THE ^*BOOK OF
PSALMS.

1 Namely, God the Father.

2 Namely, in His eternal Counsel, which He has revealed and published unto us in His appointed time.

3 That is, unto Christ, Whom David calls here his Lord. For Christ is the Son of David according to the flesh, but David’s Lord, since He is a true God with God the Father and Holy Spirit, and a Lord of all men, especially of His elect. See Mat. 22:43, 45; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:42; Acts 2:34; Heb. 1:13.

4 That is, have and exercise dominion with all glory and majesty, in heaven and on earth, 1 Cor. 15:25; Heb. 1:3, 13; 8:1; 10:12, 13; Eph. 1:20, etc. This manner of speech is taken from kings and princes, who cause those to sit at their right hand whom they will honor. See 1 Kings 2:19; Psalm 45:9.

5 The sense is: Until I shall have subdued Thine enemies (namely, the persecutors of the church, yea, death itself, 1 Cor. 15:24, 26) under Thee. Hence no one is ever able to deduce from this that Christ’s Kingdom shall not be everlasting, although the administration of the Kingdom of Christ, such as it is now, shall cease at the last day of judgment: for then there shall be no more enemies to annoy or hurt the church of Christ, 1 Cor. 15:24, 28. See the annotation Gen. 28 on verse 15.

6 In the first verse David addressed his speech to the people of God; here he speaks unto Christ.

7 Namely, in the entire world.

8 Or, thy strong scepter; or, the rod or the staff of thy strength; namely, the proclamation of the Holy Gospel, whereby the Holy Spirit works powerfully in the hearts of the elect. See Rom. 1:16.

9O Christ.

10 Understand this also: that the Gospel shall first of all be preached at Jerusalem and in Jewry, and thence be further spread abroad throughout all the world. Isa. 2:3; Micah 4:2; Acts 1:8.

11 Namely, by Thy Word and Spirit in the hearts of the elect, and by Thy almighty power in protecting of Thy church, and in the punishing of the persecutors thereof. Other, thou shalt rule.

12 Namely, the enemies of Thy church; for, he who persecutes the church, persecutes Christ Himself, Acts 9:4.

13 Hebr. Thy people of willingnesses, implying that it shall be a people of great or full of willingness, namely, to embrace the Gospel, and to serve and worship Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ; yea, it shall be in a manner, willingness itself. See Exod. 25:2; Psalm 119:108; Acts 2:41; Rom. 12:11. And understand here by Thy people the elect or believers.

14 That is, when Thou shalt send abroad the powerful preaching of the Holy Gospel by the apostles and many other publishers of it, thereby to subdue the world and the devil, and to bring many sheep into the true fold of Christ. See Rom. 1:16; 2 Cor. 10:4, 5; Rev. 6:2.

15 Hebr. in the beauties or ornaments of holiness, that is, in holiness of life and all Christian virtues, proceeding of true faith. It is spoken by way of similitude taken from the priests of the Old Testament, who did put on stately and holy garments when they were to attend the Levitical service. Other, in the glories of the sanctuary or in the comely, elegant sanctuary that is, in the glorious and beautiful temple; by which words the church of God is often signified.

16 That is, Thy children shall be born unto Thee, as the dew out of the womb of the dawning day. Even as the dew in the morning comes forth and is born out of a womb as it were, and sprinkles the grass with drops innumerable and sweetly refresh it, so shall the first light of the preaching of the Gospel, like unto a dew, besprinkle and water an innumerable company of elect hearts, and cause them to be born in a spiritual manner; See John 3:5, where the Lord Christ compares the Holy Spirit with water, whereby the earth is moistened and made fruitful. Other, it shall be unto thee, from the womb of the morning, a dew of thy youth. Some, both ancient and later divines, do understand this passage of the eternal birth of the Son from the Father, by a borrowed speech taken from human generation, and render the words thus: out of the womb of the morning is the dew of thy birth unto thee. There are others who understand it of the incarnation of our Lord Christ and His birth from the virgin Mary.

17 See upon this psalm, especially this fourth verse, the seventh chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews.

18 Or, be thou or thou shalt be priest.

19 Namely, such an One, as was to offer up Himself on the altar of the cross, for the atonement or reconciliation of all who believe in Him, Heb. 5:9; 9; 10.

a Heb. 5:6; 6:20; 7:17.

20 Or, according to the manner or likeness of Melchizedek, who had neither beginning of days nor end of life. Likewise, as Melchizedek was a king and also a priest, Gen. 14:18. So is Jesus Christ, typified or shadowed forth by Melchizedek.

21 Namely, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is set down at Thy right hand; David applying his speech here to God the Father; or, to the people of God, promising them that the Lord Christ would be ready at hand to assist and protect them, as Psalm 16:8; 109:31.

22 Hebr. hath smitten kings for shall strike through kings. A prophetical kind of expression.

23 Hebr. pierce through.

24 Understand such kings and princes as do set themselves against Christ, and persecute His church, as Psalm 2:9, 12.

25 At the time which God appointed for the breaking out and executing of His wrath.

26 That is, He shall punish the persecutors of His people.

b Rev. 14:14, etc.; 16:14, etc.; 20:8, etc.

27 Namely, of His enemies, who shall be slain in the battle. Compare Psalm 45 on verse 4.

28 Some do understand by these words the antichrist, domineering over many countries; yea, the devil himself. Others apply it to evil rulers in general.

29 That is, He shall drink out of the cup of God’s wrath, and thus enter into His glory. So that here in this verse the state of His humiliation and exultation, are both joined together. Or, he wants to say: Christ shall pursue His victory over the enemies of His church so long till they are all defeated and consumed. And this He shall do with that zeal and earnestness that He shall not allow Himself much rest or respite, no not so much as to take His meat and drink with ease, but He shall quench or allay His thirst with water out of a brook, which He shall meet by the way in the pursuit of His enemies. This is spoken by similitude, the sense of the words is briefly this: Christ shall absolutely subdue His enemies to Himself and deliver His people out of their hands. Compare with this the history of Gideon, Judges 7:4, 5, 6, 7, etc.

30 That is, He, namely, Christ, shall arise after His death, and be exalted to the highest glory. See Philip. 2:8, 9.