1 <To the chief music-maker; put to Shoshannim. Of the sons of Korah. Maschil. A Song of loves.> My heart is flowing over with good things; my words are of that which I have made for a king; my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
2 You are fairer than the children of men; grace is flowing through your lips; for this cause the blessing of God is with you for ever.
3 Put on your sword, make it ready at your side, O strong chief, with your glory and power.
4 And go nobly on in your power, because you are good and true and without pride; and your right hand will be teaching you things of fear.
5 Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's haters; because of them the peoples are falling under you.
6 Your seat of power, O God, is for ever and ever; the rod of your kingdom is a rod of honour.
7 You have been a lover of righteousness and a hater of evil: and so God, your God, has put the oil of joy on your head, lifting you high over all other kings.
8 Your robes are full of the smell of all sorts of perfumes and spices; music from the king's ivory houses has made you glad.
9 Kings' daughters are among your noble women: on your right is the queen in gold of Ophir.
10 O daughter, give thought and attention, and let your ear be open; no longer keep in mind your people, and your father's house;
11 So will the king have a great desire for you, seeing how beautiful you are; because he is your lord, give him honour.
12 And the daughters of Tyre will be there with an offering; those who have wealth among the people will be looking for your approval.
13 In the great house the king's daughter is all shining: her clothing is worked with gold.
14 She will come before the king in robes of needlework; the virgins in her train will come before you.
15 With joy and rapture will they come; they will go into the king's house.
16 Your children will take the place of your fathers; so that you may make them rulers over all the earth.
17 I will keep the memory of your name living through all generations; and because of this the people will give you praise for ever.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 45
Commentary on Psalms 45 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 45
This psalm is an illustrious prophecy of Messiah the Prince: it is all over gospel, and points at him only, as a bridegroom espousing the church to himself and as a king ruling in it and ruling for it. It is probable that our Saviour has reference to this psalm when he compares the kingdom of heaven, more than once, to a nuptial solemnity, the solemnity of a royal nuptial, Mt. 22:2; 25:1. We have no reason to think it has any reference to Solomon's marriage with Pharaoh's daughter; if I thought that it had reference to any other than the mystical marriage between Christ and his church, I would rather apply it to some of David's marriages, because he was a man of war, such a one as the bridegroom here is described to be, which Solomon was not. But I take it to be purely and only meant of Jesus Christ; of him speaks the prophet this, of him and of no other man; and to him (v. 6, 7) it is applied in the New Testament (Heb. 1:8), nor can it be understood of any other. The preface speaks the excellency of the song (v. 1). The psalm speaks,
In singing this psalm our hearts must be filled with high thoughts of Christ, with an entire submission to and satisfaction in his government, and with an earnest desire of the enlarging and perpetuating of his church in the world.
To the chief musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil. A song of loves.
Psa 45:1-5
Some make Shoshannim, in the title, to signify an instrument of six strings; others take it in its primitive signification for lilies or roses, which probably were strewed, with other flowers, at nuptial solemnities; and then it is easily applicable to Christ who calls himself the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valleys, Cant. 2:1. It is a song of loves, concerning the holy love that is between Christ and his church. It is a song of the well-beloved, the virgins, the companions of the bride (v. 14), prepared to be sung by them. The virgin-company that attend the Lamb on Mount Zion are said to sing a new song, Rev. 14:3, 4.
Psa 45:6-9
We have here the royal bridegroom filling his throne with judgment and keeping his court with splendour.
Psa 45:10-17
This latter part of the psalm is addressed to the royal bride, standing on the right hand of the royal bridegroom. God, who said to the Son, Thy throne is for ever and ever, says this to the church, which, upon the account of her espousals to the Son, he here calls his daughter.