Psalm 110:3 Your people shall be willing in the day of your power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning… There is here — 1. Something supposed. Namely, that Christ hath a people in the world where He erects His standard, that He hath a special relation to, and interest in. "Thy people," even His people (Matthew 1:21). He hath bought them with His blood (John 10:15). It is supposed also, that He finds these unwilling to submit to Him, as well as the rest of the world. The corruption of the will is common to them with others. 2. Something ensured to the Mediator, respecting this people of His; namely, that these unwilling people shall be willing, Hebrew, "willingnesses"; which imports that they shall submit to Him, and give away themselves to Him; acknowledge the right which Christ hath to them, and be His people by their own consent (Isaiah 49:18, and Isaiah 55:5). 3. The time when, and the way how this shall be done. "In the day of Thy power." That is, in a day of the Gospel's coming with power. "For the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation." I. THAT CORRUPTION OF THE WILL, WITH WHICH CHRIST FINDS HIS PEOPLE, AS WELL AS OTHERS, POSSESSED. 1. There is a weakness in their will; they cannot will what is spiritually good and acceptable to God. 2. An aversion to good. 3. A proneness to evil, a woful bent of the will carrying it to sin. 4. A contrariety in the will, to the will of God. 5. Contumacy: the will is wilful or obstinate in evil. II. THE WILLINGNESS OF THE SOUL SUBMITTING TO CHRIST. What makes the change? They are made, they do not make themselves willing. The Lord changes their wills, takes away the evil qualities of their will, and gives new qualities. 1. They are willing to part with sin. 2. They are willing to go out of themselves; to cast off all confidence in their attainments and duties; to come to Christ empty, with nothing in them or on them to recommend them to Him but misery. 3. They are willing to take Christ as their Saviour, and to submit to His righteousness. 4. They are willing to take on the yoke of Christ's commandments. 5. Willing to bear Christ's Cross, to cleave to Him and His ways, and to follow Him through fire and water. 6. Willing to go away with Christ, for altogether, home to His Father's house. III. THE DAY OF POWER. 1. Though the Gospel may be long preached unto a people, yet there are some special seasons that may be looked on as days of power. Days when the Gospel is new to a people, days of persecution, days when there is a spirit of prayer poured out, and times of sealing ordinances, these are more likely than others to be days of power. 2. There is an appointed time for the inbringing of all the elect of God, and that is the particular day of power to them. 3. A dark night usually goes before this day of power. 4. Whenever this day of power comes, the soul is made willing, the fort of the heart is taken, and the King of glory enters in state, turns out the old inhabitants, and puts in new. (T. Boston, D.D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. |
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