It is remarkable that the prevailing political and national associations always color both the literature and the religious sentiments of an age. Our associations provide our figures and illustrations, and these vary and change according to the altering of associations. This may be shown by comparing the age of Cromwell with this latter half of the nineteenth century. War associations prevailed then; peace associations prevail now. The sterner views of God prevailed then; the milder views of God prevail now. Redemption was then mainly regarded as a vindication; redemption is now regarded mainly as a moral force. It is quite natural that the conceptions of the promised and coming Messiah should vary at different times, according to the varying conditions of the Jewish people. In Moses' days he was thought of as a "Prophet" like Moses, an inspired Teacher, Revealer, and Leader. In David's days we find both the earlier warlike associations, and the later suffering associations, coloring the anticipations of Messiah. In the prophets the suffering idea is prominent, and Messiah is thought of, largely, as a "Servant of the Lord," who succeeds no better than the prophets did. The Book of Daniel, and more especially the careers of the patriotic Maccabees, bring back strongly the war associations and king-figures.

I. THE WAR-FIGURES ARE SUGGESTIVE AND HELPFUL. We should be weak in our conceptions of Messiah if we had not these war-figures. Loving peace as we do, it is astonishing how interesting to everybody the associations of war are. Everybody is excited when a regiment comes into a town. The "Salvation Army' appeal to a sentiment which seems universal in human nature. To young and old the literature of war is fascinating. And war-figures may be used in connection with Messiah, because sin is properly conceived of as an active hostile force, which man has to oppose, but is helpless to overcome. Messiah is well thought of as the Champion that undertakes man's cause, and leads man in the fight. Those two ideas, of Champion and Captain, suggest the two important sides of Messiah's work. He acts for us. He acts with us.

II. THE WAR-FIGURES BLEND WITH OTHER FIGURES. So much mistake has been made by taking them exclusively: then a one-sided theological system is constructed. They must always be treated as giving only a portion of the Messianic representation, and illustrating only certain sides and aspects of the Redeemer's work. He is the King, and he is the Lamb, and he is the Teacher. Blended figures alone bring apprehensions of the full truth. - R.T.

Many difficulties in the interpretation of this psalm. Let us accept it as, in the main, a prophecy of the Jewish Messiah. Then we find the two main features of it fulfilled in the Christ of history.

I. HE HAS BEEN RAISED TO THE DIVINE THRONE OF KINGLY POWER. (Vers. 1-3.)

1. The power by which he subdues the world is spiritual and Divine. His cross "the rod of his strength."

2. His servants are willing soldiers in the holy war. (Ver. 3.) Numberless as the drops of the morning dew.

3. He will reign till he has obtained a universal victory.

II. THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST.

1. Priest by direct Divine ordination. "The Lord hath sworn."

2. A universal Priesthood. Not of the Jew only, but of the Gentile also, like Melchizedek.

3. A Priest not for a time, but forever.

4. The sacrifice he offers is - himself. - S.

Messiah does but illustrate universal human experience. He is successful, but it is God who gives him his success. "The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion." This inmost truth of things is too often disregarded. The pious soul fully recognizes it and rejoices in it. His refrain in all life's toils and successes is this, "The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our Refuge."

I. WORLD-SUCCESS IS LARGELY DUE TO GOOD FORTUNE. Some men seem born to succeed. We can find no reason, in either their ability or their character, why they should succeed when others fail. We speak of their "good luck." Take any department of life, business, or profession, and we plainly see that some are the children of fortune. They seem born favorites, and they are the world's favorites as long as they live. This may, indeed, be an incorrect view to take; we only note that it is the common and usual view. There may be reasons, in character and in entrusted mission, which are simply beyond our discernment and appraisement. Now men may look on the success of Messiah, and say of it, "It is only a piece of good fortune. He just happened to fit to the needs of his age."

II. WORLD-SUCCESS IS LARGELY DUE TO ENERGY. Many a man, by the force of his own vitality, and by the concentration of his powers, has mastered disabilities and difficulties, and gained for himself a place. The energy that is quick-witted to seize opportunities, skilful to use opportunities, and persistent in carrying out resolves, seldom fails to win world-success. And it may be said of the success of Messiah - It is sufficiently explained by the vital force that was in him, by his energy and enterprise. The boast of Nebuchadnezzar has many and many a time been repeated since his day, "Is not this great Babylon which I have builded?

III. WORLD-SUCCESS IS REALLY DUE TO DIVINE PERMISSION, ARRANGEMENT, AND AID. But the discernment of this comes only to those whose eyes have been spirituality opened. The success of Messiah really has explanation, The Lord sends the rod of his strength out of Zion."

1. There is no such thing as good fortune. Everything stands in Divine adjustment. A man's "destiny" is the arrangement of infinite wisdom.

2. Back of a man's energy is the Divine vitalizing. A man's bodily health and mental power are absolutely in God's hands, and are God's providings. Man plans, but he must lean on God for power to execute his plans. God may say, "This night shall thy soul be required of thee." - R.T.

Luther calls this psalm "the true high main psalm of our beloved Lord Jesus Christ." Our Lord himself attests that it is inspired of the Holy Ghost, and there is no other Scripture in the Old Testament that is so frequently quoted in the New. The occasion of the psalm seems to have been the great festival of the bringing up of the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to Jerusalem. On that day David assumed the double function of priest and king, for he was vested in priestly raiment, and fulfilling the priestly office, whilst at the same time he was the victorious king. But this double character which in this day David bore became the prefigurement and type of the twofold character of him who was to be in all respects a King infinitely more glorious than David, and a Priest whose office should never fail. It is of the vision of him that this psalm tells. The sacred poet pictures our Savior as a mighty monarch surrounded by his youthful warriors, bright and numberless as the dew-drops on a summer's morn, willing to shed their heart's blood in his service, each one rated as a priest, each one a soldier of God. That is what is foretold of Christ. Let us speak of -

I. THE DAY OF CHRIST'S POWER, His resurrection-day; Pentecost; all days when Christ is vividly realized by the soul; - such are days of his power. And there is yet a future day which will emphatically deserve to be thus called. Then the vision of this psalm finds fulfillment; there is the glad rush of the young to his standard, and their willing surrender to his service. And in the history of the Church there have been from time to time such blessed days. Eternal things became real to his people, the old words and truths shone out with a new luster. Christ drew near to his people's souls, and they welcomed him as their Lord. Such days have come to scattered congregations and to individual believing souls. The secret of all real revivals of religion with which the Church has once and again been blessed has been this - that Christ came to them, as at Pentecost, in power. And if his presence were more hungered after, there would be more of such days.

II. ITS CHARACTERISTICS.

1. The spontaneity and willingness with which the people offer themselves. They have not to be dragged to his service, forced to do his will.

2. Their sanctity. They are vested "in the beauties of holiness." They are to be priests of God as well as his soldiers. When this is the case with the Church, then indeed it will be a day of Christ's power. It is what the world waits to see, and insists upon it that it as yet cannot see.

3. Their numbers; as the drops of dew on a summer morning, innumerable; and heaven-born, and for the earth's refreshment and fertility. Not a solitary convert here and there as now, but they shall come in multitudes.

4. Their youthfulness. Not worn-out lives and faded energies are offered, but "the dew of thy youth." Do we not long to see such a day? Fervent, believing, persevering, and obedient prayer shall surely bring such days. - S.C.

The people shall be willing in the day of thy power. Power to submit, power to accept, power to respond, power to offer allegiance, come to the people when they recognize Messiah's power. Illustrated on the Day of Pentecost, when Messiah's power was so convincingly displayed. "They then that received Peter's words were baptized; and there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls." In common history and common life, the principle is seen working. As soon as a man is successful, as soon as his power is manifest, the crowd will flock to him. This is put into the motto, "Nothing succeeds like success." An illustration may be found in the time of the Judges. When the people were convinced of the power of Deborah and Barak, "they willingly offered themselves for the avenging of Israel" (Judges 5:2).

I. RECOGNIZING POWER. There is much power that is unrecognized; and there are many persons unable to recognize power.

1. Power may be undeveloped, and so not efficiently showing itself. The most we can see is the promise of what is yet to he. We do not feel the impulse of power that is only in its unfolding.

2. Power may take forms that surprise. As it does when we expect material power, and that presented to our view is spiritual power. This was the case with Messiah's power.

3. Power may cross our power, and then our pride may prevent recognition, as in the case of the Pharisees of our Lord's time. Certain moral conditions must be attained before moral power can be rightly valued. There is a spiritual vision which alone enables us to discern moral power.

II. THE MORAL INFLUENCE OF HAVING RECOGNIZED POWER. "The people offer themselves willingly." This point may be illustrated by the effects of our Lord's word on certain sufferers. A man was before him who had a withered hand. Jesus said, "Stretch forth thy hand." The man recognized his power; that gave him power, and he did stretch it forth, and it was made whole. So in Bethesda Jesus saw a helpless cripple, and said, "Take up thy bed, and walk." The man felt our Lord's power; it exerted a mighty influence on him; he took up his bed and walked. In the higher regions of the spiritual life this truth finds further illustration. It is a matter of experience that it was the discernment of Christ's power to save which brought us conscious power over sin, which persuaded us to yield ourselves to him. It is every fresh apprehension of his power to sanctify that brings us power to wrestle with evil. - R.T.

This name meets us first in Genesis 14:18; then in the text; then it is referred to in Zechariah 6:13, where it is said Messiah shall be a priest upon his throne, and then in Hebrews 7. The record in Genesis is but brief, but the recurrence of the name leads to the inquiry as to the meaning and significance of that early record. The Epistle to the Hebrews supplies the answer. Note -

I. THE FACTS CONNECTED WITH MELCHIZEDEK. He is mentioned in the account of Abraham's intervention on behalf of the inhabitants of the district in which Abraham's nephew Lot lived. He was probably a Canaanitish chief, lived at Salem - that is, Jerusalem; was evidently a man of much distinction. He was "great" because of the combined high office he held; he was both priest and king. But yet more from his character - peaceful, righteous.

II. His RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST. From this psalm and from Hebrews 7. we learn that he did bear such relationship. He was a type of Christ:

1. In the mystery of his person. We read of no predecessor or progenitor, nor of any successor. Human records are silent on all these points. And so with our Lord - "great is the mystery of godliness."

2. In his priesthood. It is to this that the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews mainly refers, and argues from Christ being a Priest after the order of Melchizedek, that therefore his Priesthood was far superior to that of Aaron; for Melchizedek was like Christ, and greater than Aaron in antiquity, catholicity, independence, perpetuity, and spirituality of his priesthood.

3. In his kingly character. No king could be a priest, no priest a king, in the Jewish dispensation; but Melchizedek and Christ were both.

4. In the effects of his administration. Righteousness and peace.

5. In his ministry of blessing.

CONCLUSION. Abraham shows us our duty to Christ, in self-dedication; this the meaning of the tithe offering. - S.C.

It cannot be safely asserted that this psalm belongs exclusively to Messiah. Every Messianic reference in the Old Testament probably has a first and local application. This psalm refers, then, to David, and through him to Messiah. If this be so, the application of the Melchizedek type of priest to David may help us in tracing the application of the same type to Messiah. The points dwelt on by the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews (Hebrews 7:1-22) are not prominent in this psalm. The point here is, that the Aaronic priesthood was only a priesthood; but the priesthood of Melchizedek was a royal priesthood.

I. DAVID'S PRIESTHOOD WAS OF MELCHIZEDEK'S KIND. Priesthood is but ministry; only it is ministry in sacred and Divine things, The essential idea of a priest is one who represents God on earth in some particular sphere. So a king who is loyal to Jehovah, and represents him in the political and national spheres, is properly a priest; just as the man who represents Jehovah in the moral and religious spheres is called a priest. Evidently Melchizedek was the Divine representative for his day and his country, just as Abraham was for his tribe; and so he is called a king-priest. It is noticed that David, and perhaps all the kings of Israel, assumed certain priestly functions. "David himself, as at the bringing up of the ark, and Solomon, as at the consecration of the temple, had some shadow of the priestly office."

II. MESSIAH'S PRIESTHOOD WAS OF MELCHIZEDEK'S KIND. It was united with king ship, as it was in the case of Melchizedek; and we only regard Messiah aright when we fully recognize his authority to atone, and his authority to rule; his relation to the whole sphere of our worship, and his relation to our entire commonplace life and relations.

1. See the likenesses between Melchizedek and Messiah as priests, or as Divine peacemakers, ministrants of Divine reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-21). Of Jesus it is said, "He is our Peace."

2. See the likenesses between Melchizedek and Messiah as kings, or as Divine rulers, ministrants of Divine order, in the common family, social political, and national relations of life. Perhaps it may be said with truth that, in regard to Messiah, as in regard to David, the governmental priesthood is more prominent than the sacrificial priesthood. The royalty of Melchizedek is certainly the chief point of reference to the psalmist. The Lord Jesus is our King-Priest forever. - R.T.

This psalm tells of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, but all that it tells of has not yet been fulfilled. But the Church is still confidently assisting the glory of the Lord. Our text is difficult of completely satisfactory explanation. Three chief interpretations have been given.

I. THAT IT TELLS OF OUR LORD'S BEING MADE A CURSE FOR US. The wrath of God running in the channel of the curse of the Law was "the brook by the way" of which our Savior drank, and concerning which he said, "The cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it?" Calvin, Hengstenberg, and Matthew Henry thus explain this verse. And then the glorious triumphs of the cross of Christ, past, present, and yet to come, are the lifting up of the head which is said to result.

II. THAT IT DENOTES HIS INTENTNESS AND EAGERNESS IN THE PURSUIT OF HIS GREAT END, which was the destruction of the works of the devil. He would not turn aside for refreshment or rest, but like Gideon (Judges 7.), though faint, he kept pursuing. Like as the chosen soldiers of Gideon were known by their eager lapping of the water as distinguished from the mere leisurely lying down to drink of the rest, so our Lord was intent on his work, and nothing could stay his pursuit (cf. Luke 12:50). He would drink of the brook by the way, and then on again.

III. THAT IT SETS FORTH THE HUMILIATION OF CHRIST, ill that he placed himself on a level with us by stooping to need and to partake of those spiritual refreshments which in this life God provides for us. He humbled himself to need and share these with men. This is the interpretation which we prefer. What, then, for our Lord, were these brooks? They were such as these - prayer; fellowship with kindred minds; affection and sympathy from those who loved him; the "joy set before him;" the Holy Scriptures.

IV. THUS UNDERSTOOD, THE TEXT APPLIES TO CHRISTIANS NOW. For brooks by the way are provided for us by means of which we shall be, as was our Lord, strengthened and refreshed. And ours are as his, even as his were as ours. - S.C.

He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head. The literal meaning of the figure is easy to trace. "The victorious leader, who has made so terrible a slaughter that the field of battle is covered with corpses, is now seen pursuing his enemies. Wearied with the battle and the pursuits, he stops for a moment on his way to refresh himself by drinking of the torrent rushing by, and then ' lifts up his head,' derives new vigor to continue the pursuit" (Perowne). But the war-figures only paint for us the spiritual work and the spiritual triumphs of Messiah; and this particular figure only suggests two things:

(1) that Messiah, in doing his spiritual work, needs refreshment; and

(2) that Messiah, in his anxiety about completing his spiritual work, scarcely stops to attend to his refreshment. To this a third thought may be added - that God provided refreshment for him who was so earnestly doing his work. It may be noticed that Eastern people have a very skilful way of drinking from a flowing stream without stopping in their running. They throw the water up into the mouth. An Eastern traveler writes, "In an excursion across an Arabian desert, some of the Arabs, on coming to water, rushed to it, and stooping sufficiently to allow the right hand to reach the water, they threw it up into their mouths so dexterously, that I never observed any of the water to fall upon the breast. I often tried to do it, but never succeeded." Applying the verse in a general way to all who, with Christ, are engaged in spiritual work, we may say -

I. SPIRITUAL WORK IS EXHAUSTING TO THE BODILY FRAME AS WELL AS TO THE SPIRITUAL NATURE. It is enough to recall the fatigue of Jesus on some memorable occasions, such as at Jacob's well, in the boat, or at Gethsemane.

II. GOD PROVIDES REFRESHMENTS FOR EXHAUSTED SPIRITUAL WORKERS. Represented by the "brook in the way." Illustrate by God's gracious treatment of exhausted Elijah. He refreshed him, bodily, with food; he refreshed him, spiritually, with visions. Water is the type of soul-refreshings.

III. THE EARNEST SPIRITUAL WORKER WILL NOT LET EVEN NECESSARY spiritual refreshings unduly detain him from his work. He will take only a passing drink. He will be "faint, yet pursuing." - R.T.