Psalm 45 Commentary
It’s not strange to have superlatives used for mortals. “O king, live forever,” is a common superlative frequently used for human kings in the Old Testament.
Yes, it’s flattery at best, as no mortal is expected to live forever! But look at it again and see how superlatives reflect a deep-seated human quality.
It is an easily observable fact of life that men and women have always looked for the Creator God. And when they fail to find Him, they create all sorts of replacements.
By design, human beings are worshippers. They must always worship. Human leaders are a good starting point.
A man either creates an object or installs himself as an object of worship. The psalmist doesn’t have this kind of trouble. There is a king on Israel’s throne who happens to be an appropriate object of worship. So the wedding song has been crafted into an image, a larger-than-life version, which the psalmist superimposes on Israel’s king.
But wait a minute. The Book of Hebrews draws on the strength of this psalm and explains our puzzle. Everything is in place. This psalm celebrates the reign of Israel’s real King. His reign is everlasting!
The psalmist knows what he is talking about. At some point, he directly references God. Then he merges the rule of mortals with the rule of the immortal God. “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever”. You can easily tell that the psalmist has used a human palace and the grand wedding at the palace as a mirror.
Excellence speaks of perfection. It is an attribute exclusively reserved for the immortal King Jesus. Mighty, truth, humility, and justice are foundational elements of His kingdom.
Then we have the bride elegantly dressed for the occasion – in gold of Ophir. The New Testament saint knows the value of holiness. The bride’s holiness becomes an impressively expensive vestment – the beauty of virginity. The King is enthralled.
The imagery is truly powerful! Led in with joy and gladness, they enter the King’s palace. There is joy in the kingdom of God. It is a special gift to the Body of Christ, the fruit of the Spirit.
As an illustration of the relationship between Christ and the saint, this psalm is simply beautiful. Joy and gladness accompany the grand celebrations.
On the other side is a joyless existence in continuous gloom and sadness. It means someone worships and praises something and someone else, other than the real King.
This psalm invites us to reflect on worship and the special relationship that the saint enjoys with the King. At the same time, it stands as a warning to the King’s enemies. His sharp arrows stand ready to pierce the hearts of the King’s enemies.
“Let the King be enthralled by your beauty,” or more directly, “Because He is your Lord, worship Him.” Verse 11. The bride knows what to do.
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