The kingdom, the priesthood, the conquest, and the passion of Christ.
A Psalm of David.
Title. מזמור לדוד ledavid mizmor.— It is universally agreed, that this psalm was composed by David: and it seems to be almost as universally agreed, that he speaks not of himself at all in it, but directly of the Messiah.
This is the more remarkable, because in most, if not all the other psalms, where he prophesies of our Saviour, there is an obvious meaning, if not throughout the psalm, yet in several parts of it, which relate to some particular occasion, some passage or other in David's history; and those psalms are to be understood of Christ in a secondary sense, though not less evident, and sometimes more so than the first. But this psalm is wholly to be understood of Christ alone. Bishop Hare says, that because he had observed that most things in the psalms which were fulfilled in Christ, were spoken in their first, and, as it is called, literal sense of David, who was an illustrious type of Christ, he tried more than once whether he could not apply this psalm to David; but could not in any way which was satisfactory. DeMuis had laboured before him on the same subject, and with the same success. Indeed the ancient Jews themselves understood it thus; and that this was the known and received sense of it in our Saviour's time, appears from what passed between him and the Pharisees, Matthew 22:42; Matthew 22:46. To the same sense St. Peter applies it, Acts 2:34-35 and the inspired writer to the Hebrews, Hebrews 1:13 and this is further clear from the 4th verse of it; for the priesthood was confined to the line of Aaron; and none of David's posterity, the Messiah only excepted, was ever entitled to that honour. Nor indeed could any of Aaron's descendants presume to style themselves priests for ever, as our High-priest most literally is. We may therefore say with Bishop Patrick, that this psalm is a very plain prediction of our Saviour's divinity, his royal dignity, his priesthood, his victories, and triumph.
Psalms 110:1. The Lord said, &c.— That is, "God the Father said to God the Son, whom I honour as my Lord, and adore as my God, Sit thou (namely, after thy sufferings upon earth) at my right hand;"—an expression denoting the highest dignity and honour; and alluding to earthly monarchs, who placed those on their right hand to whom they would shew the greatest honour, or whom they designed to advance to the greatest power and authority. See 1 Kings 2:19. It here signifies the dominion which Jesus Christ, after his death, received from God the Father, as the Messiah. Thus he says of himself, Revelation 3:21. I overcame, and am set down with my father in his throne. It is added, until I make, &c. Jesus Christ subdues his enemies by the power which is essential to him, as he is one with the Father, God blessed for ever; and he does it also by the power which he has received from the Father, in quality of Mediator. See Matthew 28:18. 1 Corinthians 15:25. Thine enemies, mean, thy crucifiers; converting some, and destroying others; the idolatrous heathen; subjecting them to thy gospel; the power of sin and Satan in men's hearts, and at last death itself. The expression, thy footstool, which denotes an entire subdual of enemies, alludes to the custom of Eastern nations, to tread upon the necks of the kings whom they had conquered, and so make them, as it were, their footstool. See Joshua 10:24. 2 Samuel 22:41. Mr. Martin, in his Explication des Textes difficiles, has shewn that this expression of sitting at the right hand of God, not only implies the elevation of the Messiah to the throne, but his equality with the Father; and he observes, that the Divinity of Jesus Christ could never have been opposed, if these words had been properly understood: he remarks further, that the word footstool declares the same thing. To have a footstool, says he, was formerly a mark of distinction, reserved only for those who were appointed to a dignity. There is no mention of footstool in Scripture, but where God and kings are concerned. The ark of the covenant is often called the Lord's footstool; 1 Chronicles 28:2; 1 Chronicles 28:21 and it is said, 2 Chronicles 9:18 that the footstool of Solomon's throne was of gold. In short, Homer gives footstools only to heroes and persons of the first rank. These remarks shew, that the mention of footstool in this place, is only to exalt the power of the Son of God, and to establish it upon the most solid and glorious foundations. It will sufficiently distinguish this footstool, that it shall be composed only of the heads of his enemies; of the impenitent Jews, of the persecutors of the church, of Antichrist, of sinners, of death, of hell, and of the devil. These are his enemies: these are they whom he shall bruise; whom he shall rule with a rod of iron, and break in pieces as a vessel of clay; and who shall serve for his everlasting triumph; see Psalms 2:9 which psalm the reader will observe bears a great affinity to the present.