Psalm 45
לַמְנַצֵּ֣חַ עַל שֹׁ֭שַׁנִּים לִבְנֵי קֹ֑רַח מַ֝שְׂכִּ֗יל שִׁ֣יר יְדִידֹֽת
BSB
My Heart Is Stirred by a Noble Theme
(1 Kings 3:1–15; 2 Chronicles 1:1–13; Psalms 72:1–20)
For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Lilies.” A Maskil of the sons of Korah. A love song.
1My heart is stirred by a noble theme
as I recite my verses to the king;
my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.
2You are the most handsome of men;
grace has anointed your lips,
since God has blessed you forever.
3Strap your sword at your side, O mighty warrior;
appear in your majesty and splendor.
4In your splendor ride forth in victory
on behalf of truth and humility and justice;
may your right hand show your awesome deeds.
5Your arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s foes;
the nations fall beneath your feet.
6Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever,
and justice is the scepter of Your kingdom.
7You have loved righteousness
and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
above your companions with the oil of joy.
8All your garments are fragrant
with myrrh and aloes and cassia;
from palaces of ivory the harps make you glad.
9The daughters of kings are among your honored women;
the queen stands at your right hand,
adorned with the gold of Ophir.
10Listen, O daughter! Consider and incline your ear:
Forget your people and your father’s house,
11and the king will desire your beauty;
bow to him, for he is your lord.
12The Daughter of Tyre will come with a gift;
men of wealth will seek your favor.
13All glorious is the princess in her chamber;
her gown is embroidered with gold.
14In colorful garments she is led to the king;
her virgin companions are brought before you.
15They are led in with joy and gladness;
they enter the palace of the king.
16Your sons will succeed your fathers;
you will make them princes throughout the land.
17I will commemorate your name through all generations;
therefore the nations will praise you forever and ever.
Introduction
Psalms 45
This psalm is an illustrious prophecy of Messiah the Prince: it is all over gospel, and points at him only, as a bridegroom espousing the church to himself and as a king ruling in it and ruling for it. It is probable that our Saviour has reference to this psalm when he compares the kingdom of heaven, more than once, to a nuptial solemnity, the solemnity of a royal nuptial, Mat 22:2; Mat 25:1. We have no reason to think it has any reference to Solomon's marriage with Pharaoh's daughter; if I thought that it had reference to any other than the mystical marriage between Christ and his church, I would rather apply it to some of David's marriages, because he was a man of war, such a one as the bridegroom here is described to be, which Solomon was not. But I take it to be purely and only meant of Jesus Christ; of him speaks the prophet this, of him and of no other man; and to him (Psa 45:6, Psa 45:7) it is applied in the New Testament (Heb 1:8), nor can it be understood of any other. The preface speaks the excellency of the song (Psa 45:1). The psalm speaks, I. Of the royal bridegroom, who is Christ. 1. The transcendent excellency of his person (Psa 45:2). 2. The glory of his victories (Psa 45:3-5). 3. The righteousness of his government (Psa 45:6, Psa 45:7). 4. The splendour of his court (Psa 45:8, Psa 45:9). II. Of the royal bride, which is the church. 1. Her consent gained (Psa 45:10, Psa 45:11). 2. The nuptials solemnized (Psa 45:12-15). 3. The issue of this marriage (Psa 45:16, Psa 45:17). In singing this psalm our hearts must be filled with high thoughts of Christ, with an entire submission to and satisfaction in his government, and with an earnest desire of the enlarging and perpetuating of his church in the world.
To the chief musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil. A song of loves.
Cross-references: Matt 22:2 · Matt 25:1 · Ps 45:6 · Ps 45:7 · Heb 1:8 · Ps 45:1 · Ps 45:2 · Ps 45:3 · Ps 45:8 · Ps 45:9 · Ps 45:10 · Ps 45:11 · Ps 45:12 · Ps 45:16 · Ps 45:17