Bible: Lord vs. Lord (Greek vs. Hebrew)

Jesus cites Psalm 110:1 in a discussion with the Pharisees about the identity of the Messiah. This occurs in three Synoptic Gospels: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Below are the NIV translations of these three occurrences.

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” “The son of David,” they replied. 43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says, 44 “‘ The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”‘ 45 If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” – Matthew 22:41-45

35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David? 36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared: “‘T he Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”‘ 37 David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?” The large crowd listened to him with delight. – Mark 12:35-37

41 Then Jesus said to them, “Why is it said that the Messiah is the son of David? 42 David himself declares in the Book of Psalms: “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand 43 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”‘ 44 David calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?” – Luke 20:41-44

The Greek for “The Lord siad to my lord” is” (Εἶπεν Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου), and in Greek there is no difference in the basic meaning of “lord” in the two forms “Κύριος” (Kyrios) and “Κυρίῳ” (Kyriō). Both forms derive from the same root word “Κύριος,” which means “Lord” or “Master.” The difference between these forms lies in their grammatical case, which affects their function in a sentence rather than their meaning.

But this is not the case in the Hebrew found in Psalm 110:1. In the Hebrew that this passage is cited from, it uses the name “ Yahweh” ( יְהוָה) for God and “ L’adoni” “( לַאדֹנִי) for “to my Lord.”