Psalms 110:7 (KJV)

What does Psalms 110:7 mean?

Psalms 110:7 pictures the ruler refreshing himself along the way and then raising his head. Coming after the scene of conflict in verse 6, the final image is often understood as a sign of renewed strength and victory.

Drinking from a brook gives the scene a brief pause amid movement. The raised head then brings the psalm to a confident close, though the picture leaves the reader to understand what the gesture signifies.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 110:7

• “brook” — נַחַל (naḥal): This word can mean a stream or a streambed. It suggests a natural watercourse beside the ruler’s route, rather than a prepared place of rest.
• “head” — רֹאשׁ (roʾsh): This word means the head. Raising the head can picture a confident or victorious posture, although the gesture itself is all the verse describes.

Why Psalms 110:7 matters

• The verse shifts from the wider scene of battle to a close view of the ruler. The phrases “drink of the brook” and “lift up the head” focus on his actions along the way.
• The ruler’s raised head is linked to the drink by “therefore.” The sentence presents the two actions together, making the water part of the movement toward the final image.