This messianic psalm (cf. Heb. 1:8,9) dwells on the noble theme of God’s rule, and pictures those who share the glory as the king’s bride.
Psalm 45 is a royal psalm – a royal wedding song that celebrates human marriage in such a grand manner that the NT writers applied it to the great King Jesus as well (compare vv. 6, 7 with Heb. 1:8, 9). Like many other psalms, this one not only portrays the joy of human marriage, but also describes prophetically the glorious reign of Jesus. This psalm was composed by the sons of Korah.
42:2-5 You are fairer: This poem’s cultural setting is the opulence of an ancient eastern royal court. The profuse description of the royal groom would be appropriate in that culture. O Mighty One: in the ancient Middle East the king was supposed to be a great warrior. The model in Israel was David, the celebrated champion who defeated the giant Goliah. The term Mighty One is also a messianic title. Your glory and Your majesty can be rephrased as “Your majestic glory.” Right hand: The victories of the king’s hand would be awesome, a symbol pointing back to Exodus and forward to the works of the Savior Jesus.
2 You are fairer than the sons of men; Grace is poured upon Your lips; Therefore God has blessed You forever. 3 Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One, With Your glory and Your majesty. 4 And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness; And Your right hand shall teach You awesome things. 5 Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies; The peoples fall under You.
45:6-9 The words Your throne indicate the messianic direction of the psalm. Here the King is addressed as God, yet it is “God, Your God” who anointed Him. Thus these verses describe the interaction of the Father and the Son, for both are called “God.” The writer of Hebrews used these verses to assert Jesus’ deity (Heb. 1:8,9). Anointed You: Anointing set aside a particular person for special service to God. In OT times, those who were anointed for special service foreshadowed the Anointed One, the meaning of Messiah and Christ. As symbols appropriate for divine service, the garments of a priest or king had to be clean and luxurious. The king was surrounded by radiant women; his bride the queen was resplendent in her precious golden garments. This is a portrait of heaven, with God as King and the church as His radiant bride (Rev. 19:1-10). Ophir, possibly located in southern Arabia or on the east coast of Africa, was known in the OT world as a source of fine gold.
6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. 7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions. 8 All Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia, Out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made You glad. 9 Kings’ daughters are among Your honorable women; At Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir.
8 But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.” Hebrew 1:8, 9
45:10-14 O daughter: The beautiful bride forsakes her own family and relationships as she becomes part of the family of her king and husband. Worship Him: The bride is to give homage and worship to the great King. Robes of many colors: In the ancient world, the beauty of the bride’s gowns might be an expression of her family’s wealth, their pride in her, and their love for her.
10 Listen, O daughter, Consider and incline your ear; Forget your own people also, and your father’s house; 11 So the King will greatly desire your beauty; Because He is your Lord, worship Him. 12 And the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift; The rich among the people will seek your favor. 13 The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace; Her clothing is woven with gold. 14 She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colors; The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to You.
⇒ At His wedding, we will all cry. Our hearts will burst with joy. We will forget the dark place we had to live through. People say that heaven must be a boring place. I don’t think so. The beauty of nature we see now would be a mere shadow of the glorious beauty that is to come.
A Song for the King’s Marriage
45 1 To the Chief Musician. Set to ‘The Lilies.’ A Contemplation of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love. My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. 2 You are fairer than the sons of men; Grace is poured upon Your lips; Therefore God has blessed You forever. 3 Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One, With Your glory and Your majesty. 4 And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness; And Your right hand shall teach You awesome things. 5 Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies; The peoples fall under You.
6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. 7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions. 8 All Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia, Out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made You glad. 9 Kings’ daughters are among Your honorable women; At Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir.
10 Listen, O daughter, Consider and incline your ear; Forget your own people also, and your father’s house; 11 So the King will greatly desire your beauty; Because He is your Lord, worship Him. 12 And the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift; The rich among the people will seek your favor. 13 The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace; Her clothing is woven with gold. 14 She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colors; The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to You. 15 With gladness and rejoicing they shall be brought; They shall enter the King’s palace. 16 Instead of Your fathers shall be Your sons, Whom You shall make princes in all the earth. 17 I will make Your name to be remembered in all generations; Therefore the people shall praise You forever and ever.
