What Does Psalms 110:7 Mean?

The phrase 'He shall drink of the brook in the way' has multiple interpretive traditions. Some commentators view it as literal - the Messiah refreshing Himself during battle or journey. Others see it as figurative of the Messiah's humiliation and identification with human weakness. The connection to Isaiah's suffering servant became prominent in Christian interpretation. Early Christians recognized that Jesus' earthly ministry involved suffering, rejection, and death - the 'drinking of the brook' of humiliation. His resurrection and ascension represented 'lifting up his head' - vindication and exaltation. This interpretation proved crucial in addressing the 'Messiah problem': first-century Jews expected a triumphant warrior-king, not a crucified rabbi. Psalm 110, read as a complete unit, reconciled these expectations. It revealed a Messiah who would be humiliated, judged guilty, even executed, yet would be exalted and would execute final judgment. The 'therefore shall he lift up his head' became the Christian explanation for Christ's resurrection. Medieval and Reformation theologians noted that the psalm moves from exaltation (verse 1) through humiliation (verse 7) back to exaltation, suggesting the Messiah's complete historical trajectory. The humility of 'drinking from the brook' anticipates the humiliation of the cross, while 'lifting up his head' anticipates the resurrection and eternal reign.