The Loving Lordship of Jesus Christ (Psalm 110)
The LORD said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
Until I make your enemies
A footstool for your feet.”
~ Psalm 110:1
Few chapters within the book of Psalms enjoy as frequent New Testament adoration as the first verse of Psalm 110. Even Jesus Christ’s retort to the Pharisees in Matthew 22 alludes to the Lordship described in this Messianic psalm of David. Jesus aptly asks: If Christ is the son of David, why does David refer to him as “Lord” within this passage? (Matt. 22:41-44)
Likewise, the Apostle Peter quotes the same verse during his sermon on Pentecost before the people of Jerusalem. Moved by the Holy Spirit, Peter expounds on the miracle of Jesus through an exegesis of Old Testament scriptures. Notably, this verse serves as his final Old Testament reference before his crescendo—a passionate call to “[r]epent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38).
Clearly a messianic prophecy, Psalms 110:1 offers a crucial insight into the ministry of Jesus. Even though Jesus is the son of David, Jesus is simultaneously God. This is why David calls him Lord. Peter concludes this similarly: “God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah” (Acts 2:36). What an assertion! Jesus, the perfect God in the flesh, crucified in the flesh, is also Lord. He will judge righteously. He holds ultimate power and cares for his people.
His Lordship as God stands testimony to some wonderful truths surrounding Jesus. His Lordship makes his death on the cross so much more precious, for it never inhibits his willingness to love us. His Lordship never created a relationship gap which he refused to fill. In fact, Jesus loves humanity so much that he suffered a lowly, humiliating death of a criminal even as he exists as Lord. His Lordship also extends his love for us by securing eternal hope for us in the future. It guarantees that his love for us will abound through the fulfillment of his promises towards us—it can never fail, and will never fail!
Gabriel Cao is a junior at the Dual Degree Program between Columbia University and Tel Aviv University. He enjoys bowling and playing pool during his free time.