequently in the prophets (e.g., Isa. 14:24; 62:8; Jer. 51:14; Am. 4:2; 6:8; 8:7). In Amos 6:8, נשבע אדני appears together with נאם יהוה. Finally, Ps. 110 bears a number of resemblances to Neo-Assyrian royal prophecies (so Hilber 2005; transcriptions and translations of these prophecies can be read in Nissinen, Prophets and Prophecy in the Ancient Near East, 2019). Hilber notes the following points of resemblance: 1) "introductory formula" 2) "subdivision of oracle with a second introduction formula" 3) "change in person, both of the addressee and the divine speaker" 4) "legitimation of relationship between deity and king" 5) "enemies at the king's feet" 6) "promise of destruction of enemies" 7) "promise of universal dominion" 8) "presence of loyal supporters" 9) "divine promise accompanied by a denial of lying" 10) "affirmation of priestly responsibility" 11) "eternality of royal prerogatives" 12) "deity at the king's right hand affirms security" (Hilber 2005, 77-80).
  3. ↑ Compare the ancient translations, which also render this noun phrase as a clause. LXX: Εἶπεν; Peshitta: ܐܡܪ; Targum: אמר; Jerome dixit.
  4. ↑ See also several French and German translations: "Oracle du Seigneur à mon seigneur" (TOB; cf. NVS78P); "Déclaration du Seigneur à mon seigneur" (NBS; cf. BDS, NFC); "Spruch des HERRN für meinen Herrn" (ELB; cf. ZÜR).
  5. ↑ See e.g., Jacob's encounter with Esau in Gen. 33:8-14, in which Jacob, although speaking directly to Esau, refers to him in the third person as "my lord" to show deference. Cf. 1 Sam. 26:19. Thus, the third person אדני ("my lord") in v. 1 does not imply that the king is not the addressee at this point in the psalm.
  6. ↑ The addressee in Ps. 110, referred to as "my lord" (אדני) and as "a priest" (כהן), is never explicitly identified in as a "king." Nevertheless, "several hints are dropped that support the claim that the ruler is in fact a king" (Alan KamYau 2016, 109). Alan KamYau (109-110) identifies the following hints: (1) "The word אדון is not uncommon when used in reference to a king: Gen 40:1, 1 Sam 24:9[8], 26:17, 2 Sam 3:21, Ps 45:12[11] and others." (2) "The word מטה (glossed as 'scepter') is present in v. 2." (3) "The presence of this word רדה implies kingship to a certain extent." (4) "The poet citing Melchizedek who possesses the dual status of a king and a priest (cf. Gen. 14:18) depicts the person אדון ('lord') in v. 1 as such" (Alan KamYau 2016, 109-110). Other hints could also be identified. For example, he sits on a throne (v. 1), has an army (v. 3), and his enemies (vv. 1-2) are other kings (v. 5). Further support for a royal identification also comes from the general correspondences between this psalm and Neo-Assyrian royal prophecies, which are explicitly addressed to kings (cf. Hilber 2005). It is fitting, then, to refer to this participant in Ps. 110 as a "king." Furthermore, the title "king", which is assumed throughout the psalm, seems more appropriate as an unmarked reference to this participant than the titles which are explicitly given (e.g., "lord" and "priest"). As Rooke writes, "The psalm clearly addresses a royal figure to whom priestly prerogatives are subsequently granted by divine oath, and not a priestly figure who is being granted some kind of kingly rule. In addition, it uses as an analogy the figure of Melchizedek, who in his only other appearance in the Hebrew Scriptures (Gen. 14.18-20) is introduced as a king who is also a priest. This implies that for the addressee of the psalm, as for Melchizedek, the priesthood is a function of the kingship rather than the ruling power being a function of the priesthood, so that the one to whom the whole psalm is addressed is first and foremost a king" (Rooke 2013, 188).
  7. ↑ NIDOTTE. Cf. 1 Kgs. 2:19; Ps. 45:10.
  8. ↑ Cf. Daniel 7:13-14, which describes multiple thrones set up in God's throne one, one of which seems to be reserved for the Son of Man. Cf. Mitchell 2003, 259.
  9. ↑ So e.g., Zenger 1993. Cf. the words of Jesus in Revelation 3:21: "I sat with my father on his throne."
  10. ↑ In The Message of the Psalter (pp. 259-260), David Mitchell shows that ancient interpreters of Ps. 110 consistently read Ps. 110:1 as referring to YHWH's heavenly throne-room.
  11. ↑ The Most Holy Place is the earthly representation of YHWH's throne-room—the ark is his footstool, and he is enthroned above the cherubim (see e.g., Ps. 99)—and only priests are permitted into the throne-room of YHWH (e.g., Lev. 16).
  12. ↑ Emadi, "The royal priest: Psalm 110 in biblical-theological perspective," SBTS dissertation 2016, 125-126; cf. Emadi, The Royal Priest: Psalm 110 in Biblical Theology 2022.
  13. ↑ The word הֲדֹם is always used in connection with רגלים, usually in construct: הֲדֹ֣ם רַגְלָ֑י (Isa. 66:1); לַהֲדֹ֥ם רַגְלָ֗יו (Ps. 99:5; 132:7). There does not seem to be any difference between הדם רגלים and הדם לרגלים. In fact, the LXX translates the phrase here as a genitival phrase: ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου.
  14. ↑ See, for example, Josh. 10:24; 1 Kgs. 5:17; Ps. 8:7. For this image in Egypt, see Denkmäler aus Aegypten und Aethiopien. Cf. The description of Thutmose III: "His majesty arrived at the city of Memphis, he being satisfied because every foreign country and every land is under his sandals" (COS II 2.2c, "The Armant Stela of Thutmose III," eighteenth dynasty). For this image in Cilicia, see the Azatiwada Inscription (8th-7th cent. BC): "I built strong fortifications in all the far regions of the borders, in places where there had been evil men, gang leaders... But I, Azatiwada, placed them under my feet" (COS 2.31 "The Azatiwada Inscription"; cf. COS 2.21).
  15. ↑ E.g., SAA 9 1.1 line i 11: "′I am the great Lady, I am Ištar of Arbela who throws your enemies before your feet" (Nissinen 2019, 112).
  16. ↑ “You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of the Lord his God because of the warfare with which his enemies surrounded him, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet (עַ֤ד תֵּת־יְהוָה֙ אֹתָ֔ם תַּ֖חַת כַּפּ֥וֹת רַגְלוֹ׃)" (1 Kgs. 5:3, ESV [Heb: 5:17]).