The Rod of Thy Strength

Part 10 of a series on The Christian and The Psalms.

By Simon Padbury • 8 November 2025 • 25 minutes read

The New Testament Age (the days in which we live) began when our Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins, rose again from the dead, and ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of God, where he reigns with all power in heaven and earth. The Messiah’s reign has continued for almost two thousand years, and it continues this present day, and it will continue on into the future—until the LORD has finished making all his enemies his footstool.

Thus far we have considered the LORD’s conquest over Christ’s enemies in Psalm 110:1. Now in verse 2 we learn about the means of this conquest: “The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion” (Psalm 110:2a). By means of this rod of Christ’s strength being sent out by from Zion by Jehovah himself (sent out through the land of Israel and beyond: throughout all the world), he enables his Son to “rule thou in the midst of thine enemies” in this world (v.2b). What is this rod of David’s Lord’s strength? And what is the nature of God’s conquest?

In Psalm 110:2 the “rod” is the מַטֶּה, matteh (Strong’s Concordance, Hebrew Dictionary, number 4294), meaning a short staff, rod, or branch. The name of the commonly used light-weight walking stick was matteh, such as Moses had in his hand (see Exodus 4:2), and Judah (Genesis 38:18), and the princes of tribes (Numbers 17). This word is also used for a tribe (e.g. Exodus 31:2, 6; throughout Numbers, Joshua, 1 Kings, 1 Chronicles); here matteh alludes to leadership, where a chief would lead his tribe with his rod raised high to be seen and to point the way. And even after the tribes became settled in the Promised Land, the word for “tribe” remained as matteh, perhaps so that they would always remember how God brought them out of Egypt and into Canaan. Also, bread is said metaphorically to be a staff (matteh) that sustains people (see Leviticus 26:26; Psalm 105:16; Ezekiel 4:16).

The word matteh is also used to mean “sceptre” in one passage, Ezekiel 19:10-14, where it really means the branches of a vine that are metaphorically sceptres of kings; here in Ezekiel’s lamentation the vine is a picture of Israel. But the usual word for the “sceptre” of rulership is a different word, שֵׁבֶט, shebet; a shorter, heavy rod. The same word is also used for the bruising club weapon (Hebrew 7626). (Sometimes the shebet club is called a rod in our English Bibles.) The matteh rod did not have a military or chastising purpose in Israel.1

Also, the matteh of Psalm 110:2 is not the long, supporting staff מִשְׁעֵנָה, mishenah (Hebrew 4938) used by shepherd to lift their sheep, or by old men for walking and leaning upon when they need both hands and maybe a shoulder on a longer staff for support. The “rod and staff” of the LORD spoken of in Psalm 23 is the shepherd’s club (shebet) and the long staff (mishenah); here the people of God are to be comforted by remembering past experiences and Scriptural promises of the his defence and upholding: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).

Back to Psalm 110:2. Where the reader would have expected the word for sceptre from the context, the Psalmist instead uses the word for rod, the walking stick. This simple light-weight rod is here in David’s Lord’s hand for a sceptre. What are we to learn from this?

The Messiah does not use the rod as a weapon, and neither does he raise it to give a command his people to attack like an army of warriors or oppressors.2 The conquest of the nations by the Lord Jesus Christ, with all the power (authority) given to him by his God his Father—is not the kind of conquest that is accomplished by invasion or war. The gospel and real, Bible Christianity is not spread by the war club, or by the sword, or by any other violent means.

We need to strongly emphasise this point, because we live in a violent age—but that is not Christ’s way. Christianity is not a warrior religion.

When the apostle Paul instructs the young pastor Timothy to “Fight the good fight of faith”, he is clearly not inciting him to violence (1 Timothy 6:12). And later, when Paul reminisces over his own ministry as an apostle, saying “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” he is not talking about a military career (2 Timothy 4:7). And where Paul said of himself, “so fight I, not as one that beateth the air”, in this allegory from the Greek games he is speaking of how in his missionary activity he actually contacts people with his gospel preaching—he does not punch people (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). Yes, he was speaking about the work of the gospel ministry all along: “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel” (vv.16-18).

Even where there were verbal skirmishes between Christians over doctrines, policies, or church discipline (or whatever the matters were), the apostle James reprimands them in the strongest terms: “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not” (James 4:1-2). For Christians should know that all such hatred is as evil as murder, as Christ himself made clear: “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire” (Matthew 5:21-22).

Such hatred is certainly incompatible with being a Christian: “He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes” (1 John 2:9-11). “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:8-10).

And to those who are outside the church we likewise should show love, says Jesus: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:43-48).

So no, Christianity is not a warrior religion.

We are not Christian soldiers marching as to war. We are not literally “terrible as an army with banners” (Song of Songs 6:4). We are not crusader nights on war-horses with fire or lasers coming out of our eyes! No, we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. We should understand that the “full armour of God” that we wear in this evil day consists of truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith in Christ, and salvation. And the only offensive armament that we take up in Christ’s cause is the word of God—and that never to kill or destroy people! And in all our stand in God’s armour we should be always in prayer and supplication in the Holy Spirit for ourselves and all our fellow saints, that we may persevere in our stand with Christ and for his cause (Ephesians 6:10-18).

Yet this rod is called “the rod of [Christ’s] strength” in Psalm 110:2. And by means of it he comes to rule in the midst of his enemies—not as a weapon, but raised as an ensign of his leadership, that calls us to follow him as our Head and King. By this rod, the LORD makes increasing numbers of those who were enemies of Christ (Romans 5:10; Ephesians 2:3) to become his willing subjects, pleased to wear the beauties of his holiness (as the next verse says: Psalm 110:3). Every knee of these willing ones shall bow, and every one of their tongues shall confess that “Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father“ (Philippians 2:10-11).

When does the LORD’s conquest of the world for his Anointed One happen? When are the enemies of him whom David calls “my Lord” made his footstool? The timeframe is from when he took his seat at the right hand of God and all through the “until” of this age; that is, while all his enemies are being brought under his feet.

Who is it that brings about this conquest of the Messiah? The primary agent, is the LORD himself. “Sit thou at my right hand until I”—I myself, says the LORD—“make thine enemies thy footstool.”

How is this conquest accomplished? Not by the war-sceptre or by the sword. But “The LORD shall send the [matteh] rod of thy strength out of Zion”. We notice the repeated emphasis that this is the LORD’s work: he makes Christ’s enemies his footstool (v.1), and he does so by means of this “rod of thy strength” (v.2)—the walking, leading, directing rod of Christ’s strength that he will send out of Zion, to increase the government and peace of the Son of David without end (Isaiah 9:6-7). Beginning at Zion, at Jerusalem, and sent out throughout the land and increasingly through all the world. Yes, this rod is metaphorically the gospel of Christ.

What will be the outcome of this conquest prophesied in Psalm 110? God will have victory, success. All the enemies of David’s Lord shall indeed be made his footstool. The rod of his strength, the word of Christ’s gospel, will go out and accomplish all that God sends it out to accomplish. This success happens because God gives the increase, the Lord adds to the church, the Father gives people to Christ (1 Corinthians 3:7; Acts 2:47; John 6:37).

We are not “explaining away” a violent passage, here. We are not engaged in eisegesis (reading into a passage something that is not there), when we say that the military language in this passage is not literal but figurative, and that that this rod of Christ’s strength is not military but evangelistic and prophetic (in the preaching sense).

The context is clearly the present reign of Jesus Christ in this New Testament Age, and it is by saving souls that he wins. Therefore, this is not a military conquest. And the kingdom of Christ on earth, the Son of David, is his Church.

The Increase of Christ’s Government and Peace in this world

The means of Christ’s conquest of the whole earth is not military but peaceful, not destroying but saving. The Good Shepherd does not come to steal or kill or destroy—he comes to give life. And for those whom he saves, he has given his own life to save them (John 10:9-11; 15-18). Now raised from the dead and ascended into heaven, Christ reigns over all that is in heaven and on earth, even now “in the midst of [his] enemies” in this world (Psalm 110:2). And this is the glorious evidence and effect of the reign of the Son who is himself “The mighty God”: “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever” (Isaiah 9:7).

Christ’s parables of the kingdom of heaven in Matthew 13 (and parallel passages) describe the progress of his Church on earth, and in the hearts of Christians.3 Briefly:

  • The Sower sows his seed in his field; and though there are many places where the seed does not thrive, it will take root in good soil, and bear thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and hundredfold fruit; the word of God sown in their hearts brings forth much fruit (vv.3-8, 18-23, 37-43);
  • The Farmer’s good seed grows up and ripens in his wheat field (these plants being his people); and even though his enemy sows many darnel tares among the crop (which remain until they are taken out and burned), the Farmer loses none of his full harvest (vv.24-30);
  • The Farmer begins small with the mustard seed in his field, but it grows to become the greatest of plants, even a tree (vv.31-32);
  • Similarly, the Baker’s leaven, the quick and active word of God, works increasingly through her whole lump until it is all leavened (v.33);
  • The treasure in the field is discovered by the farming man, who sees its great value and immediately sells all that he has, joyfully giving up everything else to buy this treasure, because this treasure is the gospel of that man’s salvation, and his whole life is different from then on (v.44);
  • Similarly, the merchant man goes about seeking pearls until he discovers this truth of the gospel, the pearl of great price, and he values it so highly that it is an easy trade for him to sell everything else he had to buy it, so that it becomes all his life and business (v.45);
  • The net of gospel preaching, broad-cast by gospel preachers and sharers, is cast into the whole sea and it gathers in fish of every kind—until at the end of the world the good are separated from the bad (vv.47-50).

Do we understand and believe Jesus’s parables of the kingdom of heaven? Do we see what “the kingdom of heaven is like unto”?

The Son of David now sits on his throne in heaven, and he reigns over all his kingdom—all things in heaven and on earth. The Son of God reigns over the people of God. He is our King. He is our Lord. He is our God. He is the Messiah, “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven” (Colossians 1:15-20).

The Son of David, David’s Lord, is sowing, gathering, growing, working through, and increasing his kingdom—he is increasing his government and peace without end, all around the world. “I will build my church” promises Christ; “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18). “And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world” (Acts 15:15-16).

In lifting up the “tabernacle of David”, the New Covenant of Christ fulfils and supersedes the Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7; 23:5; Psalm 78:6-72; 89:1-4; Isaiah 55; Matthew 1:1; 12:23; Luke 1:27, 31-33, 68-69; 2:11; John 19:19-20; Romans 1:3-4; 2 Timothy 2:8; Revelation 5).

When we sing David’s “Psalm for Solomon”, we sing about our Greater Than Solomon (Matthew 12:42), confident that his increasing government and peace shall become as glorious and global as it is written in this Psalm: “Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son. He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment…In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth…Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him…His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed. Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.” (Psalm 72).

These are the days in which we live. The eschatology of the Psalms embraces the entire New Testament Age. Though narrowly speaking the days in which we live do not yet look like this, we are confident that this is the direction that these days and years of our Lord are heading toward: “Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned”—and enthroned—“with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (Hebrews 2:7-9, referring to Psalm 8:6, that speaks on the same subject as Psalm 110:1).

The wicked do not win; nor do they ultimately prosper. They will be driven away like chaff before the wind, and wicked rulers shall be dashed in pieces like a potter’s vessel when the LORD’s Anointed’s wrath is kindled but a little (Psalm 1:4-6; 2:8-12). The wicked may spread himself like a luxuriant green bay tree, but he will pass away and not be found (Psalm 37:35-36). God has set them in slippery places, and their foot shall slide in due time (Psalm 73:18; Deuteronomy 32:35).

And at the end of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ will re-create all things new—he will make a new heavens and a new earth, in which only the Righteous God and those whom he makes righteous shall dwell (Psalm 102:25-26; Revelation 21:5; 2 Peter 3:10-13). He will even destroy the last enemy, death: “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. For he must reign [as he does now reign], till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 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. 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” (1 Corinthians 15:24-28).

Appendix

Matthew Poole, Commentary on the Whole Bible, on Psalm 110:2:

“Send; or, send forth, into the world. The rod of thy strength; thy strong or powerful rod, by a usual Hebraism. And the rod is put for his sceptre, or kingly power, as it is Isaiah 10:24, Jeremiah 48:17, Ezekiel 7:10–11, Ezekiel 19:11–12. But as the kingdom of Christ is not carnal, or of this world, John 18:36, but spiritual; so this rod or sceptre is nothing else but his word published by himself, or by his apostles and ministers, and accompanied with his Spirit, by which the Messias did his great exploits, and set up and established his kingdom, converting some of his enemies, and confounding and destroying others of them, by that same instrument, as is manifest by comparing Isaiah 2:3; Isaiah 11:4; Micah 4:2; 2 Corinthians 10:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:8. Hence this word is called the word of the kingdom, Matthew 13:19, and the power of God, Romans 1:16. David having spoken of the Messias, Ps 110:1, now turneth his speech to him. Out of Zion; from Jerusalem, which is frequently understood by the name of Zion, which was an eminent and venerable part of it, as Psalm 48:13; Psalm 87:2; Psalm 102:13,16, etc.; where the sceptre of the Messias was first to be established according to the predictions of the prophets, Psalm 2:6,8; Psalm 48:3; Isaiah 2:3, etc.; to which the event exactly answered, Luke 24:47; Acts 1:4; Acts 2:1-2, etc.; and from whence it was to be sent forth into all the parts and kingdoms of the world, to bring in the Gentiles, which also the prophets had foretold, as Isaiah 2:3, and in divers of the foregoing Psalms, as hath been already frequently observed and proved.

David Dixon, Explication of the Psalms, on Psalm 110:2:

“In the second place, he showth the means and manner of his conquest and governing, to whit, by the preaching of the gospel. Whence learn, 1. Christ wanteth not a rod of sceptre whereby to govern, but he hath the word of God preached for the ensign of his princely power or pre-eminence, which is the arm and power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth, and which is able to throw down every stronghold exhalted against the knowledge of him: this is the rod of thy strength. 2. Christ was King in his church, and in the exercise of his office before his incarnation, and that by his word preached, which is the rod of his mouth, Isaiah 11:4: for he shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion, presupposeth the rod of his strength in Zion. 3. It was decreed that Christ’s kingdom, howsoever first and most clearly manifested among the Jews, yet should not be limited within Judea, but should go forth to the Gentiles for subduing them: the Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion. 4. How man enemies soever shall oppose the kingdom of Christ, and how powerful soever they may be, yet Christ shall bear rule, enjoy his kingdom, maintain his subjects, and go on in his conquests: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.”

John Brown of Haddington, Self-Interpreting Bible, on Psalm 110:1-3:4

“How high is the dignity of our Redeemer! Glorious is his reward for his work of obedience and suffering. And all his enemies—sin, Satan, the world, and death—are made to bow under his feet. The everlasting gospel, sent forth into all the world, becomes effectual to men’s salvation, and his kingdom is established, in despite of all opposition. Multitudes of his enemies, made willing in the day of his power, cheerfully enlist themselves in his service, and worship him in the beauties of holiness.”

Thomas Manton, A Practical Exposition of the Lord’s Prayer, (2nd petition) Thy kingdom come (in Manton’s Works Volume 1):

Now, let me tell you it is a spiritual kingdom, not such as comes with observation. Jesus Christ, when he was inaugurated into the throne, when he was to sit down at God’s right hand, how doth he manifest it? He gives gifts, as princes use to do at their coronation, but they are spiritual gifts: Ephesians 4:8. And he sent abroad ambassadors, poor fishermen, they and their successors, to go and treat with the world: 2 Corinthians 5:19. Indeed, they had a mighty power with them, as becoming such a great king, as was under the vail of meanness and weakness; it was carried on in a spiritual manner. And still he doth administer his kingdom, not by force; he rules not by the power of the sword, but by his word and Spirit, so he governeth his people. The publication of the gospel is a “sending forth the rod of his strength:” Psalm 110:2. And the Holy Ghost, as Christ’s viceroy, he governeth them, and administereth all things that are necessary to his kingdom; he doth it by the Holy Ghost, as his deputy.

John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (Henry Beveridge translation), Book 3 Chapter 20: Of Prayer—A Perpetual Exercise of Faith. The Daily Benefits Derived from It. Section 42—explication of the second petition of the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy Kingdom Come”:

The second petition is, THY KINGDOM COME. This contains nothing new [to the first petition], and yet there is good reason for distinguishing it from the first. For if we consider our lethargy in the greatest of all matters, we shall see how necessary it is that what ought to be in itself perfectly known should be inculcated at greater length. Therefore, after the injunction to pray that God would reduce to order, and at length completely efface every stain which is thrown on his sacred name, another petition, containing almost the same wish, is added—viz. Thy kingdom come. Although a definition of this kingdom has already been given, I now briefly repeat that God reigns when men, in denial of themselves and contempt of the world and this earthly life, devote themselves to righteousness and aspire to heaven (see Calvin, Harmony of the Gospels, Matthew 6). Thus this kingdom consists of two parts; the first is, when God by the agency of his Spirit corrects all the depraved lusts of the flesh, which in bands war against Him; and the second, when he brings all our thoughts into obedience to his authority. This petition, therefore, is duly presented only by those who begin with themselves; in other words, who pray that they may be purified from all the corruptions which disturb the tranquillity and impair the purity of God’s kingdom. Then as the word of God is like his royal sceptre, we are here enjoined to pray that he would subdue all minds and hearts to voluntary obedience. This is done when by the secret inspiration of his Spirit he displays the efficacy of his word, and raises it to the place of honour which it deserves. We must next descend to the wicked, who perversely and with desperate madness resist his authority. God, therefore, sets up his kingdom, by humbling the whole world, though in different ways, taming the wantonness of some, and breaking the ungovernable pride of others. We should desire this to be done every day, in order that God may gather churches to himself from all quarters of the world, may extend and increase their numbers, enrich them with his gifts, establish due order among them; on the other hand, beat down all the enemies of pure doctrine and religion, dissipate their counsels, defeat their attempts. Hence it appears that there is good ground for the precept which enjoins daily progress, for human affairs are never so prosperous as when the impurities of vice are purged away, and integrity flourishes in full vigor. The completion, however, is deferred to the final advent of Christ, when, as Paul declares, “God will be all in all,” (1 Corinthians 15:28). This prayer, therefore, ought to withdraw us from the corruptions of the world which separate us from God, and prevent his kingdom from flourishing within us; secondly, it ought to inflame us with an ardent desire for the mortification of the flesh; and, lastly, it ought to train us to the endurance of the cross; since this is the way in which God would have his kingdom to be advanced. It ought not to grieve us that the outward man decays provided the inner man is renewed. For such is the nature of the kingdom of God, that while we submit to his righteousness he makes us partakers of his glory. This is the case when continually adding to his light and truth, by which the lies and the darkness of Satan and his kingdom are dissipated, extinguished, and destroyed, he protects his people, guides them aright by the agency of his Spirit, and confirms them in perseverance; while, on the other hand, he frustrates the impious conspiracies of his enemies, dissipates their wiles and frauds, prevents their malice and curbs their petulance, until at length he consume Antichrist “with the spirit of his mouth,” and destroy all impiety “with the brightness of his coming,” (2 Thessalonians 2:8; see Calvin’s Commentaries).

  1. The “rod” used for chastising is the shebet club (2 Samuel 7:14; Job 9:34; Psalm 2:9; 89:32; Proverbs 10:13; 13:2; 22:15; etc.). ↩︎

  2. The Bible does say that the matteh was sometimes used or repurposed as a weapon and for chastising; but this was used against Israel by Israel’s enemies (see Isaiah 9:4; 10:24, 26; 14:5; Micah 6:9; Habakkuk 3:14). David’s Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ, does not raise his rod against his enemies. ↩︎

  3. I recommend you spend some time with Matthew Henry’s Commentary on these parables. ↩︎

  4. In John Brown’s column references, he also relates the phrase “The rod of thy strength out of Zion” in Psalm 110:2 to the gospel and its progress: Romans 1:16-17; 1 Corinthians 1:23-24; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; Isaiah 2:3; Micah 4:2; Acts 3:26. ↩︎