He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.
Psalm 110:7 closes this glorious Messianic psalm with a final picture of the Lord Jesus Christ in unstoppable victory. The verse must be read in its context. Verses 5-6 do not speak of weakness, defeat, suffering, or humiliation, but of conquest: “The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings” (v.5), “He shall judge among the heathen” (v.6), “He shall wound the heads over many countries” (v.6). Therefore verse 7 continues the same victorious theme. The Messiah is pictured as a conquering King moving through His campaign, drinking briefly from the brook in the way, refreshed and confident, and then lifting up His head in triumph.
“He.” This is the Lord Jesus Christ, the same Person throughout the psalm. He is David’s Lord, whom Jehovah seated at His right hand (v.1; Matthew 22:44-45; Acts 2:34-36). He is the King whose rod of strength is sent out of Zion (v.2; Psalm 2:6; Matthew 28:18). He is the Head of a willing people in the day of His power (v.3; John 6:37; Acts 13:48). He is the Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek (v.4; Hebrews 5:6; 7:17,21). He is the Judge who strikes through kings and judges among the heathen (vv. 5-6; Acts 17:31; Revelation 19:15-16). The “He” of verse 7 is not a weary victim overtaken by weakness, but the triumphant Messiah continuing His victorious work.
“Shall drink.” Drinking here signifies refreshment, strength, and confident continuance in the way of conquest. It is not the language of defeat, but of a victorious warrior who is so fully in control of the battle that He may stop and drink without fear. His enemies cannot stop Him. Their kings cannot resist Him. Their countries cannot hide from Him. He drinks because His victory is certain, His dominion is secure, and His course cannot fail. This agrees with the whole psalm: Jehovah has already seated Him at His right hand and promised to make His enemies His footstool (v.1; 1 Corinthians 15:25).
“Of the brook.” A brook is found along the way, not in a palace. This is battlefield imagery, travel imagery, campaign imagery. The conquering King does not need a banquet, throne room, or delay. A brook in the way is enough. He takes refreshment as He advances. The picture is like a mighty warrior in pursuit, not turning aside from the conflict, but strengthened in the very path of victory. Scripture gives such battle imagery when men in war took water while still ready for action (Judges 7:5-7). The point is not royal ease, but active conquest.
“In the way.” The “way” is the path of His mediatorial reign and conquest. Christ has a way appointed by Jehovah: He must reign until every enemy is put under His feet (v.1; 1 Corinthians 15:25). His way includes ruling in the midst of His enemies (v.2), gathering His willing people (v.3), interceding as Priest forever (v.4), striking kings (v.5), judging nations (v.6), and finally delivering up the kingdom to God when all rule, authority, and power have been put down (1 Corinthians 15:24-26). The brook is “in the way,” meaning His refreshment occurs during His victorious progress, not after retreat or failure.
“Therefore.” This word connects the drinking with the lifting up of the head. Because He drinks in the way, because He is refreshed in the campaign, because no enemy can hinder Him, therefore He lifts up the head. His strength is not exhausted. His conquest is not interrupted. His reign does not fail. The logic of the verse is victory leading to more victory.
“Shall he lift up.” This is exaltation, triumph, confidence, and public victory. To lift up the head is the opposite of shame, defeat, fear, and despair. David used this language of God as his glory: “But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head” (Psalm 3:3). Jesus Christ lifts up the head as the victorious King who has struck kings, judged nations, wounded heads, and subdued His enemies. His head is not bowed beneath His foes; His head is lifted above them.
“The head.” The head represents honor, majesty, authority, and triumph. In verse 6, He wounds the heads over many countries; in verse 7, He lifts up His own head. The contrast is glorious. The heads of His enemies are wounded; His head is lifted. Their counsel is broken; His dominion stands. Their crowns fall; His crown remains. Their glory perishes; His glory increases. He is Head over all things to the church (Ephesians 1:20-23), Head of the body (Colossians 1:18), and King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).
Psalm 110:7 therefore does not break the flow of conquest. It completes it. The Lord Jesus Christ advances as the victorious Messiah. He drinks from the brook in the way, not as one overcome, but as one refreshed in triumph. He lifts up the head, not after sorrow, but after conquest. The psalm begins with His enthronement at Jehovah’s right hand and ends with His head lifted high in victory (v.1, v.7).
This interpretation also keeps Scripture interpreting Scripture. Christ must reign until all enemies are under His feet (1 Corinthians 15:25). He shall put down all rule, authority, and power (1 Corinthians 15:24). He shall judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:31). He shall smite the nations (Revelation 19:15). He shall destroy the last enemy, death itself (1 Corinthians 15:26). Then, having subdued all, He shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father (1 Corinthians 15:24). Psalm 110:7 pictures that conquering confidence.
Thus the psalm closes with the Lord Jesus Christ exactly where Jehovah decreed He would be: exalted, victorious, and reigning. The heads of His enemies are wounded, but His head is lifted up. The kingdoms of men pass away, but His kingdom stands for ever. The kings of the earth rise against Him, yet He breaks them with a rod of iron (Psalm 2:9). He must reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet (1 Corinthians 15:25). Therefore Psalm 110 is a psalm of absolute triumph. The Priest-King seated at God’s right hand shall never fail, never retreat, and never be overcome, until every enemy is subdued and His glorious reign is openly acknowledged throughout heaven and earth.
He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.
Psalm 110:7 closes this glorious Messianic psalm with a final picture of the Lord Jesus Christ in unstoppable victory. The verse must be read in its context. Verses 5-6 do not speak of weakness, defeat, suffering, or humiliation, but of conquest: “The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings” (v.5), “He shall judge among the heathen” (v.6), “He shall wound the heads over many countries” (v.6). Therefore verse 7 continues the same victorious theme. The Messiah is pictured as a conquering King moving through His campaign, drinking briefly from the brook in the way, refreshed and confident, and then lifting up His head in triumph.
“He.” This is the Lord Jesus Christ, the same Person throughout the psalm. He is David’s Lord, whom Jehovah seated at His right hand (v.1; Matthew 22:44-45; Acts 2:34-36). He is the King whose rod of strength is sent out of Zion (v.2; Psalm 2:6; Matthew 28:18). He is the Head of a willing people in the day of His power (v.3; John 6:37; Acts 13:48). He is the Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek (v.4; Hebrews 5:6; 7:17,21). He is the Judge who strikes through kings and judges among the heathen (vv. 5-6; Acts 17:31; Revelation 19:15-16). The “He” of verse 7 is not a weary victim overtaken by weakness, but the triumphant Messiah continuing His victorious work.
“Shall drink.” Drinking here signifies refreshment, strength, and confident continuance in the way of conquest. It is not the language of defeat, but of a victorious warrior who is so fully in control of the battle that He may stop and drink without fear. His enemies cannot stop Him. Their kings cannot resist Him. Their countries cannot hide from Him. He drinks because His victory is certain, His dominion is secure, and His course cannot fail. This agrees with the whole psalm: Jehovah has already seated Him at His right hand and promised to make His enemies His footstool (v.1; 1 Corinthians 15:25).
“Of the brook.” A brook is found along the way, not in a palace. This is battlefield imagery, travel imagery, campaign imagery. The conquering King does not need a banquet, throne room, or delay. A brook in the way is enough. He takes refreshment as He advances. The picture is like a mighty warrior in pursuit, not turning aside from the conflict, but strengthened in the very path of victory. Scripture gives such battle imagery when men in war took water while still ready for action (Judges 7:5-7). The point is not royal ease, but active conquest.
“In the way.” The “way” is the path of His mediatorial reign and conquest. Christ has a way appointed by Jehovah: He must reign until every enemy is put under His feet (v.1; 1 Corinthians 15:25). His way includes ruling in the midst of His enemies (v.2), gathering His willing people (v.3), interceding as Priest forever (v.4), striking kings (v.5), judging nations (v.6), and finally delivering up the kingdom to God when all rule, authority, and power have been put down (1 Corinthians 15:24-26). The brook is “in the way,” meaning His refreshment occurs during His victorious progress, not after retreat or failure.
“Therefore.” This word connects the drinking with the lifting up of the head. Because He drinks in the way, because He is refreshed in the campaign, because no enemy can hinder Him, therefore He lifts up the head. His strength is not exhausted. His conquest is not interrupted. His reign does not fail. The logic of the verse is victory leading to more victory.
“Shall he lift up.” This is exaltation, triumph, confidence, and public victory. To lift up the head is the opposite of shame, defeat, fear, and despair. David used this language of God as his glory: “But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head” (Psalm 3:3). Jesus Christ lifts up the head as the victorious King who has struck kings, judged nations, wounded heads, and subdued His enemies. His head is not bowed beneath His foes; His head is lifted above them.
“The head.” The head represents honor, majesty, authority, and triumph. In verse 6, He wounds the heads over many countries; in verse 7, He lifts up His own head. The contrast is glorious. The heads of His enemies are wounded; His head is lifted. Their counsel is broken; His dominion stands. Their crowns fall; His crown remains. Their glory perishes; His glory increases. He is Head over all things to the church (Ephesians 1:20-23), Head of the body (Colossians 1:18), and King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).
Psalm 110:7 therefore does not break the flow of conquest. It completes it. The Lord Jesus Christ advances as the victorious Messiah. He drinks from the brook in the way, not as one overcome, but as one refreshed in triumph. He lifts up the head, not after sorrow, but after conquest. The psalm begins with His enthronement at Jehovah’s right hand and ends with His head lifted high in victory (v.1, v.7).
This interpretation also keeps Scripture interpreting Scripture. Christ must reign until all enemies are under His feet (1 Corinthians 15:25). He shall put down all rule, authority, and power (1 Corinthians 15:24). He shall judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:31). He shall smite the nations (Revelation 19:15). He shall destroy the last enemy, death itself (1 Corinthians 15:26). Then, having subdued all, He shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father (1 Corinthians 15:24). Psalm 110:7 pictures that conquering confidence.
Thus the psalm closes with the Lord Jesus Christ exactly where Jehovah decreed He would be: exalted, victorious, and reigning. The heads of His enemies are wounded, but His head is lifted up. The kingdoms of men pass away, but His kingdom stands for ever. The kings of the earth rise against Him, yet He breaks them with a rod of iron (Psalm 2:9). He must reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet (1 Corinthians 15:25). Therefore Psalm 110 is a psalm of absolute triumph. The Priest-King seated at God’s right hand shall never fail, never retreat, and never be overcome, until every enemy is subdued and His glorious reign is openly acknowledged throughout heaven and earth.