Psalms 110:5 Meaning and Explanation
“The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.”
King James Version (KJV)
This study note uses an AI-assisted editorial workflow with source, duplication, and quality checks. See how verse explanations are prepared.
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The verse speaks into a world where kings and powerful rulers can seem untouchable. Psalm 110 does not deny their strength; it places their strength beneath the Lord's authority. Its sober language assures God's people that opposition to his reign has an appointed limit.
Psalm 110:5 declares that the Lord stands in support of the royal priestly figure and will bring proud rulers under judgment when divine wrath is revealed.
The Context of Psalms 110:5
Psalm 110 opens with the LORD addressing "my Lord," seating him at the right hand and promising the defeat of his enemies. The psalm then describes rule from Zion, a willing people, and an everlasting priesthood after the order of Melchizedek. Verse 5 shifts to the Lord's action in the conflict. Verse 6 continues the judgment among the nations, while verse 7 pictures the victorious figure drinking from a brook and lifting up his head. The chapter joins royal authority, priestly permanence, conflict, judgment, and victory in a compact prophetic poem.
What Does Psalms 110:5 Mean?
"The Lord at thy right hand" recalls the opening scene, where the LORD invites "my Lord" to sit at his right hand. In verse 5, the wording presents the Lord as present beside and supporting the one addressed. The verse then speaks of striking through kings. Kings represent visible authority and military power, yet their rank does not place them beyond God's judgment. "The day of his wrath" is a time when God's settled opposition to evil and rebellion is openly expressed. The verse does not describe a private quarrel or human revenge. It announces the righteous action of the Lord against rulers who set themselves against his appointed reign.
Within the chapter, this judgment belongs to the fulfillment of the LORD's promise to make enemies a footstool. The ruler in Psalm 110 rules amid enemies, while the LORD remains the decisive actor. Verse 4 has already established an enduring priesthood by divine oath, and verses 5-6 show that this priestly king also faces a world of resistant powers. Scripture regularly warns that rulers are accountable to God, whose judgment reaches beyond national boundaries. The forceful imagery in this psalm should be read with the chapter's own purpose: the Lord vindicates his reign and brings hostile power to its end.
The New Testament repeatedly uses Psalm 110 to speak of Christ's exaltation at God's right hand. That connection makes verse 5 a solemn part of the Bible's witness that the exalted Christ's reign will finally be acknowledged. His ministry is marked by priesthood, intercession, and mercy, and the psalm also holds before us the reality of judgment. We need not imagine the details beyond what the text says. Its clear claim is that no king, government, or human power can finally overturn the reign established by God. The Lord's victory is neither uncertain nor dependent on the apparent strength of his opponents.
Bible Verses Related to Psalms 110:5
“Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.”
- Psalm 2:10-12
“The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”
- Psalm 110:1
“For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool.”
- Acts 2:34-35
“And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
- Revelation 19:15-16
Where Psalms 110:5 Echoes in Scripture
Hebrews 1:13 cites Psalm 110:1 when describing the Son seated at God's right hand until his enemies are made his footstool. That later use confirms the psalm's importance for understanding Christ's exalted reign. Psalm 110:5 belongs to the same movement: the one honored at God's right hand is not abandoned in the face of opposition, and God's purpose concerning his enemies will be completed.
How to Apply Psalms 110:5 Today
This verse invites us to measure public power by a truer standard than wealth, armies, titles, or influence. We can pray for rulers and honor rightful authority while remembering that every ruler answers to God. It also gives courage when injustice seems protected by power. Our response need not be panic, bitterness, or a desire to take vengeance into our own hands. We may seek what is good, speak truthfully, care for those harmed by unjust rule, and entrust final judgment to the Lord. The psalm directs our confidence toward God's reign, which human opposition cannot finally defeat.
Reflection & Prayer
Where has the power of people or institutions begun to feel final in our minds? Psalm 110 calls us to remember the Lord's higher authority and righteous judgment. We might pray: "Lord, keep us faithful when power is misused. Give us courage to do good, compassion for those who suffer, and trust in your righteous reign."