Psalm 110 Verse-by-Verse

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Welcome to the Verse-by-Verse Notes for Psalm 110!

The Verse-by-Verse Notes present scholarly, exegetical materials (from all layers of analysis) in a verse-by-verse format. They often present alternative interpretive options and justification for a preferred interpretation. The Verse-by-Verse Notes are aimed at consultant-level users.

The discussion of each verse of this psalm includes the following items.

1. A link to the part of the overview video where the verse in question is discussed.
2. The verse in Hebrew and English.
3. An expanded paraphrase of the verse.
4. A grammatical diagram of the verse, which includes glosses for each word and phrase.
5. A series of notes on the verse, which contain information pertaining to the interpretation of the psalm (e.g., meaning of words and phrases, poetic features, difficult grammatical constructions, etc.).

YHWH's Declaration (vv. 1–3)

v. 1

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
ss	לְדָוִ֗ד מִ֫זְמ֥וֹר	A psalm by David.
1a	נְאֻ֤ם יְהוָ֨ה ׀ לַֽאדֹנִ֗י שֵׁ֥ב לִֽימִינִ֑י	YHWH’s oracle to my lord: “Sit at my right side,
1b	עַד־אָשִׁ֥ית אֹ֝יְבֶ֗יךָ הֲדֹ֣ם לְרַגְלֶֽיךָ׃	until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”

Expanded Paraphrase

A psalm by David to whom YHWH promised an everlasting dynasty, who is also a prophet.

This psalm is YHWH’s prophetic oracle which he revealed to me in a vision. In this oracle, YHWH speaks to my lord who is my descendant and yet who is also my superior. He says to him, “Sit with me on my throne at my right side the place of supreme honor and so share in my rule over the world until I give you victory over your enemies and make your enemies a footstool for your feet such that your enemies are brought under your authority and control. You need not take matters into your own hands; I will subdue your enemies for you.”

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The construct phrase translated YHWH's oracle (נְאֻם יְהוָה) is "an almost completely fixed technical expression introducing prophetic oracles." 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. Many translations render the noun phrase "YHWH's oracle" as a clause: "the Lord says/said to my Lord" (NIV, ESV, NLT, GNT). The NET more closely reflects the grammar of the Hebrew text: "Here is the LORD's proclamation to my lord."
• 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. 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.

The Egyptian king Horemheb seated at the right hand of the god Horus. Image from The Global Egyptian Museum.

• 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." 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 or to sit next to YHWH on his throne. In either case, the king is invited in v. 1 to occupy a place of high honour in YHWH's heavenly throne-room. Because only priests were allowed access into YHWH's throne-room, 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.'

"Painting: Abd el-Qurna: tomb of Hekaerneheh: Thut-mose IV (1422–1413 B.C." (Kiel 1997:255, 403). Image from Lepsius, Carl Richard. Denkmäler aus Aegypten und Aethiopien. Berlin: Nicolaische Buchhandlung, 1859:Abth.III.BI.69.

• 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).
• In the biblical world, the placement of enemies under one's feet was an expression of authority and victory. As in the Neo-Assyrian royal prophecies and biblical narratives, ultimate credit for subduing the king's enemies belonged to the king's god.
• The A and B lines of v. 1 are joined syntactically by the subordinating conjunction until (עַד) (so most English translations). This conjunction might be taken to imply that the king will cease to sit at YHWH's right (v. 1a) once his enemies have been subdued (v. 1b). Sometimes, however, the conjunction עַד (or עַד אֲשֶׁר) is used to "express a limit which is not absolute (terminating in the preceding action), but only relative, beyond which the action or state described in the principal clause still continues." For example, Ps. 112:8 says, "His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until (עַד אֲשֶׁר) he looks in triumph (יִרְאֶה) on his adversaries" (ESV).

v. 2

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
2a	מַטֵּֽה־עֻזְּךָ֗ יִשְׁלַ֣ח יְ֭הוָה מִצִּיּ֑וֹן	YHWH will extend your strong staff from Zion.
2b	רְ֝דֵ֗ה בְּקֶ֣רֶב אֹיְבֶֽיךָ׃	Rule among your enemies!

Expanded Paraphrase

YHWH will extend your strong staff the symbol of your royal rule from Zion the holy city in which you are enthroned. From Zion, your kingdom will spread to the ends of the earth. Then you will Rule among those who are currently your enemies!

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The first two verses are bound together as a unit by the repetition of the word "your enemies" אֹיְבֶיךָ (vv. 1b, 2b) and by a chiasm: a imperative, b yiqtol, c "footstool" // c' "strong staff", b' yiqtol, a' imperative.

• In v. 2, the psalmist begins to speak in his own voice, elaborating on YHWH's words in v. 1.
• The direct object of the first clause your strong staff (מַטֵּה־עֻזְּךָ) is fronted, not only for the purpose of creating a chiasm, but probably also to signal the activation of this entity as the topic of the sentence, in contrast to the "footstool" mentioned at the end of the previous clause. By fronting "your strong staff", the author indicates his transition from talking about one symbol of royal rule (the footstool) to another (the strong staff): "As for your strong staff, YHWH will extend it from Zion."
• The phrase your strong staff (מַטֵּה־עֻזְּךָ) is, in Hebrew, a construct chain: lit.: "the staff of your strength." The second noun in the construct chain ("strength") expresses an attribute of the first noun ("staff"). Thus, translations have "strong staff" or "mighty scepter" (NIV, ESV, CSB). Other translations make it clear that the king's strong staff is a metonymy for his kingdom: "your powerful kingdom" (NLT), "your royal power" (GNT), "your dominion" (NET).
• The imperative rule is used here, not to command, but to "to express a distinct assurance... or promise, e.g., ... Ps. 110:2." Thus, some translations have a future here as an attempt to represent the pragmatic force of the imperative (e.g., CEV: "and you will rule over your enemies).
• For the phrase among your enemies (בְּקֶרֶב אֹיְבֶיךָ), some translations have "over your enemies" (NLT, GNT). A potential issue with this translation is that it loses the sense of locational movement: the king's rule is extended "from Zion" (v. 2a) so that his kingdom is now "in the midst of" those who are outside Zion (v. 2b).

v. 3

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
3a	עַמְּךָ֣ נְדָבֹת֮ בְּי֪וֹם חֵ֫ילֶ֥ךָ	Your people will be willing on the day you manifest your power.
3b	בְּֽהַדְרֵי־קֹ֭דֶשׁ מֵרֶ֣חֶם מִשְׁחָ֑ר	On holy mountains, from the womb of dawn,
3c	לְ֝ךָ֗ טַ֣ל יַלְדֻתֶֽיךָ׃	the dew, your young men, [will come] into your possession.

Expanded Paraphrase

In order for your royal rule to extend from Zion, you will need an army, and so YHWH will give you an army. Your people will be willing to fight for you and join your army on the day you manifest your power and gather an army for war. On the holy mountains which surround Zion, from the womb of dawn early in the morning as a sign of their willingness, your army, which might be compared to the morning dew, which falls on the mountains of Zion, that is, your young men, [will come] into your possession. Like dew, which falls from the sky as a gift from God, so your willing army is a gift from YHWH. And just as dew consists of innumerable drops and covers the ground, so your army will consist of innumerable people and overwhelm your enemies.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The third verse is the final verse in the first section (vv. 1-3), which is bound together by the repetition of the 2ms suffix, which occurs 8 times in this section (as opposed to one time in the second section) and multiple times in each verse.

• Verse 3 is, in the words of one Bible translation, "one of the most difficult texts in all the Bible." The difficulty is due, primarily, to a number of textual issues. For a thorough discussion of the primary issues, see The Text, Grammar, and Meaning of Ps. 110:3. In short, we follow the MT throughout v. 3 with one exception: we read "on holy mountains" (בְּהַרְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ) instead of "in holy garments" (בְּהַדְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ).
• The whole verse might be summarised as follows: "the youth of your people will flock to your war campaign voluntarily and in large numbers." The first half of the verse (v. 3a) states this literally ("your people will be willing on the day of your power"), and the second half of the verse (v. 3bc) states this figuratively ("the willing volunteers will be like dew that covers the mountains at the break of dawn"). Thus, "the thought of the first half of the verse is repeated with an image and further painted out."
• The word willing (נְדָבֹת)—which, in Hebrew, is a plural noun—can refer either to (1) a "voluntary/freewill offering," or (2) "voluntariness" or "freewill" in the abstract. Thus, Ps. 110:3a may say either (1) "your people are freewill offerings," or (2) "your people are freewill" >> "your people are willing, eager to volunteer." The latter is more likely in light of Judges 5, which twice describes people eagerly volunteering for battle: בְּהִתְנַדֵּב עָם (Jdg. 5:2); הַמִּתְנַדְּבִים בָּעָם (Jdg. 5:9). GKC explains the use of the plural נְדָבֹת instead of the singular נְדָבָה as a means of attaining "emphasis," citing also Ct. 5:16 (חִכּוֹ מַמְתַקִּים) and Dn. 9:23 (חֲמוּדוֹת אָתָּה). The NGÜ does a good job of bringing out this emphasis: "with all their heart your people stand ready..."
• The adverbial prepositional phrase on the day of your power (בְּיוֹם חֵילֶךָ) specifies the time of the people's willingness as future: "your people will be willing on the day of your power." The phrase as a whole refers to the time when the king will go to war against his enemies.
• The word power (חַ֫יִל) is often used in military contexts, and it often refer to an "army." In this context, "the day of your (military) power" is "the day of the waging of your war" (Targum).
• The second clause in v. 3—the clause in v. 3bc—forms a chiasm with the clause in v. 3a: Subject-Predicate-Adjunct // Adjunct-Predicate-Subject.
• In the second clause (v. 3bc) the king's army is compared to the early-morning dew that falls on the mountains of Zion. The following table explores this implied metaphor the king's young men are dew.

• The phrase on the holy mountains (בְּהַרְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ), which occurs also in Ps. 87:1 בְּהַרְרֵי־קֹֽדֶשׁ, refers to the mountains around Jerusalem (cf. Ps. 125:2; 133:3). Several modern translations read "holy mountains" (RSV, NRSV, GNT, NET, DHH94I, PDV2017, NFC), while a majority of modern translations follow the Masoretic Text in reading "holy garments" (בְּהַדְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ). The difference between the two readings is a single letter (ד vs ר). Our preferred reading (בְּהַרְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ) is found in a number of medieval Hebrew manuscripts, and it is reflected in the translations of Symmachus and Jerome. This reading fits very well in the context, which mentions "Zion" (v. 2, cf. Ps. 87) and "dew" (cf. Ps. 133). The scribal change from בְּהַרְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ to בְּהַדְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ is easy to explain: the letters dalet and resh look nearly identical, not only in the Aramaic square script but also in earlier forms of the Hebrew script. See The Text, Grammar, and Meaning of Ps. 110:3 for details.

Jerusalem mountains at sunrise. Photo by Tom Shapira.

• The phrase from the womb of dawn is difficult, but it probably refers to the way in which the dew (i.e., the king's army) falls on the mountains early in the morning, at the break of dawn, as though the dawn were giving birth to the dew-like army of young men.
• The word dawn, which occurs only here, is probably 'a byform of the more common word שחר meaning "dawn". Note that words of this semantic field typically bear the mem before the root— thus מזרח "sunrise, east", מוצא "sunrise, east", מבוא "sunset, west", and מערב "sunset, west"—so it should not be surprising to encounter the word משחר "dawn" in the ancient Hebrew lexicon."
• On the holy mountains, at the break of dawn, the dew comes into your possession. In Hebrew, there is no verb ("comes"), and thus some translations translate the clause as "the dew of your youth will be yours" (ESV, cf. KJV, JPS, REB, NET, RVR95). However, the preceding prepositional phrases ("on holy mountains... from the womb of dawn...") seem to imply a verb (e.g., בוא): "the dew, your youth, will come to you." And, in Hebrew, coming to someone (בוא ל) means to come into that person's possession.
• The word young men (lit.: "youth", יַלְדוּת), which in Ecclesiastes 11:9 is an abstract noun meaning "youthfulness," here refers to " young men" (= ילדים). As Delitzsch writes, "the punctuation, which makes the principal caesura at חילך with Olewejored, makes the parallelism of חילך and ילדותך distinct... Just as גלות signifies both exile and the exiled ones, so ילדות, like νεοτης, juventus, juventa, signifies both the time and age of youth, youthfulness, and youthful, young men (the youth)." If ילדות refers to "young men" and "dew" is an image of the willing volunteers, then טל and ילדות, two constituents in a construct chain, stand in an "equalizing relationship" (BHRG 25.4.4): "the dew (viz.) your young men."

YHWH's Confirmation (vv. 4–7)

v. 4

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
4a	נִשְׁבַּ֤ע יְהוָ֨ה ׀ וְלֹ֥א יִנָּחֵ֗ם	YHWH has sworn, and he will not change his mind:
4b	אַתָּֽה־כֹהֵ֥ן לְעוֹלָ֑ם	“You are forever a priest
4c	עַל־דִּ֝בְרָתִ֗י מַלְכִּי־צֶֽדֶק׃	just like Melchizedek.”

Expanded Paraphrase

Because you are seated on YHWH's throne, in YHWH's throne-room, a place only priests are permitted to enter, you are, therefore, a priest, and your priesthood is confirmed with an oath. YHWH has sworn an oath, and he will not change his mind: "You David's descendant and lord are forever a priest and, therefore you will forever sit enthroned in my presence. Although you are not from the tribe of Levi, the tribe to which Israel's priests belong, one of the first kings in Zion, who was called "Melchizedek," who was not a Levite, was both king and priest. You, therefore, are king and priest just like Melchizedek.”

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Verse 4 is similar to v. 1. Both verses begin with a speech-related word ("oracle"//"has sworn") beginning with nun and followed by YHWH's name (נְאֻ֤ם יְהוָ֨ה ׀ // נִשְׁבַּ֤ע יְהוָ֨ה ׀). Furthermore, the two verses are almost identical in terms of their prosodic structures according to the Masoretic accents. The similarities between v. 1 and v. 4 are part of a larger structural pattern in which the second half of the psalm (vv. 4-7) echoes the first half of the psalm (vv. 1-3):

• The king's priestly status, which was implied in v. 1, is here made explicit and confirmed with an unchanging oath: YHWH has sworn, and he will not change his mind: "You are forever a priest..." The purpose of an oath is to confirm the sincerity of a commitment to do or not do something. Thus, by swearing an oath, YHWH not only claims that the king is a priest, but he also commits himself to ensuring the eternal continuation of the king's priestly status; the king will never cease to sit in YHWH's presence and on YHWH's throne.
• The present tense of the clause you are... is assumed from context.
• Although some translations read the grammar differently (e.g., JPS85: "a rightful king by My decree"), Melchizedek (מַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק) is most likely a proper noun, as in Gen. 14:18. For a detailed discussion, see The Grammar and Meaning of Ps. 110:4.
• The phrase translated just like (עַל־דִּבְרָתִי) occurs only here, and it probably means "in relation to" >> "in the manner of / like." The yod suffix on דִּבְרָתִי is probably a "connecting yod" (hireq compaginis), such that the whole phrase might be translated, "in relation to Melchizedek" or, more naturally, "like Melchizedek." See The Grammar and Meaning of Ps. 110:4. The king in Ps. 110 is like Melchizedek primarily in the sense that he, like Melchizedek, is both king and priest in Jerusalem (cf. Gen. 14:18).

v. 5

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
5a	אֲדֹנָ֥י עַל־יְמִֽינְךָ֑	The Lord at your right side
5b	מָחַ֖ץ בְּיוֹם־אַפּ֣וֹ מְלָכִֽים׃	smashed kings on the day his anger was unleashed.

Expanded Paraphrase

This is what I, David, saw in my vision: The Lord (=YHWH) who stands in battle at your (=my lord, the king's) right side to protect you and to fight on your behalf) (because you have served him as a faithful priest smashed rebellious kings on the day his anger was unleashed just as he defeated wicked kings in Melchizedek's day.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The second section (vv. 4-7) is bound together by the psalm's allusion to Gen. 14. Like Genesis 14, Ps. 110:4-7 features Melchizedek (cf. v. 4) and describes a battle against wicked kings (cf. vv. 5-7).
• Whereas in v. 1 the king is referred to as "my lord (אדני) and is invited to sit at YHWH's "right side" (ימין), in v. 5, YHWH is referred to as the Lord (אדני) and is said to be at the king's right side (ימין). In both v. 1 and v. 5, the consonantal text אדני is identical, though the Masoretic vowel points distinguish "my lord" (v. 1—אדנִי) from "the Lord" (v. 5—אדנָי). Thus, as Mitchell notes, "there seems to be a conflation of YHWH and the king... presumably to stress their oneness of will and purpose." Similarly, van der Lugt says, "it is a basic constituent of the overall framework of the psalm that God and the king are mutually exchangeable"; both are called אדני, and both position themselves at the right hand of the other.

• The two lines in v. 5 may be either one clause ("YHWH, who is at your right hand, has crushed..."; cf. KJV, NEB, LUT, ELB) or two clauses ("YHWH is at your right hand. He has crushed..."; cf. NIV, NLT, ESV, REB, JPS85, GNT, CEV, HFA, NGÜ, ZÜR). The division of the MT accents may suggest two separate clauses, while the lack of any line division in most LXX manuscripts may suggest one clause. The fact that יְמִֽינְךָ֑ is a contextual form and not a pausal form (יְמִינֶךָ) supports the decision to read these lines as a single clause; if there was a clause boundary, we might have expected יְמִינֶךָ.
• The subject The Lord at your right side (אֲדֹנָ֥י עַל־יְמִֽינְךָ֑) is fronted, probably for confirming focus. In v. 1, YHWH said that he was going to subdue the king's enemies. Now, in v. 5, YHWH's role in this action is confirmed: "(Yes), it's the Lord, who is at your right hand, who smashed kings... He is the one who subdues your enemies for you." This fits well with the overall mood and purpose of the psalm, which is to assure the king that YHWH is going to take care of his enemies for him.
• Not everyone agrees, however, that YHWH is the subject of the verb in v. 5. In fact, the subject of each clause in vv. 5-7 is contested. For a detailed discussion of the issue, see The Subject(s) in Ps. 110:5-7. In short, the subject throughout vv. 5-7 is probably YHWH. The argument for this view is simple: אֲדֹנָי ("the Lord" = YHWH) is named as the subject in v. 5a, and "there is no indication in the sequence of clauses in vv. 5-7 that we should assume a change of subject." Furthermore, "vv. 5-7 are an integrated metaphor;" the act of drinking from a stream naturally follows the act of smashing heads (e.g., Judges 15:15-19). Thus, the subject of vv. 5-6 (the warrior who smashes heads) is most likely also the subject of v. 7 (the one who drinks to quench his thirst). Furthermore, throughout the psalm, the king is the addressee and is thus referred to in the second person. The verbs in v. 7, however, are in the third person.
• The tense(s) of the verbs in vv. 5-7 (smashed... will rule... filled... smashed... will drink... will lift) are another point of difficulty in these verses. The sequence of verb forms is qatal-yiqtol-qatal-qatal-yiqtol-yiqtol. Some translations render all of the verbs as future tense (NIV, NLT, ESV, GNT, CEV, LUT), some as present (JPS85, NJB, NET), and some with a combination of past and future tense (LXX, Jerome, Peshitta; cf. NEB). It is clear that these verbs describe events that will take place in the future: "the day of his anger" (בְּיוֹם־אַפּוֹ) (v. 5b). Why, then, does the author repeatedly uses the past-tense verb form qatal? This use of qatal is the so-called "prophetic perfect" use of qatal, the examples of which "are not all to be understood as one use of qatal but rather as several distinct ones." In many cases of the "prophetic perfect," the author has used a past tense form because he/she is describing "events which occurred in a vision or in a dream." For example, in his "oracle" (נְאֻם) Balaam says, "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star has marched (דָּרַךְ) from Jacob, and a scepter has risen [or, will arise?] (וְקָם) from Israel..." (Num. 24:17; cf. Isa. 8:23-9:6; 22:1-14). Since Psalm 110, like Num. 24:17ff, is a prophetic oracle (נְאֻם) presumably communicated to the prophet in a dream or a vision, the qatal verbs in vv. 5-6 may refer to the events which took place in the dream/vision. If this interpretation of the qatal verbs in vv. 5b, 6ab is correct, then how should we interpret the yiqtol verbs in vv. 6a, 7ab? These yiqtol verbs are probably future with respect to the events described in vv. 5b, 6b: "having smashed kings he will rule and drink..." In other words, all of the qatal verbs in vv. 5-7 (smashing heads and filling with corpses) refer to events that happen on the day of his wrath, while all of the yiqtol verbs in vv. 5-7 (judging the nations and drinking from the wadi) describe events that happen after the day of his wrath. Once YHWH has destroyed all of the kings, he will drink from the wadi, and he will rule the nations.
• The word smashed is a key word in this psalm (cf. v. 6b). The word appears only in poetic texts and has very strong associations with violence and gore—smashing "heads" is especially common (cf. Hab. 3:13; Pss. 68:22; 110:6; cf. Num. 24:17; Jdg. 5:26).

• The phrase on the day his anger was unleashed (lit.: "the day of his anger") refers not so much "the day when he gets/becomes angry" (CEV, GNT), but rather "the day he unleashes his anger" (NET; cf. NGÜ), i.e., "the day of judgment" (HFA). The phrase recalls the similar phrase בְּיוֹם חֵילֶךָ in v. 3.
• The word "smash" is one of several allusive connections between Psalm 110 and Balaam's final oracle in Numbers 24:15–19. Like Psalm 110, Numbers 2x4:15-19 is an "oracle" (נְאֻם) which describes a "staff" (שֵׁבֶט) that will come "from Israel" (מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל) (cf. Ps. 110:2a), "smash" (מָחַץ) the heads of his enemies (cf. Ps. 110:5-6) and "rule" (רדה) (cf. Ps. 110:2b). The word חיל ("power") is also used in Numbers 24 (cf. Ps. 110:3).

• Similarly, Psalm 110's allusion to Genesis 14 is not limited to the mention of Melchizedek (v. 4). The worldwide battle against wicked kings in vv. 5-7, which concludes in the victor drinking (water), recalls the world-wide battle against the wicked kings in Genesis 14, which also concludes with the victor drinking (Gen. 14:18). The allusions to these two passages in the Pentateuch (Gen. 14 and Num. 24) may be visualised as follows:

• By alluding to these passages, Psalm 110 presents itself as a divine revelation that develops previous divine revelation. Like the Messianic figure in Balaam's oracle, the king in Ps. 110 will conquer his enemies and "rule" (רדה) from Jacob. Psalm 110 develops the Messianic picture of Numbers 24 by blending it with Genesis 14: the Messiah will be, like Melchizedek, both king and priest in Zion. The characters and events of Genesis 14 are thus read typologically. Just as the coalition of evil kings was defeated across the wide world in the days of Melchizedek, so too when the new "Melchizedek" comes, YHWH (with the king at his side) will conquer the rebellious kings of the earth.

v. 6

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
6a	יָדִ֣ין בַּ֭גּוֹיִם מָלֵ֣א גְוִיּ֑וֹת	He will rule among the nations whom he filled with corpses.
6b	מָ֥חַץ רֹ֝֗אשׁ עַל־אֶ֥רֶץ רַבָּֽה׃	He smashed heads across the wide world.

Expanded Paraphrase

When YHWH has slain all of the rebellious kings, He himself will become king in their place, and will rule with justice among the nations whom he filled with corpses. Because the lord shares YHWH's throne, the lord also will rule among the nations whom YHWH filled with corpses. In my vision, He that is, YHWH, smashed the heads of the rebellious kings across the wide world and so he has extended the lord's scepter from Zion and made his enemies a footstool for his feet.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Verses 5-6 are a tightly bound poetic unit. The b-line of each verse begins with the rare word מחץ, and the a-line of each verse begins with a word with the consonants d and n: אֲדֹנָי and יָדִין.

• The verb he will rule (יָדִין) may refer here to the execution of judgment (= punishment) against the nations. The verb may also, however, refer to "broader tasks of establishing and maintaining order (through governing and administering)," and, in the Psalms, it sometimes refers to "God's sovereign rule over ... the nations in general." Psalm 96:10, for example, says that when YHWH becomes king over the nations, he will rule them with justice (יָדִ֥ין עַ֝מִּ֗ים בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים). If the nations in Ps. 110 are distinguished from their wicked kings (as in Ps. 2), then v. 6a may say that YHWH, once he has destroyed the wicked kings, will rule justly over the nations.
• The prepositional phrase among the nations (בַּגּוֹיִם) probably indicates the place where the ruling/judgment takes place. "The בְּ in בַּגּוֹיִם indicates that the peoples whom he judges are gathered around him."
• There is a textual problem in the second half of v. 6a, associated with the word corpses. Whereas most translations choose to follow the MT and read "fill with corpses" (מָלֵא גְוִיּוֹת), some translations emend the text to read "fill the valleys with corpses" (מִלֵּא גֵאָיוֹת גְּוִיוֹת). But the MT reading is supported by the oldest textual witness (LXX: πληρώσει πτώματα) and fits well in the context.
• The clause whom he filled with corpses is syntactically difficult. The verb "fill/full" (מָלֵא qal) may be intransitive ("it [=the battlefield] is full of corpses"; cf. Ps. 33:5) or transitive ("he fills [it/them] with corpses"; cf. 1 Kings 18:34; Ezek. 8:17). In either case, something must be supplied, either the subject or the object. There is another option, however, which does not require any elision: "fill with corpses" (מָלֵא גְוִיּוֹת) may be an asyndetic relative clause (= אֲשֶׁר מָלֵא גְוִיּוֹת) modifying "nations" (גּוֹיִם). This interpretation (though unattested among translations) is supported by two considerations. First, analyzing מָלֵא גְוִיּוֹת as an asyndetic relative clause solves the problem of the missing constituent. There is no need to supply "the earth" or "the battlefield" in order to make the sentence grammatical. Instead, the text reads: "He will judge the nations whom he has filled with corpses." Second, the two clauses (יָדִין בַּגּוֹיִם and מָלֵא גְוִיּוֹת) together constitute a single poetic line; the prosodic unity supports the plausibility of a syntactic unity.
• For the meaning and tense of the verb smashed (מָחַץ), see notes on v. 5.
• The singular noun "head" (רֹאשׁ) is probably a collective (heads) as in Ps. 68:22 (רֹאשׁ אֹיְבָיו), and, given the close relationship of v. 6b with v. 5b, it may be short for "the heads of kings" (רֹאשׁ מְלָכִים).
• The prepositional phrase across the wide world (עַל אֶרֶץ רַבָּה) may modify either the noun "heads" (cf. NIV, ELB.) or the verb "smashed" (cf. NET, JPS, EÜ). The first option ("heads over the wide world") is likely if the word "head" refers to a leader, since "heads" (=leaders) are said to be "over" people. This interpretation is further supported by the parallel with the previous verse: "he smashed kings" (v. 5b) //"he smashed heads" (v. 6b). It is unlikely, however, that the word "heads" refers figuratively to leaders in this context, because the verb "smash" is often associated with the smashing of literal (not figurative) heads. If "head" is understood literally (as a body part), then the phrase "across the wide world" (עַל אֶרֶץ רַבָּה) probably modifies the verb "smash" (מָחַץ).
• The adjective wide (רַבָּה) probably modifies "world" (אֶרֶץ) with which it agrees in gender (feminine) and number (singular) and to which it is prosodically bound (merka). Some have argued that because "earth" (אֶרֶץ) is never described as "wide" (רַבָּה), the word רַבָּה must be an adverb as in Ps. 62:3 and 78:15. But the phrase אֶרֶץ רַבָּה, though unique, is analogous to the common phrase תְּהוֹם רַבָּה.

v. 7

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
7a	מִ֭נַּחַל בַּדֶּ֣רֶךְ יִשְׁתֶּ֑ה	He will drink from a wadi on the campaign.
7b	עַל־כֵּ֝֗ן יָרִ֥ים רֹֽאשׁ׃	Therefore, he will lift his head.

Expanded Paraphrase

After smashing the heads of enemy kings, like a warrior who is weary from battle He that is, YHWH, will drink from a wadi on the campaign. The fact that he is able to pause to refresh himself with water in enemy territory is a sign that he has successfully conquered his enemy. Therefore refreshed from his drink and confident in his victory, he will lift [his] head in victorious triumph over his enemies whose heads have been smashed.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Verse 7 is added to vv. 5-6 to form a larger poetic unit. The grouping of v. 7 with vv. 5-6 is supported by the repetition of the word רֹאשׁ (vv. 6b, 7b) and the fact that vv. 5-7 seem to describe a single scene, a dream report in which YHWH, like a warrior, crushes his enemies and refreshes himself with a drink.

• YHWH probably continues to be the subject in this v. 7. See The Subject(s) in Ps. 110:5-7. The number one objection scholars raise to this view is that "it is difficult to think of God as drinking from the torrent"; "the action of drinking from 'a stream upon the way' is more readily comprehensible of a human king than of YHWH himself.' This objection is hardly persuasive, however, because the Old Testament often describes YHWH in stark anthropomorphic terms. The motif of YHWH as a warrior is especially common (cf. Ex. 15:3). The image of YHWH as a warrior drinking from a stream in Ps. 110:7 is hardly more difficult to imagine that the image of YHWH waking "from sleep, as a warrior wakes from the stupor of wine" (Ps. 78:65).
• He will drink. It is natural for the warrior, having smashed heads across the wide world, to drink water to refresh himself. More significantly is the fact that he drinks water in enemy territory—a gesture of dominance.
• YHWH drinks from a wadi. A wadi is "a relatively steep and narrow valley following the course of a stream, which is often dry, except for the rainy season" (SDBH). In the larger poetic structure of the psalm, the mention of a wadi in v. 7 parallels the mention of "dew" in v. 4. See the visual in the notes for v. 4.
• The word phrase translated on the campaign (בַּדֶּרֶךְ) (cf. NGÜ) is, literally, "on the way/road/path." In this militaristic context, "the way" probably refers to the warrior's campaign (cf. 1 Sam. 15:18, 20). The word is definite because it is identifiable from the preceding context; the conquering of enemies outside of Zion (cf. vv. 2, 5) implies a "journey" or "campaign."
• The phrase "on the campaign" (בַּדֶּרֶךְ) might modify either (1) the wadi ("a wadi [which is located] on the journey/campaign") or (2) the act of drinking ("he will drink on the campaign, from a wadi"). The second option seems to be supported by the Masoretic accentuation, which separates the phrases "from a wadi" and "on the campaign" with a disjunctive accent. The first option, however, provides a much simpler explanation of the word order, since, according to the first option, only one constituent ("from a wadi on the campaign") is fronted.
• The whole phrase from a wadi on the campaign is fronted and probably pragmatically marked. The fact that the warrior takes a drink of water is not, in an of itself, noteworthy; quenching thirst after battle is assumed (cf. Judges 15:16ff). What is significant is that he takes a drink from a wadi on the campaign (i.e., from water in enemy territory), because drinking foreign water is a gesture of dominance.
• The discourse marker therefore (עַל־כֵּן) introduces the outcome of the previously stated action, In Ps. 110:7, the "therefore" clause says that YHWH will lift up his head (a gesture of victory over enemies and a sign of renewed confidence) because, having drank the enemy's water, he is refreshed and confident that his victory is complete.
• He will lift his head. Lifting one's head is a gesture of victorious triumph and renewed confidence. The lifted head in v. 7 contrasts starkly with the smashed heads in vv. 5-6.

Legends

Grammatical diagram

The grammar layer visually represents the grammar and syntax of each clause. It also displays alternative interpretations of the grammar. (For more information, click "Grammar Legend" below.)

Grammar Legend

Visualization	Description
	The clause is represented by a horizontal line with a vertical line crossing through it, separating the subject and the verb.
	The object is indicated by a vertical line that does not cross the horizontal line of the clause. Infinitives and participles may also have objects. If the direct object marker (d.o.m.) is present in the text, it appears in the diagram immediately before the object. If the grammar includes a secondary object, the secondary object will appear after the object, separated by another vertical line that does not cross the horizontal line of the clause.
	The subject complement follows the verb (often omitted in Hebrew) separated with a line leaning toward the right. It can be a noun, a whole prepositional phrase or an adjective. The later two appear modifying the complement slot.
	When a noun further describes or renames the object, it is an object complement. The object complement follows the object separated by a line leaning toward the right.
	In a construct chain, the noun in the absolute form modifies the noun in the construct form.
	Participles are indicated in whatever position in the clause they are in with a curved line before the participle. Participles can occur as nominal, where they take the place of a noun, predicate, where they take the place of a verb, or attributive, where they modify a noun or a verb similar to adjectives or adverbs.
	Infinitives are indicated by two parallel lines before the infinitive that cross the horizontal line. Infinitive constructs can appear as the verb in an embedded clause. Infinitive absolutes typically appear as an adverbial.
	The subject of the infinitive often appears in construct to it. In this situation, the infinitive and subject are diagrammed as a construct chain.
	The object of the infinitive is indicated by a vertical line that does not cross the horizontal line of the infinitival clause.
	Modifiers are represented by a solid diagonal line from the word they modify. They can attach to verbs, adjectives, or nouns. If modifying a verb or adjective, it is an adverb, but if modifying a noun, it is an adjective, a quantifier, or a definite article. If an adverb is modifying a modifier, it is connected to the modifier by a small dashed horizontal line.
	Adverbials are indicated by a dashed diagonal line extending to a horizontal line. These are nouns or infinitives that function adverbially (modifying either a verb or a participle), but are not connected by a preposition.
	Prepositional phrases are indicated by a solid diagonal line extending to a horizontal line. The preposition is to the left of the diagonal line and the dependent of the preposition is on the horizontal line. They can modify verbs (adverbial) or nouns (adjectival).
	Embedded clauses are indicated by a "stand" that looks like an upside-down Y. The stand rests in the grammatical position that the clause fulfills. Extending from the top of the stand is a horizontal line for the clause. If introduced by a complementizer, for example כִּי, the complementizer appears before the stand. Embedded clauses can stand in the place of any noun.
	When clauses are joined by a conjunction, they are compound clauses. These clauses are connected by a vertical dotted line. The conjunction is placed next to the dotted line.
	Within a clause, if two or more parts of speech are compound, these are represented by angled lines reaching to the two compound elements connected by a solid vertical line. If a conjunction is used, the conjunction appears to the left of the vertical line. Almost all parts of speech can be compound.
	Subordinate clauses are indicated by a dashed line coming from the line dividing the subject from the predicate in the independent clause and leading to the horizontal line of the subordinate clause. The subordinating conjunction appears next to the dashed line.
	Relative clauses also have a dashed line, but the line connects the antecedent to the horizontal line of the relative clause. The relative particle appears next to the dashed line.
	Sentence fragments are represented by a horizontal line with no vertical lines. They are most frequently used in superscriptions to psalms. They are visually similar to discourse particles and vocatives, but most often consist of a noun phrase (that does not refer to a person or people group) or a prepositional phrase.
	In the body of the psalm, a horizontal line by itself (with no modifiers or vertical lines) can indicate either a discourse particle or a vocative (if the word is a noun referring to a person or people group). A discourse particle is a conjunction or particle that functions at the discourse level, not at the grammatical level. Vocatives can appear either before or after the clause addressed to them, depending on the word order of the Hebrew.
	Apposition is indicated by an equal sign equating the two noun phrases. This can occur with a noun in any function in a sentence.

Hebrew text colors
Default preferred text	The default preferred reading is represented by a black line. The text of the MT is represented in bold black text.
Dispreferred reading	The dispreferred reading is an alternative interpretation of the grammar, represented by a pink line. The text of the MT is represented in bold pink text, while emendations and revocalizations retain their corresponding colors (see below).
Emended text	Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is represented by bold blue text, whether that reading is preferred or dispreferred.
Revocalized text	Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is represented by bold purple text, whether that reading is preferred or dispreferred.
(Supplied elided element)	Any element that is elided in the Hebrew text is represented by bold gray text in parentheses.
( )	The position of a non-supplied elided element is represented by empty black parentheses. For example, this would be used in the place of the noun when an adjective functions substantivally or in the place of the antecedent when a relative clause has an implied antecedent.

Gloss text colors
Gloss used in the CBC	The gloss used in the Close-but-Clear translation is represented by bold blue text.
Literal gloss >> derived meaning	A gloss that shows the more literal meaning as well as the derived figurative meaning is represented in blue text with arrows pointing towards the more figurative meaning. The gloss used in the CBC will be bolded.
Supplied elided element	The gloss for a supplied elided element is represented in bold gray text.

Shapes and colours on grammatical diagram

(For more information, click "Phrase-level Legend" below.)

Phrase-level Legend

Visualization	Description
	The prepositional phrase is indicated by a solid green oval.
	The construct chain is indicated by a solid yellow oval.
	When the conjunction ו appears at the phrase-level (not clause-level), it is indicated by a solid light purple oval.
	The article is indicated by a solid blue oval.

Expanded paraphrase

(For more information, click "Expanded Paraphrase Legend" below.)

Expanded Paraphrase Legend

Expanded paraphrase legend
Close but Clear (CBC) translation	The CBC, our close but clear translation of the Hebrew, is represented in bold text.
Assumptions	Assumptions which provide background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences are represented in italics.

Bibliography

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Barbiero, Gianni. 2014. "The non-violent messiah of Psalm 110". Biblische Zeitschrift 58, 1: 1-20.

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Booij, Thijs. 1991. "Psalm Cx: Rule in the Midst of Your Foes!" Vetus Testamentum. Vol. 41, no.: 396-407.

Bratcher, Robert G. and William David Reyburn. 1991. A Translator’s Handbook on the Book of Psalms. UBS Handbook Series. New York: United Bible Societies.

Briggs, Charles and Emilie Briggs. 1907. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Psalms. International Critical Commentary. New York: C. Scribner’s Sons.

Caquot, André. 1956. "Remarques sur le Psaume CX." Semitica. Vol. 6: 33-52.

de Hoop, Raymond, and Paul Sanders. 2022. “The System of Masoretic Accentuation: Some Introductory Issues”. The Journal of Hebrew Scriptures 22.

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Driver, G. R. 1964. "Psalm CX: Its Form Meaning and Purpose." In Studies in the Bible: Presented to Professor M.H. Segal by His Colleagues and Students. Edited by J. M. Grintz & J. Liver. Jerusalem: Published for the Israel Society for Biblical: 17-31.

Emadi, Matthew. 2022. The Royal Priest: Psalm 110 in Biblical Theology. New Studies in Biblical Theology. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press.

Fokkelman, J. P. 2000. Major Poems of the Hebrew Bible: At the Interface of Hermeneutics and Structural Analysis. Studia Semitica Neerlandica. Assen, The Netherlands: Van Gorcum.

Gentry, Peter J. 2021. “Psalm 110:3 and Retrieval Theology.” Southern Baptist Theological Journal 25, no. 3: 149–168.

Gilbert, Maurice, and Stephen Pisano. 1980. "Psalm 110 (109), 5-7." Biblica 61, no. 3: 343–56.

Goldingay, John. 2008. Psalms 90-150. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

Hengstenberg, Ernst Wilhelm. 1867. Commentary on the Psalms. Vol III. 4th ed. Edinburg: T&T Clark.

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Hossfeld, Frank-Lothar, and Erich Zenger. 2011. Psalms 3: A Commentary on Psalms 101-150. Edited by Klaus Baltzer. Translated by Linda M. Maloney. Hermeneia. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress.

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Jenni, Ernst. 2000. Die Hebräischen Präpositionen Band 3: Die Präposition Lamed. Stuttgart: Verlag W. Kohlhammer.

Lugt, Pieter Van der. 2013. Cantos and Strophes in Biblical Hebrew Poetry III: Psalms 90–150 and Psalm 1. Vol. 3. Oudtestamentische Studiën 63. Leiden: Brill.

Mitchell, David C. 2003. The Message of the Psalter: An Eschatological Programme in the Book of Psalms. 2nd ed. Glasgow Scotland: Campbell Publishers.

Nissinen, Martti, C. L. Seow, Robert K. Ritner, and H. Craig Melchert. 2019. Prophets and Prophecy in the Ancient Near East. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature.

Nordheim, Miriam von. 2008. Geboren von der Morgenröte? Psalm 110 in Tradition, Redaktion und Rezeption. Wissenschaftliche Monographien zum Alten und Neuen Testament. Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener.

Olshausen, Justus. Die Psalmen. Leipzig: S. Hirzel, 1853.

Rabbi Abraham Ibn Ezra's Commentary on the First Book of Psalms: Chapter 1-41. 2009. Translated and annoted by H. Norman Strickman. Boston: Academic Studies Press.

Reinke, Laurenz. 1857. Die messianischen Psalmen; Einleitung, Grundtext und Uebersetzung nebst einem philologisch-kritischen und historischen Commentar. Gießen: Ferber.

Rogland, Max. 2003. Alleged Non-Past Uses of Qatal in Classical Hebrew. Assen, The Netherlands: Royal van Gorcum.

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Stec, David M. 2004. The Targum of Psalms: Translated, with A Critical Introduction, Apparatus, and Notes. Collegeville: Liturgical Press.

Taylor, Richard, George Kiraz, and Joseph Bali. 2020. The Psalms According to the Syriac Peshitta Version with English Translation. 1st ed. Gorgias Press.

Tov, Emanuel. 2022. Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible. 4th edition. Minneapolis: Fortress.

Waltke, Bruce K., J. M. Houston, and Erika Moore. 2010. The Psalms as Christian Worship: A Historical Commentary. Grand Rapids, Mich: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.

References

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