Psalm 45

A marriage song about the Messiah
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Text
Explanation
A princess marries a king. This psalm is at least partly Messianic.
Introduction 1
Words to the groom 2
Words to the bride 9 or 10
Conclusion 16
.1 ¶ <<To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil, A Song of loves.>> My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.    Upon Shoshannim Or "according to the lilies." (RSV). It is interesting that in the central climax in the chiastic structure of the Song of Songs, instead of entering the bedroom of the one to whom he was engaged to marry, the lover went to feed and gather lilies. so0601. "Shoshannim" is a transliteration of the Hebrew word.
  Inditing The Hebrew word occurs only here in the Bible. In later secular literature it means actively stirred up. "My heart is overflowing with a good theme" NKJV. The heart that is stirred communicates with conviction.
  Pen Or "stylus" See the word in jb1924, je1708.
.2 Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.   Fairer A vision of Jesus he0103, mt1702.
  Children of men Christ in human form was spiritually and physically the lamb without blemish lu2314, he0415, ex1205.
  Grace ... lips One who spoke the words of life lu0422, so0516.
.3 Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.
.4 And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.
.5 Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under thee.
  Sword ... ride prosperously Calls to mind Christ on the white horse re1911. Also is6301.
  Meekness The kingdom is not based on pride and oppression ps03711, mt0505.
  Arrows See he0412, ps03802. Christ brought conviction to hearts jn0746.
  Fall They would fall under Him or on Him. The latter to have pride removed for the reception of the saving power mt2144.
 6 ¶ Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.    Throne ... for ever Praise God! See lu0132, ps08929, da0244, 1ti0316.
  Right sceptre Literally, "a sceptre of uprightness." ge4910, da0727.
.7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.   God, thy God, hath May also read "O God, thy God hath" This would say that the Father anointed His Son which happened through the Holy Spirit when Jesus came up out of the water ac1038, lu0322. This is in harmony with ps11001 where we see the Father promises His Son power until all enemies were under the Son's feet.
  Anointed Hebrew mashach which is from the same root word as "Messiah." In Greek, "Christ" means "the anointed one." See on ex2907.
  Oil of gladness He was be satisfied with the terrible weight of our guilt borne on the cross is5311. It was "above [His] fellows" in the sense that no human will ever bear that sacrifice, he1202.
The picture of the Messiah as it continues below is drawn from the story of Esther
.8 All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.
.9 Kings' daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.
   All thy garments With the throne and the sceptre of v6, we began to merge into symbolism drawn from the story of Esther except that she represents the deliverer, the Messiah. She was found exceedingly fragrant so0413 and was made queen. Alternatively consider zc0304 and lu1506.
  Daughters An allusion to the story of Esther. Many virgins were brought before the king. es0202.
  Queen Esther found favor and was taken es0215.
 10 ¶ Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house;
 11 So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.
.12 And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall intreat thy favour.
  Forget ... own people The advice of Mordecai before Esther was chosen. She was his adopted daughter es0215 and was not to reveal her ethnic origin es0210.
  Thy Lord ... worship Maordecai's advice to go before her husband the king at the risk of death. She would not have worshipped him as a deity but probably bowed in courtesy es0414. She goes before him and invites him to a banquet preparing for the time to express her request that her people be spared death es0501.

  Daughter of Tyre ... gift This doesn't sound like the story of Esther but it fits well. Isaiah describes Tyre as reviving after seventy years and then returning to prostitution with the kingdoms. She does not keep her money however. It becomes "holiness to the Lord" and is used to provide for those who dwell before Him. See is2317
  Haman had paid a large sum of money for the royal favor to kill all the Jews es0407. Later he was hung and his property given to Esther who put Mordecai in charge.
 13 The king's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold.
 14 She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee.
  Glorious within When she learned about the planned genocide, she called for a fast es0416.
  Brought to the king Esther then sought relief for the Jews and it was granted es0803. Her "companions" had fasted with her.
 15 With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king's palace.   Gladness Finally the Jews had "joy and gladness." es0817. Those who accept Christ, like the ten virgins, will enter into the marriage.
.16 Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth.
 17 I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.
  Children ... princes The success of the kingdom of heaven would be with the future. The promises to Abraham are for all who accept Christ ga0326. This would point away from the idea of trying to build a temple in Jerusalem following the system that had pointed forward to the Messiah.
  Name remembered See on ps0511, ps0717.
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