Psalm 110

¹A Psalm of David. {N}
The LORD saith unto my lord:

'Sit thou at My right hand,

until I make thine enemies thy footstool.'

²The rod of thy strength the LORD will send out of Zion:

'Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.'

³Thy people offer themselves willingly in the day of thy warfare; {N}
in adornments of holiness, from the womb, from the dawn, thine is the dew of youth.

⁴The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent: 'Thou art a priest for ever {N}
after the manner of Melchizedek (or a Righteous King)'

⁵The lord at Thy right hand doth crush kings in the day of His (God's) wrath.

⁶He will judge among the nations;

He filleth it with dead bodies,

He crusheth the head over a wide land.

⁷He will drink of the brook in the way;

therefore will he lift up the head. {P}

The above Psalm is included in the Morning Shacharit yesterday.

Well, this Psalm has a very deep and obscure meaning, speakers often changes and the meaning of verse three is often uncertain.

However, I would like to offer my suggestion and as I have said, this is MY opinion, do check with an authorised person about my 'commentaries'. Correct me if I am wrong.

The 'Commentaries'

This is generally an Oracle, spoken by a prophet (Anonymous?) to King David and he rendered it as a Psalm for the service of God in recitation. The Rabbi classified this as a royal Psalm, meaning, it is connected to the Davidic Dynasty. Often, most people interpret this in favour of the future Moshiach but Radak gave opinion against this. The major theme is David himself but the minor theme might be related to the Moshiach.

In my opinion, this Psalm is referred to King David Himself. In verse 1 , the most confusing term is this: 'The LORD said to my lord'. If David is writing this, what is Kind David saying? This make much more sense if a Prophet is telling King David an Oracle, and King David used it to compose a Psalm. Hence, The LORD (God) Said to my lord (David).

The subsequent meaning of the sentence i.e. the speech of God is quite plain, that King David will gain victory over his enemy.

Verse 2 signifies that God Will Give the ruling sceptre (the rod) to David (from Zion) and he will rule his enemy.

Verse 3 is the most complicated verse. Mostly do not know the meaning of the Hebrew because of too much ambiguity. This might be the meaning, I offer a paraphrase:

“Your people (Yisrael), will come forward voluntarily on your day of Battle. They are like those that just emerged from the womb, clothed in majestic Holiness, like a newly born. They are, too, like from the dawn as liken to the sun just 'born', a new babe. As the morn brings dew too, your people will also be like the dew of youth; as dew appears in the morning, freshly born. Also, like the dew of youth, the beginning of youth. Your people will possess the vigour of youth, newly-bloomed.”

Verse 4 describe that David will be a priest forever, like a rightful king (Melchitzedek), Decreed by God.

The subsequent verses signifies that God will always have David by His Right Hand. By this power, David will justify wicked nations. The last verse (v 7) tells that he (David) will drink from the stream in the way (along the way or in his way). What does this mean? The land is as though his (David's) and he drinks 'leisurely' (as told he drink from the streams along the way). This signifies victory in his part, and he hold his head up as victorious.