There will I bring forth a horn to David: I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.

There will I cause the horn of David to bud forth; I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed.

There I cause to spring up a horn for David, I have arranged a lamp for Mine anointed.

There I will make the horn of David fertile: I have made ready a light for my king.

There will I make a horn to shoot up unto David, There have I ordered a lamp for Mine anointed.

There will I make, etc. He reverts to the state of the kingdom, which God had promised to take under his care and protection. It is necessary that we should attend to the peculiar force of the words employed I will make the horn of David to bud Now there can be no doubt as to the meaning of the term horn, which in Hebrew is very commonly used to signify force or power; but we are to mark that by the horn budding there is an allusion to the humble original of the kingdom, and the singular restorations which it underwent. David was taken from the menial drudgery of the sheepfold, and from the lowly cottage where he dwelt, the youngest son of his father, who was no more than an ordinary shepherd, and was advanced to the throne, and rose by a series of unlooked for successes. Under Jeroboam the kingdom was at an early period so effectually cut down again, that it was only by budding forth from time to time that it maintained itself in a moderate degree of advancement. Afterwards it underwent various shocks, which must have issued in its destruction, had it not still budded anew. And when the people were dispersed in the captivity, what must have become of them, had not God made the broken and trampled horn of David, again to bud? Isaiah accordingly seems to have had this in his eye when he compared Christ to a rod which should spring not from tree in full growth, but from a trunk or stem. (Isaiah 11:1.) To the prophecy now before us Zechariah perhaps refers when he says, "Behold the man whose name is the Branch," (Zechariah 6:12,) intimating that in this way only could the power and dignity of the kingdom be restored after the dismemberment and ravages to which it had been exposed. In 2 Samuel 23:5, David makes use of the word employed in the verse before us, but in somewhat a different sense, referring to the continual advancement of the kingdom unto further measures of prosperity. Here the inspired penman rather refers to the singular manner in which God would cause the horn of David to revive again, when at any time it might seem broken and withered. The figure of the lamp is much to the same effect, and occurs in many other places of Scripture, being a prophecy very generally in the mouths of the people. The meaning is, that the kingdom, though it underwent occasional obscurations, would never be wholly extinguished under the calamities which overtook it, being as the lamp of God constantly burning, and pointing out safety to the Lord's people, though not shining to a great distance. At that time all the illumination enjoyed was but the feeble lamp which shone in Jerusalem; now Christ, the sun of righteousness, sheds a full radiance all over the world.

There will I make thy horn of David to bud - The horn was an emblem of power; and then, of success or prosperity. See the notes at Luke 1:69. The word rendered "to bud" means to grow, or to shoot forth as a plant, or as grass grows; and then it may be applied to anything which shoots forth or grows. The allusion here would seem to be to a horn as it shoots forth on the head of an animal. So David would be endowed with growing strength; would have the means of defending himself against his enemies, and of securing victory. The language had no original reference to the Messiah, but it is not improperly applied to him (as springing from David) in Luke 1:69. On the word horn, see the notes at Psalm 75:4. Compare Psalm 89:17, Psalm 89:24; Psalm 92:10; Psalm 112:9; Daniel 7:8; Daniel 8:5.
I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed - Margin, a candle. I have appointed; that is, I have given him that which will always be as a lamp or guide to him; that by which he will see to walk. I have given him true and precious promises, which will be to him as a lamp, a candle, a lantern is to one walking in the night. See Psalm 18:28, note; Psalm 119:105, note.

There will I make the horn of David to bud - There, in the Christian Church, the power and authority of the spiritual David shall appear.
I have ordained a lamp - I have taken care to secure a posterity, to which the promises shall be expressly fulfilled.

There will I make the (l) horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed.
(l) Though his force for a time seemed to be broken, yet he promises to restore it.

There will I make the horn of David to bud,.... Which the Targum interprets "a glorious" King; and both Kimchi and Ben Melech, and also Arama, understand it of the Messiah, and very rightly; called the horn of the Lord's Anointed, and the horn of salvation, 1-Samuel 2:10, Luke 1:69; expressive of his power and strength, in allusion to the horns of cattle, with which they push their enemies and defend themselves; so horns are interpreted kings, Daniel 7:24; and is fitly applied to Christ, raised up of the seed of David, the man of God's right hand, made strong for himself, who is a mighty King and an able Saviour; as appears by what he has done and suffered, by the deliverance and salvation of his people, and by the destruction of all their enemies: and it is here promised that God would make this horn to "bud" or branch out, in allusion to another name of the Messiah, the "branch"; and it is the same as raising up to David a righteous branch, or causing the Messiah to spring forth as a branch out of his roots, for which reason he is called the Lord's servant, the branch, and the man the branch; see Jeremiah 23:5; and it should be further observed that the Lord says, "there" will I do it; that is, either at Ephratah, which is Bethlehem, the place where the Messiah was to be born, and was born; or else at Zion or Jerusalem, where he appeared and showed himself, where he taught his doctrines and wrought many of his miracles, and near to which he suffered and died; and this shows that the Messiah must be come, that this horn of David must have budded, or the man the branch brought forth, since Bethlehem and Jerusalem are long ago demolished;
I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed; which Jerom understands of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, who was a burning and shining light, but was not "that light", that famous light, that was to come, but was sent to bear witness of it; he being but as a candle, as the word here used signifies, in comparison of the sun of righteousness; but rather it means a son and successor of David, the Lord's anointed; in which sense the phrase is often used, 1-Kings 11:36; and here the famous and illustrious Son and successor of his, the Messiah, the light which lightens every man with the light of reason; and who is the light of the world of his people, enlightening them with the light of grace, and will be the light of the New Jerusalem state, and of the ultimate glory; him God has "ordained" as such, even foreordained him before the foundation of the world; this lamp, or light, he prepared in eternity, and it dwelt with him, and therefore was desired to be sent out from him, Daniel 2:22; which places are to be understood of the Messiah; See Gill on Daniel 2:22 and See Gill on Psalm 43:3.

make the horn . . . to bud--enlarge his power.
a lamp--the figure of prosperity (Psalm 18:10, Psalm 18:28; Psalm 89:17). With the confounding of his enemies is united his prosperity and the unceasing splendor of his crown.

There - In Jerusalem. To bud - His power and glory to flourish. A lamp - A successor to continue for ever in his family, as this phrase is expounded 1-Kings 11:36, 1-Kings 15:4, and particularly one eminent and glorious light, namely, the Messiah.