"mies" are to be made "his footstool." The rod," or sceptre of Christ's "strength" is his word, accompanied by his Spirit. The law was given to Israel from Sinai, but the Gospel went forth from "Sion;" it was "preached to all nations, be"ginning at Jerusalem," Luke xxiv. 47.; there began the spiritual kingdom of Jesus; there were the first converts made; and from thence the faith was propagated by the apostles, to the ends of the earth. This David seeing beforehand, cries out, Rule "thou in the midst of thine enemies!" Go on, victorious Prince; plant the standard of thy cross among the thickest ranks of the adversary; and, in opposition to both Jew and Gentile tumultuously raging against thee, erect and establish thy church throughout the world! This was accordingly done with marvellous speed and success; and the church, thus erected and established among the nations, hath been as marvellously preserved, " in the midst of "her enemies," unto this day; yea, and the world shall sooner be destroyed, than she shall cease to be preserved.

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.

The blessed effects of the Gospel, upon its publication, are here foretold. "The people" of Christ are those given him by his Father, and gathered to him by the preachers of his word. "The day of "his power" is the season of their conversion, when the corruptions of nature can no longer hold out against the prevailing influences of grace; when

the heart, will, and affections, turn from the world to God; and they make, as the first disciples did, a free and voluntary offer of themselves, and all they have, to their Redeemer. Then it is that they appear " in "the beauties of holiness," adorned with humility, faith, hope, love, and all the graces of the Spirit. With regard to the last clause of this verse, bishop Lowth, in his admired Lectures *, has observed, and proved, that it may be fairly construed to this effect;

"More than the dew from the womb of the "morning is the dew of thy progeny ;" that is, Thy children, begotten to thee through the Gospel, shall exceed in number, as well as brightness and beauty, the spangles of early dew, which the morning discloseth to the delighted eye of the beholder. The whole verse, therefore, containeth a lively character of the subjects of Christ's spiritual kingdom, who are described by their relation to him as "his "people;" by their " willingness" to obey and serve him; by their honourable attire, the rich and splendid robes of "holiness;" and by their multitudes, resembling the drops of "dew" upon the grass.

4. The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent. Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

From Christ's regal office, and the administration thereof by the sceptre of his word and Spirit, the Prophet passeth to his sacerdotal office, which was also conferred on him by the decree of the Father,

* Prælect. x.

and that decree, as we are told, ratified by an oath ; "Jehovah hath sworn, and will not repent," or, change his purpose. The oath of God was the great seal of heaven, designed to intimate the importance of the deed to which it was set, and "to "show to the heirs of promise the immutability of "his counsel :" Heb. vi. 17. Whether this oath passed at the actual consecration of Messiah to the priesthood upon his ascension, or at his designation thereto by covenant before the world, sufficient it is for our assurance and comfort, that it did pass. We have a Priest in heaven, who standeth continually pleading the merits of his sacrifice once offered upon the cross" who ever liveth to make intercession "for us;" and who is ready, at all times, to bless us, by turning away every man from his iniquities," Acts iii. 26.; by aiding us against our enemies, and supporting us under our necessities. Oblation, intercession, and benediction, are the three branches of the sacerdotal office, which our great High Priest now exerciseth for us, and in the exercise of which the Father hath condescended in the most awful manner to promise, that he will hear and accept him on our behalf. His priesthood is not, like that of Aaron, figurative, successive, and transient, but real and effectual, fixed and incommunicable, eternal and unchangeable, according to that pattern of it exhibited to Abraham, before the law, in the person of Melchizedek, Gen. xiv. 18-20. and discoursed upon at large by the apostle, Heb. vii. throughout.

5. The LORD upon thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. 6. He shall

judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries; Heb. the head over much country.

This is a description of the vengeance which King Messiah should take on his impenitent adversaries. By "The LORD, or, my LORD, upon thy right hand,"

the same person must undoubtedly אדני על ימניד

be understood, who is mentioned in the first verse under the same title, , as "sitting at the right ", "hand of Jehovah." And the Psalmist, who has hitherto addressed himself to Messiah, or the Son, must be supposed now to make a sudden apostrophe to Jehovah, or the Father; as if he had said, "This my Lord Messiah, who sitteth at thy right "hand, O Jehovah, shall smite through kings in "the day of his wrath;" the kings of the earth will endeavour to destroy his religion, and put an end to his kingdom; the Neros, the Domitians, the Dioclesians, the Maxentiuses, the Julians, &c. &c. shall stand up, and set themselves in array against him; but "the Lamb shall overcome them;" he shall "judge" and punish the " Heathen" princes, with their people, when in arms against his church; he shall raise up those who shall successfully fight hisbattles, and strew the ground with their " car"cases." As Messiah hath done to the antichristian powers of old, so shall he do to all others, before or at his second advent. There is a day of forbearance, during which he will have his church to be, like himself, oppressed and afflicted, humble and resigned; but there is also a future day of wrath and

recompense, when the sins and provocations of her persecutors shall be ripe for judgement; when their triumphs and her sufferings shall be at an end; when they shall fall for ever, and she shall ascend to heaven.

7. He shall drink of the brook, or, torrent, in the way; and therefore shall he lift up his head.

The means, by which Christ should obtain his universal kingdom, and everlasting priesthood, seem here to be assigned. In his "way" to glory, he was to drink deep of the waters of affliction * the swollen" torrent" occurred in the way. and presented itself between him and the throne of God. To this " torrent in the way," the Saviour descended; he bowed himself down, and "drank” of it for us

The Hebrew word bn signifies, in general," a current of "water," which may be either a turbid, overwhelming "torrent," or a clear and gentle "stream." In Psal. xviii. 4. it denotes the "floods of ungodliness." In Psal. xxxvi. 8. it is used to signify the "river of divine pleasures." Hence arises an ambiguity in the interpretation of the words, "He shall drink of the brook "in the way," which may be expounded either of the sufferings Christ tasted, or the refreshments he experienced; as the "waters" are supposed to be those of "affliction," or those of "comfort." Either way the sense is good and true, as it relates to Messiah. "Torrents," or the "overflowing of rivers," in the Scripture language, certainly, as Dr. Durell observes, do often denote " afflictions ;" as in Psal. xviii. 4. cxxiv. 4, 5. cxliv. 7, &c. " the being oppressed by them," is also described by the action of "drinking," Psal. Ix. 3. lxxv. 8, &c. And the idea of a "brook in the WAY," or the ROAD, seems to favour this exposition. But the author advances it, as becomes him to do, with great deference and submission, since Bishop Lowth and Mr. Merrick are of a different opinion.