Read Psalm 45
For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil. A wedding song.
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.
2 You are the most excellent of men
and your lips have been anointed with grace,
since God has blessed you forever.
3 Gird your sword on your side, you mighty one;
clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.
4 In your majesty ride forth victoriously
in the cause of truth, humility and justice;
let your right hand achieve awesome deeds.
5 Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies;
let the nations fall beneath your feet.
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.
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.
10 Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention:
Forget your people and your father’s house.
11 Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;
honor him, for he is your lord.
12 The city of Tyre will come with a gift,
people of wealth will seek your favor.
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.
16 Your sons will take the place of your fathers;
you will make them princes throughout the land.
17 I will perpetuate your memory through all generations;
therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.
Go Deeper
There are so many major life milestones worthy of celebration. Psalm 45 drops us right into one of those moments as we read about his upcoming wedding. While this psalm is about a literal wedding, it is loaded with Messianic undertones. C.S. Lewis believed this psalm pointed to Christmas and the birth of Christ. John, when he wrote Revelation, used language from this psalm to describe the future return of Christ.
In Psalm 45, the sons of Korah, a group of Levites responsible for musical worship in the temple, bring us into a wedding celebration. Throughout the psalm, it talks about a glorious wedding that takes place between a king and his love. In verse 15, the beloved and her companions are “Led in with joy and gladness, they enter the palace of the king.” The sons of Korah were stating that the beloved will enter the palace of the king with overflowing joy and happiness, filled with anticipation to finally be in the same presence of her beloved. Earlier in the passage, verses 10-11 give word to the royal bride to “Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention: Forget your people and your father’s house. Let the king be enthralled with your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.” As we read this, it is a reminder for us to leave what may seem comfortable or known, and follow the ways of the Lord and see His goodness!
As we step into today, remember that the Lord is coming. We should be overly excited, friend! Just as we anticipate marrying our significant other (or any other major life event), anticipate the coming of the One who sees us to be so significant. Know that anything that is good to us on Earth, is nowhere close to the goodness we will experience with Jesus! Throughout today, remember who He is, and be excited for His return. Acknowledge where your heart lies in this period of your life and ask the Lord to create an exhilaration and desire for Him to return over everything.
Questions
- Throughout Psalm 45, there are multiple traits that describe the king. Name one of those traits you want to embody most in your own life.
- Reading this through the lens of a Messianic psalm (one that points to the coming of Christ), what sticks out to you?
- Is there anything in your mind that possibly replaces the excitement of our Lord’s return? Why is that?
By the Way
In Revelation 19:7-8, John writes that the Lord’s return will be like a wedding, filled with beautiful garments and happiness that cannot be contained. This is yet another example of Scripture supporting Scripture!
2 thoughts on “Psalm 45”
One noteworthy thing about scripture is how threads are interwoven from beginning to end to showcase God’s amazing redemption plan for mankind. God is love and his heart is to redeem every area of our lives. This Psalm/love song could have been taken straight out of the book of Song of Solomon. The Psalmist perfectly captures the joy and celebration of a royal wedding ceremony; however, it cannot compare to Christ as our bridegroom returning for the church, his bride. In the meantime, we wait with purpose and intentionality like the wise virgins in Matthew 25 who trimmed their lamps awaiting the arrival of the bridegroom, we keep watch for we do not know the day or hour of his return. The words of an old hymn speak to this: “What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see, when I look upon his face, the one who saved me by his grace, when he takes me by the hand and leads me to the Promised Land, what a day, glorious day that will be.” Let Him find us faithful!
I can only imagine the beauty of heaven and the praises being offered to our King, as we are led into His presence with joy and gladness.