The Bible Dept. Podcast (ARMA Courses)

Day 289: Psalms 110-112

Host: Dr. Manny Arango
Date: October 16, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Dr. Manny Arango unpacks Psalms 110, 111, and 112 as part of a year-long Bible reading plan. Moving into the final stretch of Psalms (“Book Five”), Manny highlights Psalm 110 as a messianic royal psalm foundational to both the Old and New Testament understanding of Christ, and presents Psalms 111 and 112 as a thematically-linked pair of acrostic, wisdom psalms. He explores the context, literary design, and deep theological insights behind these texts, encouraging listeners to grow in their awe of God and vocabulary for praise.

Key Discussion Points

1. Setting the Stage: Psalms 110, 111 & 112

[00:35]

• Psalm 110 stands alone—a royal and messianic psalm described as “foundational for understanding the person, identity, and name of Christ.”
• Psalms 111 and 112 form a literary pair: both are acrostics (each line begins with sequential Hebrew letters) and both begin with “Hallelujah” (“Praise the Lord”).
• These two psalms are connected by the recurring theme of “the fear of the Lord” and the pursuit of wisdom.

“Once you pair them together, the sense exponentially grows.” — Dr. Manny Arango [01:19]

2. Context Clues & Literary Structure

[02:15]

Psalm 110: The Royal Messianic Psalm

• Identified as “a psalm of David,” likely used in the coronation or succession ceremonies.
• “Messiah” in Hebrew means “anointed one”; David, Solomon, and every king in this tradition point to the Messiah—Jesus.
• Psalm 110 is frequently quoted in the New Testament (see Mark 12:36, Matthew 22:44, Luke 20:42–43, Acts 2:34–35), serving as an interpretive key for Christology (the doctrine of Christ).

Psalms 111 & 112: Wisdom Acrostics

• Both lack titles but are “paired” as acrostic psalms.
• Both begin with “hallelujah” (not always evident in English translations).
• The last verse of Psalm 111 and the first verse of Psalm 112 are tightly linked by the theme of “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”

“These are also low key, some wisdom psalms that we have here in 111 and 112.” — Dr. Manny Arango [05:20]

3. “Nerdy Nuggets”: Deep Dives and Memorable Moments

Psalm 110 — Messianic Mystery and the Trinity

[08:35]

• Original context: Used at royal succession.
• Elevated importance through New Testament use—quoted by Jesus and Peter to prove Jesus’ divine kingship.
• Intrigue of Hebrew terms:
  • “The LORD (Yahweh) says to my Lord (Adonai)...” (Psalm 110:1), with Adonai sometimes used for Yahweh, but here denoting a distinct person.
  • Points to early hints of Trinitarian theology—two divine persons, both worthy of David’s submission, yet distinct.

“The Son of David is also the Son of God. What a profound mystery.” — Dr. Manny Arango [12:08]

“His name is Yahweh's name...His nature is Yahweh's nature, but he is distinct from Yahweh. He is not Yahweh, yet he shares his name and nature.” — Dr. Manny Arango [11:41]

Psalms 111 & 112 — Awe, Praise, and Blessing

[15:10]

• Both are “full acrostics and both wisdom-focused.”
• Central connection: “The fear of Yahweh connects these two psalms.”
• Wisdom starts with recognizing the infinite God and our humble position—true humility and awe (“awe is what causes us to worship…”).
• Psalm 111 focuses on describing God’s characteristics: greatness, glory, majesty, wonder, graciousness, compassion, provision, and faithfulness.
• Psalm 112 explores the “blessings of those who fear the Lord,” including steadfastness, lack of fear, generosity to the poor, and enduring righteousness.

“In five verses, we have five things about God…He’s great, he’s glorious, he’s majestic, he’s wonderful, he’s gracious, he’s compassionate, he’s a provider.” — Dr. Manny Arango [18:09]

“It is impossible to be wise if you don’t have humility. It is impossible to be wise if you don’t walk in awe and wonder of who God is.” — Dr. Manny Arango [16:42]

• Illustration: Many lack words to praise God because they haven’t explored His character—thus, growing a “vocabulary of praise” is essential.

4. Timeless Truth & Practical Application

[24:39]

• Challenge: Make a list of words that describe God; intentionally grow your vocabulary for worship and prayer.
• Legacy of praise: The way parents describe God becomes part of spiritual inheritance to their children.

“If you run out of things to say, that means you just don’t have enough words to describe Him. You have to grow your vocabulary.” — Dr. Manny Arango [25:42]

• Final tie-back: David wrote a psalm for his son, and Jesus later quotes it—what we say about God echoes in generations.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [03:57] “Thank God there is no Hebrew word for twerk…praise be to God that there’s no Hebrew word for twerk.” — Dr. Manny Arango (recalling a cringe-worthy acrostic sermon)

• [08:46] “This is what becomes really cool…Yahweh is Yahweh. Christ is Christ. But both Yahweh and Jesus Christ are Adonai, which reveals trinitarian theology right here in the Book of Psalms.”

• [18:55] “For people who say, like, I don’t know what to say when I pray, it’s like, then you don’t know God.”

• [22:06] “Psalm 111 is all about how awesome God is. Psalm 112 is all about how awesome he is towards his people who actually acknowledge his awesomeness.”

Important Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | Notes | |---------|-----------|-------| | Episode intro & reading plan talk | 00:00 – 01:18 | Sets daily format and encourages pre-reading | | Context Clues: Psalms 110, 111, 112 | 01:19 – 05:18 | Structure of the day’s psalms | | Nerdy Nuggets (Psalm 110) | 08:35 – 13:22 | Royal context, NT usage, Christology, Trinity | | Nerdy Nuggets (Psalms 111/112) | 15:10 – 21:59 | Acrostics, wisdom, vocabulary of praise, blessings | | Timeless truth and application | 24:39 – 27:42 | Building vocabulary for describing God, generational legacy |

Takeaway & Listener Challenge

• Reflect on and expand your personal vocabulary for describing and praising God.
• Recognize the awe and humility that are foundational to a wise and blessed life (as illustrated in the pairing of Psalms 111 and 112).
• As parents, mentors, or leaders, remember the impact your description and reverence for God will have on those following you.

Next Episode Preview:
Tomorrow, Dr. Manny will explore Psalms 113, 114, and 115.