Psalm 110
"The LORD said unto my Lord"
Royal psalm
Introduction to Vespers and beginning of the psalm, "Dixit Dominus",
in a Book of Hours
Other name
  • Psalm 109
  • "Dixit Dominus"
LanguageHebrew (original)

Psalm 110 is the 110th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "The LORD said unto my Lord". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 109. In Latin, it is known as Dixit Dominus ("The Lord Said").[1] It is considered both a royal psalm[2] and a messianic psalm.[3] C. S. Rodd associates it with the king's coronation.[4]

This psalm is a cornerstone in Christian theology, as it is cited as proof of the plurality of the Godhead and Jesus' supremacy as king, priest, and Messiah. For this reason, Psalm 110 is "the most frequently quoted or referenced psalm in the New Testament".[3] Classical Jewish sources, in contrast, state that the subject of the psalm is either Abraham, David, or the Jewish Messiah.

The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies. Because this psalm is prominent in the Office of Vespers, its Latin text has particular significance in music. Well-known vespers settings are Monteverdi's Vespro della Beata Vergine (1610), and Mozart's Vesperae solennes de confessore (1780). Handel composed his Dixit Dominus in 1707, and Vivaldi set the psalm in Latin three times.

Background

The psalm is usually dated in its first part in the pre-exilic period of Israel, sometimes even completely in the oldest monarchy.[5]

O. Palmer Robertson observes the concept of a priest-king seen in Psalm 110 is also seen in the post-exilic minor prophet Zechariah 6:12-13, emphasizing the priest-king will also build the Lord's temple and rule as priest on the throne. [6]

Text

Hebrew

The following table shows the Hebrew text[7][8] of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

Verse Hebrew English translation (JPS 1917)
1 לְדָוִ֗ד מִ֫זְמ֥וֹר נְאֻ֤ם יְהֹוָ֨ה ׀ לַֽאדֹנִ֗י שֵׁ֥ב לִֽימִינִ֑י עַד־אָשִׁ֥ית אֹ֝יְבֶ֗יךָ הֲדֹ֣ם לְרַגְלֶֽיךָ׃‎ A Psalm of David. The LORD saith unto my lord: ‘Sit thou at My right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.'
2 מַטֵּֽה־עֻזְּךָ֗ יִשְׁלַ֣ח יְ֭הֹוָה מִצִּיּ֑וֹן רְ֝דֵ֗ה בְּקֶ֣רֶב אֹיְבֶֽיךָ׃‎ The rod of Thy strength the LORD will send out of Zion: 'Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.'
3 עַמְּךָ֣ נְדָבֹת֮ בְּי֢וֹם חֵ֫ילֶ֥ךָ בְּֽהַדְרֵי־קֹ֭דֶשׁ מֵרֶ֣חֶם מִשְׁחָ֑ר לְ֝ךָ֗ טַ֣ל יַלְדֻתֶֽיךָ׃‎ Thy people offer themselves willingly in the day of thy warfare; in adornments of holiness, from the womb of the dawn, Thine is the dew of thy youth.
4 נִשְׁבַּ֤ע יְהֹוָ֨ה ׀ וְלֹ֥א יִנָּחֵ֗ם אַתָּֽה־כֹהֵ֥ן לְעוֹלָ֑ם עַל־דִּ֝בְרָתִ֗י מַלְכִּי־צֶֽדֶק׃‎ The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent: 'Thou art a priest for ever After the manner of Melchizedek.'
5 אֲדֹנָ֥י עַל־יְמִֽינְךָ֑ מָחַ֖ץ בְּיוֹם־אַפּ֣וֹ מְלָכִֽים׃‎ The Lord at thy right hand Doth crush kings in the day of His wrath.
6 יָדִ֣ין בַּ֭גּוֹיִם מָלֵ֣א גְוִיּ֑וֹת מָ֥חַץ רֹ֝֗אשׁ עַל־אֶ֥רֶץ רַבָּֽה׃‎ He will judge among the nations; He filleth it with the dead bodies, He crusheth the head over a wide land.
7 מִ֭נַּחַל בַּדֶּ֣רֶךְ יִשְׁתֶּ֑ה עַל־כֵּ֝֗ן יָרִ֥ים רֹֽאשׁ׃‎ He will drink of the brook in the way; Therefore will he lift up the head.

King James Version

  1. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
  2. The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
  3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.
  4. The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
  5. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.
  6. He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.
  7. He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.

Verse 1

The Lord says to my lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet".[9]

Adoni may be translated as "my master" or "my lord", thus rendering verse 1 as "The Lord spoke to my master". Throughout the Hebrew Bible adoni refers to a human or angelic "master" or "lord".[10] Since David wrote this psalm in the third person, to be sung by the Levites in the Temple in Jerusalem, from a Jewish perspective the Levites would be saying that "the Lord spoke to my master".[10]

However, the King James Version and many subsequent Christian translations[a] capitalize the second word "Lord", implying that it refers to Jesus.[15] As the LORD is speaking to another Lord, Henry postulates that "two distinct divine Persons…are involved"—namely, God and Jesus.[16] Henry further claims that in this psalm, David is acknowledging Christ's sovereignty and his (David's) subservience to him.[16] In Matthew 26:64, Jesus quotes this verse during his trial before the Sanhedrin, referring to himself, and Acts 2:34–36 states that this verse was fulfilled in the ascension and exaltation of Christ.[17]

Verse 2

The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion.
Rule in the midst of Your enemies![18]

The words Rule in the midst of Your enemies! may be treated as words spoken by the LORD, a further divine promise.[4] They appear as spoken words in some translations, such as the New International Version.[19]

Interpretation

Judaism

The Talmud (Nedarim 32a) and Midrash Tehillim[20] state that this psalm speaks about Abraham, who was victorious in battle to save his nephew Lot and merited priesthood.[21] According to the Avot of Rabbi Natan (34:6) the psalm is speaking of the Jewish Messiah in the context of the Four Craftsmen in Zechariah's vision.[22] Rashi, Gershonides, and Rabbi David Kimhi identify the subject of the psalm as David.[23]

Christianity

As part of the messianic tradition of the Old Testament, the psalm is frequently referred to in the New Testament.[24] Allusions are found in Mark 12:36, 14:62, Luke 20 41–44, 1 Corinthians 15:25, Hebrews 5:1–6, 6:20, 7:4–7, 7:17–24.

The Vulgate text of the psalm is part of the Latin liturgy for vespers, and there are numerous adaptations in sacral music, including by Georg Friedrich Händel (Dixit Dominus), Claudio Monteverdi (SV 206, SV 252–288), Johann Rosenmüller, Antonio Lotti, Antonio Vivaldi (RV 594, 595, 807), Alessandro Scarlatti, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (KV 193, 321, 339).

The significance of the psalm is also recognized in Protestant tradition. Nonconformist minister Matthew Henry said that this psalm is "pure gospel" and specifically refers to Jesus as the Messiah.[16] Reformed Baptist Charles Spurgeon concurs that while David composed the psalm, the psalm is solely about Jesus.[25]

The Priest-King

The altar of the Dominican church at Friesach, Austria, showing Abraham meeting Melchizedek

A second point on which Jewish and Christian interpretations differ is the language in verse 4, which describes a person who combines the offices of kingship and priesthood, as exemplified by the non-Jewish king Melchizedek. Ostensibly, this could not apply to King David, who was not a kohen (priest). However, Rashi explains here that the term kohen occasionally refers to a ministerial role, as in (II Sam. 8:18), "and David's sons were kohanim (ministers of state)".[10] Gershonides and Rabbi David Kimhi further state that the term kohen could be applied to a "chief ruler".[23] Thus, the prophetic promise, "You will be a priest forever", can be translated as "You will be a head and prince of Israel", referring to David.[23]

Spurgeon rejects this interpretation, stating that in ancient Israel, no one held the offices of king and priest simultaneously. However, that title can be given to Jesus, "the apostle and high priest of our profession".[25] The psalm is used in the Epistle to the Hebrews to justify the award of the title "High Priest" to Jesus from Scripture.[26] Henry notes: "Melchizedek was 'a priest upon his throne' (Zech. 6:13), so is Christ, king of righteousness and king of peace. Melchizedek had no successor, nor has Christ; his is an unchangeable priesthood".[16]

Uses

Judaism

Verses 6–7 are the final two verses of Av HaRachamim, said during the Shabbat and Yom Tov morning service.[27][28]

Psalm 110 is recited on Shabbat Lech-Lecha in the Siddur Avodas Yisroel.[27]

This psalm is recited as a prayer of protection to achieve peace with enemies.[29]

New Testament

Protestantism

Oliver Cromwell reportedly had his army sing this psalm before going out to battle against Scotland; it was his "favorite fighting song". This led to Psalm 110 becoming known as "the cursing psalm".[31]

Book of Common Prayer

In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, this psalm is appointed to be read on the morning of the twenty-third day of the month,[32] as well as at Evensong on Christmas Day.[33]

Catholicism

In his Rule (530), Saint Benedict of Nursia designated psalms 109 to 147 for vespers, except those psalms reserved for other hours.[34] Therefore, from the early Middle Ages, Psalm 110 (109 in the Septuagint numbering, beginning in Latin Dixit Dominus) has traditionally been recited at the beginning of vespers on every Sunday. It continues to be the first psalm at vespers on Sundays, solemnities and celebrations with the rank of "feast".

Verses 1 to 4 form the responsorial psalm that follows the first reading on the solemnity of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ in the third year of the three-year cycle of readings.

Musical settings

Francesco Durante – Dixit Dominus

Because this Psalm is the first in the Office of Sunday Vespers, its Latin text, which begins with Dixit Dominus, has particular significance in music. It was set by Tomás Luis de Victoria in 1581, among many other 16th century composers. Claudio Monteverdi composed a choral setting in his Vespro della Beata Vergine in 1610 and again in his Selva morale e spirituale in 1640. Marc-Antoine Charpentier composed 6 "Dixit Dominus", H.153, H.197, H.202, H.204, H.190, H.226 (1670 - 1690), Michel-Richard de Lalande, one setting S.73, André Campra, one setting,[35] François Giroust, one setting in 1772 and Alessandro Scarlatti one setting in 1700. George Frideric Handel wrote his Dixit Dominus, HWV 232 in 1707, his earliest surviving autograph. Nicola Porpora set the psalm in 1720, and both Jan Dismas Zelenka and Antonio Vivaldi wrote three settings each. Giovanni Battista Pergolesi set the psalm in 1732, Leonardo Leo in both 1741 and 1742, and Francesco Durante in 1753. Marianna von Martines set Dixit Dominus in 1773, for her entry into the Academia Filharmonica di Bolognia. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart set the psalm for choir and orchestra in his vespers, Vesperae solennes de Dominica, K. 321 (1779) and Vesperae solennes de confessore, K. 339 (1780). Michel Richard Delalande and Michael Haydn composed settings in the 18th century.

Heinrich Schütz set the psalm in German twice, "Der Herr sprach zu meinem Herren", in 1619 as the first movement of his Psalmen Davids for voices and instruments (SWV 22), and for choir as part of his setting of the Becker Psalter (SWV 208).

In 1959, Richard Rodgers composed a partial setting of the psalm for the opening sequence of his musical The Sound of Music, using verses 1, 5, and 7.[citation needed]

Notes

  1. ^ Notable exceptions are the New Revised Standard Edition ("The Lord said to my lord"),[11] the New International Version and New American Bible Revised Edition ("The LORD says to my lord")[12][13] and the Common English Bible ("What the Lord says to my master").[14]

References

  1. ^ "Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 109 (110)". Archived from the original on 2017-09-30. Retrieved 2019-09-19.
  2. ^ Hayward 2010, p. 379.
  3. ^ a b Davis, Barry C. (April–June 2000). "Is Psalm 110 a Messianic Psalm?" (PDF). Bibliotheca Sacra. 157: 160–73. S2CID 16671626. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-10-12. (footnote 1)
  4. ^ a b Rodd, C. S., 18. Psalms, in Barton, J. and Muddiman, J. (2001), The Oxford Bible Commentary Archived 2017-11-22 at the Wayback Machine, p. 396
  5. ^ Hans-Joachim Kraus: Psalmen. 2. Teilband Psalmen 50–150.
  6. ^ "The Flow of the Psalms," O. Palmer Robertson, P&R Publishing, 2015, pp. 192-195, ISBN: 978-1-62995-133-1.
  7. ^ "Psalms – Chapter 110". Mechon Mamre.
  8. ^ "Psalms 110 - JPS 1917". Sefaria.org.
  9. ^ Psalm 110:1: New International Version
  10. ^ a b c Kravitz, Bentzion (2005). "Psalm 110 – A Jewish Perspective". Jews for Judaism. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  11. ^ "Psalm 110 –New Revised Standard Version (RSV)". Bible Gateway. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  12. ^ "Psalm 110 –New International Version (NIV)". Bible Gateway. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  13. ^ "Psalms, Chapter 110". United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  14. ^ "Psalm 110 – Common English Bible (CEB)". Bible Gateway. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  15. ^ Mariottini, Dr. Claude (August 20, 2012). "Adonai". claudemariottini.com. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  16. ^ a b c d Henry, Matthew (2018). "Psalms 110". Bible Study Tools. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  17. ^ Stout 2014, p. 29.
  18. ^ Psalm 110:1: New King James Version
  19. ^ Psalm 110:1: NIV
  20. ^ "Midrash Tehillim / Psalms 110" (PDF). matsati.com. October 2012. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  21. ^ Hayward 2010, p. 380.
  22. ^ Boustan 2005, p. 138.
  23. ^ a b c Lindo 1842, p. 154.
  24. ^ Martin Hengel, "Psalm 110 und die Erhöhung des Auferstandenen zur Rechten Gottes" in: Cilliers Breytenbach, Henning Paulsen (eds.), Anfänge der Christologie, Festschrift für Ferdinand Hahn zum 65. Geburtstag. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen (1991), p. 43.
  25. ^ a b Spurgeon, Charles (2018). "Psalm 110 Bible Commentary". Christianity.com. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  26. ^ Angela Rascher, Schriftauslegung und Christologie im Hebräerbrief, S. 118f.
  27. ^ a b Brauner, Reuven (2013). "Shimush Pesukim: Comprehensive Index to Liturgical and Ceremonial Uses of Biblical Verses and Passages" (PDF) (2nd ed.). p. 46.
  28. ^ Scherman 2003, p. 457.
  29. ^ "Protection". Daily Tehillim. Archived from the original on December 14, 2018. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  30. ^ a b Kirkpatrick, A. F. (1901). The Book of Psalms: with Introduction and Notes. The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges. Vol. Book IV and V: Psalms XC-CL. Cambridge: At the University Press. p. 839. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
  31. ^ Smith 1814, pp. 291–2.
  32. ^ Church of England, Book of Common Prayer: The Psalter as printed by John Baskerville in 1762, p. 283
  33. ^ "The Book of Common Prayer: Proper Psalms On Certain Days" (PDF). The Church of England. p. 6. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  34. ^ Rule of Saint Benedict, chapter 18
  35. ^ Talvard, Françoise. "Dixit Dominus". boutique.cmbv.fr.

Sources

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