Psalm 45
We impoverish our understanding of the Old Testament (or any part of the Bible) when we hurry the application. Too often, we want to apply scripture now before seeing a passage as it was originally intended.
With the Psalms we would often do better to deal with three past settings before coming to the question of its current application. First, we might ask, “What was the original setting?” Next, we might ask, “What was the canonical setting? Why was it included in the canon if the original setting no longer existed?” This second question often blends in with a third question, “What was the use of this psalm in the New Testament?”
Here we have what must have originally been a wedding song. We will do well to look at it first in this light. Then we will look at the canonical use of the psalm, particularly from the New Testament point of view. Lastly, we will consider how it might be of use in our lives.
Wedding
As a royal wedding song this psalm calls husband and wife to be devoted to their respective roles. The king (husband) is called to great deeds in the cause of right (3-9). He is to fight for the cause of truth, meekness, and righteousness (3-4). He is promised success in these efforts (5-9).
“Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, in your splendour and majesty! 4 In your majesty ride out victoriously for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness; let your right hand teach you awesome deeds! 5 Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; the peoples fall under you. 6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The sceptre of your kingdom is a sceptre of uprightness; 7 you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions; 8 your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia. From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad; 9 daughters of kings are among your ladies of honour; at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir. (3-9)
The kingly groom is viewed as God’s representative on earth, and so no problem was felt with calling his throne the throne of God (6, “Divine throne” JPS), so long as he upholds the things of God (6b-7a).
The bride is called to be devoted to the King, now her husband.
“Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear: forget your people and your father’s house, 11 and the king will desire your beauty. Since he is your lord, bow to him.” (10-11)
She will not literally forget her past, of course, but she is to be fully devoted to her husband and in that sense “forget” her own people and family (10). In submitting to him she will find greater honour and happiness than she could find in any other state (11b-15).
Both husband and wife (king and queen) are affecting the future by thus devoting themselves to their task (16-17). They are not to be focused on the past, “their fathers,” but on the future – their children. They will be remembered not for their own personal accomplishments but because of their devotion to the respective roles to which they have been called.
Messianic
As a messianic psalm this psalm describes the faithfulness of Christ to his task. Canonically, and in its New Testament usage, this psalm was seen as messianic. The psalmist may have originally intended verse 6 as hyperbole, but (under God’s guidance) what he said would be literally true of one who was coming (Heb 1:8). The Jews who included it in the canon may not have seen this but surely we can see it.
What the earthly kings of Israel were to do to the best of their ability, Jesus would do completely (4). He would not only serve the cause of truth but be the truth (John 14: 6). He would not only defend the cause of meekness and righteousness, but would finally make that cause victorious. Christ would leave a posterity much greater than any earthly king could ever leave (17).
Application
In both its original setting, and its messianic understanding, the psalm speaks to us today.
As individuals, although we are not kings and queens, our homes are to be patterned in general terms as this marriage is ideally described. Husbands are to be dedicated to the cause of truth, meekness, and righteousness within their realm of authority. Wives are to be dedicated to their husbands. They should not be seeking their own ways or clinging to their own people but aiding and supporting the husband in accomplishing the role God has assigned him. The success of our homes is not to be measured in terms of our career accomplishments, but in terms of our leaving a posterity of godliness behind us.
The psalm has further application to the church.
As a church, we are to be the bride of the one to whom this psalm ultimately pointed (Eph 5:23-24). We are to forget our past associations in our dedication to him (10). We are to bow to him as our Lord (11). We are to seek to support him in his cause and to leave a spiritual posterity that will continue to be a blessing (16-17).