Islam and LORD, Lord - Psalms 110:1

Psalms 110:1 The LORD says to my lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."

Islam uses this passage to support their belief in Muhammad. Muslims ask how it can refer to Jesus as he is David's son and David calls him Lord. Their answer? The Lord of David is in fact Muhammad (Baagil H. M., Muslim-Christian Dialogue).

However, the truth speaks forth and says in Matthew 22:42-44:

"What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?" "The son of David," they replied. He said to them, "How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him 'Lord'? For he says, "'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet."'"

Jesus himself tells us that this verse refers to him and therefore it cannot refer to Muhammad. There is no doubt that this Psalm looked forward to Jesus Christ (Mark 12:35-37).

The Psalm focuses on two divine oracles. The first (Psa 110:1) shows the close but subordinate relationship of the human to the divine King. Jesus, who though "being in the very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped (Phil. 2:6). However, after Jesus' resurrection, God highly exalted his Son to a place at his right hand. The New Testament writers cited this oracle to demonstrate Jesus' post-resurrection glory and to point to the cosmic struggle between God and the powers of evil (Acts 2:34-35; 1 Cor. 15:25; Eph. 1:20; Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:13; 1 Pet. 3:22). The second oracle appointed the king as a special type of priest. As opposed to the hereditary Aaronic priesthood, this priesthood descended from Melchizedek (Gen. 14:18-23), who foreshowed Jesus Christ, the great high priest (Heb. 5:6; 7:17; 8:1; 10:12ff).

See also Christianity and Islam Contrasted

Reference:

Richard Pratt, General Editor. Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 2003.