A MEDITATION - By Del Beier "The Lord said unto my Lord" (Psalm 110: 1). As we think about this Psalm 110, let us note that it bears the forceful title, Oracle of Jehovah. And here, let us also observe at the outset: it was in the spirit of prophecy and from the brighter aspect of his own kingship that David beheld the victory and glory of the Second David. The Psalm is plainly messianic. Jesus applied it to Himself in the Gospels of Matthew (22: 44), Mark (12: 36) and Luke (20: 41); He asked the people: "How say the scribes that Christ is the son of David? For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, the Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. David therefore himself calleth Him Lord; and when is he then his Son? And the common people heard Him gladly" (Mark 12: 35-37). Now, in the Psalm there is a description of the people in the ranks who are linked with the picture of their Leader, their Priest (verse 4), their Christ - "Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power, in the beauty of holiness from the womb of the morning: Thou hast the dew of Thy youth" (verse 3). The people of the Victorious Priest are an army at its peak. " . . . the day of Thy power . . . " - Such a day is the day of greatest significance. No D-Day for the American forces or any other worldly forces could ever equal such a Day of Divine Victory. And such a "day of power" must involve all Christians. We sing hymns, such as "Thine is the glory, Risen, conquering Son . . . " We must also live out the ramifications of hymns, such as "Rise ye children of salvation . . . " The term "power" can mean army or forces, the army of God. Good Friday, with its Calvary Cross, was the day of the Self-Sacrificing Priest, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9, et al.); and Easter Sunday was the revelation of His power. Therefore, with courage, Christendom celebrates and anticipates the Advent, our Lord's Final Coming in manifest power and glory. With "gladness and singleness of heart" (Acts 2: 46), Christ's faithful people pray in His Own evangelical-eucharistic Service of the Word and the Sacrament: "Come Lord Jesus". As we proclaim Him, we too are people of the Victorious Priest, an army at the very peak of power. Such people hold a defense and an offense. In the Psalm the people of the Victorious Priest are pictured as arrayed "in the beauty of holiness". Each and every one of God's people (men, women and children) is a soldier-priest equipped with armor and weapons (I Peter 2: 5, 9). But our defense is not in plated armor; nor is it in nuclear weapons - We are, rather, vested with robes of consecration to God's service, and, by His Grace, nothing is able to separate us from Christ's Love (Romans 8). The members of Christ's Royal Priesthood are thus able to maintain beauty and holiness and purity as they "fight the good fight". There is a history of militancy among God's people; e.g. at Jericho Joshua used soldiers and priests, marching around those walls. And we too in our Royal Priesthood are part of the Church Militant. We too, as God's soldiers, shall win glorious victories through priestly consecration, through faithful dependence upon Almighty God. We hold a defense and an offense. And the Victorious Priest's soldiers have a youthful morale. The Psalm tells us that He "has dew", as in the early morning. It is little wonder that the psalmist spoke of such fresh dampness, because in Palestine they have enormously impressive dews. And such fresh dampness, as the dew, tells a good parable about God's gracious gifts to His people. In the morning the dew, which is formed in silence, may be found mysteriously covering everything outside - It is, as it were, a covering from above upon the earthly matter. And so also is the influence of genuine Christianity - Faith, hope and love (I Corinthians 13: 13) provide an altogether refreshing and stimulating influence upon the people of God. This influence can refresh our morale, just as the dew refreshes the earth. The Christian's personal morale practically determines to some extent his or her ability to happily win victories in the cause of Christ's Church Militant. The people of the Victorious Priest do have a youthful, a resilient morale (cf. Matthew 20, 21). Let us remember that the people of God are not some kind of mercenaries or hirelings in an army of sorts. No, "Thy people shall be WILLING in the day of power". Willingness is of the utmost importance in any task of stewardship or missionary work or pastoral work or what have you. And the Christian is one who in every-day-life experiences and decisions faces the tension of this question: "What would God have me do?" The people of the Victorious Priest are an army at its peak; they hold a defense and an offense; they have a youthful morale. Let us each seriously challenge ourselves; let us each ask ourselves - "Am I God's?" - His people are thus willing. 3