the regal virtues, achieving the most astonishing victories, and, by the irresistible might of his power, subduing idolatry and iniquity, to the faith and temper of the gospel. 5. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under thee. The prophet goes on to represent Messiah as a warrior, completely armed, and skilful in the use of every weapon. Thus a prince is portrayed, Rev. vi. 2: 'I saw, and behold a white horse, and he that sate on him had a bow, and a crown was given unto him; and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.' The conquests of Messiah are either those of his word over sin, or those of his arm over the persecuting powers. 6. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. The battle being fought, and the victory gained, we are called to the consideration of the throne' and 'sceptre' of King Messiah, whom the prophet addresseth as God. His throne is distinguished from the thrones of this world, by its endless duration; his sceptre, from the sceptres of earthly potentates, by the unerring rectitude of its administration. 7. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. The sermons, the example, and, above all, the death of Christ, for the expiation of sin, demonstrated his love of righteousness, and hatred of wickedness; and, because he humbled himself, and became obedient even to the death of the cross, therefore God highly exalted him; Phil. ii. 8, 9; and he was anointed' to the kingdom, 'with the Holy Ghost and with power' immeasurable; to the intent that he might bestow, in due proportion, the gifts of heaven on those whom he is not ashamed to call 'friends' and 'brethren.' And these gifts he did bestow on them, by the emission of the Spirit, soon after his ascension and inauguration. See the application of these last two verses to Christ, Heb. i. 1, 9. 8. All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces,' whereby they have made thee glad. From the throne, the sceptre, and the inauguraration, the prophet passes on to the robes and palaces of the King of glory, declaring, that as the perfumed garments of an earthly prince scatter through all the royal apartments a grateful fragrance, so from the glorious vestments of our High Priest and King is diffused the sweet savour of his heavenly graces, filling those happy regions of joy and gladness, where he keeps his residence above, and, by the communication of the Spirit, refreshing the faithful on earth with their odours. 9. King's daughters were among thy honourable women, or, the splendour of thy train; upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir. Such being the divine beauty, and heavenly glory, of the blessed Person, whose nuptials the prophet is now proceeding to describe, it is no That is, palaces adorned, or inlaid, with ivory; as “Ebur tria vestit;" Lucan. x. 119. Merrick. wonder that, upon hearing of his fame, innumerable converts, forsaking the vanities even of courts and kingdoms, should follow him, ambitious to have the honour of composing his train; which in reality was the case, upon the publication of the gospel. And lo, at the right hand' of the King, followed by this magnificent procession, appears the church, the spouse of the Lamb, arrayed in the garments of righteousness and salvation, fitly compared, for their inestimable value, and radiant brightness, to the gold of Ophir.' 10. Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear, forget also thine own people, and thy father's house: 11. So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty; for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him. This seemeth to be the voice of God, addressing the church to the following effect:-0 thou whom I have begotten unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, and whom I have called out of the world, to become the Lamb's wife,' hearken diligently to my voice, consider attentively what I say, and be obedient to my direction: thou art now entering into a new state; let old things pass away; regard no more thy connexions with earth; but let the love, and, if possible, the very memory, of thy former condition be obliterated from thy mind; let all things belonging to the flesh die in thee: then shalt thou be truly acceptable and dear in his sight, who, having purchased and betrothed thee to himself, justly claims thy whole heart, thy undivided love, and thy unlimited service and adoration. 12. And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall entreat thy favour. The accession of the Gentiles, with their offerings and donations, to the church, is here predicted under the name of Tyre,' a city in the neighbourhood of Palestine, formerly the glory of the nations, and mart of the world. See Isa. lv. and Rev. xxi. 13. The king's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold. The church, in different respects, is sometimes called the spouse, sometimes the sister, and often, as here, the daughter' of the heavenly King; the connexion formed between them uniting in itself every relation, and every affection. Her beauty, so greatly desired and delighted in by Messiah, is spiritual; it is the beauty of holiness; and her clothing is the righteousness of saints.' 1 Pet. iii. 3; Rev. xix. 8. 14. She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework, or, embroidery: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee. The different graces of the faithful, all wrought in them by the same Spirit, compose that divine ' embroidery' which adorns the wedding garment of the church, who is therein presented to the King, attended by her bridemaids, after the nuptial manner. These are either the single churches, or holy souls, that accede to and accompany the spouse, unless we suppose as some do, that the bride is the Israelitish church, and then the attendants will represent the Gentiles. 15. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought they shall enter into the king's palace. The solemnization of this marriage between Christ and the church, produceth a jubilee upon earth, and causeth the streets of the heavenly Jerusalem to resound with hallelujahs. For this the angels tune their golden harps, while prophets, apostles, martyrs, and saints fill up the universal chorus of Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever.' 16. Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth. In this verse the prophet foretelleth the fruit that should spring from the glorious nuptials which he hath been celebrating. He assureth the spouse, that instead of her earthly kindred, whether Jewish or Pagan, which she was to leave for Christ, should arise an illustrious and royal progeny of believers, out of whom were to be chosen Christian kings to govern the world, and Christian bishops to preside in the church. The expression, 'whom thou mayest make princes' may answer to that in the Revelation, ch. i. ver. 6, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father.' So Mr. Merrick thinks, who beautifully turns the passage, in his poetical version, as follows: No more the patriarchs of thy line In time's long records chief shall shine; Its future annals shall adorn, Thy pow'r derived to them display, And stretch through earth their boundless sway. |