The Book of Psalms
Psalm 110
Psalm CX · Vol. II, p. 1060
1 A prediction of the kingdom, 4 priesthood, 5 triumphs, 7 and sufferings of Christ.
A psalm of David.
2 The LORD shall send bthe rod of thy strength out of Zion: crule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
b Ro.1.16,17. 1 Co.1.23,24. 1 Th.2.13. Is.2.3. Mi.4.2. Ac.3.26; 13.46. ver.3.
3 Thyd people shall be willing in the day of thy power, ein the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning:1 thou hast gthe dew of thy youth.2
d Ju.5.2. Ga.1.15,16. Ps.22.27,31. Ac.2.41.
e Ps.93.5; 96.9. Ac.2.41; 4.4; 5.14. Lu.1.74,75. Eze.43.12.
1 Or, more than the womb of the morning thou shalt have.
2 Youth.—'Thy progeny as dew from the womb of the morning.'—Boothroyd.—The general sense is clear, though the imagery is somewhat obscure:—'In the season of Christ's great power, when his kingdom would be fully established, his people would joyfully offer their services to him, clothed in robes of purity (i.e. in good works) which would shine like the diamond dew of the morning.—P.
4 The LORD hhath sworn, and will not repent, iThou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
h Ps.89.36. He.7.21,28; 6.17,18.
Notes
Ver. 1. The prophetic references in this psalm to the person, work, and kingdom of our Lord are placed beyond all doubt by the frequent quotations from it in the New Testament. Our Lord himself appropriates the words of the first verse, Mat. 22. 44; Mar. 12. 36; and Lu. 20. 42. They are so interpreted by Peter in Ac. 2. 34. In He. 5. 6, Paul applies the words of ver. 4 to Christ; so also in He. 7. 17-21. It is clear from these quotations that the Messianic interpretation of the psalm was universal among the Jews in ancient times. P.—The speaker here is David, who in spirit calls Jesus Lord, and thereby enabled him, in the days of his flesh, to establish unanswerably his superiority to David, Mat. 22. 43. C.
Ver. 3. Willing. To hear, search, judge, believe, love, deny themselves, take up their cross, follow, suffer, pray, praise; yea, utterly to devote themselves, with all they have and are, to the advancement of the kingdom of their great Priest and King. C.
Ver. 5. The Lord at thy right hand. It is distinctly to be remarked, that he who is called Adon, Lord, ver. 1, is placed at the right hand of Jehovah, God supreme. But now, ver. 5, he is distinctly called Jehovah—a mode of speech clearly evincing the Godhead equality of Father and Son, with the office-subordination of the Son to the Father. C.
Reflections.—How high is the dignity of our Redeemer! Glorious is his reward for his work of obedience and suffering. And all his enemies—sin, Satan, the world, and death—are made to bow under his feet. The everlasting gospel, sent forth into all the world, becomes powerful to men's salvation, and his kingdom is established, in despite of all opposition. Multitudes of his enemies surrender in the day of his power, cheerfully enlist themselves in his service, and worship him in the beauties of holiness. In the morning of the gospel period, through the heavenly influence of the blessed Spirit, multitudes, fresh and flourishing in heart, surrendered themselves to this Lord. And upon the most solid ground are believers' hopes and comforts founded—the all-sufficiency of Jesus Christ, and the oath of the eternal Jehovah. With confidence then ought we always to expect pardon, peace, and all the blessings of salvation, from this great High-priest of our profession. Horrid is the crime, if for a moment we dare question his power and grace, and stagger at promises confirmed by two immutable things—the word and oath of that God who cannot lie. And while Jesus, finishing his obedience, and strengthened by the Holy Ghost, lifts up his head in everlasting triumph, dreadful is the ruin of his malicious and powerful opposers, Jews, heathens, antichristians, and others.