The Meaning of Psalms 110:3 Explained

Psalms 110:3

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.

YLT: 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.

Darby: 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.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Psalms 110:3 Mean?

Verse Meaning

When Messiah comes to rule over His enemies, His people will willingly join in His reign (cf. Judges 5:2). They will be holy, in contrast to the unholy whom Messiah will subdue. They will be as youthful warriors, namely, strong and energetic. They will be as the dew in the sense of being fresh, numerous, and a blessing from God. The expression "from the womb of the dawn" probably signifies their early appearance during Messiah"s reign. Later revelation identifies these people as faithful believers ( Revelation 5:10; Revelation 20:4; Revelation 20:6; Revelation 22:5).

Context Summary

Psalms 110:1-7 - Our Priest-King At God's Right Hand
Luther describes this psalm as "the true, high, main psalm of our beloved Lord Jesus Christ." Our Lord attributed it to David, in the power of the Holy Spirit; and there is no portion of the Old Testament more frequently quoted in the New. See Matthew 22:44; 1 Corinthians 15:25; Hebrews 1:3; Hebrews 1:13; Hebrews 5:6; Hebrews 5:10; Hebrews 7:17; Hebrews 7:21. David speaks of the Messiah as my Lord. The inference as to the deity of our Lord is incontestable. His mighty scepter, the symbol of his rule, reaches from Son to the utmost limits of space and time. He waits till all his enemies are His footstool. Their character is evident in their attire-the beauties of holiness. They are as numerous and refreshing as dewdrops on parched meadows. There is an infinite attractiveness between our Savior and young life-thy youth.
The offices of priest and king were jealously kept apart in the old Hebrew monarchy, so the psalmist has to travel into the childhood of the world to find the type of a priesthood. Jesus is King and Priest after a more ancient and abiding order, which, it is testified, is based on a timeless life. Our Lord shall come to the throne from the battlefield. He shall bruise the serpent's head, but He needs the refreshment of our love and faith. That is the wayside brook. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 110

1  The kingdom
4  The priesthood
5  The conquest
7  And the passion of Christ

What do the individual words in Psalms 110:3 mean?

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
עַמְּךָ֣ נְדָבֹת֮ בְּי֪וֹם חֵ֫ילֶ֥ךָ בְּֽהַדְרֵי־ קֹ֭דֶשׁ מֵרֶ֣חֶם מִשְׁחָ֑ר לְ֝ךָ֗ טַ֣ל יַלְדֻתֶֽיךָ

עַמְּךָ֣  Your  people  [shall  be] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
נְדָבֹת֮  volunteers 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: נְדָבָה  
Sense: voluntariness, free-will offering.
בְּי֪וֹם  in  the  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
חֵ֫ילֶ֥ךָ  of  Your  power 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: חַיִל 
Sense: strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army.
בְּֽהַדְרֵי־  in  the  beauties 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: הָדָר  
Sense: ornament, splendour, honour.
קֹ֭דֶשׁ  of  holiness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.
מֵרֶ֣חֶם  from  the  womb 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֶחֶם  
Sense: womb.
מִשְׁחָ֑ר  of  the  morning 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁחָר  
Sense: dawn.
לְ֝ךָ֗  You  have 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
טַ֣ל  the  dew 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: טַל  
Sense: dew, night mist.
יַלְדֻתֶֽיךָ  of  Your  youth 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יַלְדוּת  
Sense: childhood, youth.