Psalm 110: The Lord at Thy Right Hand

 

In the above Psalm of David, the portions marked in bold in verse 1 and verse 5, namely, “Jehovah saith unto my Lord” and “The Lord at thy right hand,” are said to be difficult passages for the Jews to understand. Perhaps this is because, to them, there is only “the Lord Jehovah,” who alone is God. (“Jehovah” is the name of God, and “Lord” is a title of honor that tells us who Jehovah is—that Jehovah is the One who must be exalted as our Master.) Therefore, David also said in the following words:

 

2 Samuel 7:22 “Wherefore thou art great, O Jehovah God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God besides thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.”

 

David testified that the Lord is great, and that there is no true God besides the Lord Jehovah. And through the word recorded in Nehemiah, we can also clearly see that the One who created all things in heaven and earth is none other than “Jehovah, even he alone.”

 

Nehemiah 9:6-7 “6Thou art Jehovah, even thou alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things that are thereon, the seas and all that is in them, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee. 7Thou art Jehovah the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham.”

 

Truly, the only Lord is Jehovah. Nevertheless, in Psalm 110 above, King David speaks as though he has two Lords, and this could indeed be difficult for the children of Israel to understand.

 

• Then why did King David speak as though there were two Lords, rather than one Lord?

 

The answer was made known on the day of Pentecost, when the Spirit of truth came down to this earth and spoke through the disciples of Jesus in the tongues of many nations.

 

Acts 2:34-36 “34For David ascended not into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, 35Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet. 36Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified.”

 

Before explaining this word, we should first note that the Spirit of truth, through the disciples of Jesus, called David a “prophet” (in former times, a seer; 1 Sam. 9:9). This is because he saw beforehand things that were far off and bore witness to Jesus.

 

Acts 2:30-32 “30Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins he would set one upon his throne; 31he foreseeing this spake of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he left unto Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32This Jesus did God raise up, whereof we all are witnesses.”

 

Thus, David, as a seer and prophet, saw beforehand and bore witness to “Jesus.” Therefore, the word that David himself spoke, “Jehovah saith unto my Lord... Sit thou at my right hand,” was also a testimony concerning “Jesus,” who was made “Lord.” This is what the Spirit of truth made known to all the house of Israel. That is why, throughout the New Testament writings, we often see the testimony that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God. Jesus Himself also spoke of this directly before the chief priests.

 

Luke 22:66-71, Luke 23:1 “66And as soon as it was day, the assembly of the elders of the people was gathered together, both chief priests and scribes; and they led him away into their council, saying, 67If thou art the Christ, tell us. But he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe: 68and if I ask you, ye will not answer. 69But from henceforth shall the Son of man be seated at the right hand of the power of God. 70And they all said, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am. 71And they said, What further need have we of witness? for we ourselves have heard from his own mouth. 23:1And the whole company of them rose up, and brought him before Pilate.”

 

The elders of the people at that time, namely the chief priests and scribes, did not believe the word that Jesus would be seated at the right hand of the power of God—that is, they did not believe that the Lord and Christ spoken of by David was Jesus. Rather, they brought Jesus to Pilate and caused Him to be crucified and put to death. But just as Jesus had spoken, He rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

 

Mark 16:19 “So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken unto them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.”

 

Thus, the Lord Jesus Himself fulfilled the word of Psalm 110. And because the disciples of Jesus, who witnessed this, testified of Jesus, who is seated at the right hand of God, we today can also know and believe with certainty that Jesus is Lord.

 

1 Peter 3:22 “Who is on the right hand of God, having gone into heaven; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.”

 

Romans 8:33-34 “33Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth; 34who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”

 

Colossians 3:1 “If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.”

 

Hebrews 1:3 “Who being the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

 

Hebrews 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

 

Yes. According to these true testimonies, Jesus is “the Lord at thy right hand,” of whom David spoke long ago, and He is the Christ. That is why we today call Jesus “the Lord Jesus Christ.” Here, His name is “Jesus” (Jesus is the name of God, John 5:43), while “Lord” and “Christ” (Messiah, Savior) are words that tell us who Jesus is. This is why the New Testament writings use various expressions such as “the Lord Jesus,” “Jesus Christ,” “Christ Jesus,” and “the Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

• Then do we have two Lords, namely “the Lord Jehovah” and “the Lord Jesus”?

 

No. We have only one Lord. The Old Testament testifies this, and the New Testament also testifies this. And that one Lord is “Jesus.” This is possible because the “Jehovah” of the Old Testament and the “Jesus” of the New Testament are the same one God (John 10:30, John 1:1). If we believe this in our hearts and confess it with our mouths, we can be saved.

 

Romans 10:9-13 “9Because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: 10for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame. 12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek: for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich unto all that call upon him: 13for, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

 

As this passage says, what applies equally to both Jews and Greeks, that is, Gentiles, without distinction, is that “the same Lord is Lord of all.” In other words, there is only one Lord for all of us, and that one Lord is Jesus. Therefore, whoever calls upon the name of the Lord, that is, Jesus, will be saved. For only the name of Jesus is the name of our salvation (Matt. 1:21, Acts 4:12).

 

(Some people misunderstand the word above, “confess Jesus as Lord,” and merely call Jesus “Lord” or “O Lord.” But in truth, if one confesses that Jesus is Lord, the original meaning is that one must call upon the name of the Lord, that is, the name of Jesus.)

 

In a sense, for the Jews, it must have been difficult to confess “Jesus as Lord,” thereby acknowledging Jesus, a lowly man from Nazareth of Galilee (John 7:52)—and moreover the One whom they themselves had accused as a sinner and crucified—as the “Lord” whom they had believed in and called upon from generation to generation. And for the Greeks, that is, the Gentiles, it must also have been difficult to turn away from the idols they had served for so long as their lords, or from the heart that thinks oneself to be one’s own master, and confess “Jesus as Lord.” Unless one denies oneself (Luke 9:23), this cannot but be difficult for both sides. Therefore, the apostle Paul testified that no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

 

1 Corinthians 12:3 “Wherefore I make known unto you, that no man speaking in the Spirit of God saith, Jesus is anathema; and no man can say, Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit.”

 

Nevertheless, the clear truth is that only Jesus is our one Lord, and He is the Christ, our Messiah and Savior.

 

Ephesians 4:4-6 “4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.”

 

Romans 1:3-4 “3Concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead; even Jesus Christ our Lord.”

 

Although Jesus was born according to the flesh from the seed of David, because David called Him “my Lord,” strictly speaking, Jesus is not merely David’s son (Matt. 22:41-46). Therefore, according to the spirit of holiness, the confession is made that Jesus is “our Lord Jesus Christ.” Therefore, because it is an undeniable truth that Jesus is Lord and Christ, even if someone were to be put out of the synagogue for confessing Jesus as the Christ,

 

John 9:22 “These things said his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man should confess him to be Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.”

 

Acts 4:17-20 “17But that it spread no further among the people, let us threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. 18And they called them, and charged them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to hearken unto you rather than unto God, judge ye: 20for we cannot but speak the things which we saw and heard.”

 

We must call upon the name of Jesus by faith to the end, just like this. For as the word says, whoever calls upon the name of Jesus will be saved. Therefore, all of us must now do everything, whether in word or in deed, in the name of the Lord Jesus.

 

Colossians 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus...”

 

John 20:30-31 “30Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book: 31but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name.”

 

Another reason we must do everything in the name of Jesus is that Jesus has become the eternal High Priest after the order of Melchizedek (Gen. 14:17-19). Therefore, only through Jesus can we come boldly even unto the throne of grace (John 14:6).

 

Hebrews 7:11-17 “11Now if there was perfection through the Levitical priesthood, for under it hath the people received the law, what further need was there that another priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be reckoned after the order of Aaron? 12For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. 13For he of whom these things are said belongeth to another tribe, from which no man hath given attendance at the altar. 14For it is evident that our Lord hath sprung out of Judah; as to which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priests. 15And what we say is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there ariseth another priest, 16who hath been made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life: 17for it is witnessed of him, Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek.”

 

Hebrews 4:14-16 “14Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need.”

 

For these reasons, it cannot but be important that whatever we do, we rely upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Truly, whoever relies upon the name of Jesus will be saved completely through Jesus, the eternal High Priest.

 

Hebrews 7:24-25 “24But he, because he abideth for ever, hath his priesthood unchangeable. 25Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

 

Amen.