* See a wood engraving by unknown author to the right depicting Solomon leading his Egyptian wife to her newly constructed palace. Trumpets are sounding. The couple is lead by young madens carrying incense. Young madens are tending to her long gown. People are seen on roof tops in the far right as wells as the tops of soldier spears. The engraving appeared in Bibles.
>1. How does the psalm begin? Why might the author introduce himself and his motives for writing this psalm? Why does he say "recite" instead of "wright"?
* Psalm 45:1 "My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer."
* Solomon's Egyptian wife is in 2 Chronicles 8:11-18 and 1 Kings 9:24-28.
* The Song of Solomon concerns the courtship of Solomon and his Egyptian wife to be.
* "My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king" -The modern artist calls this their muse. However, muse means to become absorbed in one's thought. This artist says their heart is stirred, implying inspiration created by another, in this case the Lord God.
* "my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer" -Implying they speak the verses as they come, before it is written down.
* Psalm 45 is a wedding song penned for the matrimony ceremony between King Solomon and Pharaoh's daughter. The author, so filled with the Spirit's joy was almost giddy in forming the words (1). The psalm is a synonym for the wedding between Jesus and the church.
The King embodies great splendor, majesty, and glory as a mighty and strong warrior (1-5). He rides a strong horse from battle (4). His weapon of choice is his lips "anointed with grace". He is the embodiment of truth, humility, and righteousness (4). All nations fall at his feet as defeated warriors or worshiping followers (5).
The King's reign is eternal (6). God has set him above his companions by anointing him with the oil of joy (7).
The King's continuance exhales myrrh and aloes and cassia (8). Myrrh was used as an anointing oil for kings and embalming bodies. It was placed in clothes to deodorize them. Cassia is a bark related to cinnamon. Aloes are used as part of spiritual and physical cleansing practices.
The glory of the king's wedding is honored by foreign kings' daughters in their pleasant beauty of youthful joy and pleasing smiles. The king's bride is on his right is the finest gold; reflecting his glory. Such is the bride, the envy of all women.
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 45:1-9.
>2. What makes the king noble? (2) What does it mean that the lips are anointed with grace? Who anoints the lips according to verse 2?
* Psalm 45:2 "You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever."
* "You are the most excellent of men"
* "your lips have been anointed with grace"
* "since God has blessed you forever."
>What is the king instructed to do? (3-5) Why is he told to do this? What kind of arrows might be implied in verse 5?
* Psalm 45:3-5 "Gird your sword upon your side, O mighty one; clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.
4 In your majesty ride forth victoriously in behalf of truth, humility and righteousness; let your right hand display awesome deeds.
5 Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king's enemies; let the nations fall beneath your feet."
* "Gird your sword upon your side, O mighty one; clothe yourself with splendor and majesty."
* "In your majesty ride forth victoriously in behalf of truth, humility and righteousness"
* "let your right hand display awesome deeds."
* "Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king's enemies"
>3. Who does the subject of the psalm switch to? (6-7) What does this imply about the king in former verses? What can we learn about God from these verses? What does "therefore God, your God" imply about God, the king? (Hebrews 1:9)
* Psalm 45:6-7 "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy."
* "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever"
* "a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom."
* "You love righteousness and hate wickedness"
* Hebrews 1:8-9 "But about the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy."
>4. What can be learned about Jesus, the King of kings, his people, and his kingdom in verses 8-9? (Luke 12:35-38)
* Psalm 45:8-9 "All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from palaces adorned with ivory the music of the strings makes you glad.
9 Daughters of kings are among your honored women; at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir."
* "All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia"
* "from palaces adorned with ivory the music of the strings makes you glad."
* "Daughters of kings are among your honored women"
* "at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir."
* Luke 12:35-38 "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night."
II. The Bride (45:10-17)
* The image titled, "Marriage Ceremony" is in a book by the Catholic Church which is titled "Sacerdotale ad consuetudinem sacro sancte Romane Ecclesie : aliarumque ecclesiarum ex apostolice bibliothece ac sanctorum patrum iurium sanctionibus & ecclesiasticorum doctorum scriptis, ad optatum commodum quorumcumque sacerdotum, collectum, atque summorum pontificum authoritate multoties approbatum, omni nuper diligentia emendatum & auctum ... Quibus etiam multa alia sacerdotibus valde vtilia ac necessaria sunt addita que in aliis hactenus impressis minime reperiunturMarriage Ceremony "
A priest weds the bride and the groom.
Courtesy of the Digital Image Archive, Pitts Theology Library, Candler School of Theology, Emory University: http://www.pitts.emory.edu. It is now in public domain.
>5. Who does the psalm switch to? (10-12) Why is she called a daughter? What is she instructed to do? Why? What will be her status?
* Psalm 45:10-12 "Listen, O daughter, consider and give ear: Forget your people and your father's house.
11 The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.
12 The Daughter of Tyre will come with a gift, men of wealth will seek your favor."
* ""Listen, O daughter, consider and give ear"
* "Forget your people and your father's house."
* "The king is enthralled by your beauty"
* "honor him, for he is your lord."
* "The Daughter of Tyre will come with a gift, men of wealth will seek your favor."
* The psalm shifts to the glorious princess on her wedding day. The bride is to forget her people and her father's house (10). This does not mean that she has the ability to remove memories. Rather, she is to cease to care for nor have loyalty to her father. She is to become loyal to her lord's house and kingdom (11).
The king is enthralled with his bride (11). "Desire" can replace "enthralled" here. The queen is to honor her husband and lord. "Worship" can replace "honor" here. This is analogous to Ephesians 5:33, "each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband."
Verses 13-15 chronicle the royal grand persecution of the bride-to-be. The princess is stately in her own glory. She is adorned in a gown of interwoven gold (13). The gold brilliantly glistens in the sunlight. She is in her chamber finished preparing herself for the marriage ceremony.
The queen-to-be is led to the king. The pure untouched by men companion attendants and friends follow her in stately form. Joy and gladness pervade them as they arrive at and enter the king's palace.
The celebration continues after the ceremony. The two join physically. Sons that are sure to be born will continue the dynastic succession (16). The king promises to perpetuate his queen's memory through all generations. His love is sealed with an eternal promise.
Psalm 45 is more than spiritual poetry penned for the wedding of Solomon and the daughter of Pharaoh. Psalm 45 is a prophecy concerning the marriage of Jesus and his church (congregation). When Jesus comes again the procession will be as described in Psalm 45.
* The image titled, "Marriage Ceremony" is in a book by the Lutherian Church which is titled "Hausspostil D. Martin Luthers, : vber die Sontags vnd der fürnembsten Fest Euangelia, durch das gantze Jar"
A rendering of a wedding ceremony; the Holy Spirit appears overhead in the form of a dove.
Courtesy of the Digital Image Archive, Pitts Theology Library, Candler School of Theology, Emory University: http://www.pitts.emory.edu. It is now in public domain.
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 45:10-17.
>6. Why is she called a "princes" and how does this indicate that she will be married to the king soon? (13-15) What can be learned about a royal marriage in Solomon's day? About the coming of Jesus to take his princes to be his wife? (1 Corinthians 15:12-32)
* Psalm 45:13-15 "All glorious is the princess within [her chamber]; her gown is interwoven with gold.
14 In embroidered garments she is led to the king; her virgin companions follow her and are brought to you.
15 They are led in with joy and gladness; they enter the palace of the king."
* "All glorious is the princess within [her chamber]; her gown is interwoven with gold." -She already has her riches even though she is not married to the king yet. She is only betrothed to him.
* "In embroidered garments she is led to the king; her virgin companions follow her and are brought to you." -When the time is right the king stands waiting. The princes is called to come to the bridegroom. She is surrounded with pure virgins. The King Bridegroom is Jesus. The princes is those who have put there faith in him. Her virgin companions are the angles.
* "they enter the palace of the king." -This is the heavens. Jesus and the apostles reveal that those who have been called by his name and put their faith in Jesus will meet him in the air. (1 Corinthians 15:12-32)
* 1 Corinthians 15:12-28 "But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.
16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.
17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.
19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.
22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
23 But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.
25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
27 For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.
28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all."
>7. How do we as believers in Jesus produce sons? (John 15:16)
* Psalm 45:16-17 "Your sons will take the place of your fathers; you will make them princes throughout the land. I will perpetuate your memory through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever."
* John 15:16-17 "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other."
* "Your sons will take the place of your fathers"
* "you will make them princes throughout the land."
* "I will perpetuate your memory through all generations"
* "therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever."
III. Come and See the Works of the LORD (46:1-11)
>8. How is God being a refuge illustrated? (1-3)
* Psalm 46:1-3 "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah"
* "God is our refuge and strength"
* "though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,"
* "Therefore we will not fear"
* "though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, "
* "though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging."
* I can imagine and have experienced many kinds of trouble. Much of my planning includes avoiding troubles that never transpire. The ones in these verses are so unlikely that I do not bother planning for them. The earth giving way during an earthquake or volcano eruption, the mountains falling into the sea, and the waters roaring and foaming when a river goes over its banks, or the sea rushes inland during a tsunami have less chance of occurring than a bolt of lightning striking me.
Yet, that is the point; even if the most rare extreme trouble were to happen God is my refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Since this is true, then why do I fear? Fear in these cases is the result of a lack of trust in the love God has for me. "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
So if the mountains look at me like they want to shake, or a summer storm threatens to give me a tsunami bath I can trust in God and not worry. I cannot add a single hour onto my life, as Jesus said, "by worrying." (Matthew 6:27; Luke 12:25) So stop worrying and start acting like I am a loved child of God.
* The image titled, "The Parable of the Ten Virgins" is in a book by Luther, Martin (1483-1546) which is titled "Auslegung der Euangelien, an den furnemesten Festen jm ganzen Jar / geprediget durch D. Mart. Luth."
To the left, the five wise virgins are ready with their lamps lit for the arrival of the bridegroom, while to the right the five foolish virgins have no oil with which to light their lamps.
Matthew 25 is cited.
Courtesy of the Digital Image Archive, Pitts Theology Library, Candler School of Theology, Emory University: http://www.pitts.emory.edu. It is now in public domain.
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 46:1-3.
>9. Jerusalem had no river? Therefore, what is the city and river referring to in verses 4-7)
* Psalm 46:4-7 "There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah"
* "There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God"
* "the holy place where the Most High dwells."
* "The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."
* The Spirit of God is the river whose streams make glad the children of God in the city of God. The Spirit of God flows like a river. Jerusalem had no river like Babylon, Ninevah, or Thebes. Yet, the Spirit of God is better because it will never fail to supply refreshment and blessing. The pouring of the Holy Spirit is like what Apostle Peter said on Pentecost, "God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear." (Acts 2:32-33)
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other." (Galatians 5:22-26)
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 46:4-7.
>10. What are we beckoned to do? What desolations is perhaps revered to in verse 8? What is accredited to God? What is the conclusion?
* Psalm 46:8-11 "Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.
10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah"
*
*
*
* These verses are a bit of a mystery to me at this time. Each verse has a meaning that I understand and accept. However, I am having trouble understanding them as a collective whole. How are they bound? How does one rely on and build on the prior?
Martin Luther was so inspired by this psalm that he wrote one of the first hymns, "A Mighty Fortress is our God". Though having personal meaning, Martin meant for the congregation to sing his hymn collectively. This would be the first since the years of the apostles that all in the church would sing to the Lord in worship. Martin pulled his theme from the last verse, the refrain first stated in verse 7. Other parts of the hymn do not seem to be mentioned in "A Might Fortress is our God."
The desolation in verse 8 is a work of the Lord that I am called to come and see. How is that linked to making wars cease to the ends of the earth? I can understand verse 10 as it relates to verse 9. Sure, I can be still, and know that the Lord is God after the war ends and I enjoy the Lord's victory, but how is that tied to the means to the end, that is the desolations?
Perhaps it is this; that which is laid waste, forsaken, and abandoned was the cause of the problem all along. The enemy that attacks me the most is the sinful nature within me and the death within me. These two are continually assaulting me. Jesus devastated my sin on the cross. Jesus desolated death by rising again. Like the women at the foot of the cross, I will come to the cross. Like Peter and John and the women let me go to the empty grave. I can come and see the works of the Lord Jesus. I can experience Jesus' battles that ceased their wars to the ends of the earth.
