Psalm 110

This is one of the most well-known and well-quoted Old Testament passages—referred to in the New Testament more than any other Old Testament passage. Jesus Himself referenced this psalm to confound the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 22. Of course, Jesus is the subject of this psalm, and it has much to teach us about His mission both on earth and in heaven at present.

However, I thought the first verse also had something to teach us about hardship: “The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’” (vs 1)

David does a lot of singing in the psalms about wanting to trample down his enemies. It seems that was a constant train of thought running through his mind. This shouldn’t surprise us. After all, David spent a good portion of his life on the run from his enemies, and in those times, he was totally dependent on God for his safety. He never knew when it might all be over.

So, it’s no wonder that David dreamed of trampling on his enemies. Yet, in this psalm, God shows that He has a different purpose for our enemies—one also involving our feet. But it’s not trampling them, it’s allowing them to lift us higher.

In 1675, Sir Isaac Newton wrote a letter to his friend in science, Robert Hooke, that contained one of his most famous sayings: If I have seen further, it is only by standing on the shoulders of giants.

Of course, this principle is true for science and education. By adding our present knowledge and understanding to what has come before, we are able to see much further than we might otherwise have. But God also elects to use the hardships we encounter in this life for the very same purpose.

When people come against us, when they malign our characters, when they lie about us, when they attempt to discredit us, when they do all they can to annoy and harass us, we can be assured that God will take all those things that have been done for evil and turn them around for our good.

How does He do that? Frankly, I don’t know. I constantly ask myself that question while marveling at the people I know who have professed it to be true, not to mention having experienced it in my own life. How God is able to take the horrific things we experience and bless us through them is something I’m sure we’ll be learning more about through eternity.

But even if we can’t explain it today, we can experience it today. God is blessing you through your adversity. He is going to use every enemy you have to lift you up higher, to help you see farther, to assist you in reaching new heights. Everything that happens to us in this life is utilized by God for our benefit. Everything.

Even your enemies. They will go from being a hammer to a footstool.

They may be trying to beat you down, but God is going to use them to lift you up.