| Back to Home Page | Back to Book Index
|
Psalm One
Hundred Ten
Psalm 110
Chapter Contents
Christ's kingdom.
Glorious things are here spoken of Christ. Not only he
should be superior to all the kings of the earth
but he then existed in glory
as the eternal Son of God. Sitting is a resting posture: after services and
sufferings
to give law
to give judgment. It is a remaining posture: he sits
like a king for ever. All his enemies are now in a chain
but not yet made his
footstool. And his kingdom
being set up
shall be kept up in the world
in
despite of all the powers of darkness. Christ's people are a willing people.
The power of the Spirit
going with the power of the world
to the people of
Christs
is effectual to make them willing. They shall attend him in the
beautiful attire of holiness; which becomes his house for ever. And he shall
have many devoted to him. The dew of our youth
even in the morning of our
days
ought to be consecrated to our Lord Jesus. Christ shall not only be a
King
but a Priest. He is God's Minister to us
and our Advocate with the
Father
and so is the Mediator between God and man. He is a Priest of the order
of Melchizedek
which was before that of Aaron
and on many accounts superior
to it
and a more lively representation of Christ's priesthood. Christ's
sitting at the right hand of God
speaks as much terror to his enemies as
happiness to his people. The effect of this victory shall be the utter ruin of
his enemies. We have here the Redeemer saving his friends
and comforting them.
He shall be humbled; he shall drink of the brook in the way. The wrath of God
running in the curse of the law
may be considered as the brook in the way of
his undertaking. Christ drank of the waters of affliction in his way to the
throne of glory. But he shall be exalted. What then are we? Has the gospel of
Christ been to us the power of God unto salvation? Has his kingdom been set up
in our hearts? Are we his willing subjects? Once we knew not our need of his
salvation
and we were not willing that he should reign over us. Are we willing
to give up every sin
to turn from a wicked
insnaring world
and rely only on
his merits and mercy
to have him for our Prophet
Priest
and King? and do we
desire to be holy? To those who are thus changed
the Saviour's sacrifice
intercession
and blessing belong.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Psalms》
Psalm 110
Verse 1
[1] The
LORD said unto my Lord
Sit thou at my right hand
until I make thine enemies
thy footstool.
The Lord —
God the father.
Said —
Decreed it from eternity
and in due time published this decree
and actually
executed it; which he did when he raised up Christ from the dead
and brought
him into his heavenly mansion.
Unto —
Unto his son the Messiah
whom David designedly calls his Lord
to admonish the
whole church
that although he was his son according to his human nature
yet
he had an higher nature
and was also his Lord
as being God blessed for ever
and consequently Lord of all things. The Hebrew word Adon is one of God's
titles
signifying his power and authority over all things
and therefore is
most fitly given to the Messiah
to whom God hath delegated all his power Matthew 28:18.
Sit —
Now take thy rest and the possession of that sovereign kingdom and glory
which
by right belongeth to thee; do thou rule with me with equal power and majesty
as thou art God; and with an authority and honour far above all creatures
as
thou art man.
Make — By
my almighty power communicated to thee as God by eternal generation
and
vouchsafed to thee as mediator.
Enemies —
All ungodly men
sin and death
and the devil.
Footstool —
Thy slaves and vassals.
Verse 2
[2] The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the
midst of thine enemies.
The rod —
Thy strong or powerful rod
and the rod is put for his scepter
or kingly
power: but as the kingdom of Christ is not carnal
but spiritual
so this
scepter is nothing else but his word.
Zion —
From Jerusalem.
Verse 3
[3] Thy
people shall be willing in the day of thy power
in the beauties of holiness
from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.
People —
Thy subjects
shall offer thee as their king and Lord
not oxen or sheep
but
themselves
their souls and bodies
as living sacrifices
and as freewill-offerings
giving up themselves to the Lord
2 Corinthians 8:5
to live to him
and to die
for him.
The day —
When thou shalt take into thy hands the rod of thy strength
and set up thy
kingdom in the world.
In the beauties —
Adorned with the beautiful and glorious robes of righteousness and true
holiness.
The dew —
That is
thy offspring (the members of the Christian church) shall be more
numerous than the drops of the morning dew.
Verse 4
[4] The
LORD hath sworn
and will not repent
Thou art a priest for ever after the
order of Melchizedek.
Sworn —
That this priesthood might be made sure and irrevocable.
Verse 5
[5] The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his
wrath.
The Lord —
God the son; the Lord
who is at thy right-hand.
Strike —
Shall destroy all those kings who are obstinate enemies to him.
Verse 6
[6] He
shall judge among the heathen
he shall fill the places with the dead bodies;
he shall wound the heads over many countries.
Judge —
Condemn and punish them.
The places —
Or
the place of battle.
Dead bodies — Of
his enemies.
Heads —
All those princes who oppose him. But this and the like passages are not to be
understood grossly
but spiritually
according to the nature of Christ's
kingdom.
Verse 7
[7] He
shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.
Drink — He
shall have a large portion of afflictions
while he is in the way or course of
his life
before he comes to that honour of sitting at his father's right-hand.
Waters in scripture frequently signify sufferings. To drink of them
signifies
to feel or bear them.
Therefore — He
shall be exalted to great glory and felicity.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Psalms》
Exposition
Explanatory Notes and
Quaint Sayings
Hints to the Village
Preacher
Other Works
TITLE. A Psalm of
David. Of the correctness of this title there can be no doubt
since our Lord
in Mt 22:1 says
"How then doth David in spirit call him Lord." Yet
some critics are so fond of finding new authors for the psalms that they dare
to fly in the face of the Lord Jesus himself. To escape from finding Jesus
here
they read the title
"Psalm of (or concerning) David
"as
though it teas not so much written by him as of him
but he that reads with
understanding will see little enough of David here except as the writer. He is
not the subject of it even in the smallest degree
but Christ is all. How much
was revealed to the patriarch David! How blind are some modern wise men
even
amid the present blaze of light
as compared with this poet prophet of the
darker dispensation. May the Spirit who spoke by the man after God's own heart
give us eyes to see the hidden mysteries of this marvellous Psalm
in which
every word has an infinity of meaning.
SUBJECT
AND DIVISION. The subject is THE PRIEST KING. None of the kings of Israel
united these two offices
though some endeavoured to do so. Although David
performed some acts which appeared to verge upon the priestly
yet he was no
priest
but of the tribe of Judah
"of which tribe Moses spake nothing
concerning the priesthood"; and he was far too devout a man to thrust
himself into that office uncalled. The Priest King here spoken of is David's
Lord
a mysterious personage typified by Melchizedek
and looked for by the
Jews as the Messiah. He is none other than the apostle and high priest of our
profession
Jesus of Nazareth
the King of the Jews. The Psalm describes the
appointment of the kingly priest
his followers
his battles
and his victory.
Its centre is verse 4
and so it may be divided
as Alexander suggests
into
the introduction
verses Ps 106:1-3; the central thought
verse 4; and the supplementary
verses
Ps 106:5-7.
EXPOSITION
Verse
2. The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion.
It is in and through the church that for the present the power of the Messiah
is known. Jehovah has given to Jesus all authority in the midst of his people
whom he rules with his royal sceptre
and this power goes forth with divine
energy from the church for the ingathering of the elect
and the subduing of
all evil. We have need to pray for the sending out of the rod of divine
strength. It was by his rod that Moses smote the Egyptians
and wrought wonders
for Israel
and even so whenever the Lord Jesus sends forth the rod of his
strength
our spiritual enemies are overcome. There may be an allusion here to
Aaron's rod which budded and so proved his power; this was laid up in the ark
but our Lord's rod is sent forth to subdue his foes. This promise began to be
fulfilled at Pentecost
and it continues even to this day
and shall yet have a
grander fulfilment. O God of eternal might
let the strength of our Lord Jesus
be more clearly seen
and let the nations see it as coming forth out of the
midst of thy feeble people
even from Zion
the place of thine abode. Rule thou
in the midst of thine enemies as he does whenever his mighty sceptre of grace is
stretched forth to renew and save them. Moses' rod brought water out of the
flinty rock
and the gospel of Jesus soon causes repentance to flow in rivers
from the once hardened heart of man. Or the text may mean that though the
church is situated in the midst of a hostile world
yet it exerts a great
influence
it continues to manifest an inward majesty
and is after all the
ruling power among the nations because the shout of a king is in her midst.
Jesus
however hated by men
is still the King of kings. His rule is over even
the most unwilling
so as to overrule their fiercest opposition to the
advancement of Iris cause. Jesus
it appears from this text
is not inactive
during his session at Jehovah's right hand
but in his own way proves the
abiding nature of his kingdom both in Zion and from Zion
both among his
friends and his foes. We look for the clearer manifestation of his almighty
power in the latter days; but even in these waiting times we rejoice that to
the Lord all power is given in heaven and in earth.
Verse
3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power
in the
beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy
youth. In consequence of the sending forth of the rod of strength
namely
the power of the gospel
out of Zion
converts will come forward in great
numbers to enlist under the banner of the Priest King. Given to him of old
they are his people
and when his power is revealed
these hasten with
cheerfulness to own his sway
appearing at the gospel call as it were
spontaneously
even as the dew comes forth in the morning. This metaphor is
further enlarged upon
for as the dew has a sparkling beauty
so these willing
armies of converts have a holy excellence and charm about them; and as the dew
is the lively emblem of freshness
so are these converts full of vivacity and
youthful vigour
and the church is refreshed by them and made to flourish
exceedingly. Let but the gospel be preached with divine unction
and the chosen
of the Lord respond to it like troops in the day of the mustering of armies;
they come arrayed by grace in shining uniforms of holiness
and for number
freshness
beauty
and purity
they are as the dewdrops which come mysteriously
from the tooming's womb. Some refer this passage to the resurrection
but even
if it be so
the work of grace in regeneration is equally well described by it
for it is a spiritual resurrection. Even as the holy dead rise gladly into the
lovely image of their Lord
so do quickened souls put on the glorious righteousness
of Christ
and stand forth to behold their Lord and serve him. How truly
beautiful is holiness! God himself admires it. How wonderful also is the
eternal youth of the mystical body of Christ! As the dew is new every morning
so is there a constant succession of converts to give to the church perpetual
juvenility. Her young men have a dew from the Lord upon them
and arouse in her
armies an undying enthusiasm for him whose "locks are bushy and black as a
raven" with unfailing youth. Since Jesus ever lives
so shall his church
ever flourish. As his strength never faileth
so shall the vigour of his true
people be renewed day by day. As he is a Priest King
so are his people all
priests and kings
and the beauties of holiness are their priestly dress
their
garments for glory and for beauty; of these priests unto God there shall be an
unbroken succession. The realization of this day of power during the time of
the Lord's tarrying is that which we should constantly pray for; and we may
legitimately expect it since he ever sits in the seat of honour and power
and
puts forth his strength
according to his own word
"My Father worketh
hitherto
and I work."
Verse
4. We have now reached the heart of the psalm
which is also the
very centre and soul of our faith. Our Lord Jesus is a Priest King by the
ancient oath of Jehovah: "he glorified not himself to be made an high
priest
"but was ordained there unto from of old
and was called of God an
high priest after the order of Melchizedek. It must be a solemn and a sure
matter which leads the Eternal to swear
and with him an oath fixes and settles
the decree for ever; but in this case
as if to make assurance a thousand times
sure
it is added
" and will mot repent." It is done
and done for
ever and ever; Jesus is sworn in to be the priest of his people
and he must
abide so even to the end
because his commission is sealed by the unchanging
oath of the immutable Jehovah. If his priesthood could be revoked
and his
authority removed
it would be the end of all]lope and life for the people whom
he loves; but this sure rock is the basis of our security—the oath of God
establishes our glorious Lord both in his priesthood and in his throne. It is
the Lord who has constituted him a priest for ever
he has done it by oath
that oath is without repentance
is taking effect now
and will stand
throughout all ages: hence our security in him is placed beyond all question.
The
declaration runs in the present tense as being the only time with the Lord
and
comprehending all other times. "Thou art
"i.e.
thou wast and art
and art to come
in all ages a priestly King. The order of Melchizedek's
priesthood was the most ancient and primitive
the most free from ritual and
ceremony
the most natural and simple
and at the same time the most
honourable. That ancient patriarch was the father of his people
and at the
same time ruled and taught them; he swayed both the sceptre and the censer
reigned in righteousness
and offered sacrifice before the Lord. There has
never arisen another like to him since his days
for whenever the kings of
Judah attempted to seize the sacerdotal office they were driven back to their
confusion: God would have no king priest save Iris son. Melchizedek's office
was exceptional none preceded or succeeded him; he comes upon the page of
history mysteriously; no pedigree is given
no date of birth
or mention of
death; he blesses Abraham
receives tithe and vanishes from the scene amid
honours which show that he was greater than the founder of the chosen nation.
He is seen but once
and that once suffices. Aaron and his seed came and went;
their imperfect sacrifice continued for many generations
because it had no
finality in it
and could never make the comers thereunto perfect. Our Lord
Jesus
like Melchizedek
stands forth before us as a priest of divine
ordaining; not made a priest by fleshly birth
as the sons of Aaron: he
mentions neither father
mother
nor descent
as his right to the sacred
office; he stands upon his personal merits
by himself alone; as no man came
before him in his work
so none can follow after; his order begins and ends in
his own person
and in himself it is eternal
"having neither beginning of
days nor end of years The King Priest has been here and left his blessing upon
the believing
and now he sits in glory in his complete character
stoning for
us by the merit of his blood
and exercising all power on our behalf."
"O
may we ever hear thy voice
In mercy to us speak
And in our Priest we will rejoice
Thou great Melchizedek."
The
last verses of this psalm we understand to refer to the future victories of the
Priest King. He shall not forever sit in waiting posture
but shall come into
the fight to end the weary war by his own victorious presence. He will lead the
final charge in person; his own right hand and his holy arm shall get unto him
the victory.
Verse
5. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the
day of his wrath. Now that he has come into the field of action
the
infinite Jehovah comes with him as the strength of his right hand. Eternal
power attends the coming of the Lord
and earthly power dies before it as
though smitten through with a sword. In the last days all the kingdoms of the
earth shall be overcome by the kingdom of heaven
and those who dare oppose
shall meet with swift and overwhelming ruin. What are kings when they dare
oppose the Son of God? A single stroke shall suffice for their destruction.
When the angel of the Lord smote Herod there was no need of a second blow; he
was eaten of worms and gave up the ghost. Concerning the last days
we read of
the Faithful and True
who shall ride upon a white horse
and in righteousness
judge and make war: "Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword
that with it he
should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he
treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God."
Verse
6. He shall judge among the heathen
or
among the nations.
All nations shall feel his power
and either yield to it joyfully or be crushed
before it. He shall fill the places with the dead bodies. In the terrible
battles of his gospel all opponents shall fall till the field of fight is
heaped high with the slain. This need not be understood literally
but as a
poetical description of the overthrow of all rebellious powers and the defeat
of all unholy principles. Yet should kings oppose the Lord with weapons of war
the result would be their overwhelming defeat and the entire destruction of
their forces. Read in connection with this prophecy the passage which begins at
the seventeenth verse of Re 19:1 and runs on to the end of the chapter.
Terrible things in righteousness will be seen ere the history of this world
comes to an end. He shall wound the heads over many countries. He will strike
at the greatest powers which resist him
and wound not merely common men
but
those who rule and reign. If the nations will not have Christ for their Head
they shall find their political heads to be powerless to protect them. Or the
passage may be read
"he has smitten the head over the wide earth."
The monarch of the greatest nation shall not be able to escape the sword of the
Lord; nor shall that dread spiritual prince who rules over the children of
disobedience be able to escape without a deadly wound. Pope and priest must
fall
with Mahomet and other deceivers who are now heads of the people. Jesus
must reign and they must perish.
Verse
7. He shall drink of the brook in the way. So swiftly shall
he march to conquest that he shall not stay for refreshment
but drink as he
hastens on. Like Gideon's men that lapped
he shall throw his heart into the
fray and cut it short in righteousness
because a short work will the Lord make
in the earth. "Therefore shall he lift up the head." His own head
shall be lifted high in victory
and his people
in him
shall be upraised
also. When he passed this way before
he was burdened and had stern work laid
upon him; but in his second advent he will win an easy victory; aforetime he
was the man of sorrows
but when he comes a second time his head will be lifted
in triumph. Let his saints rejoice with him. "Lift up your heads
for your
redemption draweth nigh." In the latter days we look for terrible
conflicts and for a final victory. Long has Jesus borne with our rebellious
race
but at length he wilt rise to end the warfare of longsuffering
by the
blows of justice. God has fought with men's sins for their good
but he will
not always by his Spirit strive with men; he will cease from that struggle of
long suffering love
and begin another which shall soon end in the final
destruction of his adversaries. O King priest
we who are
in a minor degree
king priests too
are full of gladness because thou reignest even now
and wilt
come ere long to vindicate thy cause and establish thine empire for ever. Even
so
come quickly. Amen.
EXPLANATORY
NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS
Whole
Psalm. The preceding Psalm is a Passion Psalm
and it is now followed by
a Psalm of Christ's Resurrection
Ascension
and Session in glory. We have seen
the same connection in Ps. 22-24
and in Ps. 45-47. The present psalm grows up
from the former Psalm
as the Hill of Olivet
the Hill of Ascension
rises up
from the Vale of Gethsemane below it. Christopher Wordsworth.
Whole
Psalm. This psalm has been well designated the crown of all the Psalms
of which Luther saith that it is worthy to be overlaid with precious jewels.
More especially does the Reformer call verse 5 a well spring
—nay
a treasury
of all Christian doctrines
understanding
wisdom
and comfort
richer and
fuller than any other passage of Holy Writ. In his own peculiar manner
he
styles Christ the Sheblimini (`Sit on my right hand').`Full sure
the devil
must let alone my Sheblimini
and cannot bring him down either by his scorn or
by his wrath.' Christ still liveth and reigneth
and his title is Sheblimini.
On his stirrup is engraven
"I will make thine enemies' thy footstool
"and upon his diadem
"Thou art a priest for ever."—Alfred
Edersheim
1873.
Whole
Psalm. The ancients (by Cassiodorus' collection) term this psalm the sun
of our faith
the treasure of holy writ: "verbis brevis
sensu
infinitus"
(saith Augustine
)short in words
but in sense infinite.
Theodoret notes how it is connected with the psalm going before: "there
(saith he) we have his cross and sufferings
here his conquest and
trophies." For he cometh forth as the heir apparent of the Almighty
the
brightness of his glory
and the express image of his person
graced with
1.
Title
"My Lord."
2. Place
"Sit thou on my right hand."
3. Power
"Until I make thine enemies thy footstool."
—John Prideaux
in a Sermon entitled
"The Draught of the
Brooke
" 1636.
Whole
Psalm. This psalm is one of the fullest and most compendious prophecies
of the person and offices of Christ in the whole Old Testament
and so full of
fundamental truth
that I shall not shun to call it Symbolum Davidicum
the
prophet David's creed. And indeed there are very few
if any
of the articles
of that creed which we all generally profess
which are not either plainly expressed
or by most evident implication couched in this little model. First
the
Doctrine of the Trinity is in the first words; "The Lord said unto my
Lord." There is Jehovah the Father
and my Lord
the Son
and the
consecrating of him to be David's Lord which was by the Holy Ghost
by whose
fulness he was anointed unto the offices of king and priest; for so our Saviour
himself expounds this word "said
"by the scaling and sanctification
of him to his office
Joh 10:34
35
36. Then we have the Incarnation of Christ
in the words
"my Lord
"together with his dignity and honour above
David (as our Saviour himself expounds it
Mt 22:42
45). Mine
that is
my Son
by descent and genealogy after the flesh
and yet my Lord too
in regard of his
higher son ship. We have also the Sufferings of Christ
in that he was
consecrated a priest (Ps 110:4) to offer up himself once for all
and so to
drink of the brook in the way. We have his Completed Work and conquest over all
his enemies and sufferings; his Resurrection
"he shalt lift up his
head"; his Ascension and Intercession
"Sit thou on my right
hand." We have here also a Holy Catholic Church gathered together by the
sceptre of his kingdom
and holding in the parts thereof a blessed and
beautiful Communion of Saints; "The LORD shall send the rod of thy
strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall
be willing in the day of thy power
in the beauties of holiness from the womb
of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.". We have the Last
Judgment
for all his enemies must be put under his feet
(which is the
Apostle's argument to prove the end of all things
1Co 15:25); and there is the
day of his wrath
wherein he shall accomplish that judgment over the heathen
and that victory over the kings of the earth (who take counsel and band
themselves together against him)
which he doth here in his word begin. We have
the Remission of sins
comprised in his priesthood
for he was to offer
sacrifices for the remission of sins
and "to put away sin by the
sacrifice of himself
"Eph 1:7 Heb 9:26. We have the Resurrection of the
body
because he must "subdue all enemies under his feet
and the last
enemy to be destroyed is death
"as the Apostle argues out of this psalm
1Co 15:25
26. And lastly
we have life everlasting
in the everlasting merit
and virtue of his priesthood
"Thou art a priest for ever after the order
of Melchizedek
"and in his sitting at the right hand of God
whither he
is gone as our forerunner
and to prepare a place for us
Heb 6:20 Joh 14:2;
and therefore the apostle from his sitting there
and living ever
infers the
perfection and certainty of our salvation
Ro 6:8
11 8:17 Eph 2:16 Col 3:1-4
1Co 15:49; Php 3:20
21 1Th 4:14 Heb 7:25 1Jo 3:2. Edward Reynolds
1599-1676.
Whole
Psalm. Although the Jews of later times have gone about to wrest it to
another meaning
yet this Psalm is so approved and undoubted a prophecy of
Christ
that the Pharisees durst not deny it
when being questioned by our
Saviour (Mt 22:42
43) how it should be
seeing Christ is the son of David
that
David not with standing should call him Lord
saying
"The Lord said unto
my Lord
" they could not answer him a word
whereas the answer had been
very easy and ready if they could have denied this psalm to be meant of Christ.
But they knew it could not be otherwise understood
and it was commonly taken
amongst them to be a prophecy of their Messias
according to the very evidence
of the text itself
which cannot be fitted to any other
but only to Christ our
Saviour
the Son of God. For whereas some of them since then have construed all
these things as spoken in the name of the people of Judah concerning David
their king
the text itself refuseth that construction
when in those words
"Sit thou at my right hand
"it mentions an honour done to him of
whom it speaketh
greater than can be fitted to the angels
and therefore much
less to be applied unto David. Again
that which is spoken in the fourth verse
of the priesthood
cannot be understood of David
who was indeed a king
but
never had anything spoken as touching the priesthood to appertain unto him
and
of whom it cannot be conceived how it should be said
"Thou art a priest
for ever
"etc. Yea
there is nothing here spoken whereof we may see in
David any more but some little shadow in comparison of that which hath come to
pass in Jesus Christ. Robert Abbot (1560-1617) in "The
Exaltation of the Kingdom and Priesthood of Christ."
Whole
Psalm. The sixty-eighth psalm hails the ascent of the Messiah
prefigured
by the translation of the ark
and gives a rapid and obscure view of the
glories and the blessings consequent upon that event. The twenty-fourth
exhibits to us the Messiah ascending to his redemption throne borne up by the
wings of angels and archangels
and hosannahed by the whole intelligent
creation; it marks in the most glowing colours the triumphant entry of Messiah
into the heavenly regions
and the tone of authority and power with which he
commands that entrance—it sends him attended by the angelic host to his
Father's throne
there to claim that preeminence which was his by inheritance
and by conquest. At this point the Psalm before us "takes up the wondrous
tale"; it exhibits to us the awful solemnities of his reception
it
represents the Father bestowing on his well beloved Son the kingdom which he
had earned
exalting him to the throne
and putting all things under his feet;
receiving him in his office of prophet
and promising universality and
permanence to "the rod of his strength"; receiving him in the office
of priesthood
his own peculiar priesthood
and confirming its efficacy and
duration by an oath; thus perfecting the redemption scheme
and completing the
conquest over sin and death
and him who had the power of death. Man united
with God was raised to the throne of being: man united with God perfected the
sacrifice which was demanded
and the angelic host is represented by the
Psalmist as taking up the strain
and hymning the future triumphs of the King
of Glory—triumphs over his foes
whom he will visit in the day of his wrath
and triumphs with his willing people
whom he will assist with his Spirit
refine by his grace
and exalt into his glory. Such do I conceive to be the
occasion
the object
and the tendency of this sacred song: to me it appears to
be eminently an epinicion
or song of victory: it celebrates the triumph of the
conqueror
it presents him with the rewards of victory
and it predicts future
conquests as crowning his glory; while elsewhere we see the Captain of our salvation
militant
here we sec him triumphant; while elsewhere we see his offices
inchoate
here they are perfected by the approval of the Godhead
and the
promise of eternity: here we have instruction consolidating empire
and the
atonement completed by the everlasting priesthood. J.H. Singer
in "The
Irish Pulpit
" 1839.
Verse
1. In this one verse we have a description of Christ's person
his
wars and his victory; so that we may say of it
(and so indeed of the whole
psalm
which is an epitome of the Gospel)
as Tully did of Brutus in his
laconical epistle
"Quam multa
guam paucis!" How much in a little. John
Trapp.
Verse
1. The LORD said unto my Lord
sit thou at my right hand. An
oft quoted passage—because it contains a memorable truth. We find it quoted by
Messiah himself to lead Israel to own him as greater than David
Mt 22:44. It
is quoted in Heb 1:13
to prove him higher far than angels. It is brought
forward by Peter
Ac 2:34
to show him Lord as well as Christ. It is referred
to in Heb 10:12
13
as declaring that Jesus has satisfactorily finished what he
undertook to accomplish on earth "the one sacrifice for ever"
and is
henceforth on that seat of divine honour "expecting till his enemies be
made his footstool" in the day of Iris Second Coming. Andrew A. Behar.
Verse
1. The Lord said. Albeit the understanding of Christ's person
and office be necessary unto the church
yet none know the Son save the Father
and they to whom he will reveal him: for David knew Christ only by the Father's
teaching: "The Lord said"
said he. David Dickson.
Verse
1. My Lord. From hence we learn that though Christ was man
yet he was more than a bare man
since he is Lord to his father David. For jure
naturae
no son is lord to his father; domination doth never ascend. There
must be something above nature in him to make him his father's sovereign
as
our Savour himself argues from these words
Mt 22:42
45. Edward Reynolds.
Verse
1. My Lord. It was a higher honour to have Christ for his
son
than to be a king; yet David does not say that Christ is his son
but
rejoices that Christ is his Lord
and he Christ's servant. But this joy has
also been procured for it: see Lu 1:43; Joh 20:28 Php 3:3
8. They who regard
the Messiah only as the son of David
regard the lesser part of the conception
of him. A dominion to which David himself is subject
shows the heavenly
majesty of the King
and the heavenly character of his kingdom. John Albert
Bengel.
Verse
1. Until I make thine emimies thy footstool. Every word is
full of weight. For though ordinarily subdivisions of holy Scripture and
crumbling of the bread of life be rather a loosing than an expounding of it;
yet in such parts of it as were of purpose intended for models and summaries of
fundamental doctrines
(of which sort this psalm is one of the fullest and
briefest in the whole Scriptures)
as in little maps of large countries
there
is no word whereupon some point of weighty consequence may not depend. Here
then is to be considered the term of duration or measure off Christ's kingdom:
"until." The author of subduing Christ's enemies under him: "I
the Lord." The mariner thereof; ponam and ponam scabellum
put thy foes as a stool under thy feet. Victory is a relative word
and
presupposes enemies
and they are expressed in the text... Enmity shows itself
against Christ in all the offices of his mediation. There is enmity against him
as a prophet. Enmity against his truth
—in opinion by adulterating it with
human mixtures and superinducement
teaching for doctrines the traditions of
men; in affection
by wishing many divine truths were razed out of the
Scriptures
as being manifestly contrary to those pleasures which they love
rather than God; in conversation
by keeping down the truth in unrighteousness
and in those things which they know
as brute beasts
corrupting themselves.
Enmity against his teaching
by quenching the motions
and resisting the
evidence of his Spirit in the Word
refusing to hear his voice
and rejecting
the counsel of God against themselves. There is enmity against him as a priest
by undervaluing his person
sufferings
righteousness
or merits. And as a
king; enmity to his worship
by profaneness neglecting it
by idolatry
misappropriating it
by superstition corrupting it. Enmity to his ways and
service
by ungrounded prejudices
misjudging them as grievous
unprofitable
or unequal ways; and by wilful disobedience forsaking them to walk in the ways
of our own heart. Edward Reynolds.
Verse
1. Make thine enemies thy footstool! This expression
that
the conquest of Christ's enemies shall be but as the removing of a stool into
its place
notes unto us two things: first
the easiness of God's victory over
the enemies of Christ. They are before him as nothing
less than nothing
the
drop of a bucket
the dust of the balance
a very little thing...Secondly
as
this putting of Christ's enemies like a stool under the feet notes easiness
so
also it notes order or beauty too. When Christ's enemies shall be under his
foot
then there shall be a right order in things; then it shall indeed appear
that God is a God of order
and therefore the day wherein that shall be done
is called "the times of the restitution of all things
"Ac 3:21. The
putting of Christ's enemies under his feet is an act of justice; and of all
others
justice is the most orderly virtue
that which keepeth beauty upon the
face of a people
as consisting itself in symmetry and proportion. This putting
of Christ's enemies as a stool under his feet
also denotes unto us two things
in reference to Christ: first
his rest
and secondly
his triumph. To stand
in the Scripture phrase
denotes ministry
and to sit
rest; and there is no
posture so easy as to sit with a stool under one's feet. Till Christ's enemies
then be all under his feet
he is not fully in his rest. Furthermore
this
"footstool" under Christ's feet
in reference to his enemies
denotes
unto us four things. First
the extreme shame and confusion which they shall
everlastingly suffer
the utter abasing and bringing down of all that exalteth itself
against Christ. Secondly
hereby is noted the burden which wicked men must
bear: the footstool beareth the weight of the body
so must the enemies of
Christ bear the weight of his heavy and everlasting wrath upon their souls.
Thirdly
herein is noted the relation which the just recompense of God bears
unto the sins of ungodly men. Thus will Christ deal with his enemies at the
last day. Here they trample upon Christ in his word
in his ways
in his
members; they make the saints bow down for them to go over
and make them as
the pavements on the ground; they tread under foot the blood of the covenant
and the sanctuary of the Lord
and put Christ to shame; but there their own
measure shall be returned into their bosoms
they shall be constrained to confess
as Adonibezek
"As I have done
so God hath requited me." Lastly
herein we may note the great power and wisdom of Christ in turning the malice
and mischief of his enemies unto his own use and advantage; and so ordering
wicked men that though they intend nothing but extirpation and ruin to his
kingdom
yet they shall be useful unto him
and
against their own wills
serviceable to those glorious ends
in the accomplishing whereof he shall be
admired by all those that believe. As in a great house there is necessary use
of vessels of dishonour
destined unto sordid and mean
but yet daily
services: so in the great house of God
wicked men are his utensils and
household instruments
as footstools and staves
and vessels wherein there is
no pleasure
though of them there may be good use. Condensed from Reynolds.
Verse
1. Thy foot stool. As this our king has a glorious throne
so
has he also a wonderful footstool; and as his royal throne imparts to us
comfort in the highest degree
so his footstool also imparts to us joy. How
joyful shall his poor subjects be when they hear that their prince and king has
slain their enemies and delivered them out of their hands! How did their poor
subjects go forward to meet Saul and Jonathan when those kings had slain the Philistines!
...Moreover
because our King has his enemies under his feet
thus shall he
also bring all our enemies under our feet
for his victory is ours
God be
thanked
who has given us the victory through Christ our Lord. Joshua Arnd
1626-1685.
Verse
2. The rod of thy strength
or rather
"The sceptre of
thy might"
i.e.
of "Thy kingly majesty
"as in Jer 48:17; Eze
19:14. Chrysostom plays upon the word rabdov (LXX) as a rod of strength and
consolation
as in Ps 23:4; a rod of chastisement
as in Ps 2:9
1Co 4:21;
a symbol of kingly rule
as in Isa 11:1
Ps 45:6. It was by this rod
he says
that the disciples wrought when they subdued the world
in obedience to the
command
"Go and make disciples of all nations"; a rod far more
powerful than that of Moses
"for that divided rivers
this brake in
pieces the ungodliness of the world." And then with profound truth he
adds
"Nor would one err who should call the Cross the rod of power; for
this rod converted sea and land
and filled them with a vast power. Armed with
this rod
the Apostles went forth throughout the world
and accomplished ali
that they did
beginning at Jerusalem." The Cross
which to men seemed the
very emblem of shame and weakness
was
in truth
the power of God. J.J.
Stewart Perowne.
Verse
2. The rod of thy strength. The power of this sceptre and
word of Christ appeareth greatly in the saving of his elect... So mightily hath
it prevailed and overruled the minds of men against nature
and reason
and
learning
and wisdom
and custom
and whatsoever else is strong to hold men in
the liking of those things which they have once received and followed
as that
they have been content to renounce the devotions which their forefathers had so
long embraced; to cast away the gods which themselves had devoutly served; to
stop their ears against the contrary motives and persuasions of father and
mother; to harden their hearts against the kneeling and weeping and embracing
of wife and children; to forego their honours
and inheritances
yea
and their
lives also
rather than lose that peace and joy of heart which the same word of
Christ had ministered unto them. Yea
how strange is it
and how greatly doth
it commend the power of this word
to see weakness hereby prevailing against
strength
simplicity against policy; to see the lamb standing without fear
before the lion
the gentle turtle before the devouring kite; women and
children and weaklings before the great monarchs and potentates of the world
not fearing their threatening words
nor dreading their tormenting hands
but
boldly uttering the word of their testimony (Re 12:11)
in despite of all their
fury
and never yielding to shrink from it
by anything that could be devised
against them. The word of God in their hearts gave them courage and resolution
and strength to go through fire and water
to bear all adventures of wind and
weather
and howsoever they seemed to be beaten against the rocks
yet they
escaped shipwreck
and arrived safe at the haven of their desire. Robert
Abbot.
Verse
2. Out of Zion. We need not say much about how the
omniscience of God is displayed in the wonderful fact
that in the very land of
the covenant—in the very midst of that people who rejected and crucified the
Saviour
the first church of Christ on earth was established. What would
cavillers and blasphemers have said
had it been otherwise? had the Christian
community been formed in any of the heathen countries? Would it not have been
considered as a fiction of the idolatrous priests? Israel scattered among the
nations
and the Church of Christ having begun in Zion at Jerusalem
are the
most wonderful and enduring monuments
and incontestable witnesses of the truth
of Christianity. Benjamin Weiss.
Verse
2. From his ruling in the midst of enemies we learn that the kingdom
of Christ in this life is the kingdom of the Cross
of persecutions
and of
dangers. Enemies are never wanting
not only external adversaries
but also
spiritual and eternal; and therefore great sorrow is always awaiting the godly.
In this most terrible conflict
however
their minds are lifted up by this
consolation
viz.
that the rod of the kingdom is strong
and cannot be
overcome by any force or power; yea
more
albeit assailed with contendings and
all kinds of storms
it will continue stable
firm
and perpetual: and there
will always be a Church among men
which will fear and worship this King;
because the experience of all the ages teaches
that this kingdom has the more
grown and increased the more it has been opposed
according to that saying of
Basil
en taiv yliqesi mallon yallei h ekklhsia
the Church flourishes more by
tribulation. Rivetus.
Verse
2. Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Set up thy power
over them and reign in them. This is a commission to set up a kingdom in the
very midst of those who were his enemies; in the hearts of those who had been
and were rebellious. His kingdom is set up not by destroying them
but by
subduing them
so that they become his willing servants. They yield to him
and
he rules over them. It is not here a commission to cut them off
but one much
more difficult of execution
—to make them his friends
and to dispose them to
submit to his authority. Mere power may crush men; It requires more than that
to make rebels willingly submissive
and to dispose them voluntarily to obey. Albert
Barnes.
Verse
3. Thy people. That is
those whom thou dost receive from thy
Father
and
by setting up the standard and ensign of the Gospel
gather to
thyself. "Shall be willing." The word is willingness
that is
a
people of great willingness and devotion
or (as the original word is elsewhere
used
Ps 119:108)
shall be freewill offerings unto thee. The abstract being
put for the concrete
and the plural for the singular
notes how exceeding
forward and free they should be; as the Lord
to signify that his people were
most rebellious
saith
that they were rebellion itself
Eze 2:8. So then the
meaning is
thy people shall
with most ready and forward cheerfulness
devote
consecrate
and render up themselves to thy government as a reasonable
sacrifice
shall be of a most liberal
free
noble
and unconstrained spirit in
thy service
and shall be voluntaries in the wars of thy kingdom. Edward
Reynolds.
Verse
3. Thy people
O Jesus Christ
which were given thee by the
Father
purchased and redeemed by thee
who acknowledged thee for their Lord
and are bound to thee by a military oath
are extremely willing
being devoted
to thy service with the greatest readiness of soul
alacrity
inclination
and
voluntary obedience. Nor are they willing only
but willingness itself in the
abstract; nay
willingness in the plural number
the highest and most excellent
willingness
all which add an emphasis. This is seen to be so Plyh Mwyb
"in the day of thy valour power
"in which thy generous spirit
laying hold of them
animates them to grand and bold enterprises. Then they go
forth in the beauties of holiness
by which they are a terror to the devil
a
delight to God and angels
and a mutual edification to one another. Herman
Witsius
1636-1708.
Verse
3. Thy people shall be willing. Willing to do what? They
shall be willing while others are unwilling. The simple term "willing
"is very expressive. It denotes the beautiful condition of creatures who
suffer themselves to be wrought upon
and moved
according to the will of God.
They suffer God to work in them to will and to do. They are willing to die unto
all sin
they are willing to crucify the old man
or self
in order that the
new man
or Christ
may be formed in them. They are willing to be weaned from
their own thoughts and purposes
that the thoughts and purposes of God may be
fulfilled in them. They are willing to be transferred from nature's steps of
human descent to God's steps of human ascent. Or
to abide by the simplicity of
our text
God is Will
and they are "willing." God will beautify them
with salvation
because there is nothing in them to hinder his working. They
will be wise
they will be good
they will be lovely
they will be like God
for they are "willing"; and there proceeds from God a mighty spirit
the whole tendency of which is to make his creatures like himself. John
Pulsford
in "Quiet Hours
" 1857.
Verse
3. Thy people shall be willing. They are willing in
believing
loving
obeying
adhering
living piously and justly in this world;
so that they do not need the constraints of laws or threats
because they are
led by the Spirit of God
and where the Spirit of the Lord is
there
also
is
liberty. Wolfgang Musculus.
Verse
3. Thy people shall be willing. Am I one of the "willing
people"—not only my obedience and allegiance secured from a conviction of
the truth
but my heart inclined
and my will renewed? To do the will of God
to bear the will of God
to coincide with the will of God—and that with calm if
not cheerful consent of the heart
as seeing him who is invisible
and holding
fast my living apprehensions of his person and character? All unwillingness
whether practical or lurking in the heart
springs from unbelief—from a failure
to realise him or his purposes. Were Jesus
as God become incarnate
and as
giving himself for me
and his counsel of grace towards me
ever or even in any
measure before my heart
how could I hesitate to yield myself
absolutely and
implicitly
to him and his guidance? Again
this "willingness" is the
essence of holiness; it constitutes "the beauties of holiness"—the
beauty of Christ cast over the soul. The cure
therefore
for all my misery and
sin is more faith
more of Christ
and nearer to him. This let me seek and ask
with ever increasing earnestness. Alfred Edersheim.
Verse
3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power
etc.
The prophet here notes three things respecting the subjects of the kingdom of
the Messiah:
1.
Their prompt obedience.
2. Their attire or vesture.
3. Their abundance
or multitude.
This
representation admirably agrees with what precedes. He had said that the
Messiah should reign in the midst of his enemies
but lest any one should think
that he would reign only over enemies
unwilling and opposing
as the devils
are made subject to Christ
now he lets us know that he will have a loyal
people
and obedient subjects
for else there would be wanting that same glory
of which Solomon speaks in Pr 14:28
"In the multitude of people is the
king's honour." He affirms also
that he would have his own people
who
would recognise
receive
and serve him as King
with true obedience
nor would
it be a small company
but like the dew
which waters the face of the whole
earth. Rivetus.
Verse
3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. It is
power acted and executed with all sweetness
mildness
and gentleness. Here is
"leading
but no force; conduct
but no compulsion
"vehemence
inclination
non coactio: {1} the will is determined
but not the least violence
is done to it
to the infringing of its liberty. How spontaneously does the
person led follow him that leads him! So it is here. This and all other
workings of the Spirit are admirably suited to the nature of reasonable and
free agents. Efficacious grace does not at all destroy natural liberty. Where
the spirit does not find sinners willing
by his sweet method he makes them
willing: "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power." A
"day of power
"yet "willing" Even the Spirit's drawing is managed
with all consistency to the freedom of the will; elknei o yeost
alla
bonlomenon elknei {2}. He draws; "but it is one that he makes willing to
follow." "Behold
I will allure her" (Ho 2:14): aye
there is
the Spirit's leading! this being the constant and avowed doctrine of the
Protestants
and particularly their explication of the Spirit's leading in the
text Ro 8:14; how injurious and invidious are the Popish writers in
their traducing and calumniating of them
as if they asserted the Spirit
in this
or any other act
to work with compulsion
or in a way destructive to man's
essential liberty! It is a vile scandal!
{1}
Gorranus
{2} Chrysostom
—Thomas Jacomb
in "The Morning Exercises."
Verse
3. In the day of thy power. In the day of thy strength
saith
the Vulgate: of thy force and valour
say Tremellius and Junius: of the
assemblies
say they of Geneva: of the armies
saith Munster; "at such
times as thou shalt bring thy bands and join battle
"so Vatablus
Castalio
and the Chaldee Paraphrase have it. All which the original Plyh mryp
may bear without straining. John Prideaux
1578-1650.
Verse
3. The subjects of the Priest King are willing soldiers. In
accordance with the warlike tone of the whole Psalm
our text describes the
subjects as an army. That military metaphor comes out more closely when we
attach the true meaning of the words
"in the day of thy power." The
word rendered
and rightly rendered
"power
"has the same ambiguity
which that word has in the English of the date of our translation
and for a
century later
as you may find in Shakespeare and Milton
who both used it in
the sense of "army". Singularly enough we do not employ
"powers" in that meaning
but we do another word which means the same
thing—and talk of "forces"
meaning thereby "troops"
..."The day of thy power" is not a mere synonym for "the time of
thy might"
but means specifically "the day of thine army"
that
is
"the day when thou dost muster thy forces and set them in array for
the war". The King is going forth to conquest. But he goes not alone.
Behind him come his faithful followers
all pressing on with willing hearts and
high courage. Alexander McLaren
1871.
Verse
3. In the day of thy power. This refers in a general way to
the gospel dispensation
and in particular to the period of conversion. To the
perishing sinner the gospel comes
"not in word only
but also in power
and in the Holy Ghost
and in much assurance." It is an arresting power;
it meets the sinner
and stays his mad career
as in the case of Saul of
Tarsus. It is a convincing power
it teaches the sinner that he is ruined in
every respect
and leads him to cry out
"What shall I do to be
saved?" ... It is a life giving power; it quickens dead souls
and will
eventually bring the dead bodies from their graves; "all that are in the
graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God and shall live." This is the
style of Jehovah
"it will
they shall"; none other dare speak thus.
It is also liberating power; "if the Son shall make you free
ye shall be
free indeed."—Theophilus Jones
in a Sermon preached at Surrey
Chapel
1823.
Verse
3. Thy people
etc. In homage
they shall be like a company
of priests in sacred vestments
for they shall appear "in the beauties of
holiness". In number
they shall be like the countless dewdrops "from
the womb of the morning"
sparkling in the rays of the rising sun
and
reflecting his radiance. In glory they shall bear the likeness of Christ's
resurrection in all its vernal freshness: "Thou hast the dew of thy
youth". Benjamin Wildon Cart.
Verse
3. In the beauties of holiness. In holy vestments as priests.
They are at once warriors and priests; meet for the service of Him who was King
and Priest. Neander (Mem. of Chr. Life
ch. 4) remarks on the connection
between these two sides of the Christian character. God's soldiers can only
maintain their war by priestly self-consecration. Conversely: God's priests can
only preserve their purity by unintermitted conflict. William Kay.
Verse
3. In the beauties of holiness. This expression is usually
read as if it belonged either to the words immediately preceding
or to those
immediately following. But in either case the connection is somewhat difficult
and obscure. It seems better regarded as a distinct and separate clause
adding
a fresh trait to the description of the army. And what that is we need not find
any difficulty in ascertaining. "The beauties of holiness" is a
frequent phrase for the sacerdotal garments
the holy festal attire of the
priests of the Lord. So considered
how beautifully it comes in here. The
conquering King whom the psalm hymns is a Priest for ever; and he is followed
by an army of priests. The soldiers are gathered in the day of the muster
with
high courage and willing devotion
ready to fling away their lives; but they
are clad not in mail
but in priestly robes; like those who wait before the
altar rather than like those who plunge into the fight
like those who
compassed Jericho with the ark for their standard and the trumpets tor all
their weapons. We can scarcely fail to remember the words which echo these and
interpret them. "The armies which were in heaven followed him on white
horses
clothed in fine linen
white and clean"—a strange armour against
sword cut and spear thrust. Alexander McLaren.
Verse
3. The beauties of holiness. Godliness is our spiritual
beauty. Godliness is to the soul as the light to the world
to illustrate and
adorn it. It is not greatness that sets us off in God's eye
but goodness: what
is the beauty of the angels but their sanctity? Godliness is the curious
embroidery and workmanship of the Holy Ghost: a soul furnished with godliness
is damasked with beauty
and enamelled with purity: this is the "clothing
of wrought gold" which makes the King of heaven fall in love with us. Were
there not an excellency in holiness
the hypocrite would never go about to
paint it. Godliness sheds a glory and lustre upon the saints: what are the
graces but the golden feathers in which Christ's dove shines? Ps 68:13. Thomas
Watson.
Verse
3. Thou hast the dew of thy youth. These words are often
misunderstood
and taken to be a description of the fresh
youthful energy
attributed by the Psalm to the Priest King of this nation of soldier priests.
The misunderstanding
I suppose
has led to the common phrase
"the dew of
one's youth". But the reference of the expression is to the army
not to
its leader. "Youth" here is a collective noun
equivalent to
"young men". The host of his soldier subjects is described as a band
of young warriors
whom he leads
in their fresh strength and countless numbers
and gleaming beauty like the dew of the morning... It is as a symbol of the
refreshing which a weary world will receive from the conquests and presence of
the King and his host
that they are likened to the glittering morning dew.
Another prophetic Scripture gives us the same emblem when it speaks of Israel
being "in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord". Such
ought to be the effect of our presence. We are meant to gladden
to adorn
to
refresh this parched
prosaic world
with a freshness brought from the chambers
of the sunrise. The dew
formed
in the silence of the darkness while men
sleep
falling as willingly on a bit of dead wood as anywhere
hanging its
pearls on every poor spike of grass
and dressing everything on which it lies
with strange beauty
each separate globule tiny and evanescent
but each
flashing back the light
and each a perfect sphere: feeble one by one
but
united mighty to make the pastures of the wilderness rejoice—so
created in
silence by an unseen influence
feeble when taken in detail
but strong in
their myriads
glad to occupy the lowliest place
and each "bright with
something of celestial light"
Christian men and women are to be in the
midst of many people as a dew from the Lord. Alexander McLaren.
Verse
3. The dew of thy youth. There does not
indeed
appear to me
any reason to doubt that
in this place
David extols the divine favour
displayed in increasing the number of Christ's people; and hence
in
consequence of their extraordinary increase
he compares the youth or race
which would be born to him to the dew. As men are struck with astonishment at
seeing the earth moistened and refreshed with dew
though its descent be
imperceptible
even so
David declares that an innumerable offspring shall be
born to Christ
who shall be spread over the whole earth. The youth
therefore
which
like the dewdrops
are innumerable
are here designated the dew of
childhood
or of youth. John Calvin.
Verse
3. From the womb of the morning is
with the utmost
pertinency
applied to the conception and production of dews; agreeably to a
delicate line in that great master of just description and lively painting
Mr.
Thomson: "The meek eyed morn appears
mother of dews." We meet with a
fine expression in the book of Job
which may serve to confirm this remark; and
may illustrate the propriety of the phrase used in this connection: "Hath
the rain a father
or who hath begot ten the drops of dew?" It seems
the
oriental writers delighted to represent the dew as a kind of birth
as the
offspring of the morning. And if so
surely there could be no image in the
whole compass of the universe better adapted to the psalmist's purpose
or more
strongly significant of those multitudes of proselytes
which were born
not of
blood
nor of the will of the flesh
nor of the will of man
but of God; by the
powerful energy of his word and Spirit. Upon this supposition
the whole verse
describes the willing subjection
the gracious accomplishments
and the vast
number of Christ's converts. James Hervey (1713-14—1758)
in "Meditations
and contemplations."
Verse
3. The dew of thy youth. The most apparent reference is to
multitude. Compare Ps 72:16
and the proverbial use of the dew together with
the sand of the sea shore to express a vast number. The people of the Messiah
are a great number that no man can number: Re 7:9. But this is only the common
enwraping veil of a further sense. We must further note
First
THE ORIGIN OF
THE DEW. From what comes it? From earthly matter
vapour and mist
as the new
born soldier of Christ comes from the confused
dark substance of the old
nature. By what is it produced? Through the influence of the heavenly warmth of
the beams of the morning sun: so the people of God owe themselves to the light
from above. In the vivifying light of heaven
the dewdrops are begotten
and
from it they come more properly than from the earth water. How are they
produced? Invisibly
wonderfully
by the secret
incomprehensible influence of
the divine power. We have by no means exhausted the figure
for we notice
Secondly
THE DESIGN OF THE DEW. It is for the fertilizing and refreshing of
the earth. The spiritual Israel are a fructifying
quickening dew among men. It
is also for the ornament of the earth
which the dew bestrews as with precious
stones; and this beauty is caused because each little drop of dew reflects the
morning sun and is an earthly reflection of the heavenly light. Condensed from Rudolph
Stier.
Verse
3 (last clause). With singular beauty and propriety does the
psalmist compare the first preachers of the gospel to dew. In the first place
they may be compared to the drops of dew on account of their multitude. But
in
order to judge of the correctness of the comparison in this respect
we must
consider
that
in the Holy Land
the dews are remarkably abundant. A French
traveller
{1} has observed of Judea
that in the morning the ground is as much
moistened by dew
as if it had rained. We are informed in the sacred history
that
when the Dayspring from on high visited the earth
many were the
followers of Christ; and that very soon after his ascension into heaven
"multitudes both of men and women were added to the Lord". Justly
then may those who hastened to the blessed Jesus
when the glorious light of
his gospel first dawned upon the world
or immediately on the commencement of
his mediatorial kingdom
be compared in number to the drops of dew
which at
the dawn of day fall to the earth. It is mentioned also in this verse
that the
first subjects of the Messiah were to present themselves adorned "with the
beauties of holiness"; vrq yddhk in the splendours of holiness. In
brightness
then
as well as in multitude
did they resemble the glittering
drops of the morning dew. Our great poet has combined these two ideas in his
beautiful comparison of an host innumerable to the "Stars of morning
dewdrops which the sun impearls". {2} The formation of the dew is
represented in Scripture as the work of God
and not of man: and its descending
to refresh and fertilize the earth is mentioned as his peculiar gift and in
opposition to human means of rendering the earth more fruitful. "Who
"saith Job
"hath begotten the drops of dew?" (ch. 38. 28) And
the prophet Micah declares
that "the remnant of Jacob shall be in the
midst of many people as a dew from the LORD
as the showers upon the grass
that tarrieth not for man
nor waiteth for the sons of men"
{1}
Eugene Rogers.
{2} Milton's" Paradise Lost
"Book v.
line 745.
(ch.
5. 7). Well
then
might the term be applied by the Psalmist to those whom
"God of his own will begat with the word of truth"; and who were his
appointed instruments
by their preaching
to cause "the desert to rejoice
and to blossom abundantly"; and "the wilderness to become a fruitful
field." Let it also be remembered
that those whom the Psalmist compares
to dew are described under the image of young soldiers
going forth to fight
the battles of a victorious prince. Now this comparison is used in 2Sa
17:11
12: "I counsel
"said Hushai to Ahithophel
"that all
Israel be generally gathered unto thee
from Dan even to Beersheba
as the sand
that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own
person. So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found
and we
will light upon him as the dew falleth upon the ground". It is perhaps not
undeserving of notice
that amongst the Romans those troops who first attacked
the enemy
and who were composed of young men
were
from a supposed
resemblance to dew
called Rorarii. It is not incumbent upon me to investigate
the reason of their receiving that name; it is sufficient to point out its
similarity with the expression of the psalmist
which is applied to those who
were first to engage in the conflict with the enemies of the Gospel of Christ. Richard
Dixon
1811.
Verse
3.
Thee
in thy power's triumphant day
The willing nations shall obey;
And
when thy rising beams they view
Shall all (redeemed from error's night)
Appear as numberless and bright
As crystal drops of morning dew.
—N. Brady and N. Tate.
Verse
3.
Lord
let thy day of power be known
Thy people be confessed;
Eager and valiant—priests each one
In holy garments dressed.
Countless they shine
as dews from heaven
When eastern skies grow bright—
More glorious than those dews are given
Sparkling in morning light.
—George Rawson
in "Hymns
Verses
and Chants
"
1876.
Verse
4. The LORD hath sworn
and will not repent
etc. It should
be diligently considered
that God has consecrated Christ
priest by an oath
and that this was done for our sakes; First
That we might know how exceedingly
momentous was this transaction
and the more reverently and with the stronger
faith believe it. Secondly
That we might acknowledge the goodness of God
who
being most truthful in himself
and concerning whose faithfulness it is the
greatest crime to doubt
nevertheless has been pleased to speak to us not only
with a bare word
but also
after the manner of men
to confirm his decree by
an oath. Rivetus.
Verse
4. Sworn
and will not repent
Thou art a priest for ever.
God might have made the levitical priest by oath
and yet he might have been
changed
but if he had made him by oath to be a priest for ever
then he could
not have repented
that is
changed; but he must of necessity have been a
priest for ever. Therefore you must take special notice
that God did not only
swear that Christ should be a priest
or that he should be a priest for a long
time
but a priest "for ever; "so that there should never be any
priest joined with him
or come after him. So that if we consider the oath
and
the thing confirmed by this oath
two things will be manifest:
1.
That Christ's priesthood is personal
and settled in one single person for
ever; so that he can have no fellow nor copartner
nor any successor in his
priesthood.
2.
That
by this oath
God did limit his own supreme and absolute power in this
particular; and took away the use and exercise of it
and that for ever.
For
now he hath no power to make Christ no priest
or take away his priesthood at
will and pleasure: and in this God discovered his unspeakable love unto Christ
in that he did so much honour him
and so highly reward him. By this he also
displayed his abundant mercy to man; for by this oath known unto man
he
signifies that man shall never be destitute of a powerful and effectual priest
able for ever to save; and this doth minister unto sinful man most sweet and
heavenly comfort. George Lawson
1662.
Verse
4. The form and manner of our Saviour's investiture or consecration
was most honourable and glorious
God the Father performing the rites; which
were not imposition of hands
and breathing on him the Holy Ghost
but a solemn
testimony
with a protestation
"Thou art a priest": ceremonies never
used by any but God
nor in the investiture of any but Christ
nor in his
investiture into any office but the priesthood. At his coronation we hear
nothing
but the Lord said
"Sit thou on my right hand": the rule of
the whole world is imposed upon our Saviour by command; and even in this did
Christ show his obedience to his Father
that he took upon him the government
of his church. But at the consecration of Christ we have a great deal more of
ceremony and solemnity
God his Father taketh an oath
and particularly expresses
the nature and condition of his office
a priesthood for ever after the order
of Melchizedek: and he confirmeth it unto him for ever
saying
"Thou art
a priest for ever."—Daniel Featley
in "Claris
Mystica." 1636.
Verse
4. What doctrine doth the Scripture afford more comfortable to a
drooping soul than this
that God hath sworn his Son a priest for ever
to
sanctify our persons
and purge our sins
and tender all our petitions to his
Father? What sin is so heinous
for which such a priest cannot satisfy by the
oblation of himself? what cause so desperate
in which such an advocate if he
will plead
may not prevail? We may be sure God will not be hard to be
intreated of us
who himself hath appointed us such an intercessor
to whom he
can deny nothing; and to that end hath appointed him to sit at his right hand
to make intercession for us. Abraham Wright.
Verse
4. And will not repent. The meaning of this phrase is
that
the priesthood of Christ is not like that of Aaron
which was after a time to expire
and is now actually with all the ceremonial law abolished
but a priesthood
never to be altered or changed. Daniel Featley.
Verse
4. Thou art a priest. The reasons which moved our Lord to
take upon him the office of priest are conceived to be these.
1.
Because the salvation and redemption of mankind
wrought by the sacrifice of
his priesthood.
being a most noble work
and not inferior to the creation
it
was not fit that any should have the honour of it
but the Son of God.
2.
Neither was it agreeable that any should offer him
who was the only sacrifice
that could expiate the sins of the whole world
but himself: therefore by
offering himself he added infinite worth to the sacrifice
and great honour to
the priesthood of the Gospel.
For
as the gold sanctifieth not the altar
but the altar the gold; so it may be
truly said without impeachment to the dignity of that calling
that Christ was
rather an honour to the priesthood
than the priesthood an addition to him. For
what got he by the priesthood which cost him his life? What preferment could it
be to him
to take upon him an office
whereby he was to abase himself below
himself
and be put to an ignominious and accursed death? What were we vile
miscreants
conceived and born in original sin
and soiled with the filth of
numberless actual transgressions
that to purge and cleanse our polluted souls
and defiled consciences
the second person in the Trinity should be made a
Priest? It was wonderful humility in him to wash his disciples feet; but in his
divine person to wash our unclean souls
is as far above human conceit
as it
seemeth below divine majesty. There is nothing so impure as a foul conscience;
no matter so filthy
no corruption so rotten and unsavoury as is found in the
sores of an exulcerated mind: yet the Son of God vouchsafed to wash and bathe
them in his own blood. O bottomless depth of humility and mercy! Other priests
were appointed by men for the service of God
but he the blood of beasts to
save men
but he shed his own blood to save us
more like beasts than men:
other priests offered sacrifice for themselves
he offered himself for a
sacrifice: other priests were fed by the sacrifices which the people brought
but he feeds us with the sacrifice of his own body and blood: lastly
others
were appointed priests but for a time
he was ordained a priest for ever. Daniel
Featley.
Verse
4. Thou art a priest. This word
"Thou art
" is
"verbum constitutivum"
a "constituting word"
whereon the
priesthood of Christ was founded. And it may be considered
1.
As declarative of God's eternal decree
with the covenant between the Father
and the Son
whereby he was designed unto this office.
2.
As demonstrative of his mission
or his actual sending to the discharge of his
office. These words are the symbol and solemn sign of God's conferring that
honour upon him
which gave him his instalment.
3.
As predictive
for there is included in them a supposition that God would
prepare a body for him
wherein he might exercise his priesthood
and which he
might offer up unto him. John Owen.
Verse
4. Melchizedek. Some heretics of old affirmed that he was the
Holy Ghost. Others
that he was an angel. Others
that he was Shem
the son of
Noah. Others
that he was a Canaanite
extraordinarily raised up by God to be a
priest of the Gentiles. Others
that he was Christ himself
manifested by a
special dispensation and privilege unto Abraham in the flesh
who is said to
have seen his day
and rejoiced
Joh 8:56. Difference there is also about
Salem
the place of which he was king. Some take it for Jerusalem
as Josephus
and most of the ancients. Others for a city in the half tribe of Manasseh
within the river Jordan
where Hierom reports that some ruins of the palace of
Melchizedek were in his days conceived to remain. Tedious I might be in
insisting on this point who Melchizedek was. But when I find the Holy Ghost
purposely concealing his name
genealogy
beginning
ending
and descent
and
that to special purpose
I cannot but wonder that men should toil themselves in
the dark to find out that of which they have not the least ground of solid
conjecture
and the inevidence whereof is expressly recorded
to make
Melchizedek thereby the fitter type of Christ's everlasting priesthood. Edward
Reynolds.
Verse
4. Melchizedek. These things concerning are certain:
First
That he was a mere man
and no more; for
1.
"Every high priest" was to be "taken from among men
" Heb
5:1;—so that the Son of God himself could not have been a priest had he not
assumed our nature:
2.
That if he were more than a man
there would be no mystery in his being
introduced in Scripture as
" without father
without mother
without
pedigree
" for none but men have such:
3.
Without this conception of him there is no force in the apostle's argument
against the Jews.
Secondly
That he came not to his office by the right of primogeniture (which includes a
genealogy) or by any way of succession
but was raised up and immediately
called of God thereunto; for in that respect Christ is said to be a priest
after his order. Thirdly
That he had no successor on the earth
nor could
have; for there was no law to constitute an order of succession
and he was a
priest only after an extraordinary call. These things belong unto faith in this
matter
and no more... The first personal instituted type of Christ was a
priest; this was Melchizedek. There were before real instituted types of his
work
as sacrifices; and there were moral types of his person
as Adam
Abel
and Noah
which represented him in sundry things; but the first person who was
solemnly designed to teach and represent him
by what he was and did
was a
priest. And that which God taught herein was
that the foundation of all that
the Lord Christ had to do in and for the church was laid in his priestly
office
whereby he made atonement and reconciliation for sin. Everything else
that he doth is built on the supposition of his priesthood. And we must begin
in the application where God begins in the exhibition. An interest in the
effects of the priestly office of Christ is that which in the first place we
ought to look after. This being attained
we shall be willing to be taught and
ruled by him. It may not be amiss to observe the likeness between Melchizedek
and Christ. As for our Lord;
1.
He was said to be
and he really was
and he only
first the king of
righteousness
and then the king of peace
seeing he alone brought in
everlasting righteousness and made peace with God for sinners. In his kingdom
alone are these things to be found.
2.
He was really and truly the priest of the most high God; and properly he was so
alone. He offered that sacrifice
and made that atonement
which was signified
by all the sacrifices offered by holy men from the foundation of the world.
3.
He blesseth all the faithful
as Abraham
the father of the faithful
was
blessed by Melchizedek. In him were they to be blessed
by him are they
blessed
—through him delivered from the curse
and all the fruits of it; nor
are they partakers of any blessing but from him.
4.
He receive
all the homage of his people
all their grateful acknowledgments of
the love and favour of God
in the conquest of their spiritual adversaries
and
deliverance from them
as Melchizedek received the tenth of the spoils from
Abraham.
5.
He was really without progenitors or predecessors in his office; nor would I
exclude that mystical sense from the intention of the place
that he was
without father as to his human nature
and without mother as to his divine.
6.
He was a priest without genealogy
or derivation of his pedigree from the loins
of Aaron
or any other that ever was a priest in the world
and moreover
mysteriously
was of a generation which none can declare.
7.
He had
in his divine person
as the high priest of the church
neither beginning
of days nor end of life
as no such thing is reported of Melchizedek; for the
death which he underwent
in the discharge of his office
being not the death
of his whole person
but of his human nature only
no interruption of his
endless office did ensue thereon. For although the person of the Son of God
died
whence God is said to "redeem his church with his own blood
"Ac 20:28; yet he died not in his whole person: but in his divine nature
was still alive. Absolutely
therefore
and in respect of his office
he had
neither beginning of days nor end of life.
8.
He was really the Son of God
as Melchizedek in many circumstances was made
like to the Son of God.
9.
He alone abideth a priest forever; whereof we must particularly treat
afterwards. Condensed from John Owen.
Verse
5. The Lord...shall strike through kings
etc. He really
threatens such great heads in an awful manner
that if they will not hear
and
cannot obey
they shall be terrified to death. And assuredly he would
willingly
by these means
allure them to repentance
and persuade them to
turn
and to cease from raging against the Lord. But if they will not
they
shall know against whom it is that they go on... This is our consolation which
upholds us
and makes our heart joyful and glad against the persecution and
rage of the world
that we have such a Lord
who not only delivers us from sin
and eternal death
but also protects us
and delivers us in sufferings and
temptations
so that we do not sink under them. And though men rage in a most
savage manner against Christians
yet neither the gospel nor Christianity shall
perish; but their heads shall be destroyed against it. If their persecutions
were to go on unceasingly Christianity could not remain
wherefore he gives
them a time
and says he will connive at them for a while
but not longer than
till the hour comes which he here calls the "day of his wrath" And if
they will not now cease in the name of God
they must then cease in the name of
the devil. Martin Luther.
Verse
5. Shall strike through kings. To strike through notes a
complete victory and full confusion of the enemy
all incurable wound
that
they may stagger
and fall
and rise up no more
and that affliction may not
arise a second time
Na 1:9; 1Sa 26:8. The only difficulty is what is
meant by "kings". For which we must note that the kingdom of Christ
is spiritual
and his war spiritual
and therefore his enemies for the most
part spiritual. Edward Reynolds.
Verse
5. ln the day of his wrath. Note that it is not simply said
he will strike through kings in his wrath
but in the day of his wrath.
Therefore as there is a time of grace and patience
so there is also an
appointed time of wrath and vengeance of God. Frequent mention is made of this
in the sacred Scriptures
that we may be admonished that the wicked will not be
left always unpunished
because they contemn the patience of God
aye
provoke
his anger; but that there will be a time when they will experience the wrath of
God. Thus
armed with patience
we should persevere in the practice of piety
nor be turned aside from it
either by the example of the wicked
or from fear
of them. Wolfgang Museulus.
Verses
5
6
7.
The
sentenced heathen he shall slay
And fill with carcasses his way
Till he hath struck earth's tyrants dead;
But in the highway brooks shall first
Like a poor pilgrim
slake his thirst
And then in triumph raise his head.
—N. Brady and N. Tate.
Verse
6. He shall fill the places with the dead bodies. This notes
the greatness of the victory
that none should be left to bury the dead. There
shall be an universal destruction of wicked men together in the day of God's
wrath
they shall be bound up in bundles
and heaped for damnation
Mt 13:30;
Ps 37:38; Isa 1:28; Ps 66:17. And it notes the shame and dishonour of the
enemy
they shall be like dung upon the face of the earth
and shall be
beholden to their victors for a base and dishonourable burial
as we see in the
great battle with Gog and Magog
Eze 39:11-16. Edward Reynolds.
Verse
6. Dead bodies. Either the corpses of the vanquished enemy;
or (possibly) the living bodies of men in a state of servitude
as in Ge 47:18;
Ne 9:37. (The construction as in Ex 15:9) In the latter case
the meaning may
be: that the bodies of those who had been enslaved by the Usurper
Death
were
now claimed back by their rightful Lord. The full number is claimed back. The
"last enemy" being destroyed
"all things" are brought
beneath Christ's sway. William Kay.
Verse
6. The heads. Rather
the head; doubtless
the head of the
Old Serpent (according to the prophecy in Ge 3:15)
who acts in all who resist
Christ. The verb "machats"
which is used here
is employed to
describe the prophetical and typical act of Jael
smiting the head of God's
enemy
Sisera (Jud 5:26 4:22); and it is used in Ps 68:21
which describes
Christ's victory
"God shall wound the head of his enemies"; and also
by Hab 3:13
"Thou woundest the head out of the house of the
wicked."—Christopher Wordsworth.
Verse
7. He shall drink of the brook
etc. He describeth the
passion of Christ and his glory. "In the way"
saith he
that is
in
his life while he is in this misery
"he shall drink out of the brook
"that is
he shall suffer and be overcome. For to drink out of the cup is
to suffer: but to drink out of the brook
is to be altogether full of trouble
to be vexed and tormented and utterly to be overwhelmed with a strong stream of
troubles. Thus was it in David's mind to declare the passion of Christ.
Afterward he saith
"therefore shall he lift up the head". After the
passion followeth the glory
with the resurrection and ascension. Paul
(Php
2:8) speaketh of both
and saith: "Christ humbled himself
and became
obedient unto death
even the death of the cross. Wherefore God hath exalted
him
and given him a name which is above every name"
etc. Myles
Coverdale
1487-1568.
Verse
7. I conceive that the "brook" here spoken of was not
intended to give us the idea of a clear brook of refreshing water
which was to
afford the Redeemer strength to endure the amazing conflict; as the drinking of
the water enabled Gideon's chosen band of men to go forth to battle against the
Midianites. No; in our Lord's case it was a polluted and turbid stream. Like
the water of Marsh
which the Israelites could not drink
it was bitter; for
sin had made it so. It bore along with it
as it flowed
the curse of the
broken law
and the vengeance of offended justice
and the wrath of the eternal
God. It was pain
sorrow
suffering
death. This was the "brook" of
which he drank. The "cup" which his Father gave him to drink was
filled with the bitter water of this "brook"; and he may be said to
have first put his lips to it
when he declared to his disciples
in his way to
Gethsemane
"My soul is exceedingly sorrowful
even unto death." But
it is stated in the text that this "brook" was "in the
way." It is described here as running by the path in which the Redeemer
was going in order to the accomplishment of his great work of man's salvation;
that work which he had engaged in the everlasting covenant to perform; and by
the performance of which
man could alone be accepted of God. The sin of man
was the source from whence this water issued; and it flowed along in the
Saviour's "way
"through the wilderness of this world to his kingdom
of glory in the next; as the brook Kidron
red with the blood of the typical
sacrifices
flowed in his way to Calvary. Fountain Elwin
1842.
Verse
7. In the expositions of most of the ancients and moderns
we are
told that he drank of the brook
(1)
of mortality by his incarnation;
(2)
of strictness and hardness in all his passage
by his voluntary wants and
poverty;
(3)
of the strong potion of the law
by his exact obedience and subjection;
(4)
of the Jews' malice
by their continual indignities;
(5)
of the floods of Belial
by apparent and unknown temptations;
(6)
of the heaviest wrath of his Father
by his unspeakable agony and bloody sweat
in the garden. And last of all
of death itself on the cross
by his sad and
extreme passion. John Prideaux.
Verse
7. He shall drink of the brook in the way. These words were
understood by Junius and Tremellius long ago as meaning
"He shall
steadily press on to victory
as generals of energy act
who in pursuing routed
foes
stay not to indulge themselves in meat or drink." Hengstenberg and
others substantially approve of this view. While a few hold that allusion may
be made to Samson at Ramath Lehi (as if the words spoke of Christ having a
secret spring of refreshment when needful). Most seem inclined to take Gideon
as the type that best expresses the idea. Pressing on to victory
Messiah
like
Gideon
"faint yet pursuing" as he passed over Jordan
shall not
desist till all is won. "He shall not fail nor be discouraged till he hath
set judgment in the earth." Perhaps the full idea is this:—His career was
irresistibly successful like that of Gideon; for he allowed nothing to detain
him
nor did he shrink in the enterprise from any fatigue
nor did he stop to
indulge the flesh. If we take it thus
there is both the Humiliation and the
Exaltation of the Son of Man contained in the words; and Php 4:8
9 supplies a
commentary. Andrew A. Bonar.
Verse
7. Schnurrer
says Rosenmuller
"seems to have perceived
the meaning of the verse
which he gives in the following words:—Though fatigued
with the slaughter of his enemies
yet he will not desist; but
having
refreshed himself with water from the nearest stream
will exert his renovated
strength in the pursuit of the routed foe."—Messianic Psalms.
Verse
7. Christ shall "lift up the head" by way of triumphing
and rejoicing
when he shall have taken full vengeance of his adversaries
and
freed
not himself only
but the whole body of his church from the assaults and
dangers of all enemies. We see now that oftentimes
though not in himself
yet
in his members
he is fain to hang down the head
and to wear the badges of
reproach and shame
whilst the ungodly vaunt themselves (Job 31:2-6) and in
their hearts despise the righteous
accounting more vilely of them than of the
dust of their feet. Robert Abbot.
HINTS TO THE
VILLAGE PREACHER
Verse
1. Here the Holy Ghost begins with the kingdom of Christ
which he
describeth and magnifieth
—
1.
By his unction
and ordination
thereunto
by the word or decree of his Father:
"The Lord said".
2.
By the greatness of his person in himself
while yet he is nearly allied in
blood and nature unto us; "My Lord".
3.
By the glory
power
and heavenliness of his kingdom
for in the administration
thereof he sitteth at the right hand of his Father: "Sit thou at my right
hand".
4.
By the continuance and victories thereof: "Until I make thy foes thy
footstool."—Edward Reynolds.
Verse
1. My Lord.
1.
Christ's condescending nearness to us does not destroy our reverence: he was
David's son
and yet he calls him Lord; he is our brother
bridegroom
and so
on
and yet our Lord.
2.
Christ's glory does not diminish his nearness to us
or familiarity with us.
Sitting on the throne as Lord
he is yet "my Lord."
3.
It is under the double aspect as Lord
and yet ours
that Jehovah regards him
and speaks with him
and ordains him to the priesthood. Ever in these two
lights let us regard him.
Verse
1. Sit
etc.
1.
Our Lord's quiet amid passing events.
2.
The abundance of his present power.
3.
The working of all history towards the ultimate end
which will be—
4.
His easy victory: putting his foot on his foes as readily as we tread on a
footstool.
Verse
2.
1.
What is that rod? The gospel (Illustrated by Moses' rod).
2. Who sends it? "The Lord."
3. Whence it comes? Out of the church of God.
4. What is the result? Jesus reigns.
Verse
3. A willing people and an immutable Leader.
1.
The promise made to Christ concerning his people: "Thy people shall be
willing
"etc.
(a)
A promise of time: "In the day
" etc.
(b)
Of persons: "Thy people."
(c)
Of disposition: "Shall be willing."
(d)
Of character: "In the beauties of holiness."
(e)
The majestic figure employed: "From the womb of the morning: thou hast the
dew of thy youth."
2.
The promise made to Christ concerning himself: "Thou hast the dew of thy
youth." Jesus Christ has the dew of his youth personally
doctrinally
and
mystically
being surrounded by new converts
who are as the early dew. Spurgeon's
Sermons
No. 74.
Verse
3. This is a prophecy of the subjects of Christ's kingdom.
1.
Who they are; "Thy people."
(a)
A people. This denotes distinction
separation
similarity
organization. They
are not a confused rabble
but a united community.
(b)
His people. By gift
by purchase
by effectual calling.
2.
What they are.
(a)
A loyal people: "willing."
(b)
A conquered people: "in the day of thy power."
(c)
A holy people: "in the beauties of holiness."
(d)
A numerous people: "from the womb of the morning
" etc. The number of
converts at the first proclamation of Christ's gospel was but the dew of his
youth. G.R.
Verse
3. First
the internal evidence of Christ's kingdom is in his
people's willingness: "Thy people shall be willingness—thy people shall bc
a people all willing"—all volunteers
not pressed men. Secondly
the
external evidence of it lies in his people's holiness; "the beauties of
holiness; "or as it may be rendered—"in the magnificence of his
sanctuary
"for the ornaments of the sanctuary and the dress of the
priests were very splendid. When you once give yourselves to God
you become
temples of God; and sanctity must adorn that heart which is a living temple of
the Holy Ghost. J. Bennett
in a Sermon
1829.
Verse
3. All true followers of Jesus are
(1)
priests—beauties of holiness are their sacerdotal robes;
(2) soldiers—"in the day of thine armies";
(3) volunteers;
(4) benefactors—as the dew.
—Suggested by a paper in The Baptist Magazine.
Verse
3. Here we have a cluster of subjects:—the willingness of the Lord's
people
the beauty of holiness
young converts the life and glory of the
church
the mystery of conversion
and so on.
Verse
4. The eternal priesthood of Christ. On what its perpetuity is
founded and the blessed results flowing therefrom.
Verse
4. These words offer three points of special observation.
1.
The ceremony used at the consecration of our Lord: "The Lord sware."
2.
The office conferred upon him by this rite or ceremony: "Thou art a
priest."
3.
The prerogatives of his office; which office is here declared to be
(a)
Perpetual
"for ever."
(b) Regular
"after the order."
(c) Royal
"of Melchizedek."
—Daniel Featley.
Verse
4. Melchizedek: a fruitful subject. See notes.
Verse
5. The certain overthrow of every power which opposes the gospel.
Verse
6. The fearful calamities which have happened to nations through
their sinful rejection of the Lord Jesus.
Verse
7. Christ's alacrity
self denial
and simplicity
the causes of his
success. Example to be imitated.
Verse
7. Christ's humiliation and exaltation.
WORKS UPON THE
HUNDRED AND TENTH PSALM
The
Exaltation of the Kingdom and Priesthood of Christ. In certaine Sermons upon
the 110 Psalme: Preached in the Cathedrall Church and city of Worcester
in the
time of Christmasse: anno Domini: 1590. By Rob. Abbot
doctor of Diuinitie
sometime felow of Baliol Coiledge in Oxford. Londini
Impensis G. Bishop. 1601.
4to.
An
Explication of the Hundreth and Tenth Psalme. . . . Being the Substance of
several Sermons preached at Lincolns Inne; by Edward Reynolds afterwards
Bishop of Norwich. 4to. 2nd edition. London
1035. Also in
"Reynolds' Works."] In the works of John Boys
160
folio
pp.
809-821
there is an Exposition of this Psalm. An incorruptible Key Composed of
the CX. Psalme
wherewith You may open the rest of the holy Scriptures... By
Samuel Gorton
Gent. and at the time of the penning hereof
in the place of.
Judicature (upon Aquethneck
alias Road Island) of Providence Plantations in
the Nanhyganset Bay
New England. Printed in the Yeere 1647. 4to. A new
interpretation of the Sixty-eighth Psalm. To which is added
an Exposition of
the Hundred and tenth Psalm
proposed in a Sermon
preached before the
University of Oxford
at St. Mary's
on Sunday
October 27
1811. By the Rev.
Richard Dixon
A.M.
F.R.S. . . . Oxford
1811. 4to.
In
"The Golden Diary of Heart Converse with Jesus in the Book of
Psalms
" by the Rev. Dr. Edersheim. . . . London: 1873
there is a short
meditation on this Psalm.
── C.H. Spurgeon《The Treasury of David》