Psalm 45

SLIDE 1 Turn to Psalm 45. This is going to be a different kind of psalm than what we’ve been studying. In so many of the psalms David is crying out to God for help. Last week, in Psalm 44, a psalm attributed to the Sons of Korah, we saw the psalmist doing the same thing as he wondered why God wasn’t helping. Many of the Psalms are songs of praise to God. But this psalm is completely different. Instead of telling you what that difference is we’ll just read the superscription and find out.

For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil. A wedding song.

Two things stand out. First, we’re told it’s to the tune of the “Lilies.” Three other psalm have this description. No one really knows what that is so it doesn’t help us much. Second, we’re told that this is a wedding song. Literally, the Hebrew calls it “A Song of Loves.” The description in the psalm shows that it is for a wedding that was taking place.

In addition to being a wedding song it is also a maskil, meaning that it was written to teach wisdom, presumably about the virtue of marriage. It is also attributed to the Sons of Korah. Given that it was directed to the “Director of Music,” we might also assume it was sung by the temple choir.

1 My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer. (Psalm 45:1)

The psalmist is excited as he contemplates the subject of his writing. Literally, he says is heart is overflowing with his thoughts about the king, his bride, and the royal wedding.

While the psalmist says it was written for a king and about a wedding, we aren’t told which king. From the description of the king some believe it could have been written for Solomon, but since he only had seven hundred wives we don’t know which wedding. We do learn from verses 10 and 12 that she was a foreign princess so some believe it refers to Solomon’s marriage to an Egyptian princess in 1 Kings 3. The psalm may have been used for more than one royal wedding though.

While the psalm was written for a specific king for a specific wedding, ultimately the psalm is messianic and is fulfilled in the marriage of Jesus and the church. This makes sense for two reasons. First, the author of Hebrews, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, quotes verses 6 and 7 and applies them to Jesus. Second, there are some things that don’t quite make sense unless we apply them to Jesus. The king is described as being both man in verse 2 and God in verse 6. That only describes Jesus. That the psalm applies to Jesus also explains why it would be used in worship. So while this psalm was written for a specific king and a specific wedding, it is will ultimately be fulfilled when Jesus returns.

In the New Testament, the church is compared to a bride. She is the bride of Christ. We read in Ephesians: SLIDE 2

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, SLIDE 3 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. . . . 32 This is a profound mystery – but I am talking about Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:25-32)

SLIDE 4 The good news for the guys is we won’t have to wear a wedding dress. At least I don’t think so.

The first section of the psalm, verses 2-5, describe the groom, the king.

2 You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever. (Psalm 45:2)

The psalmist describes the king as the most excellent. The Hebrew actually reads that the king is the most beautiful or we would say handsome. It’s not referring to outward the king’s looks though but to his character. Often the Bible is referring to one’s character when it talks about someone’s beauty. That’s because God is always more concerned with our character than with our looks. As we read a few weeks ago in 1 Samuel when Samuel was looking for the next king, God said that it is people who are enamored with appearances while he looks at the heart. So when the psalmist says the king is excellent or handsome, this is what he means. It is his character. This especially makes sense when we apply it to Jesus as well. His character was like that of no other. Concerning his physical appearance Isaiah told us that the Messiah would not be particularly attractive. SLIDE 5

He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. (Isaiah 53:2)

Isaiah says there was nothing particularly striking about Jesus’ looks even though pictures painted of him are often very flattering. However, we need to remember that the psalmist isn’t pointing us to Jesus when he first came but to his second coming. The psalmist also says that his words are filled with grace. Listen to how Luke described Jesus: SLIDE 6

All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. (Luke 4:22a)

SLIDE 7 One commentator said about the words of Jesus:

His word instructed the ignorant, resolved the doubtful, comforted the mourners, reclaimed the wicked, silenced his adversaries, healed diseases, controlled the elements, and raised the dead.

It was his grace filled words that drew even the tax collectors and sinners to him. As a result, the psalmist says he enjoys the blessings of God.

3 Gird your sword on your side, you mighty one; clothe yourself with splendor and majesty. (Psalm 45:3)

You can picture the king going into battle with sword by his side. It’s also the picture John gives us of Jesus in Revelation with his sword ready to slay his enemies.

In the spiritual armor in Ephesians 6, what does the sword represent? It represents the Bible, the word of truth. Jesus, according to the first chapter of John’s gospel, is the word of God and he carries the word of God. Jesus speaks the truth of God. The psalmist continues his description of the king saying:

4 In your majesty ride forth victoriously in the cause of truth, humility and justice; let your right hand achieve awesome deeds. (Psalm 45:4)

The king will ride out victoriously. When we talk about the victory of a king we imagine him celebrating after a battle. He’s defeated his enemies and now he celebrates that victory. But the psalmist says the victory of this king is in the proclaiming of the truth. He cause is that of the truth. But he also rides out in humility and justice. These are his concerns. He speaks the truth and he fights for the justice. Aren’t those the things we would want to rally behind?

I think about the war that continues to rage in Ukraine. We see it as a Russian aggression. When Putin ordered the attack he couched it in terms of defending the helpless and rescuing those trapped in Ukraine. For example, he talked about Nazis in Ukraine. He does so to justify his attacks. We don’t see it like that though. From here it just looks like Putin wanted more land and more power. But we know that the motives of Jesus are just. He will ride out for truth, for humility, and for justice.

The psalmist encourages him to achieve awesome deeds with his right hand. When the Bible mentions the right hand it is referring to power because most people are right handed and that is the stronger hand. So, referring to the right hand was a reference to strength and power.

5 Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies; let the nations fall beneath your feet. (Psalm 45:5)

When he draws his bow and shoots his arrows they always find their mark. They are sharp, meaning that he has authority. He defends the people. He executes judgment.

We think of the physical battles of a king, but the psalmist is more interested in the spiritual. And that’s what we see in the New Testament. On Pentecost Sunday, Peter stood and preached to the crowds. We read about their response. SLIDE 8

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37)

When they heard Peter’s penetrating words they were cut to the heart. They were convicted of their sins even as Jesus said they would be. Do you remember how the word of God is described? SLIDE 9

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

Such is the nature and work of God’s word. SLIDE 10

6 Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. 7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy. (Psalm 45:6)

Now we are getting to what cannot be applied to the king getting married but can be applied to Jesus. God had told David that one of his descendants would sit on his throne whose kingdom would be forever. That’s Jesus. These are the verses the author of Hebrews quoted and applied to Jesus. When he describes the majesty of Jesus he quotes verses 6 and 7 of this psalm. It helps us understand that this is a messianic psalm.

If we didn’t know it was messianic it could be a little difficult to understand. It sounds like the psalmist is calling the king a god. And then he says that God anointed him – God anointed God. We understand it because of the New Testament. The anointing would speak of the role of the Holy Spirit. Thus we find of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in these two verses.

We’re told the king loves righteousness and hates wickedness. If there’s anything our children need to hear it’s this. The devil tells them sin is OK. The world encourages them to do whatever they feel like. However, in the long run sin will only bring sadness. Only holiness will bring true joy. Sin’s pleasures are temporary and lead only to guilt and shame. Living for God and pleasing him brings eternal joy.

8 All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from palaces adorned with ivory the music of the strings makes you glad. 9 Daughters of kings are among your honored women; at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir. (Psalm 45:8-9)

Myrrh was one of the gifts brought to Jesus by the three magi and his body was anointed with myrrh before his burial. Cassia is similar to cinnamon though the fragrance is not as strong. The king’s clothes are richly perfumed.

The king is marrying a princess and there are other princesses in attendance. But at his right hand is his bride, adorned in gold. Ophir was a prominent place to obtain gold in the Old Testament. Unfortunately, we don’t know where it was. Or maybe it’s a good thing.

Now the focus changes to that of the bride.

10 Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention: Forget your people and your father’s house. (Psalm 45:10)

Now the psalmist addresses the bride. And what does he tell her? He says to forget her parents and the home in which she was raised. When a princess married a prince or king from another, she was expected to put aside the customs and traditions of her homeland and adopt those of her husband’s. It could be difficult. No less is expected of us as we come to Jesus. Jesus said: SLIDE 11

If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters – yes, even their own life – such a person cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26)

Last week in Romans 13 we read: SLIDE 12

12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. SLIDE 13 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. SLIDE 14 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. (Romans 13:12-14)

SLIDE 15 We’re to get rid of the old way of life and the way we lived before coming to Jesus. Instead, we are to put on righteousness and holiness. The more we love Jesus the more we will want to please him.

11 Let the king be enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord. (Psalm 45:11)

The king will be enthralled by or greatly long for his bride. He is passionate for her. That’s a good thing. We read about the great love Jesus has for his bride in Ephesians. We’re told he loved us so much we died for us.

Therefore, the bride is to honor her husband. She is to obey him. That’s the way the passage ends in Ephesians as well. SLIDE 16

However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. (Ephesians 5:33)

SLIDE 17 Jesus has loved us as no other, what other response can we have?

12 The city of Tyre will come with a gift, people of wealth will seek your favor. (Psalm 45:12)

The result of giving herself completely to her husband is God will cause her to be blessed. It is not because of herself but because of her connection to the king. It’s the same for us. Our blessings don’t come because of who were are or what we’ve done, but because of our connection to Jesus.

G. Campbell Morgan wrote:

It is [because of] the glory of the Lord that we become ready to renounce all our own people and possessions that we may be wholly to His praise, and so the instruments through whom the royal race is propagated and the glory of the King made known, among the generations and the peoples.

The psalm isn’t describing the wedding but if it were it would now come to the procession at the beginning of the service. In our weddings, the attendants walk down the aisle and take their places. Then, saving the best for last, with everyone standing, the bride walks down the aisle and takes her place beside the groom. Their weddings were different. The bride entered before her attendants.

13 All glorious is the princess within her chamber; her gown is interwoven with gold. 14 In embroidered garments she is led to the king; her virgin companions follow her – those brought to be with her. 15 Led in with joy and gladness, they enter the palace of the king. (Psalm 45:13-15)

The psalmist describes the scene as the bride enters the room and walks down the aisle. He describes her gown and the procession. Everyone is filled with joy and gladness. She is brought before the king in her finest clothing.

In the New Testament, we read a description of the bride of Christ as well. In Revelation, John wrote: SLIDE 18

6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. SLIDE 19 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. SLIDE 20 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) (Revelation 19:6-8)

Notice that John tells us what the fine clothes of the bride represent. They represent our actions, our good deeds. We know that we aren’t saved because of our good deeds, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t important. Our sins have been forgiven, but as we read earlier, we are to put those aside that we might now live for Jesus. It is those righteous acts that adorn us.

Lastly, the psalmist turns to the children of this couple.

16 Your sons will take the place of your fathers; you will make them princes throughout the land. (Psalm 45:16

A blessing is pronounced on the new-married couple. The custom was to wish them many children. The king’s legacy will pass to the next generation through his many children. Therefore, the name of the king will be remembered.

17 I will perpetuate your memory through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever. (Psalm 45:17)

It’s funny that the psalmist says the king’s name will be remembered forever even though we don’t know his name today. However, we do know the name of his descendant, his great-great-great-great-grandson. His name is Jesus. Paul said concerning his name: SLIDE 22

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, SLIDE 23 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

I want to close by quickly giving four points of application. I came across these from Chris Lent and thought they made a lot of sense.

SLDIE 24 First, God is the source of all virtue, blessing, and joy in life and marriage.

Multiple times the psalmist writes about joy and gladness but it also reminds us that these come from God. Psalm 45 is clear that true happiness is directly tied to our character and the degree to which it mirrors God’s righteousness and truth. But we must also remember that these are things that only God can produce in us. It is all about God. A God-centered life is the most joyful way to live.

SLIDE 25 Second, look for any and every reason and occasion to exalt the name of Jesus as Lord.

Psalm 45 is a wedding psalm, but at its core it is a worship psalm extolling the glory, righteousness, and victory of Jesus. We need to train ourselves to look for all that Jesus has done for us. And then we need to speak and sing of them to others. Tell others about how Jesus has loved and saved you. Jesus not only died for us but now promises to conform us into his image. We should be ready to praise him quicker than we are to complain. But the only way this will happen is when we take our eyes off ourselves and our circumstances and place them on Jesus even as this psalm does.

SLIDE 26 Third, we must prioritize our devotion to Christ as his bride.

If ultimately this psalm is about Jesus and we are the bride then we must listen to the charge the psalmist gives to the bride. It is our charge. The psalmist said that all other relationships must be subordinate to our relationship to the king. Our relationship to Jesus must come first. Loyalty to Jesus comes first. All other relationships must be viewed through that lens. Isn’t that what happens in a marriage. All other relationships are changed because of the new relationship with the spouse. The marriage is first. And this is what happens when we come to Jesus. Jesus is first. It is the cost of following Jesus. And it is also the only path to true joy. Are there any rivals to our affections to Jesus? Are there other relationship taking the rightful place of Jesus?

SLIDE 27 And fourth, we are called to anticipate the consummation of our marriage to Christ when he returns.

The Bible makes it clear that we are waiting for the return of Jesus when we will be united to him. All spots and stains will be removed. There will be no more suffering, sickness, or death. We will then be clothed, as the bride in Psalm 45, with bright and pure garments that have been washed with by the blood of the Lamb and we will be with him forever. Think on that day. Set your mind on that day. And let it fill you with hope and perseverance. It is coming soon, the best wedding ever.

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