of God, Light of Light:" as it were the eradiation of light generated by, and emanating from, yet coeval with it. But the Son of God was not manifested until the Incarnation, which was "the bringing in the first-begotten into the world" (Heb. i. 6); and therefore the Father-addressing Him here on the occasion of His installation as His Son-speaks of Him as begotten in time; the time, namely, when "the decree" proclaiming Him Heir and King is published. And this view of the words is confirmed by the quotation of them in Acts, xiii. 32, 33, when St. Paul, preaching to the Jews at Antioch, says:-" And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that He hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second Psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten Thee:" the resurrection, rather than the birth of Christ, being fixed on as the fulfilment, because, as the same Apostle elsewhere states, then it was that both His Divinity and Sonship were proved and manifested; when He, "who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh," was "declared [marg. determined] to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead" (Rom. i. 3, 4):-"the form of a servant" being then laid aside, by which His glory as "Son" had been veiled for a time that he might become obedient to the law for man; for which reason-as well as because of its first fulfilment in the complete discomfiture of His enemies then, and confounding of their devices, and His victory over death and hell-this Psalm is one of those fitly appointed to be read on Easter Day, the commemoration of His Resurrection. 2. Secondly. This fact, that the risen Saviour is here the speaker, and in the character of Mediator or Redeemer, explains also the right or "possession" which, in the next verse, the divine decree proceeds to award Him :-" Ask of me, and I shall give Thee the heathen [the nations or Gentiles] for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession." That is, as the Eternal Son, He is "Lord of all," and His " :— pos session" all that is comprised in "the glory which He had with the Father before the world was:" but here a more limited possession or inheritance is specified :-"Ask of Me, and I will give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession." And why this possession specified ? Because it is the inheritance which is the special object of redemption, that which was originally conferred on Adam, and lost by his transgression. He-the first Adam-was invested with the dominion over all this creation-over the earth to its utmost bounds; and was unable to sustain it because only a creature. But "the second Adam is the Lord from heaven;" and "Son of God"-not as Adam is so named, by creation, but, as "the only begotten of the Father;" the divine nature in Him laying hold" of the human to raise it, and recover all and sustain all for it eternally (Heb. ii. 16, Gr.) More than this, indeed, He confers on His redeemed, on those whom He makes sons and heirs with Him; a far higher dignity, and richer and more glorious inheritance; more than was lost, and therefore more than has been redeemed: but the Psalm is occupied with redemption, and therefore makes mention only of "the purchased possession," as this same inheritance is named, Ephes. i. 14. 66 3. Though, however, this possession is "purchased," it is not yet occupied; it is redeemed in title, but not in fact; it is not yet "seized-on" (the strict meaning of the word here), or recovered; as the same passage just referred to states, where the Apostle, speaking of "the Holy Spirit of promise," says,"which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of His glory:" and this, the actual occupation and the manner of it, the decree next particularizes: Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." That is this Psalm, as we have seen, had just before represented the kingdom or inheritance in question as occupied or usurped, at the period contemplated, by Antichristian and opposing powers; by the kings and rulers of the earth combined "against the Lord and against His Anointed," against the King of His choice: at which crisis-"then"-the Lord "speaks to them in His wrath, and in His burning anger puts them to confusion." But how this shall be, "the decree," as declared by the Son, more particularly here explains, namely, by His (the Son's) revelation in judgment; ejecting His enemies by His power, and recovering the "possession"-" Thou shalt break them," &c. as had been previously set forth in type, first, in the occupation of Canaan by Israel under Joshua (or "Jesus"); and afterwards of the throne by David, after a succession of victories. Where also, it may be remarked, we have the correction of the very common mistake which dates the kingdom of Christ (that is, the actual assertion of His right to the kingdoms of this world) from His resurrection and ascension; representing it as the effect of converting grace, before which unbelief and sin should gradually subside, leaving only a righteous and christianized world. It might indeed have been expected that such a prospect or theory, if naturally cherished at first, would have long since met its disappointment and refutation in the history of the Christian Dispensation hitherto. But it is decidedly contradicted by the prophecy before us; which plainly states that event to be the effect, not of converting grace, but destroying judgment; not of the first, but of the second Advent of the Saviour and if any doubt remain of its reference to that period, it must be removed by the description of that event in the nineteenth chapter of the Apocalypse, already quoted in part, where, of Him who comes forth from heaven "in righteousness to judge and make war," it is said, in express allusion to this Psalm-" And 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." To which may be added the promise by the Lord Himself, ch. ii. 25-27, of the same book-"That which ye have already hold fast TILL I COME: and he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to pieces: even as I received from my Father"-namely, in the grant of the Father to the Son in the verse of this Psalm next preceding the words here quoted— "Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee," &c.1 IV. The Psalm closes with an application or lesson, spoken by the inspired Psalmist, deduced from the successive scenes of the vision which had thus passed before him :— 1. First, special, in an admonition to the kings and rulers of the earth: "Be wise now, therefore, O ye kings; be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son-[render the homage due to 1 The consequences-as affecting the interpretation, if we may not say the inspiration, of Scripture-of the mistaken application of this Psalm, and like prophecies of Christ's kingdom, to the First Advent and its results, are nowhere more strikingly exemplified than in the following Note on it in a work, in a critical point of view, of considerable merit :-"We are not to be surprised at the warlike tone of this composition, as being ill-suited to the peaceful character of the Messiah's kingdom. In its primary and literal sense it applies to King David, and entirely accords with the ideas entertained at the time by the Jewish people, in common with other nations, as to the nature of the kingly office: 'Nay, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and go out before us and fight our battles.' -1 Sam. viii. 19." ("A Translation of the Book of Psalms, from the original Hebrew, with Explanatory Notes, by William French, D. D., and the Rev. George Skinner, M. A., Cambridge. A new edition, 1842.") So far from its being the case that "in its primary and literal sense it applies to King David," on the contrary (as Hengstenberg remarks), "many traits present themselves in the Psalm which are applicable to no other person but the Messiah." For, in the first place (as Mr. Phillips also observes), "All nations are spoken of as being under this Anointed King; but this cannot be said in any sense whatever of any Israelitish King" Again, the King who is the subject of this Psalm is "The Son of God" in such sense as is none other, and superhuman dignity and power are ascribed to Him. Again,— He is the "Anointed of Jehovah," resistance to whom is resistance to Jehovah Himself. And last" His anger is set forth as an object of fear in a manner not properly becoming a creature; and, on the other hand, the placing of confidence or 'trust' in Him is recommended, which is most repugnant to the standing of a creature" (Venema in Hengst.). The difficulty, indeed, would be to show how any one verse of it was fulfilled in David; while "in the New Testament it is referred in a series of passages to Christ: by all the Apostles in Acts, iv. 25, 26; by the Apostle Paul in Acts, xiii. 33; as also in Hebrews, i. 5, and v. 5; and manifest allusions to it in the same Messianic sense occur in the Apocalypse, e. g. ch. ii. 27; xii. 5; xix. 15." : This is its true application and in this sense-its plain and "literal sense"-it needs no such apology, nor is it necessary to make allowances for its language as accommodated to "the ideas entertained at the time by the Jewish people," or any "other nations." Him under whom ye hold your authority]-lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little." An admonition, how needful, time will show; but, Would that it may not be when too late! Awful words are these"when His wrath is kindled but a little !"-for then it will be too late. Even in His least anger destruction is inevitable. When judgment begins, repentance is unavailing. 2. But there is a more general lesson-of universal application. It is in the last line of the Psalm, not to be read, as is sometimes done, with the foregoing, but as a separate sentence: "Blessed [or "Happy," as in Ps. i. ver. 1] are all they that put their trust in Him"-in the "Son," the Lord's "Anointed," "The Christ." "Happy" all such, and at all times-"who hope in Him" as Saviour, and lean only on His strength and heavenly grace. They shall always find Him a sure refuge from all the assaults of the Evil One-from temptations within, and persecutions without. But especially in prospect of "the evil day" and "perilous times" yet to come-that "day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy" here predicted,-will confidence in Him be His disciples' security alike from terror and apostacy. Those who heed the instruction addressed to His people in the words of another and parallel prophecy:-"Say ye not, A confederacy, to all whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the LORD of hosts Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread: and He shall be for a Sanctuary." "Blessed," indeed, in that day "all they that put their trust in Him." As internal evidence of this and Psalm i. having the same author, Hengstenberg notices the following points of analogy in subject: - First, what is said in the first Psalm generally of the different state and destiny of "the righteous" and "the wicked," the |