Psalm 110

Following is the Hebrew text of Psalm 110:

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.

The Talmud (Nedarim 32a) and Midrash Tehillim[17] state that this psalm speaks about Abraham, who was victorious in battle to save his nephew Lot and merited priesthood.[18] 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.[19] Rashi, Gershonides, and Rabbi David Kimhi identify the subject of the psalm as David.[20]

As part of the messianic tradition of the Old Testament, the psalm is frequently referred to in the New Testament.[21] 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.[13] Reformed Baptist Charles Spurgeon concurs that while David composed the psalm, the psalm is solely about Jesus.[22]

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)".[7] Gershonides and Rabbi David Kimhi further state that the term kohen could be applied to a "chief ruler".[20] 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.[20]

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".[22] The psalm is used in the Epistle to the Hebrews to justify the award of the title "High Priest" to Jesus from Scripture.[23] 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".[13]

Verses 6–7 are the final two verses of Av HaRachamim, said during the Shabbat and Yom Tov morning service.[24][25]

Psalm 110 is recited on Shabbat Lech-Lecha in the Siddur Avodas Yisroel.[24]

This psalm is recited as a prayer of protection to achieve peace with enemies.[26]

• Verse 1 is quoted in Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts, and Hebrews 1:13.[27]
• Verse 4 is quoted in Hebrews[27]

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".[28]

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,[29] as well as at Evensong on Christmas Day.[30]

In his Rule (530), Saint Benedict of Nursia designated psalms 109 to 147 for vespers, except those psalms reserved for other hours.[31] 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.

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), André Campra[32] and Alessandro Scarlatti 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.