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Good morning, dearest Father Angelo,

Please, help me understand something about Psalm 110:3, as the version of our New American Bible writes in one way while the original Hebrew text writes in another, thus changing the messianic meaning of verse 3 of Psalm 110.

The Psalm, according to the Greek translation of the Septuagint, reads as follows: “The LORD says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand, while I make your enemies your footstool.”

The scepter of your might: the LORD extends your strong scepter from Zion. Have dominion over your enemies!

Yours is princely power from the day of your birth. In holy splendor before the daystar, like dew I begot you.” …

Instead, in the translation from the original Hebrew text in verse 3, we read: “Your people come forward willingly on your day of battle. In majestic holiness, from the womb, from the dawn, yours was the dew of youth.”

The version of the original Hebrew text of verse 3 of Psalm 110 appears to diminish the messianic interpretation we find in our Catholic Bible.

Father Angelo, would you help me understand why there is this difference in interpretation of verse 3 of Psalm 110 between our Catholic Bible and the original Hebrew text?

The Priest’s answer

Dear,

1. Even biblical scholars could not exactly understand this third verse of Psalm 110.

Indeed, the Hebrew text gives a different version, but – as Marco Sales recalls –  [tr.] “the Hebrew text always remains intricate, unclear and presents several variants, and all in all, we should now prefer the Greek or Latin one, as they offer an intelligible text”.

2. Marco Sales states that this “verse is very difficult in the original and in translations, and the text probably suffered”.

Samely, the Jerusalem Bible says: “difficult text”, and without further comment presents the Masoretic text (Hebrew) and the one of the LXX, which our Vulgate was translated from.

3. We should remember that the LXX was translated from Hebrew to Greek by rabbis, teachers of the law.

This translation, particularly authoritative precisely because it was made by Jews before the coming of Christ, sees verse 3 in reference to the Messiah.

4. The Greek version (the LXX) and Latin one (the Vulgate) describe the glory and majesty of the triumph of the Messiah.

The Messiah possesses His sovereign power (principality, empire) since the day of His power, that is, from all eternity as His kingdom is eternal.

5. The Messiah is presented in the act of receiving universal power from the Father (“The LORD says to my lord”) in the splendor of the saints.

For this reason, some say that the supreme Judge will fully manifest His principality on the day of the final judgment when we will see His justice and holiness as angels and saints will surround Him.

6. In any case, two features of the Messiah’s principality are pointed out: power and splendor (holiness).

7. The Hebrew text says: “Your people come forward willingly on your day of battle. In majestic holiness, from the womb, from the dawn, yours was the dew of youth.”

More than highlighting the Messiah, it exalts the people who praise the Messiah in sacred honors.

The sacred honors, notes Marco Sales, [tr.] “can be the priestly dress of the Messiah, or the rich armor that was carried in war, or the sanctity of the cause for which these forces served, or the sacred character of the people of the Messiah as St. Peter wrote “a royal priesthood, a holy nation” (1 Pt 2:9)”.

8. “Before the daystar, like dew I begot you” praises the Messiah as the Son of God, because divinely begot. Begot since eternity, that is, before the creation of the world.

9. Now, this is all I can tell you.

But I think it is enough to read Psalm 110 as praise for the coming Messiah, proclaimed God Who manifests Himself in power and holiness.

I bless you hoping you will participate in royal priesthood and with those holy people who go to meet the Messiah (ref. Jewish tradition).

Father Angelo