Psalms 110
DortIn the Psalm, (being short draught of the whole Gospel) David speaketh of the calling of Jesus Christ, to the spiritual Kingdom of hid church, and his everlasting Priesthood: representing likewise the mighty conquest over his enemies, and his triumph over them.
1. A Psalm of David. The Lord [viz. God the Father] hath spoken [viz. In his eternal Council, which he hath revealed and punished unto us in his appointed time] unto my Lord: [i.e. unto Christ, whom David calleth his Lord here. For Christ is the son of David, according to the flesh, but Davids Lord, in regard of his being truely God, with God the Father and Holy Ghost, and a Lord of all men, especially of his Elect. See Matth.22.43.45. Mark 12:36. Luke 20:42. Acts 2:34. Heb.1.13.] sit at my right hand, [i.e. have and exercise dominion with all Glory and Majesty, in heaven and earth, 1 Cor.15.25. Heb.1.3.13. and 8.1. and 10.12,13. Eph.1.20, etc. This kind of speaking is taken from Kings and Princes, who cause those to sit at their right hand whom they will honour. See 1 Kings 2:19. and Psalms 45:10.] until I shall have put thine enemies for a footstool of thy feet. [the sence is, until I shall have subdued thine enemies, ( to wit, the persecutors of the Church, yea, death it self, 1 Cor.15.24,26.) under thee. Hence can no ways be concluded, that Christs Kingdom shall not be everlasting, although the administration of the Kingdom of Christ, such as now it is, shall cease at the last day of judgement: for then there shall be no more enemies to annoy or hurt the Church of Christ, 1 Cor.15.24,28. See the Annot. Gen.28.on v.15.]
2. The LORD, [In the first verse David address his speech to the people of God; here he speaketh unto Christ] shall send [forth, namely, into all the world] the Scepter of thy [Christ] strength, [or, thy strong Scepter or the rod, or staff of thy strength, to wit, the publishing of the holy Gospel, whereby the Holy Ghost doth work powerfully in the hearts of the Elect. See Rom.1.16.] out of Zion, [understand this, so as that the Jewry, and thence be further spread abroad, throughout all the world, Isa.2.3. Mich.4.2. Acts 1:8.] (saying) Rule [viz. By thy Word and spirit, in the hearts of the Elect, and by thine Almighty power, in protecting of thy church, and in the punishing of the persecutors thereof. Others, thou shalt rule] in the midst of thine enemies. [viz. The enemies of thy Church: for he that persecuteth the Church, doth persecute Christ himself, Acts 9:4.]
3. Thy people shall be very willing, [Heb. Thy people of willingnesses, namely, to embrace the Gospel, and to serve and worship thee, O LORD Jesus Christ: yea, it shall be in a manner, willingness it self. See Acts 2:41. Rom.12.1. and Psalm.119.108. Exod.25.2. and understand here by thy people the Elect, or faithful] in the day of thy warlike power, [that is, when as thou shalt send abroad the powerful preaching of the holy Gospel, by the Apostles and many other publishers of it, thereby to subdue the world and the devil, and to bring many sheep into the true fold of Christ. See Rom.1.16. 2 Cor.10.4,5. Rev.6.2.] in holy ornaments: [Heb. In the beauties or, ornaments of holiness, that is to say, in holiness of life and all Christian vertues, proceeding of true faith. It is spoken by way of similitude taken from the Priests of the old testament, who were wont to put on stately and holy garments when they were to attend the Levitical service. Others, in the glory of the Sanctuary, or in the comely, or decent Sanctuary; that is, in the glorious and beautiful Temple, by which words the Church of God is often signified] out of the womb of the dawning day shall be born unto thee, as the dew out of the womb of the dawning day. Even as the dew in the dew in the morning, cometh forth and is born out of a womb as it were, and doth sprinkle the grass with drops innumerable, and sweetly refresh it: so shall the first light of the preaching of the gospel, like unto a dew, besprinkled and water an innumerable company of elect hearts, and cause them to be unborn in a spiritual manner: See John 3:5. Where our Saviour Christ compareth the Holy Ghost with water, whereby the earth is moistened and made fruitful. Others, it shall be unto thee, from the womb of the morning, a dew of thy youth. Some, both ancient and latter Divines, do understand this passage of eternal Birth of the son from the Father, by a borrowed speech, taken from human generation, and render the words thus; Out of the Womb of the morning is the dew of thy birth unto thee. There are others which understand it of the Incarnation of Christ, and his being born out of the Virgin Mary.]
4. The LORD hath sworn, [See upon this Psalm, especially this fourth verse, the seventh chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews] and it shall not repent him, Thou art [or be thou, or thou shalt be] Priest [viz. Such a one, as was to offer up himself on the Altar of the Cross, for the atonement or reconciliation of all that believe in him, Hebr.5.9. and 9.10.] in Eternity, according to the order of Melchizedek. [or according to the manner or likeness of Melchizedek, which had neither beginning of days, nor end of life: Again, as Melchizedek was a King, and also a Priest, Gen.14.18. So is Christ Jesus likewise, Typified or shadowed forth by Melchizedek.
5. The Lord is at thy right hand; [viz. The LORD Jesus Christ, who is set down at thy right hand; David applying his speech here to God the father; or, to the people of God, promising them that the Lord Christ would be ready at hand to assist and protect them, as Psalms 16:8. and 109.31.] he shall smite [Heb. He hath smitten, or he shall smite, properly pierce through: a Prophetical kind of expression] Kings [understand such Kings and Princes, as do set themselves against Christ, and persecute his Church; as Psalms 2:9,12.] in the day of his wrath: [at the time which God appointed for the breaking out and executing of his wrath.]
6. He shall do right among the Heathen, [i.e. he shall punish the persecutors of his people] he shall make it full of dead carkases; [viz. Of his enemies, who shall be slain in the battle. Compare Psalm 45.on v.5.] he shall smite him, that is, the Head over a great Country, [Some do understand by these words Antichrist, domineering over many Countries: yea, the devil himself: Others apply it to bad Governors in general.]
7. He shall drink upon the way out of the brook; [i.e. he shall drink out of the cup of Gods wrath, and thus enter into his glory: so that here in this verse, the state of his humiliation and exaltation, are both joined together: or else he would imply thus much; Christ shall prosecute his victory over the enemies of his Church so long, till they are all defeated and consumed: and this he shall do with that zeal and earnestness, that he shall not allow himself much rest or respite, no not so much as to take his meat and drink with ease; but he shall quench or allay his thirst with water out of a brook, which he shall meet by the way in the pursuit of his enemies. This is spoken by similitude, the sence of the words being briefly this, Christ shall absolutely subdue his enemies, and deliver his people out of their hands. Compare with this the history of Gideon, Jud.7.4,5,6,7, etc.] therefore shall he lift up his head on high. He, viz. Christ, he shall raise himself from the dead, and be exalted to the highest glory. See Phil.2.8,9.]