Psalm 45

This Song is one of the truly greatest Messianic Psalms in all of God’s great hymnbook.  The opening verse says as much: “My heart is overflowing with a good theme.”  And it also says why: “I recite my composition concerning the King.”  There is no greater subject the Messiah, the exalted Son of God.  That was true for the “sons of Korah” to whom this is attributed; that IS true for believers today for whom Jesus is to be their great obsession (e.g. Heb. 12:1-2).

This Psalm actually contains words directed directly to the Church today, although the human author would not have understood.  In the heading this Psalm is called “a Song of Love.”  Indeed it is, a song about the King and His bride.  We know that bride to be the Church, the body of Christ (Eph. 5:22-33).  Note the simple outline:

·        V2-9: The Exaltation of Christ the King.

·        V10-17: The Exhortation to the King’s Bride.

A careful reading of v6-7 will reveal one of the strongest statements in the Old Testament of the Deity of the Messiah, a truth recognized by the writer of Hebrews (Heb. 1:8-9).  But that is not all.  Careful meditation of everything said about the King reveals the Son of God who will be established forever on the throne of Zion (Psalm 2:6-9).

§  V2: He is fairer than the sons of men.  But unlike King Saul who was physically exceptional, the Messiah excels by the grace that is poured on His lips.  His very words, as the Word of God, speak salvation.  Thus He is blessed FOREVER by God.

§  V3: He is noted for His “glory and majesty”.  We know of Christ in terms of His earthly life where there were only glimpses of His glory, but it was “the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). 

§  V4: He will rule prosperously because of truth, humility and righteousness.  What divine qualities were more characteristic of our Lord Jesus Christ in the days of His earthly ministry? 

To be honest words seem so empty.  As the human author said, “My HEART is overflowing with a good theme.”  Words are difficult to come by that make any improvement on the writer of the Psalm!  I exhort you to make this Psalm the object of meditation today.  Think of this King/Groom as He goes to take His bride.  How fortunate she is, how blessed this queen adorned in gold.  And it is all because of the One to whom she is joined!

The advice to the bride makes perfect sense.  “Forget your own people also, and your father’s house” (v10).  “Because He is your Lord, worship Him” (v11).  

Let us make one additional thought.  There is a principle of interpretation given to us in Eph. 5.  What is said of Christ and His bride is to be true of the Christian husband and wife.  Consider this as part of the application of this Psalm.  “Let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband” (Eph. 5:33).

May our hearts overflow today with the glories of our King, our Lord!