To the chief musician on Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, a maskil, a song of love
45:Title Shoshannim probably indicated the tune to be used with this psalm. It means “lilies”. Maskil was probably a literary or musical term. \fp Here is a glorious psalm concerning the Lord Jesus as King and heavenly Bridegroom to His church. That it refers to no earthly monarch is clear from verses like 2,6,7,11. Verses 6,7 are quoted in the New Testament as referring to Christ (Heb 1:8-9). The divisions of the psalm are clear. After announcing his theme in v 1, the author speaks to the King in vs 2-9; the church is pictured as the bride of Christ in vs 10-15; then there are closing remarks addressed once more to the King in vs 16,17.⚜
45
📚My heart overflows 📖with a good theme.
I speak of the things which I have
produced about the king.
My tongue is the pen
of a ready writer.
45:1 Thoughts of the beauty, the splendor, the grace, the power, the holy character of the heavenly King fill the writer’s heart to overflowing. A “good matter” indeed has completely captured his attention. No other matter that will ever engage our thoughts can be better.⚜
2 📚You are fairer than the sons
of men.
Grace is poured into your lips;
therefore God has blessed
you forever.
45:2 The beauty of the Lord Jesus on earth was not physical (Isa 53:2-3) but spiritual – grace was poured on His lips (Luke 4:22), and He loved righteousness and hated wickedness (v 7). So God the Father gave Him eternal blessings.⚜
3 📚Gird your sword upon
your thigh,
O most Mighty One,
with your glory and your majesty.
4 📚And in your majesty ride victoriously
in the cause of truth and meekness
and righteousness;
and your right hand will teach
you awesome things.
5 📚Your arrows are sharp
in the heart of the king’s enemies.
The peoples fall under you.
45:3-5 Jesus is not only the meek and suffering Saviour so movingly depicted in Ps 22; He is the mighty King of kings Who will fight the battle for truth, humility, and righteousness, and will win. His is the sword of God’s Spirit (Eph 6:17; Heb 4:12; Rev 1:16). He is clothed in splendor and majesty (Rev 1:12-16). Does it seem sometimes that justice and truth and meekness will never prevail on earth? Do not doubt. Christ will ride on until victory is His. The final fulfillment of this is seen in Rev 19:11-16. Opposing Him is the utmost folly (Ps 2:12; 7:11-13). Sharp indeed are His arrows (Ps 120:4; 92:9).⚜
6 📚Your throne,
O God, is forever
and ever.
The sceptre of your kingdom is a
sceptre of righteousness.
45:6 Here Jesus is called God (Heb 1:8). The next verse speaks of the King’s God. That is the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. Two members of the Trinity are in view here (notes on the Trinity at Matt 3:16-17). Some people who deny that Jesus is truly God have twisted the most natural meaning of the Hebrew here (and the Greek in Heb 1:8). They have tried to translate it like this – “God is your throne forever”. But even such an absurd translation does not eliminate the truth of the deity of Christ in this verse. Actually it makes Jesus greater than the Father, for greater is the one who occupies a throne than the throne itself.
The character of Christ’s kingdom is revealed here: absolute justice, integrity, honesty, uprightness. This is the reason this fallen world hates Him (compare John 3:19-20; 7:7). It is also the reason why His kingdom will be a reign of indescribable blessedness to all those who, like Him, love righteousness and hate wickedness.⚜
7 📚You love righteousness
and hate wickedness.
Therefore God, your God,
has anointed you with the oil
of gladness more than
your companions.
45:7 Did Jesus, “the man of sorrows”, have joy? Yes, a deep and abiding joy in spite of His sorrows (John 15:11; 17:13). Now His sorrows are ended and His joy is made full forever. Only those who love righteousness will enter into His eternal joy. God has put a link between joy and righteousness which no one can break.⚜
8 📚All your garments smell
of myrrh,
and aloes, and cassia,
out of the ivory palaces,
by which they have made
you glad.
9 📚Kings’ daughters are among
your honourable women.
At your right hand stands the queen
in gold of Ophir.
45:8-9 Here Christ appears as the heavenly Bridegroom. The details of the language signify a festive occasion. Is it anything other than the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:7-9)? In v 9 the queen appears dressed in gold. And what does this signify but the church of our Lord Jesus, composed of all His true believers (2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:25-27)?⚜
10 📚Listen, O daughter, and consider,
and incline your ear.
Also forget your own people,
and your father’s house;
11 📚And the king will greatly desire
your beauty.
Because he is your Lord,
worship him.
45:10-11 Now the writer of this psalm through the Holy Spirit gives instructions to the bride, that is, to believers. To have a satisfactory relationship with heaven’s King certain things are very necessary. The first is turning away from the past life to cleave to the King alone (Gen 12:1; Matt 10:37-38; Luke 14:25-26, 33; Heb 11:8-10, 15, 16). No earthly king would be satisfied with a bride whose heart was somewhere else. The heavenly King too demands our heart, our love (compare Prov 23:26). The King finds great beauty in the person who leaves all for Him (v 11; Song 4:7; Luke 14:33). The believer is also to recognize King Jesus as Lord and worship Him (John 13:13; Rom 10:9; Matt 2:2; Luke 24:52; John 9:38; Heb 1:6; Rev 5:8, 13, 14).⚜
12 📚And the daughter of Tyre will be there
with a gift.
The rich among the people will seek
your favour.
45:12 Here the city of Tyre probably represents all the Gentile nations around Israel. When the Church is at last united with Christ in glory the nations of earth will bring their gifts (Rev 21:24-26). And the church will reign with Christ (Matt 19:28; 2 Tim 2:12; Rev 3:21; 5:10; 20:4).⚜
13 📚The king’s daughter is all glorious
within 📖 the palace.
Her clothing is woven
with gold.
14 📚She will be brought to the king
in embroidered garments.
Her virgin companions who follow her
will be brought to you.
15 📚They will be brought in with gladness
and rejoicing.
They will enter the king’s palace.
45:13-15 The garments of the bride of any earthly king will be chosen with great care. Is it less so for the bride of the heavenly King? See Isa 61:3; Ezek 16:9-14; Eph 5:25-27. The virgins who are the bride’s companions are kings’ daughters (v 9). They may signify the nations which will share in the joy of the King and His bride (Rev 21:24-27; 22:2). But it is not wise to be dogmatic about this.⚜
16 📚Instead of your fathers there
will be your sons,
whom you will make princes
in all the earth.
17 📚I will cause your name
to be remembered
in all generations;
therefore the people will praise you
forever and ever.
45:16-17 These words are addressed, it seems, to the King. His “fathers” would be those saints in the Old Testament. Christ was the Son of David, the Son of Abraham. He had real human nature, was made flesh. We see both His deity and humanity in this psalm. His “sons” would be those since His first coming who trust Him and are born again by His Spirit (John 1:12-13). There will never be a time when God does not have His children on earth. Some people in each generation will know the King and declare His praises throughout the earth.⚜