Rejoice in the Lord, O my soul, for He hath clothed me with the mantle of Salvation, and with a coat of gladness, He hath crowned me as a bridegroom with a crown and adorned me as a bride, with jewels, and like the earth blooming with flowers. And as a garden causeth its seeds to vegetate, so will the Lord God cause Righteousness to spring up, and joy, in the presence of all nations." [my ft]

[ft]  I capitalized Righteousness as I believe this refers to Christ Himself who sprang up from the garden tomb; Who is our righteousness. see Jeremiah 23:6 "In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell in safety: and this is his name by which he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS."  The word "coat"  (or tunic) is as it is translated in the New Testament rather than "undergarment" as Thomson has.

Isaiah 61:10-11 AV/MT ; " I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations"  [my ft]

[ft] Dead Sea Scroll (DSS) Qumran ; (10.) "I will greatly rejoice in YHWH, my soul shall be joyful in my God; because he clothed me with the garments of salvation, with the robe of righteousness he wrapped me, as a bridegroom beautifies himself like a priest, and as a bride puts on her jewels. (11.) because as the earth puts out her branch, and as the garden  causes her seeds to spring up; so the YHWH God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up in the presence of all the Gentiles."

Psalm 85:11-13 LXX  "Truth has sprung out of the earth; and righteousness has looked down from heaven. For the Lord will give goodness; and our land shall yield her fruit. Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set his steps in the way."

John 12:23-24   And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say to you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."

2 Peter 1:1 "Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:" 

Psalm 19:1-5  LXX "For the end, a Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands.  ² Day to day utters speech, and night to night proclaims knowledge.  ³ There are no speeches or words, in which their voices are not heard.  ⁴ Their voice is gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.  ⁵ In the sun he has set his tabernacle; and he comes forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber: he will exult as a giant to run his course."

Psalm 93:1-2  LXX    "For the day before the Sabbath, when the land was first inhabited, the praise of a Song by David. The Lord reigns; he has clothed himself with honour: the Lord has clothed and girded himself with strength; for he has established the world, which shall not be moved."

Revelation 1:13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band."

Revelation 19:12-16 : vs.¹² "His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.  ¹³ And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.  ¹⁴ And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.  ¹⁵ And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.  ¹⁶ And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."

Revelation 1:13 And in the midst of the seven lampstands one like the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the breasts with a golden band.

".He hath clothed me with the mantle of Salvation" Christ is the Righteousness of God and need not be clothed with righteousness and salvation, (or as the LXX "put on the mantle of salvation") and as Jesu (Jeshua) He is God's Salvation; nevertheless He had became "sin for us" therefore  after the resurrection He was glorified. Now He bestows His righteousness to us and salvation. He is now seen in heaven with His ".vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." And "...clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the breasts with a golden band." He is now ".clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, with which he hath girded himself:" (see Psalm 93:1)  T. Mc.

A.B. Simpson ; " Christ, the Second Adam, is represented in type in the first head of humanity. From one father all the generations of earth have sprung, inheriting his curse and transmitted nature and depravity, by virtue of their oneness wih him in blood and birth. So Christ, the Second Adam, has also His spiritual seed and offspring, and by virtue of their union with Him they share His high place of acceptance and sonship, and partake in all the benefits of His obedience and satisfaction to the claims of justice. We were recognized in Him when He died and rose again. We were born out of Him in our regeneration. And we share with Him all His rights and destinies. "As in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive" ( 1 Corinthians 15:22). This does not mean that all men shall be made alive in Christ, but 'all men who are in Christ' shall be made alive."

Matthew Henry ; " v. 11. It is not like a day of triumph, which is glorious for the present, but is soon over. No; the righteousness and salvation with which the church is clothed are durable clothing; so they are said to be, ch. 23:18. The church, when she is pleasing herself with the righteousness and salvation that Jesus Christ has clothed her with, rejoices to think that these inestimable blessings shall both spring for future ages and spread to distant regions. (1.) They shall spring forth for ages to come, as the fruits of the earth which are produced very year, from generation to generation. As the earth, even that which lies common, brings forth her bud, the tender grass at the return of the year, and as the garden enclosed causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth in their season, so duly, so constantly, so powerfully, and with such advantage to mankind will the Lord God cause righteousness and praise to spring forth, by virtue of the covenant of grace, as, in the former case, by virtue of the covenant of providence. See what the promised blessings are- righteousness and praise (for those that are clothed with righteousness show forth the praises of him that clothed them); these shall spring forth under the influence of the dew of divine grace. Though it may sometimes be winter with the church, when those blessings seem to wither and do not appear, yet the root of them is fixed, a spring-time will come, when through the reviving beams of the approaching Sun of righteousness they shall flourish again. (2.) They shall spread far, and spring forth before all the nations; the great salvation shall be published and proclaimed to all the world and the ends of the earth shall see it."

Albert Barnes :  For as the earth bringeth forth - This figure is several times used by the prophet (see the notes at Isaiah 45:8; Isaiah 55:10-11). The idea is an exceedingly beautiful one, that, on the coming of the Messiah, truth and righteousness would spring up and abound like grass and fruits in the vegetable world when the earth is watered with rain.

Her bud - The word "bud" we now apply usually to the small bunch or protuberance on the branches of a plant, containing the rudiments of the future leaf or flower. The Hebrew word, however, ( xm;c, tsemach  ), rather means the germ, the shoot, or the young and tender plant as it comes up from the earth; that which first appears from the seed."

W. Clarkson (Pulpit Commentary) ; "As the well-cultivated garden has in it living forces which will show themselves in fairest flowers and richest fruits, so has the Lord our God in himself all the wisdom, grace, and power which will be manifest in righteousness and praise, springing forth in the sight of all the nations."

Psalm 110:1-7, LXX (Thomson version) vs.1 ; "The Lord said to my lord; sit at My right hand; till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Vs 2 Out of Sion the Lord will send thee a rod of power : rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

Vs.3 With thee shall be the government ; in the day of thy power-in the splendours of thy holies from the womb: before the morning star I begot thee.

Vs.4 The Lord hath sworn and will not change : thou art a priest forever, after the order of Melchisedek.

Vs. 5 The Lord at thy right hand hath crushed kings in the day of His wrath.

Vs. 6 He will judge among the nations : He will multiply slaughters : He will crush the heads of many on earth.

Vs.7 He will drink of the brook in the way. Therefore he will lift up his head.

Justin Martyr has for verse 3 ; "With Thee shall be, in the day, the Chief of Thy Power, in the beauties of  Thy saints. From the womb before the morning star, have I begotten Thee." (this verse,3, expounded separately, see below) 

Cross references :

Isaiah 9:2-3 Septuagint (Vaticanus) ; "The multitude of the people, whom Thou hast brought back in Thy joy, they shall rejoice in Thy presence, like them who rejoice in the harvest, and like them who are dividing spoils;"

 Matthew 22: 41-45 ; va.41 "While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,

 42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David.

 43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,

 44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?

 45 If David then call Him Lord, how is He His son?"

Psalm 2:4 "4 He that dwells in the heavens shall laugh them to scorn, and the Lord shall mock them.

 5 Then shall he speak to them in his anger, and trouble them in his fury.

 6 But I have been made king by him on Sion his holy mountain,

 7 declaring the ordinance of the Lord: the Lord said to me, Thou art my Son, to-day have I begotten thee.

 8 Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for thy possession.

 9 Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces as a potter's vessel.

 10 Now therefore understand, ye kings: be instructed, all ye that judge the earth.

 11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice in him with trembling.

 12 Accept correction, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and ye should perish from the righteous way: whensoever his wrath shall be suddenly kindled, blessed are all they that trust in him."

Mark 16:19 "So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God."

Ephesians 1:18-23, vs. 18 "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all."

1 Peter 3:22 "Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him."

Psalm 45:6-11, vs 6 ; "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a sceptre of righteousness.

 7 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity: therefore God, thy God, has anointed thee with the oil of gladness beyond thy fellows.

 8 Myrrh, and stacte, and cassia are exhaled from thy garments, and out of the ivory palaces,

 9 with which kings' daughters have gladdened thee for thine honour: the queen stood by on thy right hand, clothed in vesture wrought with gold, and arrayed in divers colours.

 10 Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline thine ear; forget also thy people, and thy father's house.

 11 Because the king has desired thy beauty; for he is thy Lord."

1Corinthians 15:24-28, 24 "Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.

 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all."

Hebrews 1:1-14,vs. 1 ;  "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

 4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

 5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

 6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

 7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

 8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

 9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

 10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:

 11 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;

 12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

 13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

 14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall beheirs of salvation?"

Hebrews 10:12-21, vs.12 "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

 15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,

 16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

 18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

 19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

 21 And having an high priest over the house of God;"

Justin Martyr ; "...that God the Father of all would bring Christ to heaven after He had raised Him from the dead, and would keep Him there until He has subdued His enemies the devils, and until the number of those who are foreknown by Him as good and virtuous is complete, on whose account He has still delayed the consummation--hear what was said by the prophet David. These are his words: "The Lord said unto My Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool. The Lord shall send to Thee the rod of power out of Jerusalem; and rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies. With Thee is the government in the day of Thy power, in the beauties of Thy saints: from the womb of morning have I begotten Thee."

Augustine ; ... We know that Christ sitteth at the right hand of the Father, since His resurrection from the dead, and ascent into heaven. It is already done: we saw not it, but we have believed it: we have read it in the Scripture, have heard it preached, and hold it by faith. So that by the very circumstance that Christ was David's Son, He became His Lord also. For That which was born of the seed of David was so honoured, that It was also the Lord of David. Thou wonderest at this, as if the same did not happen in human affairs. For if it should happen, that the son of any private person be made a king, will he not be his father's lord?"

and again ; "Christ, therefore, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Son is on the right hand of the Father, hidden from us. Let us believe. Two things are here said: that God said, "Sit Thou on My right hand;" and added, "until I make Thy enemies Thy footstool;" that is, beneath Thy feet. Thou dost not see Christ sitting at the right hand of the Father: yet thou canst see this, how His enemies are made His footstool. While the latter is fulfilled openly, believe the former to be fulfilled secretly. What enemies are made His footstool? Those to whom imagining vain things it is said, "Why do the heathen so furiously rage together: and why do the people imagine a vain thing?" etc.(1) ... He therefore sitteth at the right hand of God, till His enemies be placed beneath His feet. This is going on, this is taking place: although it is accomplished by degrees, it is going on without end. For though the heathen rage, will they, taking counsel together against Christ, prevent the fulfilment of these words: "I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession"? ... "Their memorial is perished with a cry;" but, "The Lord shall endure for ever:"(2) as another Psalm, but not another Spirit, saith.

    5. And what followeth? "The Lord shall send the rod of Thy power out of Sion" (ver. 2). It appeareth, brethren, it most clearly appeareth, that the Prophet is not speaking of that kingdom of Christ, in which He reigneth for ever with His Father, Ruler of the things which are made through Him: for when doth not God the Word reign, who is in the beginning with God? For it is said," Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever." To what eternal King? To one invisible, incorruptible. For in this, that Christ is with the Father, invisible and incorruptible, because He is His Word, and His Power, and His Wisdom, and God with God, through whom all things were made; He is "King eternal;" but, nevertheless, that reign of temporal government, by which, through the mediation of His flesh, He called us into eternity, beginneth with Christians; but of His reign there shall be no end. His enemies therefore are made His footstool, while He is sitting on the right hand of His Father, as it is written; this is now going on, this will go on unto the end. ..."

Matthew Henry ; "This psalm is pure gospel; it is only, and wholly, concerning Christ, the Messiah promised to the fathers and expected by them. It is plain that the Jews of old, even the worst of them, so understood it, however the modern Jews have endeavoured to pervert it and to rob us of it; for when the Lord Jesus proposed a question to the Pharisees upon the first words of this psalm, where he takes it for granted that David, in spirit, calls Christ his Lord though he was his Son, they chose rather to say nothing, and to own themselves gravelled, than to make it a question whether David does indeed speak of the Messiah or no; for they freely yield so plain a truth, though they foresee it will turn to their own disgrace, [ see my ft]

[ft1] Mt. 22:41-46 "While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. 43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 44 'The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.'  45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?  46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions."

Psalm 110:3 LXX (Thomson version); "With thee shall be the government; in the day of thy power-in the splendours of thy holies from the womb : before the morning star I begot thee."

 Cross references:

 Psalm 110:4   "The Lord sware, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec."

 Isaiah 49:5, LXX (Thomson version) ; " And now, thus saith the Lord, Who formed me from the womb to be His servant, to gather Jacob to Him, and Israel. I shall be gathered and glorified before the Lord. And My God shall be My strength."  Dead Sea Scroll : " And now says YHWH Who formed You from the womb to serve Him, to return Jacob to Him, and to gather Israel to Him, and I shall be glorious in the eyes of YHWH, and My God shall be My Strength."

 Job 11:17 LXX "And thy prayer shall be as the morning star, and life shall arise to thee as from the noonday."

Job 38:12-13 LXX   "Or did I order the morning light in thy time; and did the morning star then first see his appointed place;  ¹³ to lay hold of the extremities of the earth, to cast out the ungodly out of it?"

Edersheim ; " This whole psalm has in it the following revelations ; Christ's resurrection, ascension, eternal priesthood, exaltation to rule on His throne, and His inheritance as conquerer over all of His enemies. As the "crown of the psalms", Luther said 'it is worthy to be overlaid with precious jewels, and verse 5 a "well-spring, nay, a treasury of all Christian doctrines, understanding, wisdom, and comfort, richer and fuller than any other passage of Holy Writ.'

 This psalm was termed by ancients the 'sun of our faith', the treasury of holy writ, as Augustine says, 'short in words, but in sense infinite.' "

John Prideaux says : 'For He cometh forth as 'heir apparent' of the Almighty, the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person.' "

 Augustine; "...For unto this wast Thou born from the womb before the morning star, that Thou mightest be a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedec.".

Albert Barnes; "...The Septuagint renders it, "With thee is the beginning in the day of thy power, in the splendor of thy saints, from the womb, before the light of the morning have I begotten thee." So the Latin Vulgate. Luther renders it, "After thy victory shall thy people willingly bring an offering to thee, in holy adorning: thy children shall be born to thee as the dew of the morning." DeWette, "Willingly shall thy people show themselves to thee on the day of the assembling of thy host in holy adorning, as from the womb of the morning, thy youth (vigor) shall be as the dew." Prof. Alexander, "Thy people (are) free-will offerings in the day of thy power, in holy decorations, from the womb of the dawn, to thee (is) the dew of thy youth." Every clause of the verse is obscure, though the "general" idea is not difficult to perceive; that, in the day of Messiah's power, his people would willingly offer themselves to him, in holy robes or adorning, like the glittering dew of the morning; or, in numbers that might be compared with the drops of the morning dew."

Spurgeon ; "...Some refer this passage to the resurrection, but even if it be so, the work of grace in regeneration is equally well described by it, for it is a spiritual resurrection. Even as the holy dead rise gladly into the lovely image of their Lord, so do quickened souls put on the glorious righteousness of Christ, and stand forth to behold their Lord and serve him. How truly beautiful is holiness! God himself admires it. How wonderful also is the eternal youth of the mystical body of Christ. As the dew is new every morning, so is there a constant succession of converts to give to the church perpetual juvenility. Her young men have a dew from the Lord upon them, and arouse in her armies an undying enthusiasm for him whose "locks are bushy and black as a raven" with unfailing youth. Since Jesus ever lives, so shall his church ever flourish. As his strength never faileth, so shall the vigour of his true people be renewed day by day. As he is a Priest-King, so are his people all priests and kings, and the beauties of holiness are their priestly dress, their garments for glory and for beauty: of these priests unto God there shall be an unbroken succession. The realisation of this day of power during the time of the Lord's tarrying is that which we should constantly pray for; and we may legitimately expect it since he ever sits in the seat of honour and power, and puts forth his strength, according to his own word, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work."

 "Thy people,  etc.  " 'In homage, they shall be like a company of priests in sacred vestments, for they shall appear "in the beauties of holiness". In number, they shall be like the countless dewdrops "from the womb of the morning", sparkling in the rays of the rising sun, and reflecting his radiance. In glory they shall bear the likeness of Christ's resurrection in all its vernal freshness: "Thou hast the dew of thy youth" Benjamin Wildon Cart (quoted by Spurgeon)

Keil and Delitzsch ; "...David here hears that the king of the future exalted at the right hand of God, and whom he calls his Lord, is at the same time an eternal priest. And because he is both these his battle itself is a priestly royal work, and just on this account his people fighting with him also wear priestly garments."

Psalms 110:4  Spurgeon "...he that reads with understanding will see little enough of David here except as the writer. He is not the subject of it even in the smallest degree, but Christ is all. How much was revealed to the patriarch David! How blind are some modern wise men, even amid the present blaze of light, as compared with this poet prophet of the darker dispensation."

 "...None of the kings of Israel united these two offices, though some endeavoured to do so. Although David performed some acts which appeared to verge upon the priestly, yet he was no priest, but of the tribe of Judah, 'of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning the priesthood'; and he was far too devout a man to thrust himself into that office uncalled. The Priest King here spoken of is David's Lord, a mysterious personage typified by Melchizedek, and looked for by the Jews as the Messiah. He is none other than the apostle and high priest of our profession, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. The Psalm describes the appointment of the kingly priest, his followers, his battles, and his victory."

Spurgeon on Ver. 4.  "The Lord hath sworn and will not change : thou art a priest forever, after the order of Melchisedek".   "...We have now reached the heart of the psalm, which is also the very centre and soul of our faith. Our Lord Jesus is a Priest King by the ancient oath of Jehovah: "he glorified not himself to be made an high priest, "but was ordained there unto from of old, and was called of God an high priest after the order of Melchizedek. It must be a solemn and a sure matter which leads the Eternal to swear, and with him an oath fixes and settles the decree for ever; but in this case, as if to make assurance a thousand times sure, it is added, " and will not repent." It is done, and done for ever and ever; Jesus is sworn in to be the priest of his people, and he must abide so even to the end, because his commission is sealed by the unchanging oath of the immutable Jehovah. If his priesthood could be revoked, and his authority removed, it would be the end of all hope and life for the people whom he loves; but this sure rock is the basis of our security -the oath of God establishes our glorious Lord both in his priesthood and in his throne. It is the Lord who has constituted him a priest for ever, he has done it by oath, that oath is without repentance, is taking effect now, and will stand throughout all ages: hence our security in him is placed beyond all question.

The declaration runs in the present tense as being the only time with the Lord, and comprehending all other times. "Thou art, "i.e., thou wast and art and art to come, in all ages a priestly King. The order of Melchizedek's priesthood was the most ancient and primitive, the most free from ritual and ceremony, the most natural and simple, and at the same time the most honourable.

That ancient patriarch was the father of his people, and at the same time ruled and taught them; he swayed both the sceptre and the censer, reigned in righteousness, and offered sacrifice before the Lord. There has never arisen another like to him since his days, for whenever the kings of Judah attempted to seize the sacerdotal office they were driven back to their confusion: God would have no king priest save (except) His Son. Melchizedek's office was exceptional; none preceded or succeeded him; he comes upon the page of history mysteriously; no pedigree is given, no date of birth, or mention of death; he blesses Abraham, receives tithe and vanishes from the scene amid honours which show that he was greater than the founder of the chosen nation. He is seen but once, and that once suffices. Aaron and his seed came and went; their imperfect sacrifice continued for many generations, because it had no finality in it, and could never make the comers thereunto perfect. Our Lord Jesus, like Melchizedek, stands forth before us as a priest of divine ordaining; not made a priest by fleshly birth, as the sons of Aaron: he mentions neither father, mother, nor descent, as his right to the sacred office; he stands upon his personal merits, by himself alone; as no man came before him in his work, so none can follow after; his order begins and ends in his own person, and in himself it is eternal, "having neither beginning of days nor end of years The King Priest has been here and left his blessing upon the believing, and now he sits in glory in his complete character, bestowing for us by the merit of his blood, and exercising all power on our behalf."

see the CD ROM for the remainder of the exposition

Isaiah 11:1-9, LXX (Thomson version) ; vs.1 ; "And there shall spring up a shoot from the root of Jessai -even from that root shall spring up a blooming shoot;

vs.2 and the Spirit of God will rest upon him- a spirit of wisdom and understanding; a spirit of counsel and majesty; a spirit of knowledge and pity-

vs3 by this spirit he will be filled with the fear of God. He will not judge according to opinion, nor will he reprove according to report;

vs 4 but he will administer justice to the lowly, and work conviction in the meek of the earth. And he will smite the earth with the word of his mouth, and with a breath from his lips destroy the wicked.

vs 5 His loins will be girded with saving goodness, and his reins clothed with truth.

Vs 6 And a wolf shall pasture with a lamb ; and a leopard shall lie down with a kid; and the calf, and bull and lion shall pasture together; and a little child shall lead them.

Vs 7 The cow and bear shall feed together; and together their young shall herd; and the lion shall eat chaff like an ox.

Vs 8 And the sucking child shall lay it's hand on the holes of asps and on the bed of young asps.

Vs. 9 And they shall not hurt nor have power to destroy anyone on the mountain which is My sanctuary. Because the whole earth is filled with the knowledge of the Lord as abundant water covereth depths of seas."

Isaiah 11:1 KJV/MT (Massoretic Text)  "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

Dead Sea Scroll Isaiah 11.1And there shall come a rod out of the stem of Jesse and a branch (Nazar) from His roots will bear fruit." [ft]

Cross references:

Job 14:7 LXX (Thomson version) ; " For there is hope for a tree; for if it lopped, it may sprout again,and the tender branch may not fail."

Psalm 45:6 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a sceptre of righteousness.

2 Samuel 22:51 LXX (Thomson version) ; "He is magnifying the deliverances of His own king,and shewing mercy to His anointed-to David and His seed forever."

Revelation 19:11-16   ¹¹ And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.  ¹² His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.  ¹³ And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.  ¹⁴ And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.  ¹⁵ And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.  ¹⁶ And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

John Gill gives an overview of this chapter ; "This chapter is a prophecy of the Messiah, and gives an account of his descent, as man; of his qualifications for his office, as a Judge and King; of his performance of it; of the peaceableness of his kingdom; of the spread of it among the Gentiles, by the preaching of the Gospel; and of the last and general conversion of the Jews. His original and descent from David the son of Jesse, under the titles of a rod and branch, is described as mean and obscure, expressed by stem and roots, Isaiah 11:1 his gifts and qualifications for his work, in general and particular, Isaiah 11:2 the performance of it, both with respect to good men and bad men, in the fear of the Lord, with all equity, righteousness, and readiness, Isaiah 11:3 the peaceableness of his kingdom is figuratively expressed, by the agreement of savage and tame creatures, the former becoming the latter, and so losing their malignant and hurtful nature, through the efficacy of the Gospel, spreading the knowledge of Christ all over the world, Isaiah 11:6 particularly among the Gentiles, comparable to those savage creatures, who, upon the exhibition of Christ in the Gospel; should seek to him, and find rest in him, Isaiah 11:10 which will be followed or accompanied with a collection of the Jews out of all lands, and the conversion of them, which will be brought about by the power and grace of God, all impediments being by him removed out of the way; the consequences of which will be, peace among themselves, and obedience among the Gentiles, Isaiah 11:11."

John Gill on verse 1..." that He should be the King Messiah, and be so great as was foretold He should; and have that power, authority, and wisdom He had; and do such mighty works as He did; and especially be the author of eternal salvation; and bring forth such fruits, and be the cause of such blessings of grace, as He was: or else because of His kingly power and majesty, the rod or branch being put for a sceptre, and so a symbol of that; to which the Targum agrees, paraphrasing the words thus,

"and a King shall come forth from the sons of Jesse:"

and the sense is, that though Jesse's or David's family should be brought so very low as to be as the stem or stump of a tree, without a body, branches, leaves, and fruit; yet from thence should arise a mighty King, even the King Messiah, who is spoken of by so many august names and titles, Isaiah 9:6. And in that day there shall be a root out of Jesse,"- ... "so the Targum,

"and the Messiah shall be anointed (or exalted) from His children's children."

Matthew Henry ; "...He comes forth out of the stem, or stump, of Jesse. When the royal family, that had been as a cedar, was cut down, and only the stump of it left, almost levelled with the ground and lost in the grass of the field (Dan. 4:15), yet it shall sprout again (Job 14:7); nay, it shall grow out of his roots, which are quite buried in the earth, and, like the roots of flowers in the winter, have no stem appearing above ground. The house of David was reduced and brought very low at the time of Christ's birth, witness the obscurity and poverty of Joseph and Mary. The Messiah was thus to begin His estate of humiliation, for submitting to which He should be highly exalted, and would thus give early notice that His kingdom was not of this world..."

"...That He should be every way qualified for that great work to which He was designed, that this tender Branch should be so watered with the dews of heaven as to become a strong rod for a sceptre to rule, "

Keil and Delitzsch ..." In the humble beginning there lies a power which will carry it up to a great height by a steady and certain process ( Ezek. 17:22,23) The twig which is shooting up on the ground will become a tree, and this tree will have a crown laden with fruit. Consequently the state of humiliation will be followed by one of exaltation and perfection." [ft2]

[ft2 Keil and Delitzsch. also make note of the hebrew word rcn for "Branch" as used here ; "...the  'netzer', i.e., a fresh green shoot ( from 'natzer', to shine or blossom). In the historical account of the fulfillment, even the ring of the words of the prophecy is noticed: the 'netzer', at first so humble and insignificant, was a poor despised  'Nazarene (Matt.2:23) But the expression  'yiphreh' "( shall grow)" shows at once that it will not stop at this lowliness of origin. The shoot will bring forth fruit..."

Keil and Delitzsch ; "..down below, in the roots covered with earth, and only rising a little above it, there shows itself a 'netzer', i.e., a fresh green shoot (from natzer), to shine or blossom). . the netzer, at first so humble and insignificant, was a poor despised Nazarene ."   and " 'The shoot will bring forth fruit.' In the humble beginning there lies a power which will carry it up to a great height by a steady  and certain process (Ezekiel 17:22-23). The twig which is shooting up on the ground will become a tree, and this tree will have a crown laden with fruit. Consequently the state of humiliation will be followed by one of exaltation and perfection."

Hengstenberg ; " Christ was to be represented as He in whom the Davidic Kingdom attains to its full truth and glory."...

" The circumstance that the words in the first verse are completed in the number seven,  [my ft]

[ft] according to the relationship of the hebrew alphabet correlating with their numbering system

divided into three and four, intimates that the Prophet here enters upon the territory of the revelation of a mystery of the Kingdom of God."

"...The house of David shall be exalted at a time when He is most humbled."

Hengstenberg quoting Calvin ; "The Prophet does not mention David ; but rather Jesse. For so much was the dignity of that family diminished, that it seemed to be a rustic, ignoble family, rather than a royal one." and then quotes Psalm 113:7-8 , [my ft]

[ft]  but rather I will  quote from versus 3 through 9 of the Septuagint ( Thomson version) ; " From the rising of the sun to its going down ; let the name of the Lord be praised. The Lord is high over all the nations : His glory is above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God Who dwelleth on high, and superintendeth the thing below Him in heaven and on the earth? Who raiseth the distressed from the ground, and lifteth the needy from a dunghill : to seat him with princes ; with the chiefs of his people. Who settleth the barren women in a family making her a joyful mother of children."

Hengstenberg continues ; "...The mention of Jesse's name thus explained, agrees, then, with the birth of Christ at Bethlehem, announced by Isaiah's cotemporary, Micah. Christ was born at Bethlehem, because that residence waa peculiar to the family of David during its lowliness..."

A shoot proceeding from his roots (ie., the cut-off stem of Jesse) shall grow up into a stately fruitful tree ; or : As a tree cut down throws out from its roots a young shoot which, at first inconsiderable, grows up into a stately fruit-bearing tree, so from the family buried in contempt and lowliness, a  'King' shall arise who, at first humble and unheeded, shall afterwards attain to great glory.'... 

 "...this shoot shall attain to importance and glory..."  "First, there is the bestowal of the Spirit of the Lord whereby He is enabled to bear fruit; then, the fruit-bearing itself."

"Branch" is a well known name of the Messiah; see Gill on "Isaiah 4:2" the word Netzer, here used, is the name of the city of Nazareth .. which perhaps was so called, from the trees, plants, and grass, which grew here; and so our Lord's dwelling here fulfilled a prophecy, that he should be called a Nazarene; or an inhabitant of Netzer, Mt 2:23."

Some may take exception that I, or others, would use this verse as a word picture of a "scion" springing out from the earth ( ie. buried in the garden earth and stone) or fallen tree trunk as did Jesus, out from His grave, but the same picture, as a negative is seen in Isaiah 14:19a (MT/KJV) ; " But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch,..." or as the Dead Sea Scroll ; " But you are sent out of your grave (like) a hated [N]azarene"... [my ft]

1. [ft] the word and letter in parenthesis are apparently lost in the 2000+ year old DSS (Dead Sea Scroll) document, perhaps many of the undecipherable scrolls will someday be retrieved and made legible by software developed by the Xerox Corporation's Digital Imaging Technology Center, Webster, N.Y.. See "Xerox World" Spring 1998 issue with the article titled ; "Dead Sea Scrolls", page 10.

Justin ; "And a Star of Light has arisen and a flower has sprung from then root of Jesse-this Christ."

Gill on verse 2; " And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,.... The rod and branch, the King Messiah, so qualifying him for his office, and the discharge of it. This shows that Christ's kingdom is of a spiritual nature, and administered in a spiritual manner, for which he was abundantly furnished by the "Spirit of the Lord" resting on him; by whom is meant the third Person in the Trinity, so called, not because created by him, for not any created spirit is meant, but because he proceeded from him; he is the one Jehovah with him, a divine Person, truly God, yet distinct both from the Father and the Son; so that here is a clear proof of the trinity of Persons. Christ was filled with the Spirit from the womb, and he descended and rested upon him at his baptism; he was anointed with him to be Prophet, Priest, and King, and received his gifts and graces from him without measure, which abide with him, and are designed in the following words:

the spirit of wisdom and understanding; which appeared in his disputation with the doctors; in his answers to the ensnaring questions of the Scribes and Pharisees; in the whole of his ministry; and in his conduct at his apprehension, trial, condemnation, and death; as also in the wisdom, knowledge, and understanding he imparted to his disciples, and does more or less to all his people:

the spirit of counsel and might; of "counsel", which fitted him to be the wonderful Counsellor, and qualified him to give suitable and proper advice to the sons of men; and of "might" or "power", to preach the Gospel with authority; do miracles in the confirmation of it; bear the sins of his people, and the punishment due to them; obtain eternal redemption for them; and engage with all their enemies and conquer them:

the spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord; and so as man had the "knowledge" of God the Father; of his mind and will; of the Scriptures, and things contained therein; of the law and Gospel; all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge were hid in him, which he communicates to his saints; and "of the fear of the Lord", and so had a reverence of him, a strict regard to his will, and always did the things which pleased him; see Hebrews 5:7 this verse is also applied to the Messiah, both by ancient and modern Jews."

Keil and Delitzsch; "Isaiah 11:6-9 -

The fruit of righteousness is peace, which now reigns in humanity under the rule of the Prince of Peace, and even in the animal world, with nothing whatever to disturb it. "And the wolf dwells with the lamb, and the leopard lies down with the kid; and calf and lion and stalled ox together: a little boy drives them. And cow and bear go to the pasture; their young ones lie down together: and the lion eats shopped straw like the ox. And the suckling plays by the hole of the adder, and the weaned child stretches its hand to the pupil of the basilisk-viper. They will not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the land is filled with knowledge of Jehovah, like the waters covering the sea." The fathers, and such commentators as Luther, Calvin, and Vitringa, have taken all these figures from the animal world as symbolical. Modern rationalists, on the other hand, understand them literally, but regard the whole as a beautiful dream and wish. It is a prophecy, however, the realization of which is to be expected on this side of the boundary between time and eternity, and, as Paul has shown in Rom 8, is an integral link in the predestined course of the history of salvation (Hengstenberg, Umbreit, Hofmann, Drechsler). There now reign among irrational creatures, from the greatest to the least, - even among such as are invisible, - fierce conflicts and bloodthirstiness of the most savage kind. But when the Son of David enters upon the full possession of His royal inheritance, the peace of paradise will be renewed, and all that is true in the popular legends of the golden age be realized and confirmed. This is what the prophet depicts in such lovely colours. The wolf and lamb, those two hereditary foes, will be perfectly reconciled then. The leopard will let the teazing kid lie down beside it. The lion, between the calf and stalled ox, neither seizes upon its weaker neighbour, nor longs for the fatter one. Cow and bear graze together, whilst their young ones lie side beside in the pasture. The lion no longer thirsts for blood, but contents itself, like the ox, with chopped straw. The suckling pursues its sport ... by the adder's hole, and the child just weaned stretches out its hand boldly and fearlessly to me'ūrath tziph‛ōni. It is evident from Jer_8:17 that tziph‛ōni is the name of a species of snake."

" The look of a snake, more especially of the basilisk (not merely the basilisk-lizard, but also the basilisk-viper), was supposed to have a paralyzing and bewitching influence; but now the snake will lose this pernicious power (Isa_65:25), and the basilisk become so tame and harmless, as to let children handle its sparkling eyes as if they were jewels. ."

"The fact that peace prevails in the animal world, and also peace between man and beast, is then attributed to the universal prevalence of the knowledge of God, in consequence of which that destructive hostility between the animal world and man, by which estrangement and apostasy from God were so often punished (2Ki_17:25; Eze_14:15, etc.: see also Isa_7:24), have entirely come to an end. The meaning of "the earth" is also determined by that of "all my holy mountain." The land of Israel, the dominion of the Son of David in the more restricted sense, will be from this time forward the paradisaical centre, as it were, of the whole earth - a prelude of its future state of perfect and universal glorification (Isa_6:3, "all the earth"). It has now become full of "the knowledge of Jehovah," i.e., of that experimental knowledge which consists in the fellowship of love."

Gill on verses 4-9; "Isaiah 11:4 - But with righteousness shall he judge the poor,.... The poor sinner, that is sensible of his spiritual poverty, and comes and acknowledges his sins and transgressions, and prays for pardoning grace and mercy, and hungers and thirsts after righteousness; such Christ justifies with his own righteousness, acquits and discharges them from all sin and condemnation, as also protects and defends them against all their enemies and oppressors:

and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth; that is, shall take the part of the meek, the lowly, and the humble, who are under a sense of their sins and unworthiness, apply to him for grace, righteousness, pardon, and eternal life; and for their sakes reprove wicked men that would distress and crush them; and in a just and equitable manner, in a way of righteous retaliation, render tribulation to them that trouble them:

and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth: that is, either he shall smite the consciences of earthly and unregenerate men, by the ministration of his word, the rod of his strength, so that they shall be convinced of sin, and humbled for it, and be brought to repentance towards God, and faith in himself; or he shall smite the nations of the earth, the antichristian states, and destroy them, Rev_19:15.

and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked; either by the words of his mouth, as before; see Hos_6:5 so that they become dead men in their own apprehensions, have no hope of life and salvation by their own works, see themselves dead in law, and liable to eternal death and damnation; or this is to be understood of the destruction of the wicked at the last day, by a sentence of condemnation pronounced upon them by Christ; and particularly of antichrist, the wicked and lawless one, the man of sin and son of perdition, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy with the brightness of his coming, 2 Thesselonians_2:4"

Isaiah 11:5 - And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins,.... He shall be adorned with it, strengthened by it, and ready at all times to perform it; he loved righteousness, and did acts of righteousness throughout the whole course of his life; and, by his active and passive obedience, wrought out an everlasting righteousness for his people; he is a King that reigns in righteousness, righteousness is the sceptre of his kingdom; all his administrations of government are righteous; just and true are all his ways:

and faithfulness the girdle of his reins; he was faithful to God, that appointed him as King and Head of the church; faithful as a Prophet, in declaring his mind and will; and is a faithful High Priest, as well as a merciful one..."