The King and His Bride

Psalm 45:1-17

Weddings - a time of anticipation, celebration, laughter, tears. The finest clothes, endless preparations, who should be invited to attend, who should participate, where and how long for the honeymoon, indoors or outside, particularly when it is two committed Christians who are being married, a time of great joy. But the excitement is soon over, the routine of day to day life intrudes, and it is only on the anniversaries or when involved in someone else's nuptials that the reminders bring back some of those first emotions.

In Psalm 45 the excitement, wonder and joy leap off the page as the author describes the wedding day. Not just any wedding day but the day when royalty was married - the inspired poet setting forth the splendors of the royal bridegroom and his glorious bride and anticipating the royal family.

"Some here see Solomon and Pharaoh's daughter only - they are shortsighted; others see both Solomon and Christ - they are cross-eyed; well-focussed spiritual eyes see here Jesus only, or if Solomon be present at all, it must be like those hazy shadows of passers-by which cross the face of the camera, and therefore are dimly traceable upon a photographic landscape. “The King,” the God whose throne is for ever and ever, is no mere mortal and his everlasting dominion is not bounded by Lebanon and Egypt's river. This is no wedding song of earthly nuptials, but an Epithalamium for the Heavenly Bridegroom and his elect spouse." Spurgeon, Treasury of David

"Epithalamium - A nuptial song or poem, in praise of the bride and bridegroom, and praying for their prosperity.

The forty fifth Psalm is an epithalamium to Christ and the church." Webster, 1828 Dictionary

I. The Inspired Poet

Here perhaps an example of a Biblical author who knew he was writing under the inspiration of the Spirit. His heart was boiling up and over with a song of praise that would not be suppressed; he simply could not keep quiet. The object of his emotion is also significant - it is a song of praise in honor of the Royal Bridegroom.

The Psalmist took all the interest and pleasure in his subject that he could have done, if the Spirit had had nothing to do with it; for when the Spirit works, he works not only by the heart, but in the heart; he seizes upon all its affections, every fibre of it is bent to his will. - George Harpur, in “Christ in the Psalms,” 1862.

II. The Majestic King

The King described in terms that in their fulness can only apply to the King of kings. "most handsome of the sons of men", that is more handsome than any of those around him including the groomsmen. But the beauty of his person is accompanied by other graces as well.
v. 2 gracious in his speech

cf Luk_4:22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, "Is not this Joseph's son?"

Joh_1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Joh_1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

v. 3-4 the conquering hero

cf Rev_2:12 "And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: 'The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.

Rev_2:16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.

Even though the King is described as eloquent and persuasive in his speech, he is at the same time armed with a sword. Though he does not use his sword indiscriminately, he does in fact use it to subdue his enemies. He uses his Word and his gracious presence to allure the bride to himself and wields his sword in her defense.

v. 4 ...the victories of Messiah are those of truth, -his word; of meekness, -the meekness of Christ; and of righteousness,-the glorious rectitude of God, his glorious method of justifying sinners, and the unbending integrity of his people, whose righteousness exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees. William Plumer

The warrior-king takes on "the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness" for the sake of his bride. He defends not only his own honor but that of his bride as well, conquering both his and her enemies in the advancement of his kingdom.

v. 5 the victorious king

...two ways in which the wicked fall before Christ; one is to ask and receive mercy; the other is to sink under the weight of his wrath. If men despise his grace, they shall be crushed by his power. Plumer

The king's ultimate victory is never in question - as he majestically rides forth he will conquer the king's enemies. Nor is his ultimate victory with respect to his bride ever in question - he will win her.

v. 6-7 cf Heb_1:8-9

It is as if the inspired writer was so consumed with and focused on describing this incredible hero that he overlooked one detail - who is this Bridegroom-King?

Not only is the King one who conquers in battle, he rules his kingdom well. Not every military hero is skilled in government nor is an effective governor necessarily an able strategist. In our Bridegroom-King both of these gifts are united in one person. In both roles the King is far from neutral in the conflict between right and wrong nor does he leave it to the imagination of his subjects to figure out where he stands.

(v. 7 love - perfect tense, completed action, have loved; hate - imperfect tense, ongoing action or single action in past, have hated; follows LXX and NT)

III. The Glorious Bride

v. 8-15 a magnificent ceremony

Nothing is too good for the royal bridegroom and his bride - rich perfumes, stunning surroundings, honorable attendants, costly garments. Yet it is the bride herself who has the attention of the bridegroom; but not merely her person that draws attention, it is her consecration to him.

v. 9 The Lord Jesus loves the church. She is near and dear to him, and honorable in his sight. She is at his right hand. Nothing is so precious in his sight. He died for her. Plumer

v. 10-11 Jesus Christ loves entire consecration to his service; he considers it beauty and much desires it. The way to have much communion with the Savior is to care for nothing so much as his love. No bridegroom ever rejoiced over his bride, or loved her as Jesus loves his spouse, in her purity and integrity. Plumer

This passage contains a remarkable prophecy in reference to the future calling of the Gentiles, by which the Son of God formed an alliance with strangers and those who were his enemies. There was between God and the uncircumcised nations a deadly quarrel, a wall of separation which divided them from the seed of Abraham, the chosen people, (Ephesians 2:14;) for the covenant which God had made with Abraham shut out the Gentiles from the kingdom of heaven till the coming of Christ. Christ, therefore, of his free grace, desires to enter into a holy alliance of marriage with the whole world, in the same way as if a Jew in ancient times had taken to himself a wife from a foreign and heathen land. But in order to conduct into Christ’s presence his bride chaste and undefiled, the prophet exhorts the Church gathered from the Gentiles to forget her former manner of living, and to devote herself wholly to her husband. As this change, by which the children of Adam begin to be the children of God, and are transformed into new men, is a thing so difficult, the prophet enforces the necessity of it the more earnestly. In enforcing his exhortation in this way by different terms, hearken, consider, incline thy ear, he intimates, that the faithful do not deny themselves, and lay aside their former habits, without intense and painful effort; for such an exhortation would be superfluous, were men naturally and voluntarily disposed to it. Calvin

v. 12 When the church honors Christ he will honor her, and make the noble and the potent in the world submit themselves to her, and seek communion with her. Dickson Hold thy bridegroom in honor, and thou shalt be in honor among all people, for he is so very powerful. Luther

v. 13-14a The princess looks absolutely magnificent, decked out in pearls and clothed in a brocade trimmed with gold. In embroidered robes she is escorted to the king. NET

It is the garments of royalty that have been given the bride that makes her beauty stunning; similarly it is the garments of righteousness given us by Christ that make us beautiful in his sight. In addition to garments the Royal Bridegroom has given great and marvelous gifts to his Bride:

In the estimation of the world, the ignominy of the cross obscures the glory of the Church; but when we consider how wonderfully it has increased, and how much it has been distinguished by spiritual gifts, we must confess that it is not without cause that her glory is in this passage celebrated in such sublime language. Calvin

IV. The Royal Family

v. 16 Unlike earthly kings - David, Solomon, Rehoboam, Abijam, Asa, Baasha, Omri, Jehoshaphat, Joram, Jehu, Jehoahaz "slept with his fathers" - this king will be honored through his children.

Christ's glories are not from his progenitors, but from his progeny; not from his ancestors, but from his children. Plumer

The line of grace never becomes extinct. The whole earth shall yet be subdued for Christ, and honoured are they, who shall, through grace, have a share in the conquest - these shall reign with Christ at his coming. Spurgeon

While there is in the Psalm discernment that comes with maturity, there is the fire of youth, the passion of first love that will not be quenched, the tongue that refuses to be silenced. That passion should be ours, that fire that first was kindled in us at our conversion needs to be stirred to new life that inspires us to shine the light of God's Word in every corner of the world. It is as we, the Royal Bride of Christ live God's Word and share God's Word in the normal course of life, praising him through word and deed, that the Royal Family gains new children to the glory of the Royal Bridegroom.

In every hour of the day, in every season of life, in every circumstance whether good or not, "may Jesus Christ be praised".

Closing hymn - When Morning Gilds the Skies