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The kingship of Christ is a twofold kingship. It is essential and it is hereditary. The one belongs to Him as God, the other belongs to Him as Mediator. The first is founded upon the Divinity of His Person, the second upon the dignity of His work. Hence the first is eternal, the second conferred.

I. THE SCEPTRE OF CHRIST, THE POWER WHICH WIELDS IT, AND THE PLACE OF ITS APPEARING.

1. The sceptre is the symbol of royalty and is of even greater antiquity than the crown. Homer speaks of it as "that sacred rod of kings." Christ's sceptre is His Gospel. It is the Word of the Lord which is powerful, a Gospel which is the power of God unto salvation, Jehovah's rod of strength, mighty for the pulling down of Satan's strongholds.

2. This sceptre is wielded by no feeble hand. To subdue the will of an alien world required an agency yet more powerful than that which created the universe and will raise the dead. Its sentiments, prejudices, habits, interests, pleasures, sins, form a positive quantity of antagonism. Hence the conversion of a soul from Satan to God is a miracle of miracles. The humanly impossible becomes the Divinely accomplished. The Holy Ghost wields the sceptre.

3. This sceptre was to appear out of Zion, and from thence by gradual conquests extend its influence over the entire earth. On Zion the apostles received their commission to preach; there they remained until power came upon them; there the first Gospel sermon was preached, and at the first swaying of this sceptre three thousand souls were added to the Lord; there the first Gospel Church was founded, almost under the shadow of the recent cross, and from thence this mystical sceptre went forth into all lands.

II. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF HIS KINGDOM. The psalmist describes its position and its people.

1. Its position.

(1) It is a position of conflict. Rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies. In heaven He rules in the midst of friends. "All the angels of God do worship Him." Here His kingdom is a beleaguered kingdom.

(2) It is a position of conquest. He rules. The sceptre has civilized where it has not converted men. It has quickened the conscience and entered into the life of nations. Education, liberty, philanthropy, and the sanctities of domestic life have resulted from its benign rule.

(3) It is a position of continuance. The positions thrown up against it are airy fabrics. Reared by vanity, they will be overthrown by time.

2. Its people.

(1) Their disposition — willing.

(2) Character — holy.

(3) Influence. The meaning of the similitude is that the people of Christ, full of a young and ardent vigour, should appear upon the earth in multitudinous number and fertilizing influence as the drops of dew at the dawn of day.

(E. T. Carrier.)

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KJV: The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

WEB: Yahweh will send forth the rod of your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of your enemies.