As he walked that harrowing road, he was rehearsing the Psalms and living out the ancient Script with every act of faith. On Tuesday, he drew the Psalm from its blessed scabbard, stumping the brightest minds of his day and silencing the loudest mouths. Now, their only recourse would be to kill him.

The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” (Psalm 110:1)

He almost sealed his fate that Sunday. Riding in on the humble steed (Matthew 21:7; Zechariah 9:9), he had stirred up the whole city with messianic hopes (Matthew 21:10–11). Then Monday he cleansed the temple, and refused to rebuke the children’s hosannas (Matthew 21:15–16). Now there was no turning back, and he confirmed it with his words on Tuesday.

With each passing hour, Jesus drew nearer to the lion’s jaws. In just three days, he would be shamed and humiliated, tortured and executed — each step toward Calvary met with increasing friction. Yet, on the inside, he was singing.

As he walked that harrowing road, he was rehearsing the Psalms and living out the ancient Script with every act of faith. On Tuesday, he drew the Psalm from its blessed scabbard, stumping the brightest minds of his day and silencing the loudest mouths. Now, their only recourse would be to kill him.

David Called Him ‘Lord’

When John the Baptist came from the wilderness, Psalm 110 was among the greatest riddles in Scripture, and yet it became the single most quoted Old Testament chapter in the New. It all began here on the Tuesday before Jesus died, when Jesus himself planted his foot on ground so holy and high that no one else dared trod there.

That Tuesday was intense. He captured their attention with a donkey and a whip, and then fed them a full day of teaching, showing the Jerusalem elites what the Galileans had seen: one who spoke with authority (Matthew 7:29; Mark 1:22). He didn’t sidestep the inevitable conflict with the powers, but strode back into their den and held his ground. When they questioned his authority, he answered with three parables (Matthew 21:28–22:14). Baffled as they were, he made it plain enough he directed his riddles against them. Having endured their challenges with patience, he then turned the tables with Psalm 110.

At last, he asked, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” As expected, they answered, “The son of David” (Matthew 22:42). Then Psalm 110 and the zinger: “If then David calls [the Christ] Lord, how is he his son?” (Matthew 22:45). How could the younger be greater than the older? Unless . . . but the dialogue was done. “No one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions” (Matthew 22:46).

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