The 45th Psalm was written to celebrate a royal marriage. The occasion was one of great excitement in the nation, which is captured by the conclusion:

therefore shall the people praise thee forever and ever.

Psalm 45:17

While the immediate context was probably one of Solomon’s marriages to a foreign princess, the writer inspired by the Holy Ghost transports us far above and beyond the earthly to the heavenly and to a greater King. In the words of our Saviour, “a greater than Solomon is here”. When writing to the Hebrew Christians the apostle Paul would take up words from this Psalm as he articulated the supremacy of Christ:

But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

Hebrews 1:8-9 & Psalm 45:6-7

Therefore , what the Psalm actually reveals is Christ’s enduring love and marriage to His Church. Therefore this Psalm is Messianic, revealing the person of Saviour and redemptive in that it teaches the close and intimate relationship that we enjoy with Him. Crucially it also demonstrates that our salvation is eternal; we are bound to Christ by covenant, He does not divorce His blood bought people.

CHRIST’S MARRIAGE TO HIS CHURCH

1: THE HEAVENLY BRIDEGROOM; Verses 1-8

As we observe the various aspects of Christ’s character set forth here, we must be filled with a sense of wonder; this is our Saviour, this is our friend, thus is our beloved. Every aspect of person and character are wonderful and glorious.

His Royalty

I speak of the things which I have made touching the king

v.1

His Beauty

Thou art fairer than the children of men

v.2

His Words

grace is poured into thy lips:

v.2

Take time to read the words of Christ, listen out for His voice in your soul – words of grace and beauty.

His Superiority

Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty,
with thy glory and thy majesty.
And in thy majesty ride prosperously
because of truth and meekness and righteousness;
and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.
Thine arrows are sharp
in the heart of the king’s enemies;
whereby the people fall under thee.

v3-5

As an ancient King was measured by his military prowess, so Christ comes to us as the all conquering King. He won the victory of the cross for our redemption and rose victorious over death for our justification.

His Eternity

Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever

V.6

Here His deity is set forth, His position within the Trinity occupying the throne of God.

His Righteousness

the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.

v.6

His Anointing

Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness:
therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee
with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia,
out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.

v.7-8

Christ is quite literally the anointed one. In becoming man He was anointed; the anointing is the fulfilment of the type set forth in the Old Testament when the prophets, priests and kings were anointed with oil. He was anointed with the Holy Spirit, possessing the Spirit without measure. This is an oil of gladness because of the happy work of salvation which He was set apart to perform. Henry Barracough, as he wrote the hymn “Ivory Palaces” wonderfully spiritualised the meaning of the various elements of the oil:

My Lord has garments so wondrous fine,
And myrrh their texture fills;
Its fragrance reached to this heart of mine
With joy my being thrills.

His life had also its sorrows sore,
For aloes had a part;
And when I think of the cross He bore,
My eyes with teardrops start.

His garments too were in cassia dipped,
With healing in a touch;
Each time my feet in some sin have slipped,
He took me from its clutch.

In garments glorious He will come,
To open wide the door;
And I shall enter my heavenly home,
To dwell forevermore.

Henry Barraclough

2. THE BEAUTIFUL BRIDE; Verses 9-13

The presentation of the royal bride in this Psalm js a fitting representation of the glory of the Church. Yet this glory is not ours, it is His. It is because of the royal bridegroom that this woman will be made Queen. Clothing in the good of of Christ’s righteousness we too are brought into union with our beloved.

Her Bridegroom

So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty:

v.11

We are Christians today because our King desired us, not for our beauty but for the beauty that He would create for us.

The bride eyes not her garment,
but her dear bridegroom’s face;
I will not gaze at glory,
but on my King of grace;
not at the crown he gifteth,
but on his piercèd hand:
the Lamb is all the glory
of Emmanuel’s land.

A.R. Cousin

Her Garments

her clothing is of wrought gold.

v.13

This corresponds to our justification, wearing the garments of His righteousness:

Jesus, thy blood and righteousness
my beauty are, my glorious dress

Count Zinzendorf

Her Character

The king’s daughter is all glorious within:

v.13

This reflects the moral beauty that He creates within our hearts; the graces of the Spirit which will be made perfect in glory.

Her Past

Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear;
forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house;

v.10

This is a remarkable evangelical representation of the sinner leaving the past life of sin behind to enter into the Christ life; “I am His and He is mine forever and forever”.

3: THE HAPPY MARRIAGE; Verses 14-17

The Entrance

With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought:
they shall enter into the king’s palace.

v.15

The day we were saved was a happy day, thus was our introduction to Jesus Christ, a never to be forgotten moment!

The Promise

Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children,
whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth.

Psalms 45:16

Sons and daughters are born into the Church as Christ’s cause continues from generation to generation. Christ’s marriage to His Church bears abundant fruit.

The Legacy

I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations:
therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.

Psalms 45:17

Infinite happiness is brought not only to thus world BUT to the courts of heaven as a consequence of this marriage. The world is transformed, heaven is transformed and even the course of eternity is altered because Christ brings poor sinners into His house of wine.