Psalms 110

To the chief Musician, upon Gittith. A Psalm of Asaph. There was a special command of God, as the Psalmist here takes notice, (ver. 4.) for the making a joyful sound with trumpets, upon all the solemn days, especially their new-moons, (Numb. x. 10.) But more particularly upon the first day of the seventh month; which is called by this peculiar name, above all other days, a day of blowing the trumpets, i. e. from morning unto evening, (Numb. xxix. l.)and a memorial of blowing trumpets, (Lev.xxiii. 24.) For this solemn day, I suppose, this Psalm was composed; and the reason is apparent why they w r ere to blow with trumpets longer on this day than any other, because it was the first new-moon in the year (for, according to their old computation before they came out of Egypt, their year began on this day, as appears from Exod. xxiii. 1G. xxxiv. 22. where the feast of in-gathering their fruits is said to be in the revolution, or the end, of the year); and God intended, it is possible, to awaken them (as Maimonides conjectures), to prepare themselves by strict inquiry into their lives, and by hearty repentance, for the great day of atonement, which was the tenth of this month. But of what this blowing trumpets or cornets was a memorial, is not easy to resolve; the Hebrews themselves being L at such a loss about it, that they are fain to go as far back as the deliverance of Isaac, and the offering a ram in his stead, for the reason of it. The clearest account of which, it seems to me, may be fetched from this Psalm; which plainly intimates, that the blowing with trumpets at that time, related to something which ensued upon - their happy deliverance out of Egypt: which, though it began upon the first day of the first month, according to their new computation, (which took its original from that deliverance, in memory of which God ordained the feast of the Passover to begin on that day, Lev. xxiii. G.) yet they had not a complete body of laws delivered to them by Moses, till the first day of the seventh month, which was the feast of blowing trumpets. Moses received, indeed, several laws in the third month, (Exod. xix. 1. 3, &c.) on the third day whereof (ver. 11.. 16. 19, 20.) God himself appeared on the top of Mount Sinai, with the sound of a trumpet exceeding loud and prolonged (to which I believe this feast hath respect), and spake the ten commandments; after which Moses delivered them a body of civil laws, (Exod. xxi. — xxiii.) But they did not know the manner of the Divine service, for which they came out of Egypt into the wilderness, till Moses had been twice forty days, one afterthe other, in the mount; and, likewise (as several of the Jews under-, stand those passages in Deutix. relating to tliis matter), " had forty days more bewailed their sin in making the golden calf. Which sixscore days, if we add to the time between their coming out of Egypt, and the giving of the law on Mount Sinai, and to the six days which passed before Moses was. called up into the cloud, it will fall out exactly to be the first day of the seventh month, when he began to give orders for the building of the. tabernacle, and making all things belonging to God’s house; according to the direction he had received in the mount, I am sure this was the precise time of their setting up the altar, and beginning to’ offer burnt-offerings, after their return from the captivity at Babylon, before the foundation of the temple was laid. Eor you read, Ezra iii. l.G. it was upon the first day of the seventh month; in the middle of which they alsp.kept the feast of, tabernacles; as Moses had appointed; in memory of their dwelling in booths in the wilderness, under the government of the Almighty, unto w T hich the Psalmist here hath respect in the next words, which we translate in (he time appointed, that is, at the fidl moon (as De Dicu hath demonstrated), on which the feast of tabernacles was kept in this seventh month: at which feast Solomon dedicated his temple, 1 Kings viii. 2. where it is called the feast: and may well be meant here in the last words of the third verse of this Psalm, our solemn feast-day. Unless we take both the new moon feast, and the full moon (i. e. feast of. tabernacles), to be meant, and translate it on the day of our feast. The same first day also was kept holy by Nehemiah, with great solemnity, viii..1. 8 — 10. where you find how the book of the law was distinctly read to the people on this day, and the sense of it explained: so that they came the next day again for further instruction, (ver. 13.) Now that they might be more mindful of those Divine benefits which in this month they commemorated, more than in any other month in the year, Asaph (in the days of David, it is likely) composed this Psalm, and directed, it to the master of music, to be sung (as the eighth Psalm upon Gittith) in the beginning of it, upon the feast of trumpets. And he introduces God himself (before whom they were summoned, as I said,by these trumpets to appear), instructing them in the end of this solemnity; and complaining of their forgetfulness of his benefits, in giving them so great a deliverance out of the Egyptian slavery; and of their hard-heartedness, in preferring’ their owti inventions, and the miseries they brought thereby upon themselves, before his counsels, and the happiness he intended for them. Which happiness is expressed in the last verse, by satisfying them ivitk honey out of the rock: concerning which the learned may consult Bochartus, dc Sacris Animal, par. ii. lib. iv. cap. 12. A Psalm of David. There is the same reason to think this Psalm was composed by David (not by some other concerning David), that there is to conclude all the rest to be so, which have the same title. And then, as it is very plain he speaks of some person much greater than himself, whom he calls his Lord, so it can be no other but the Lord Christ, of whom he here prophesies. Not, as he is wont to do elsewhere, with respect to himself, in the first place, as his type and figure; but in plain words, which can belong to none but Christ alone: for no other king but he can be said in any sense to sit at God’s right hand; nor was there any priest of the order of Melchisedec that could be a shadow of him. David, indeed, seems once to have exercised the office of a priest, when he blessed the people, at the bringing of the ark to Zion, (2 Sam. vi. 18.) and so to have been then both king and priest in one person, as Melchisedec was; but not a priest for ever, on whom the office was perpetually established, and that by an oath; as it was on the priest here mentioned. And therefore it is in vain to endeavour to accommodate any part of this Psalm to David; who conquered many of the neighbouring countries, sraoto their kings, made them bring him tributes, and at last smote the head of the country of Rabbah (as some render the last words of the sixth verse of this Psalm), that is, the king of the children of Aminon: but still we arc to seek how the rest can be applied to him, who never had any pretence • to such an authority as is here described, nor can in any sense call himself my Lord; but as our Lord Christ hath demonstrated, spake concerning him, (Matt. xxii. 43, &c.) and his exaltation, after his resurrection from the dead, (as St. Peter and St. Paul also shew, Acts ii. 34, 35. 1 Cor. xv. 25. Heb. iv. 1. 13. v. G.) when he set up another priesthood, and abolished that of Moses; which change is here predicted. And though the Jews have taken a great deal of pains to wrest this Psalm to another sense, yet they are so divided in their opinions about it (speaking inconsistent things, like drunken men, as St. Chrysostom’s words are, or rather, says he, like men in the dark, running against one another), that from thence alone we may be satisfied they arc in the wrong, and have their eyes blinded, else they would not have embraced such interpretations as those, which may be seen in them that have written upon this Psalm, which some of the Jews themselves (such as JR. Moses Hadarsan, Saadias Gaon, and divers others whom I might mention) have been forced to acknowledge belongs to Christ; and is a very plain prediction of his Divinity, his royal dignity, his priesthood, and his victories and triumphs, which the Psalmist sets forth as follows.

Psalms 110:1

folNG aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob. Sing praises aloud unto God, to whose mighty power alone w r e owe the deliverance w T hich we now commemorate: shout with the voice of triumph, in honour of him, who,was so good unto your forefathers.. JL HE Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.] This is the decree of the eternal Lord, that the great person whom we expect, and whom I honour as my Lord and Master, shall be advanced (after his sufferings) to the highest dignity (1 Kings ii. 19.) in the heavens; and reign with him as the King of all the world, till he hath perfectly subdued (Josh. x. 24.) the most powerful opposers of his kingdom; and overcome death itself, by whom all mankind are conquered, (ICor. xv: 25, 26.)

Psalms 110:2

Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp, with the psaltery. Offer to him your cheerful hymns; and, to complete the melody, and express the greatness of your joy, let some with timbrels, others with the pleasant harp, and others with the psaltery, celebrate the memory of his mercies. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.] The eternal Lord, who hath thus decreed to honour thee, O most mighty Prince, will make Zion, first of all, to feel how powerful thy sceptre is, (Acts i. 8. ii. 34. 37.) and thence extend thy empire over all the earth; where I wish thou mayest, and foretell thou wilt, prevail over all infidelity, idolatry, superstition, and impiety; which will set themselves against thy authority.

Psalms 110:3

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 deio of thy youth. For in the day when thy forces, (2 Tim. ii. 3.) completely armed with a Divine power, (Acts iv. 33.) shall march forth to subdue the world unto thy obedience: they that arc fit for thy kingdom (Luke ix. 62. Actsxiii. 48.) shall cheerfully submit themselves, and present thee with free-will-offerings, in token of their absolute subjection unto thee, (Acts ii. 45. iv. 34.) And great shall be the number of chosen men, (1 John ii.13.) who, glad to sec the night of ignorance gone, shall, at thy first appearance, by the celestial blessing, fall unto thee as thick as the morning dew.

Psalms 110:4

The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec. And happy arc they who live under thy government; for the Lord hath unchangeably resolved that thou shalt be a priest as well as king; with full power to bless all thy subjects, not only in that, but in all future ages, even to all eternity: