Psalms 110:3 - Exposition

Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. In the full sense of the word, Messiah can only rule over "willing" hearts. In the day of his power, his people will offer themselves gladly to be his soldiers and servants, and flock to his banner, as the Israelites to that of Deborah and Barak, when "the people willingly offered themselves" ( 5:2 , 5:9 ; comp. Isaiah 49:18-23 ; Isaiah 60:1-5 ; Isaiah 66:19-23 ). In the beauties of holiness . At once warriors and saints, meet for the service of one who was at once Priest ( Psalms 110:4 ) and King. From the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth . This is the division of the clauses now generally adopted; but the intention of this last clause is very doubtful. Some understand it of Messiah himself, and explain, "As the dew of the morning, abundant, refreshing, spreading far and wide, miraculous, so is the might of thy perpetual youth"; others, and the larger number, interpret it of Messiah's army, "As dew out el the early morning dawn, descending by a silent, mysterious birth from the star-lit heaven, so comes to Messiah his mighty host of followers" (comp. Isaiah 26:19 ).