Psalms 45:1 - Meaning and Application

Some understand Shoshannim, in the title, as a six-stringed instrument. Others take the word in its older sense, lilies or roses, flowers that were likely scattered at wedding celebrations. If so, the title fits Christ well, since he calls himself the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valleys (Song of Songs 2:1). This is a song of loves, about the holy love between Christ and his church. It is also a song for the well-beloved, the virgins and companions of the bride (Psalm 45:14), meant to be sung by them. The company of virgins who follow the Lamb on Mount Zion are said to sing a new song (Revelation 14:3-4).

The preface in Psalm 45:1 speaks first of the greatness of the subject. It is a good theme, and it is a pity that such a powerful art as poetry is ever used for a bad one. This song is about the King, King Jesus, and his kingdom and rule. Those who speak about Christ speak of a good matter, for no subject is so noble, so full, so fruitful, so useful, or so fitting for us. It is a shame that this good matter is not spoken of more often.

The preface also shows the excellence of the writing. This song was a confession from faith in the heart about Christ and his church. The matter was carefully worked out, as such a subject deserved. “My heart is inditing it” may refer to the Spirit of prophecy that gave the psalm to David, the Spirit of Christ who was in the prophets (1 Peter 1:11). It also fits David’s own thoughtful meditation and holy desire, from the fullness of which his mouth spoke. When we speak of Christ, we should think carefully, with steady attention and a heart warmed by holy love. We speak best of Christ and divine things when we speak from a heart that has been moved by them. We should never be careless when speaking about the things of Christ, but should weigh our words well beforehand, so we do not speak wrongly (Ecclesiastes 5:2).

The song was also expressed well. “I will speak of the things which I have made” means he would speak clearly, as one who understood and felt what he said. He was not just repeating what he had heard from others. He was speaking of things he had studied for himself. What God has done in our souls, as well as what he has done for us, we must tell others about (Psalm 66:16). He would also speak with cheerfulness, freedom, and ease. “My tongue is like the pen of a ready writer,” guided by the heart in every word, as the pen is guided by the hand. We call the prophets the writers of Scripture, though really they were only the pen. The tongue of the most skilled speaker is still only the pen God uses to write what he chooses. We should not complain if the pen writes hard things against us, and we should not praise the pen as if it deserved honor when it writes in our favor. David not only spoke about Christ, he wrote it down, so it could spread farther and last longer. When the heart is making ready a good matter, it is only right that the tongue should be like the pen of a ready writer, leaving it on record.

In these verses, the Lord Jesus is first shown as beautiful and lovely in himself. This is a marriage song, so the special excellence of Christ is pictured by the beauty of the royal bridegroom (Psalm 45:2). “You are fairer than the children of men,” means fairer than any of them. The psalmist had said he would speak of the King, but now he speaks directly to him. Those who admire and love Christ like to go to him and tell him so. In this way we should confess our faith, that we see his beauty, and our love, that we are pleased with it: “You are fair, you are fairer than the children of men.” Jesus Christ is, in himself and in the eyes of all believers, more lovely than any human being. The beauty of the Lord Jesus, as God and as Mediator, far exceeds the beauty found in human nature, even in the most admirable people. There is more in Christ to win our love than there is, or ever could be, in any creature. Our beloved is greater than any other beloved.

The beauties of this world can easily pull our hearts away from Christ, so we need to understand how much he surpasses them all. We must see how much more worthy he is of our love. He is also the great favorite of heaven. He is fairer than the children of men because God has done more for him than for anyone else, and all God’s kindness to human beings comes for his sake and passes through his hands and mouth. He has grace, and he has it for us. “Grace is poured into your lips” means that through his word, promise, and gospel, God’s good will is made known to us, and his good work begins and continues in us. Christ received all grace from God, all the gifts needed to qualify him for his work and office as Mediator, a go-between who brings God and people together, so that from his fullness we might receive (John 1:16). Grace was poured not only into his heart, for his own strength and encouragement, but into his lips as well, so that through the words of his mouth in general, and the loving words he speaks to believers in particular, he might give both holiness and comfort. From this grace poured into his lips came those gracious words that everyone admired (Luke 4:22). The gospel of grace is poured into his lips, because it first began to be spoken by the Lord, and from him we receive it. He has the words of eternal life. The Chaldee says the spirit of prophecy is put into your lips.

He also has the blessing, and he has it for us. Because he is the great keeper and giver of divine grace for human good, God has blessed him forever, made him an everlasting blessing, so that in him all the nations of the earth are blessed. Where God gives his grace, he will also give his blessing. We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:3).

He is also shown as victorious over all his enemies. The royal bridegroom is a man of war, and his wedding does not keep him from battle, as the law allowed in some cases (Deuteronomy 24:5). In fact, it brings him to battle, because he must rescue his bride from captivity by force, conquer her, conquer for her, and then marry her. Here we see his preparations for war: “Gird your sword upon your thigh, O Most Mighty!” The word of God is the sword of the Spirit. By the promises of that word, and the grace held in those promises, people are made willing to submit to Jesus Christ and become his loyal subjects. By the warnings of that word, and the judgments carried out according to it, those who keep resisting Christ will, in time, be brought low and ruined.

By the gospel of Christ, many Jews and Gentiles were converted. In time, the Jewish nation was destroyed, just as the prophecies had said, because of their bitter hatred of the gospel. Paganism was also completely swept away. The sword tied to Christ’s thigh here is the same one said to come out of his mouth (Revelation 19:15). When the gospel was sent out to be preached to all nations, then our Redeemer strapped on his sword.

He goes out on this holy campaign with his glory and majesty, like a great king marching to war in full splendor. His sword, his glory, and his majesty all belong together. In the gospel, Christ shows himself as truly great and excellent, bright and blessed, clothed with the honor and majesty the Father placed on him. In his person and in his gospel, he had no outward glory to attract people, for he had no special beauty that drew the eye. He also had nothing to terrify people, because he took the form of a servant. All his glory was spiritual glory, and all his majesty was spiritual majesty.

There is so much grace, and therefore glory, in the message, “Whoever believes will be saved,” and so much warning, and therefore majesty, in the message, “Whoever believes will not be condemned,” that we may well say the Redeemer rides out in glory and majesty in the gospel chariot, which these words sum up. “In your majesty ride on victoriously” (Psalm 45:4). That is, “Prosper, ride on.” This is the promise of the Father, that he would succeed according to the Lord’s good pleasure and divide the spoil with the strong in reward for his sufferings. Those whom God says, “Prosper,” cannot fail to prosper (Isaiah 52:10-12). It also expresses the good wishes of Christ’s friends, who pray that he would prosper in bringing souls to himself and in destroying all the powers of darkness that rebel against him. “Your kingdom come; go on and prosper.”

The cause he fights for is glorious, because it is for truth, meekness, and righteousness, things that had, in a sense, sunk and been lost among people, and that Christ came to recover and rescue. The gospel itself is truth, meekness, and righteousness. It commands by the power of truth and right, for Christianity has truth on its side without question. Yet it must be spread by meekness and gentleness (1 Corinthians 4:12, 13; 2 Timothy 2:25). Christ also appears in the gospel in his own truth, meekness, and righteousness, and these are his glory and majesty. Because of them he will succeed. People are brought to believe in him because he is true, to learn from him because he is meek (Matthew 11:29), and to submit to him because he is righteous and rules fairly.

As the gospel spreads, it plants truth, meekness, and righteousness in people’s hearts. It corrects their mistakes with the light of truth, restrains their passions by the power of meekness, and governs their hearts and lives by the laws of righteousness. By setting up his kingdom among people, Christ came to restore these true glories to a fallen world. He also came to defend the cause of those rightful rulers under him who had been pushed aside by error, hatred, and sin.

The success of his campaign is shown in the words, “Your right hand will teach you awesome things.” That means he would experience a wonderful divine power going with his gospel, making it victorious, and the results would be awe-inspiring. For the conversion and winning back of souls, some hard things must happen. The heart must be pricked, conscience must be shaken, and the terrors of the Lord must make room for his comforts. This is done by Christ’s right hand. The Comforter will continue his work (John 16:8).

In the conquest of hell’s gates and all who support them, and in the destruction of Judaism and paganism, terrible things will happen. They will make people’s hearts fail with fear (Luke 21:26), and lead great men and commanders to cry to the rocks and mountains to fall on them (Revelation 6:15). The next verse explains these terrible things further: “Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies” (Psalm 45:5). First, those who are enemies by nature are wounded so they may be subdued and reconciled. Convictions are like arrows, sharp in the heart where they strike, and they bring people down under Christ’s rule and government. Those who fall on this stone will be broken (Matthew 21:44). Second, those who stay enemies are wounded so they may be ruined. The arrows of God’s terrors are sharp in their hearts, and they will fall under Christ so as to become his footstool (Psalm 110:1). Those who refuse to have him rule over them will be brought out and slain before him (Luke 19:27). Those who will not submit to his golden scepter will be crushed by his iron rod.