Psalm 110:1-4

The responsorial psalm for this week is from Psalm 110, a royal song extolling the Davidic king.

It is the responsorial for today’s feast because it highlights the eternal priesthood of Christ, prefigured by Melchizedek, and thus draws a direct connection to the sacrificial and priestly nature of the Eucharist.

The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool.”

The confusion of the English translation “The LORD said to my Lord,” is resolved if we realize that the first LORD is a rendering of the divine name (YHWH), while the second is a translation of the Hebrew for “master” (’ădōnî).

To sit at God’s right hand is to share in divine authority and honor. The image of enemies as a footstool reflects Near Eastern iconography, symbolizing total victory.

Though the psalm doesn’t describe the battle, it is God who ensures this triumph.

The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion: “Rule in the midst of your enemies.”

The king is endowed with a scepter, a sign of dominion. It is extended from Zion, the mountain upon which the city of Jerusalem was built. The mountain and the city represent the essence of Davidic rule.

The king’s reign is not confined to peaceful lands; he is empowered to rule even amid opposition. This foreshadows Christ’s spiritual kingship, established from Jerusalem and extending over a world still in conflict.

“Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor; before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you.”

“The king’s birth” refers to the king’s enthronement, understood as a divine begetting — a theological concept echoed in Psalm 2:7 and applied to Christ in Hebrews 1:5.

The imagery of dew and daystar evokes purity, renewal, and divine origin, suggesting a king radiant with heavenly favor.

The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent: “You are a priest forever, according to the order of  Melchizedek.”

Uniquely, God appoints the king not only as a ruler but also a priest, like Melchizedek, the ancient priest-king of Salem, who offered bread and wine (Genesis 14:18, today’s first reading). This priesthood is not Levitical, but eternal and divinely instituted.

This verse finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ, who unites kingship and priesthood perfectly and eternally (cf. Hebrews 5-7). The oath underscores the irrevocable nature of this divine appointment.