Psalms 110:7

He shall drink of the brook in the way,.... This some understand of the sufferings of Christ, compared to a brook, a flow of waters, because of the abundance of them, as in Psalms 69:1, his partaking

He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head. He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.

He shall drink of the brook in the way: this may be understood either, 1. Properly, to express the fervency and diligence of the Messias in the prosecution of his business; who having routed and destroyed the main body of his enemies’ forces, pursues those that fled with such eagerness, that he will not lose any time in refreshing himself, as might seem necessary after such hot and hard service, but will content himself with drinking a little water out of the brook which he finds in his way, that being a little refreshed therewith he may proceed with more rigour and efficacy in his work. And so this place alludes to the history of Gideon’ s three hundred men, who only lapped a little of the water; of whom see Jude 7. Or, 2. Metaphorically, to express the humiliation and passion of the Messias, and thereby to prevent a great mistake which might arise in men’ s minds concerning him, from the great successes and victories here ascribed to him, which might induce them to think that the Messias should be exempted from all sufferings, and be crowned with constant and perpetual triumphs. To confute this conceit, he intimates here that the Messias, before he should obtain that power and glory mentioned in the foregoing verses, should have a large portion of afflictions in the way to it, or whilst he was in the way or course of his life, before he came to his end or rest, and to that honour of sitting at his Father’ s right hand. Waters in Scripture do very frequently signify afflictions or sufferings, as , &c. To drink of them, signifies to feel or bear them, as 49:12 ; and in this case it may note Christ’ s willing submission to them. A brook or river of water is oft used in Scripture to express a great abundance, either of comforts, as , or of tribulations, 124:4; and therefore may be more fitly used in this place than a cup, by which the afflictions of other men are commonly expressed, to intimate that the sufferings of the Messiah were unspeakably more and heavier than the sufferings of other men, and that he should drink up not a small cup, but the whole river or sea of his Father’ s wrath due to our sins. Therefore, which word may note either the effect or the consequent of his sufferings, shall he lift up the head, i.e. shall be delivered from all his sorrows and sufferings, and exalted to great glory, and joy, and felicity, as this phrase usually signifies, as 27:6 , and oft elsewhere; as, on the contrary, to hang down the head, is a signification of great grief and shame, as .

Psalms 110:7 He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.Ver. 7. He shall drink of the brook in the way] i.e. Of the wrath of the Almighty, pointing to Christ’ s state of humiliation, as in the next words to his exaltation; or, he shall content himself with a low condition here, such as was that of Elijah when he drank of the brook, 1 Kings 17:1-7 Or, in the eager pursuit of his enemies, he shall drink hastily of the water next at hand, i.e. as Gideon and his soldiers did, Vivet pauperem vitam, λιτονβιον (Chrysost.). Aerumnas omnes durissimae militae perferet (Beza). Therefore shall he lift up the head] Maugre the heads of his enemies, he shall rise again, reign, and triumph, and so shall all his members, after that through many tribulations they have entered into the kingdom of heaven. Christ’ s and their sufferings are but a drinking of the brook, not a spring of water for perpetuity; they are but a dark entry into our Father’ s house, a dirty lane to a stately palace; shut but your eyes, as that martyr at the stake said, and there will be a change immediately. Look how the disciples, after they had taken Christ into the ship, were presently at shore, after a tempest; so the saints have no sooner taken death into their bosoms, but they are landed presently at the quay of Canaan, at the kingdom of heaven.

(7) Drink . . . lift up.—The victorious leader, “faint yet pursuing” (Judges 8:4), pauses at the stream that crosses his path, and then refreshed, with head once more erect, continues his pursuit of the foe. Such is undoubtedly the meaning of this verse, and we need not suppose a sudden change of subject, as some critics do, as if the picture representing a thirsty warrior were unworthy of Jehovah. Poetry knows nothing of such timidity, and with the grand scene of Isa 63:1-6, of the hero stained with blood, we need not hesitate to admit this further detail so true to life, even if we had not in Psalms 60, 108 images of a still more homely type.

Verse 7. He shall drink of the brook in the way] He shall have sore travail, and but little ease and refreshment: but he shall still go on from conquering to conquer. Therefore shall he lift up the head.] Or his head. He shall succeed in all his enterprises, and at last be peaceably settled in his ample dominions. But these verses, as well as the former, may be applied to our Lord. The fifth verse may be an address to Jehovah: Adonai at thy right hand, O Jehovah, shall smite kings - bring down all powers hostile to his empire, in the day of his wrath - when, after having borne long, he arises and shakes terribly the rulers of the earth. Psalms 110:6. He shall judge, give laws, among the heathen - send his Gospel to the whole Gentile world. He shall fill the field of battle with the dead bodies of the slain, who had resisted his empire, and would not have him to reign over them. He shall wound the heads over many countries. - This must be spoken against some person possessing a very extensive sway. Perhaps Antichrist is meant; he who has so many countries under his spiritual domination. Christ shall destroy every person, and every thing, which opposes the universal spread of his own empire. He will be a King, as well as a Priest for ever. Psalms 110:7. He shall drink of the brook - he shall suffer sorely, and even die in the struggle: but in that death his enemies shall all perish; and he shall lift up the head - he shall rise again from the dead, possessing all power in heaven and earth, ascend to the throne of glory, and reign till time shall be no more. He must suffer and die, in order to have the triumphs already mentioned. While all have acknowledged that this Psalm is of the utmost importance, and that it speaks of Christ's priesthood and victories, it is amazing how various the interpretations are which are given of different passages. I have endeavoured to give the general sense in the preceding notes, and to explain all the particular expressions that have been thought most difficult: and by giving the various readings from the MSS., have left it to the learned reader to make farther improvements. It has, however, long appeared to me that there is a key by which all the difficulties in the Psalm may be unlocked. As this has not been suggested by any other, as far as I know, I shall without apology lay it before the reader: - The hundred and tenth Psalm is a WAR SONG, and every phrase and term in it is MILITARY. 1. In the first place may be considered here the proclamation of the Divine purpose relative to the sacerdotal, prophetic, and regal offices of the LORD JESUS CHRIST: "Jehovah said unto my Lord, SIT THOU ON MY RIGHT HAND." 2.

7. The subject of this verse is not Jehovah, though the O.T. does not shrink from the boldest anthropomorphisms (e.g. Psalms 78:65; Isaiah 63:1 ff.), but the king. The transition is abrupt, but as in the prophets we pass insensibly from the words of Jehovah to the words of the prophet, so here we pass from the action of Jehovah to the action of the king, who is His representative. The poet presents him to our imagination in hot pursuit of the enemy. Though wearied with the toil of battle, he does not desist. He halts but for a moment to drink from the mountain torrent which he crosses. Refreshed and invigorated, he presses forward to complete his victory, till he is exalted in triumph over every foe. lift high the head] i.e. be triumphantly victorious. Cp. Psalms 3:3; Psalms 27:6. The martial language of the Psalm receives a natural explanation if its primary reference was to David, at a time when the nation of Israel had to fight for its existence against enemies on every side, rather than to the Messiah whom he expected. That such language should be imitated in the Psalms of Solomon (17:23ff.), in an age which looked for a conquering king as its Messianic ideal, is not to be wondered at. The passage is worth quoting for the sake of its contrast as well as its resemblance to this Psalm and Psalms 2. “Behold, O Lord, and raise up for them their king, the son of David, in the time which thou knowest, O God, That he may reign over Israel thy servant; And gird him with strength to break in pieces unrighteous rulers; To cleanse Jerusalem from the heathen that trample it down and destroy it, In wisdom and in righteousness; To thrust out sinners from the inheritance, To break in pieces the arrogance of the sinners, To shatter all their substance as a potter’s vessels with a rod of iron. To destroy the lawless nations with the word of his mouth, That the nations may flee from him at his rebuke, And to punish sinners in the imagination of their heart.” A translation of the Targum is subjoined. It will be noted that the Psalm is treated as referring to David. Jehovah said by His word that He would make me lord of all Israel. But He said to me again, Wait for Saul who is of the tribe of Benjamin, until he die, for one kingdom approacheth not another [i.e. there cannot be two kings together], and afterwards I will make thine enemies thy footstool. [Another Targum. Jehovah said by His word, that He would give me dominion, because I devoted myself to learn the law of His (Psalms 110:1 my) right hand. Wait until I make thine enemy thy footstool.] The rod of thy strength shall Jehovah send forth from Zion, and thou shalt rule in the midst of thine enemies.

He shall drink of the brook in the way - The design here seems to be to represent the Messiah as a victorious king and conqueror pursuing his enemies.

7. He shall drink of the brook in the way—The reader must transfer himself to ancient times. A great battle has been fought, the dead bodies cover the field, and the victor is pursuing the enemy.