Psalms
Chapter 45
Royal Hymn
My heart is moved by an exalted theme as I deliver my ode to the king,my tongue as nimble as a writer’s pen.
You are the finest among all others;your lips are anointed with graciousness,for God has blessed you forever.
Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty one,array yourself with splendor and majesty.
Glorious and triumphant, ride on,for the sake of truth, for a just cause.You will see marvelous deeds of your right hand.
Your arrows are sharp, O king,they pierce the hearts of your enemies; nations fall beneath your feet.
Your throne, O God, will last forever; a scepter of justice is your scepter.
You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore, God, your God has anointed you with the oil of gladness, above your fellow kings.
Your robes are fragrant with myrrh, aloes, and cassia. The music of strings gladdens your palace, adorned and glowing with ivory.
Among your ladies of honor are daughters of kings; at your right hand, in gold of Ophir, stands the queen.
Listen, O daughter, pay attention; forget your father’s house and your nation,
and your beauty will charm the king, for he is your lord.
The people of Tyre will bow before him. The wealthiest nations will seek your favor.
All glorious, as she enters, is the princess, in her gold-woven robes.
She is led, in royal attire, to the king; following behind is her train of virgins.
Amid cheers and general rejoicing, they enter the palace of the king.
Forget your fathers and think of your sons; you will make them princes throughout the land.
I will make your name famous through all generations; may all nations praise you forever!
Commentaries
45
Christians feel compelled to recite this psalm in praise of the Messiah-King. The Jewish tradition before him did the same, but Christians must make an additional adjustment. The ‘bride’ is no longer the old Israel but the new ‘Israel of God,’ the new Jerusalem prepared as a bride, adorned for her husband (Rev 21:2). More specifically, the liturgy identifies this bride with those who have dedicated their virginity to God. Yet, the original meaning of the psalm is also beautiful. Love and marriage are seen as noble, God-blessed things when wife and husband help each other to work ‘for the cause of truth, goodness, and right.’
This psalm might have been written for the marriage of an Israelite king to a foreign princess. It could also be a poetic call for God’s chosen people to enter into a covenant with Him, their spouse fully. God made his presence known through his King–Messiah, whom he anointed (v. 9). Israel is a participant in this divine marriage, along with all nations that accept God’s revelation and salvation.
This idea can also apply to the Church and to each of us. Baptism is a complete gift to Christ. While our words and gestures express this gift, we already belong to Him, and there is no such thing as too long of a life to make that a reality.
‘Forget your fathers and think of your sons’ (v. 17). Here, we see Jesus’ promises to those who leave everything to serve him.