Psalms 45 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Psalm 45

Your Throne, O God, Is Forever

To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Maskil¹ of the Sons of Korah; a love song.

45:1   My heart overflows with a pleasing theme;
    I address my verses to the king;
    my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.
2   You are the most handsome of the sons of men;
    grace is poured upon your lips;
    therefore God has blessed you forever.
3   Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,
    in your splendor and majesty!
4   In your majesty ride out victoriously
    for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness;
    let your right hand teach you awesome deeds!
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.
    The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;
7     you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.
  Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
    with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
8     your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
  From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;
9     daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;
    at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.
10   Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:
    forget your people and your father’s house,
11     and the king will desire your beauty.
  Since he is your lord, bow to him.
12     The people² of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts,
    the richest of the people.³
13   All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold.
14     In many-colored robes she is led to the king,
    with her virgin companions following behind her.
15   With joy and gladness they are led along
    as they enter the palace of the king.
16   In place of your fathers shall be your sons;
    you will make them princes in all the earth.
17   I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations;
    therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.

Footnotes

[1] 45:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
[2] 45:12 Hebrew daughter
[3] 45:12 Or The daughter of Tyre is here with gifts, the richest of people seek your favor

Commentary

A prophetic psalm, speaking of the excellence of Christ the king.

In the first instance, we may see words written to a bride about to marry the great king, perhaps Solomon. Certainly the language fits with the Song of Solomon.

v1: Introduction; the writer is privileged and delighted, for he has been commanded by God to write these words. The inspiration of the words is from God.

v2-9: Verses describing the Lord Jesus Christ, excellent, outstanding; like Saul, head and shoulders above the rest (1 Sam 10.23); fairer than the sons of men (Song 5.10-16). He is precious to His friends, although others see no beauty in Him (Is 53.2-3).

v2: The most excellent of men, in character rather than in physical appearance. Grace from His lips (Luke 4.22), revealing His inner character (Luke 6.45). He is eternally exalted by God.

v3: See Rev 19.15; glory and majesty; mighty and victorious in battle, defeating His enemies.

v4: Trust, humility, and righteousness; all perfectly demonstrated in Jesus Christ. His battle is perfectly just, and His victory absolutely certain.

v5: Those who oppose Him will be decisively defeated and destroyed, Ps 2.9.

v6: Christ addressed as God, having all authority, ruling in perfect righteousness. Heb 1.8 tells us that this verse is about the Son.

v7: Character without fault; having a perfect response to all things, whether actions or attitudes; no over-reaction, nor ignorance. God "loves righteousness." He is not forced into His decisions; righteousness is His delight, and therefore He always acts consistently.

The perfect Son of Man is anointed as Christ (Messiah), king forever. He is also priest forever. This double anointing fell only on Jesus Christ. Similarly, the Lord Jesus always acted in righteousness.

v8-9: The splendour of the king's court reflects the greater glory of the king Himself.

v10-11: The daughter, the bride to be, picturing the church of Christ.

The instructions are to consider the king and His glory; incline your ear to the word of God. Put away the past, even your own people, leaving your father's house behind, in favour of a new love (also Gen 12.1). In a similar way, Ruth left her home and her people. In a Middle Eastern context, a woman would leave her home, to enter the harem of a great king. The church is the gathered people of God, called out of the world, to be joined to Christ.

There is mutual love and honour (1 Cor 10.22), seen in Song 4; 7; the Lord's descriptions of His church; He will greatly desire her beauty.

v12: Worldly enticements to be refused, for she has been promised to the king.

v13-14: Reflected glory; the church to demonstrate the very character of Christ; 1 Pet 3.3-4. The princess, or king's daughter, is "all glorious" within; this is her character. (The NIV adds "her chamber.") John Bunyan (Come and welcome to Jesus Christ) comments that the ‘raiment of needle-work’ refers to the righteousness of Christ in which the believer is clothed.

v15: Joy in His presence.

v16-17: Testimony in all the earth, in all generations. The sons are princes, having dignity and authority.