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Psalm 110: Who Is David’s Lord?

Psalm 110:1 is the LORD speaking to David’s lord, the Hebrew l’adoni, not the divine name. Verse 5 is Adonai. Jesus asks whose son the Messiah is, and the apostles quote the psalm of him.

Updated 2026-10-11 · Christianity

Author Paul Ambrose · GitHub

Part of Common Arguments

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Psalm 110:1Psalms 110:1 · King James VersionThe LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.Psalms 110:1 · King James VersionOpen source is the LORD speaking to David’s lord: sit at my right hand. The Hebrew word for David’s lord is not the divine name, and it is not Adonai. Jesus says David called the Messiah lord, and he asks how the Messiah can be only David’s son. The apostles quote the same line of Jesus at the Father’s right hand.

Key Points

  • Verse 1 is נְאֻם יְהוָה לַאדֹנִי, the LORD said to my lord. לַאדֹנִי is the preposition to plus אָדוֹן, Strong’s H113, lord. It is not the divine name in the first word of the line.
  • Verse 5 is a different word: אֲדֹנָי, Adonai, Strong’s H136, “The Lord at thy right hand.” The Jewish Publication Society 1917 reads “The Lord” there and “my lord” in verse 1.
  • Matthew 22:41–46Matthew 22:41–46 · King James Version22:41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 22:42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. 22:43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 22:44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 22:45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 22:46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.Matthew 22:41–46 · King James VersionOpen source has Jesus ask whose son the Christ is. They say David’s. He quotes Psalm 110:1 and asks how David then calls him lord.
  • Acts 2:34–36Acts 2:34–36 · King James Version2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 2:35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool. 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.Acts 2:34–36 · King James VersionOpen source quotes the same psalm and says God has made this Jesus both Lord and Christ.
  • Hebrews 1:13Hebrews 1:13 · King James VersionBut to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?Hebrews 1:13 · King James VersionOpen source asks which angel the Father ever told to sit at his right hand, and quotes the line.
  • Verse 3 in Hebrew is not the Greek Old Testament’s “I have begotten thee.” The New Testament does not quote verse 3.
  • Restoration Fellowship says the “lord” of Psalm 110:1 is a superior who is not God. (5) The Hebrew of verse 1 is H113. The Hebrew of verse 5 is H136.

The Hebrew of Verse 1

Tap a word to see its meaning. Words run left to right in English reading order.

נְאֻ֤ם neum said נְאֻם noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “said”, the of-form, joined to the next word H5002 an oracle (hath) said, saith. יְהוָ֨ה yehvah Jehovah יְהֹוָה noun, proper name — “Jehovah” H3068 Jehovah, Jewish national name of God Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה). לַֽאדֹנִ֗י ladoni to lord אָדוֹן preposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “to lord”, the of-form, joined to the next word H113 sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine) lord, master, owner. Compare also names beginning with 'Adoni-'. שֵׁ֥ב shev dwell יָשַׁב verb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “dwell”, a command H3427 properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry (make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, r… לִֽימִינִ֑י limini to right יָמִין preposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “to right”, the of-form, joined to the next word H3225 the right hand or side (leg, eye) of a person or other object (as the stronger and more dexterous); locally, the south [phrase] left-handed, right (hand, side), south. עַד ad even עַד preposition — “even” H5704 as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with) against, and, as, at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as), (hither-) to, [phrase] how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that, till, toward, until, when, while, ([phrase] as) yet. אָשִׁ֥ית ashit apply שִׁית verb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “apply”, an unfinished action H7896 to place (in a very wide application) apply, appoint, array, bring, consider, lay (up), let alone, [idiom] look, make, mark, put (on), [phrase] regard, set, shew, be stayed, [idiom] take. אֹ֝יְבֶ֗יךָ oyeveykha enemy אֹיֵב verb, qal, participle, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “enemy”, a verb used as a describing word H341 hating; an adversary enemy, foe. הֲדֹ֣ם hadom stool הֲדֹם noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “stool”, the ordinary form H1916 a foot stool (foot-) stool. לְרַגְלֶֽיךָ leragleykha to foot רֶגֶל preposition, noun, common, feminine, dual, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “to foot”, the of-form, joined to the next word H7272 a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a step; by euphemistically the pudenda [idiom] be able to endure, [idiom] according as, [idiom] after, [idiom] coming, [idiom] follow, (broken-)foot(-ed, -stool), [idiom] great toe, [idiom] haunt, [idiom] journey, leg, [phrase] piss, [phrase] possession, time.

The first word of the speech is יְהוָה, the divine name, Strong’s H3068. The person addressed is לַאדֹנִי, “to my lord,” from אָדוֹן, H113. The Jewish Publication Society 1917 reads: the LORD saith unto my lord, sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. Brenton’s English Septuagint reads: the Lord said to my Lord, sit thou on my right hand.

Restoration Fellowship uses that difference. Its page says the oracle gives the Messiah the title “lord,” a superior who is not God, and that the form for Deity is a different word. (5) The consonants of verse 1 support the first half of that sentence: David’s lord is H113, not the divine name. The page’s conclusion, that the Messiah is therefore not God, is the step the rest of the psalm and the New Testament do not take.

Adonai in Verse 5

אֲדֹנָ֥י adonay Lord אֲדֹנָי noun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “Lord”, the of-form, joined to the next word H136 the Lord (used as a proper name of God only) (my) Lord. עַל al above עַל preposition — “above” H5921 above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,… יְמִֽינְךָ֑ yeminekha right יָמִין noun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “right”, the of-form, joined to the next word H3225 the right hand or side (leg, eye) of a person or other object (as the stronger and more dexterous); locally, the south [phrase] left-handed, right (hand, side), south. מָחַ֖ץ machats pierce מָחַץ verb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “pierce”, a completed action H4272 to dash asunder; by implication, to crush, smash or violently plunge; figuratively, to subdue or destroy dip, pierce (through), smite (through), strike through, wound. בְּיוֹם beyom in as long as יוֹם preposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “in as long as”, the of-form, joined to the next word H3117 a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb) age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) lon… אַפּ֣וֹ apvo face אַף noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “face”, the of-form, joined to the next word H639 properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in passion) ire anger(-gry), [phrase] before, countenance, face, [phrase] forebearing, forehead, [phrase] (long-) suffering, nose, nostril, snout, [idiom] worthy, wrath. מְלָכִֽים melakhim king מֶלֶךְ noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “king”, the ordinary form H4428 a king king, royal.

Verse 5 opens with אֲדֹנָי, Adonai, H136: “The Lord at thy right hand doth crush kings in the day of His wrath,” in the 1917 Jewish Publication Society. That is not the H113 of verse 1. A reading that treats every “lord” in the psalm as the same non-divine title has swapped the two words.

Verse 1 puts David’s lord at the right hand of the LORD. Verse 5 puts Adonai at “thy” right hand, the right hand of the king just addressed. The psalm does not add a footnote telling the reader these are two unrelated figures. The Christian reading is that the one at the right hand is the Son, and that verse 5 names him with the title verse 1 withheld from the mere human word.

Verse 3

The Hebrew of verse 3, in the 1917 Jewish Publication Society, is about the king’s people offering themselves in the day of his warfare, in adornments of holiness, from the womb of the dawn, the dew of his youth. Brenton’s Septuagint is a different sentence: “I have begotten thee from the womb before the morning.” The Greek Old Testament and the Hebrew do not say the same thing in this verse.

The New Testament quotes Psalm 110:1 and Psalm 110:4. It does not quote verse 3. The “begotten” line the apostles do quote is Psalm 2:7Psalms 2:7 · King James VersionI will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.Psalms 2:7 · King James VersionOpen source, in Acts 13:33Acts 13:33 · King James VersionGod hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.Acts 13:33 · King James VersionOpen source and Hebrews 1:5Hebrews 1:5 · King James VersionFor unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?Hebrews 1:5 · King James VersionOpen source. Is Eternal Generation in the Bible? is that other text. Treating the Septuagint of Psalm 110:3 as a verse the apostles cite is a mistake. They don’t.

Matthew, Acts, and Hebrews

Matthew 22:41–46Matthew 22:41–46 · King James Version22:41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 22:42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. 22:43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 22:44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 22:45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 22:46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.Matthew 22:41–46 · King James VersionOpen source is Jesus’ own question. The Pharisees say the Christ is David’s son. Jesus quotes David, by the Spirit, calling him lord, and asks how he is then his son. The question is not a denial that the Messiah is David’s son. Matthew 1 has already traced that sonship. The question is how David’s son is also David’s lord.

Acts 2:34–36Acts 2:34–36 · King James Version2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 2:35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool. 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.Acts 2:34–36 · King James VersionOpen source is Peter at Pentecost. David did not ascend. David said the LORD said to my lord, sit at my right hand. Therefore let all the house of Israel know that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. “Made” here is the exaltation Peter has just described: raised, and set at the right hand. It is not a sentence that Jesus became God at Pentecost, and it is not a sentence that he was not Lord before. Hebrews 1:13Hebrews 1:13 · King James VersionBut to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?Hebrews 1:13 · King James VersionOpen source asks to which of the angels the Father ever said, sit on my right hand. The implied answer is none of them. The one addressed is the Son, whom the same chapter calls God in Hebrews 1:8Hebrews 1:8 · King James VersionBut unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.Hebrews 1:8 · King James VersionOpen source.

The Christian Claim

David’s lord is the Messiah, and the Messiah is Jesus. The Hebrew of verse 1 does not spell his title with the divine name. The New Testament still puts him at the Father’s right hand, calls him Lord, and in the same chapter of Hebrews has the Father address him as God. Jesus is God. The psalm’s “my lord” is the Son’s office toward David, not a proof that the Son is a creature. What Is the Deity of Christ? is the wider map. Does 1 Corinthians 8:6 Mean Only the Father Is God? is the verse that calls him the one Lord.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does “My Lord” Mean Jesus Is Not God?

It means David calls the Messiah his lord. The word is H113. Verse 5 uses Adonai, H136, at the right hand. Hebrews 1:8Hebrews 1:8 · King James VersionBut unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.Hebrews 1:8 · King James VersionOpen source is the Father calling the Son God. One Hebrew noun in verse 1 does not cancel that address.

What Does “God Hath Made Him Lord” Mean?

Acts 2:36Acts 2:36 · King James VersionTherefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.Acts 2:36 · King James VersionOpen source follows the quotation of Psalm 110:1. Peter is talking about the resurrection and the right hand. Philippians 2:9–11Philippians 2:9–11 · King James Version2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.Philippians 2:9–11 · King James VersionOpen source says God has given him the name at which every knee bows. Does Jesus Have a God? is the incarnation side of the same language.

Keep Reading

References

  1. Book of Psalms, 110:1–5Psalms 110:1–5 · King James Version110:1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. 110:2 The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. 110:3 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. 110:4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. 110:5 The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.Psalms 110:1–5 · King James VersionOpen source. King James Version
  2. Gospel of Matthew, 22:41–46Matthew 22:41–46 · King James Version22:41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 22:42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. 22:43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 22:44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 22:45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 22:46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.Matthew 22:41–46 · King James VersionOpen source. King James Version
  3. Acts of the Apostles, 2:34–36Acts 2:34–36 · King James Version2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 2:35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool. 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.Acts 2:34–36 · King James VersionOpen source. King James Version
  4. Letter to the Hebrews, 1:13Hebrews 1:13 · King James VersionBut to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?Hebrews 1:13 · King James VersionOpen source. King James Version
  5. Restoration Fellowship (The page says Psalm 110:1 gives the Messiah the title lord for a superior who is not God, and distinguishes that word from the title for Deity.)

See Also

  • Old Testament Yahweh Texts Applied to Jesus — The New Testament puts words about the LORD on Jesus: Psalm 102 in Hebrews 1, Joel 2:32 in Romans 10 and Acts 2, Psalm 68 in Ephesians 4, Isaiah 45 in Philippians 2, Isaiah 6 in John 12, and Isaiah 8:13 in 1 Peter 3:15.
  • Did Jesus Exist Before He Was Born? — The Church of God General Conference says Jesus came into existence at his conception. John 8:58, John 17:5, 1 Corinthians 10:4, and Hebrews 1:10 say the Son was already there.
  • Is Eternal Generation in the Bible? — The creed of 381 says the Son is begotten of the Father before all worlds, not made. Scripture calls him the only begotten, quotes Psalm 2:7, and says the Father has given the Son life in himself. The phrase “eternal generation” is the church’s, not a verse.
  • Does “Jehovah” Belong in the New Testament? — The New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible) uses the name Jehovah 237 times in the New Testament. The Study Edition’s note on Acts 7:60 says the Greek manuscripts read “Lord.”
  • How Does the New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible) Change Verses About Jesus? — Full King James and New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible) lines, with the Greek or Hebrew, a verdict on each verse, and the 237 uses of Jehovah in the New Testament.