But the unusual part
of this verse concerns the term for the direct recipient of the oracle that
David was allowed to hear: Yahweh says “to my lord.” Here the word “my lord” (אֲדֹנִי) simply means “my lord” or “my master.” The title emphasizes
the authority and superiority of the king. A prophet addressing David as his
master would not be difficult; but David was referring to his descendant as his
master, which would be more unusual in dynastic pronouncements. David clearly
sees this future coming king, who is the one to whom God is speaking, as his
sovereign master. His use of the word “my lord” does not indicate that the king
was divine, only that he is lord and master. If it is referring to David’s
descendant, it means he will be greater than David. (Allen
P. Ross, A Commentary on the Psalms, 3 vols. [Kregel Exegetical Library;
Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Academic, 2016], 346)
In a footnote for the meaning of “to my
lord” we read that:
The word in the singular most often refers to human superiors; when the word refers to God it is usually put in the plural (אֲדנָי, literally “my Lords); this is the word that is pronounced instead of the holy name in Jewish custom, and so when put into English as “LORD” it represents the holy name of God, “Yahweh.” But here in the first verse of the psalm the text says “Yahweh said to my lord.”