Your people shall be volunteers in the day of Your power –
Exposition of Psalms 110:3
3 Your people shall be volunteers
In the day of Your power;
In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning,
You have the dew of Your youth.
Ps 110:3 NKJV
I. THE IMMEDIATE CONTEXT OF PSALMS 110:1-7: PSALMS OF MESSIANIC REIGN
A. Outline of Psalms 110:1-7
1. The Messiah’s heavenly reign coming forth from Zion (vs. 1-3)
2. The Messiah is appointed to the eternal priesthood in the order of Melchizedek (v.4)
3. The Messiah is the righteous judge of the nations who executes justice (vs. 5-7)
B. Psalms 110:3 in the context of Psalms 110
This Psalm of the Messianic reign, reveals the Messiah (Christ) as the King, Priest and Judge. This Psalm also declares
the coming of the Lord (first and second coming) and His kingly, priestly and judge roles on the earth among the nations.
This Psalm carries the imagery of a time of strength, power and warfare. The Messianic reign is executed directly from
the throne room of God and involves much bloodshed on the wicked and the participation of a multitude of people in
covenant with Him. It will be expressed in beauty, holiness, mercy, justice, righteousness and sure victory of the Messiah.
Psalm 110:1 is quoted in Matt. 22:44, Mk. 12:36, Luke 20:42, Acts 2:34, Heb. 1:13
C. Your people shall be volunteers in the day of Your power; In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning,
You have the dew of Your youth.
Contrary to many popular applications by preachers, “the day of Your power” in this direct context is not referring merely
to a day of revival of the Christian faith in a generation. An exegetical study of this verse reveals the Psalmist intended
this to be a prophetic Psalm that declared the exploits of the Christ during His first advent and particularly in His second
advent. During His second advent, Christ is returning to execute complete dominion over His enemies with the involvement
of a multitude of youthful saints who will come forth voluntarily. The entire army of the Lord of Hosts is clothed with
splendor and glory, coming to refresh life on the earth at the break of dawn after a long night.
II. EXPOSITION OF PSALMS 110:3
A. Power of voluntary spirit upon the people of God
1. Your people
The general meaning of “your people” is related to the people in covenant with the Lord. In our application, it refers
to every individual, tongue, tribe and nation who is in new covenant with Jesus Christ.
2. shall be volunteers
Shall offer freely, free-will offering, gladly give.
3. In the day of your power
Psalm 110:1 gives the context of such a day of power, beginning with Christ ascended to the right hand of His power after
He completed His work on the cross as the Lamb of God. Psalm 110:4, gives the setting where Christ sustains “the day
of his power” from a position of His eternal priesthood, interceding for believers in every generation until His second
coming. From the perspective of a mediator of the new covenant and eternal priesthood, “the day of His power” may
draw a valid application in seasons of revivals in church history. However, Psalm 110 as a whole, focuses more on the
culmination of the “day of His power” in His second coming with large scale military campaigns to execute His enemies
and put all them under His footstool.
B. Beauty of the voluntary spirit upon the people of God
1. In the beauties of holiness
This beauty and splendor has it source from the Holy One as the people of God are clothed with His splendor and honor.
The Psalmist intended to express an image of a voluntary army clothed with the holiness and beauty of God.
2. From the womb of morning
Dawn follows a long dark night. This poetic expression carries the connotation of a sudden appearance of light breaking
upon the earth at the break of dawn and the fresh dew that covers the earth suddenly becoming visible.
3. Have the dew of youth
This poetic expression describes the fresh leadership of the Messiah constantly having reinforcements from a voluntary army.
The poetic imagery involves a multitude of dew (fresh voluntarily youthful army) covering the ground as far as your eyes
can see.
C. Enhancing the meaning of Psalm 110:3 with readings from various Bible translations
1. Various bible translations
GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Your people will volunteer when you call up your army. Your young people will come to you in holy splendor like dew
in the early morning.
American Standard Version
Thy people offer themselves willingly In the day of thy power, in holy array: Out of the womb of the morning Thou hast
the dew of thy youth.
Bible in Basic English
Your people give themselves gladly in the day of your power; like the dew of the morning on the holy mountains is the
army of your young men.
Douay-Rheims Bible
With thee is the principality in the day of thy strength: in the brightness of the saints: from the womb before the day star
I begot thee.
Darby Bible Translation
Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in holy splendour: from the womb of the morning shall come to thee the
dew of thy youth.
Young's Literal Translation
Thy people are free-will gifts in the day of Thy strength, in the honours of holiness, From the womb, from the morning,
Thou hast the dew of thy youth.
2. Quotation from General James Doolittle.
"Nothing is stronger than the heart of a volunteer."
Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle, April 18, 1942
3. We need to go deeper into the voluntary spirit and missionary paradigm in our participation in the end-time global
prayer and mission’s movement.
III. DEPTHS OF GIVING - LESSON FROM JOB’S LOSS
Job 1:7-2:10
8 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless
and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?" 9 So Satan answered the LORD and said, "Does Job fear God
for nothing? 10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every
side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But now, stretch out
Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!" 12 So the LORD said to Satan, "Behold,
all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
13 Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house;
14 and a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 when the
Sabeans raided them and took them away--indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone
have escaped to tell you!" 16 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven
and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!" 17 While he
was still speaking, another also came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them
away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!" 18 While he was
still speaking, another also came and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest
brother's house, 19 and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the
house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!"
20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said:
"Naked I came from my mother's womb,And naked shall I return there.The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the LORD."
22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.
Job 2
4 So Satan answered the LORD and said, "Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. 5 But stretch out
Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!" 6 And the LORD said to
Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life."
7 So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the
crown of his head. 8 And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself while he sat in the midst of the
ashes.
9 Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!" 10 But he said to her, "You
speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?"
In all this, Job did not sin with his lips.
NKJV
A. Giving of our possessions (1:1-17)
B. Giving of our loved ones (precious relationships) (1:18-22)
C. Giving of our self (life of abandonment) (2:1-10)
13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.
John 15:13 NKJV
IV. CONCLUSION: GIVING, GROWING INTO MATURE LOVE
A. Poured out as a drink for the service of your faith (Phi. 2:7)
B. Poured out and my departure is at hand (2 Tim. 4:6)
C. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain (Phi. 1:21)