Psalms 80:17

Let Thy hand be upon the man of Thy right hand.

Christ made strong for God

Of Jesus only can it be unreservedly said, that He is the man of God’s right hand, and that He hath made Him strong for Himself. Of all the terms in the passage, we may indeed say that they are peculiarly emphatic, and embody views of character and position which could only be realized in the person and work of Christ.

I. The import of the designations herein given to Christ.

1. The Man of God’s right hand. Inasmuch as a seat at the right hand among men is esteemed the place of honour and power, so the act of elevating to dignity and authority by Jehovah is spoken of as a placing at His right hand; and accordingly Jesus is referred to as sitting at His right hand, or as described in one instance, “the right hand of power.” This leads us at once to perceive that the personal and official dignity of the Saviour are eplicity alluded to in our text, in His being called “the Man of God’s right hand.”

2. The Son of Man. Whilst the title in question implies the doctrine of Christ’s perfect manhood, it equally implies that He was more than a mere man. Differing hence in these respects from all the sons of men--though still a man in His creature existence--with much expressiveness could He be called “the Son of Man.”

II. The appointment of Jesus to the office of redeemer. Such appointment is expressly involved, if not explicitly stated, in the words, “whom Thou hast made strong for Thyself”; for God is thus represented as having chosen or designated “the Son of Man” to the office He thus holds. In this sense He “made Him” or appointed Him for Himself, to the office of Redeemer.

III. The peculiar fitness of the Man of God’s right hand to discharge the duties of the office to which He was appointed. It is impossible for any created intelligence to say what strength, or amount of spiritual power, was required on the part of Jesus--the Man of God’s right hand--to accomplish the work of redemption; but it behoves us not the less to direct our attention as closely as possible to the specific difficulties we know He had to encounter, that we may arrive at a fair estimate of His endurance; and hence of the greatness of that love and mercy by which these were animated.

IV. What is implied in this petition, requesting God to let His hand be upon the Man of His right hand.

1. A perception of danger.

2. A consciousness that man’s help is not to be found in himself.

3. A willingness to rely for salvation on the means appointed by God, through the Son of His love.

4. Full persuasion of God’s willingness to confer the blessing thus sought. (J. Allan.)

A prayer for the Messiah

1. In all ages the saints have greatly longed for their Saviour. Abraham saw His day afar off, and rejoiced that a child was to be born unto him, in whom all nations of the earth should be blessed. And the godly in this verse long for Him, and pray for His coming.

2. He is here shortly three ways described.

(1) First, He is called the Son of God’s right hand, for three causes: first, in respect of His marvellous generation in both His natures: in the one, without a father; in the other, without a mother. Secondly, He is called the Son of God’s right hand, for that singular love and favour which the Father carries toward Him; for the right hand of God signifies His power, or His favour and love. It is true every Christian man is also the son of God’s right hand; by nature his name is Ben-oni, the son of sorrow; but his father hath changed his name with his estate, called him Ben-jamin, the son of his right hand. But in a more special sense doth this title belong to the Lord Jesus. Thirdly, He is the Son of the Father’s right hand in respect of his most perfect obedience and ready willingness to do in all things the will of His Father.

(2) They call Him the Son of Man; He is in such sort the Son of God, that He is also the Son of Man, not begotten by man, yet formed, and conceived of the seed of man; He is the companion of Jehova; He is also, as Job calleth Him, our Goel or kinsman. Doubtless this is a strong bulwark of our faith, since we see that the Son of God is become the Son of Man, clothed with all the infirmities of our nature, except sin; since we see the God of glory humbled to the ignominy of the cross, why should we doubt that the sons of men shall also be made the sons of God, and that these vile bodies of ours shall be changed, and fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ, especially since for no other end became He the Son of Man, but to make us the sons of God?

(3) “Whom Thou hast made strong for Thyself;” this respecteth His threefold office, and His unction to them all (Isaiah 61:1; John 6:27; John 1:14; John 3:34). Of all these it is plain how the Father is said to have made His Son strong for Himself; that is, He anointed Him, He sealed Him, He put His Spirit into Him, not in a measure, but communicated the fulness of grace to Him, that He might be strengthened to do unto us the office of a king, to deliver us from our enemies, or a prophet, to teach us the whole counsel of God, and of a priest, to offer Himself in a propitiatory sacrifice for us. In all these appeared His wonderful strength; when He suffered like a weak man, then He wrought like a valiant man. Every way the mighty strength of our strong Redeemer is to be admired, but specially His conquests by suffering, there did appear the weakness of God stronger than man; yea, then all these principalities, powers, and spiritual wickednesses that were opposite to Him. (Bp. Cowper.)