Psalm 45

What’s Happening?

Psalm 45 is a wedding song about a royal groom, a beautiful bride, an eternal dynasty, and a universal kingdom.

The royal groom is a king who outshines all other men. His speech is gracious and his rule is just (Psalm 45:1, 2, 4, 7). He rules God’s people with equity and fights God’s battles with truth and humility (Psalm 45:4, 6). His humility, his love for what is good, and his hatred for evil make him God’s chosen representative on the earth (Psalm 45:7). God gives him victory over all his enemies (Psalm 45:5). And as wedding gifts, God gives elegant clothes, a palace of ivory, and a beautiful bride to this great king (Psalm 45:8-9).

God chooses a bride, who then leaves her family and joins the groom’s royal house (Psalm 45:10). Just as God is pleased with the king, this groom is enthralled with his bride. As if blushing, the bride must be told to accept his intense affection (Psalm 45:11). Clothed in gold, she and her bridesmaids make their procession into the king’s house (Psalm 45:12-15). This bride’s new home is with the king in glory.

The joy of the royal couple then becomes the joy of the whole world (Psalm 45:17). The song concludes with the expectation of an eternal dynasty of royal heirs who rule with justice and extend the king’s rule over a universal kingdom (Psalm 45:16).

Where is the Gospel?

God’s chosen Groom and King is Jesus. Jesus is the truthful King who conquers lies (Luke 4:12-13; John 14:6; Isaiah 53:9). Jesus is the humble King who serves others (John 13:14-15). Jesus is the conqueror of death who went to the grave, only to rise from it because death could not keep him (Acts 2:24). Jesus is the mighty warrior of gracious speech and the ultimate victor over evil. And this King Jesus intends to marry the bride—his church, given to him by God—if they are willing to accept his intense affection.

The whole world is moving toward this great and cosmic wedding day (Revelation 21:2). We are called to leave our former life behind and join Jesus’ royal home. If we accept the affection and love that drove him to die on the cross, he will make us spotless and beautiful (Ephesians 5:25-27). Like no bride has shone before, we will shine with the glory of God (Revelation 21:9-11). And if we accept his affection, our new home will be with King Jesus forever!

But God’s church isn’t simply his bride, but also his children (Hebrews 2:13). When we join ourselves to Jesus in love, we also become royal heirs of God’s universal Kingdom. And God gives us the responsibility and right to rule the world with justice and extend his Kingdom throughout the earth (Revelation 22:5). 

See for Yourself

I pray that the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to see the God whose Kingdom fills the entire world. And may you see Jesus as God’s chosen King who longs for his bride to reign with him forever.