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Psalms 110:1 (KJV) A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

I had a message prepared for tonight, but God turned me in a different direction. This Passion Week we will continue to examine the road to Calvary, and what our Jesus went through. It was during this week that Jesus resolved the riddle of Psalm 110:1. I’ll explain that in a moment.

Jesus Called On Scripture As His Witness

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on what we call Palm Sunday the multitude celebrated His coming, while the Scribes and Chief Priests despised it. To them Jesus was a renegade Rabbi. He made things even worse when He went into the Temple and chased away all that detracted from the glory of God. As the children cried out …

Matthew 21:15 ……. “Hosanna to the Son of David”

the rulers of the Temple commanded Jesus to tell them to hush up. Jesus called His first Witness Mister Psalm 8:2 saying:

Matthew 21:16 … Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

When Jesus was attacked, again and again He called on the Witness of God’s Scripture. The Scribes and Rulers prided themselves on their knowledge of the Scriptures. Just as Jesus did with the devil when He was tempted in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11) …

With “it is written” and “have you never read?”
Jesus called on the Witness of Scripture

Jesus knew that He was going to be crucified in just a few days. From Palm Sunday the cries of the crowd would quickly go from “Hosanna” to “Crucify Him”. One of the Scriptures that Jesus quoted this week is Psalm 110:1.

The Riddle Of Psalm 110:1

Psalm 110:1 was a riddle to the ancient Jews, but it is the single most quoted or alluded to Old Testament text found in the New Testament.

Jesus never shied away from His attackers. When the rulers of the Temple asked Jesus ..

Matthew 21:23 (KJV) …. By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

Jesus refused to tell them the Source of His authority. We know His Source. He came of the Father to show us His glory. But Jesus would not argue with the hard hearted. After sharing several truths with these spiritually blinded people Jesus asked:

Matthew 22:42 (KJV) …. What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David.

What Jesus was asking is “Who is the Messiah? From where will the Messiah come?” The word “Christ” is not Jesus’ last name. It means “Messiah”. When we call Him “Jesus Christ” we are saying “Jesus the Messiah”. So Jesus asked the Temple Leaders “Where does Messiah come from?” They replied:

The Son of David

Messiah was prophesied to come from the line of David. That is a correct answer. Then Jesus calls on Psalm 110:1 …

Matthew 22:43-44 (KJV) He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, [44] The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?

Read Psalms 110:1 again: The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Jesus then called on Psalm 110:1 as His Witness:
“If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?”
(Matthew 22:45)

If the Messiah is the son of David, then why would David call Him “My Lord”? The elders could not answer this riddle. The Jew without Christ today cannot answer this Psalm.

In Jewish society it is normal for the younger to serve the elder. If Messiah is out of David’s line, then it is odd in Jewish culture that David would call Messiah “Lord”. The riddle is solved in Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the Son of David, born of David’s lineage.
Jesus is God with us, Emmanuel, the Eternal Son of God.
In His humanity He comes from David’s lineage.
In His deity He is Eternal God the Son.

Jesus Was Well Known As A Son Of David

When our Lord cast out demons and healed the blind and the dumb …

Matthew 12:23 (KJV) … all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the SON OF DAVID?

When the blind men begged Jesus to heal them they cried out “Thou SON OF DAVID, have mercy on us (Matthew 9:27). The woman of Canaan begged Jesus to heal her daughter. “Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou SON OF DAVID” (Matthew 15:22). When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday what did the multitude say?

Matthew 21:9 (KJV) And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to THE SON OF DAVID: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

“If David called Him Lord, how is He then His Son?”

The leaders of the Temple could not answer this because they saw Jesus as a mere man. He is more than mere man. He is God in the flesh, God among His miracles testify to this. The Father testifies to this. The Holy Spirit upon Him testifies to this. The answer to the riddle of Psalm 110:1 is found only in Jesus Christ.

When Jesus was taken in the Garden of Gethsemane and led away to an unlawful trial by night the Bible says:

Matthew 26:59-61 (KJV) Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; [60] But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two FALSE WITNESSES, [61] And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

The High Priest demanded that Jesus answer this charge. When Jesus said these words He was speaking of His death and resurrection – He spoke of the Temple of His Body. He is indeed the Temple of God. The High Priest asked Jesus to give account of Himself. When Jesus kept silent the Priest cried out:

Matthew 26:63 (KJV) … I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.

Jesus replied:

Matthew 26:64 (KJV) “Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”

The Chief Priests called on two FALSE WITNESSES to betray Christ.
Jesus called on two TRUE WITNESSES in His defense:
Psalm 110:1 and Daniel 7:17

Psalms 110:1 (KJV)… Sit thou at my right hand …

Daniel 7:13 (KJV)… one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, …

Jesus’ “thou hast said” combined with the true Witness of the Scripture became that which sent Him to the Cross of Calvary. But that is as it should be. Jesus told us:

John 10:17-18 (KJV) … I lay down my life, that I might take it again. [18] No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

When Peter preached his first sermon on the Day of Pentecost and God added 3000 members to the Church, what Scripture did the Apostle use? It was Psalm 110:

Acts 2:34-36 (KJV) For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, [35] Until I make thy foes thy footstool. [36] Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Jesus is both Lord and Christ. He is Messiah. He is God Incarnate. When the Jews heard this they repented, and turned to Jesus as both Lord and Savior.

When Stephen was martyred for his faith in God he looked into Heaven and saw Psalm 110🕐:1 as fulfilled:

Acts 7:55-56 (KJV) But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, [56] And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

When the Apostle Paul spoke to the Church at Colosse he said:

Colossians 3:1 (KJV) If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Again a reference to Psalm 110:1. Paul also alluded to Psalm 110:1 in

Romans 8:34 and Ephesians 1:20. Our Jesus sits on the right hand of God the Father. The writer of Hebrews said:

Hebrews 1:13 (KJV) But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

Which is a direct quote of Psalm 110:1. Jesus died this week, but rose again from the Grave this coming Sunday. He is alive. He sits at the right hand of God the Father making intercession for us. God will make His enemies His footstool. Christ has triumphed, and will triumph.

Why Jesus Is On The Right Hand

Our Jesus sits on the right hand of God the Father. He sits on the right hand to intercede for us. The Scripture says:

Psalms 110:4 (KJV) The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

He intercedes for us. He is our High Priest. He represents us before the Father.

Hebrews 8:1 (KJV) … We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;

Our High Priest Jesus Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father. Once more Psalm 110:1 is quoted:

Hebrews 10:12-13 (KJV) But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; [13] From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

Jesus came the first time to represent the Father, and to pay for our sins representing us to the Father. Jesus is at the right hand of the Father even today. But one day the Father will send Him to us again. He will say, “Son, go get My Church.” Oh that I wish today were that day. But until then we serve Him. We celebrate Him. We cherish Him. Cherish Him above all else!

May God touch your hearts with His Word.