Bible Commentaries

Psalm 45

The Answer: The King Messiah and His Glory

1. The King in His majesty and power (Psalms 45:1-5)

2. His throne and His glory (Psalms 45:6-8)

3. With the King, sharing His glory and kingdom (Psalms 45:9-17)

This beautiful Psalm, a perfect gem, gives the answer to the prayer of distress, “Arise for our help”, with which the preceding Psalm closed. It is also a Maschil Psalm and a traditional view claims Solomon as the author. And how the critics have laboured, without success, to explain away its Messianic meaning! The Jews have borne witness to this fact. The Chaldean Targum paraphrases verse 2 by saying, “Thy beauty, O King Messiah, is greater than that of the sons of men.” And the eminent Jewish expositor Aben-Ezra says, “This Psalm treats of David, or rather of his son the Messiah.” But the first chapter in the Hebrew Epistle establishes forever that the Lord Jesus Christ is here prophetically revealed. It has the inscription upon Shoshannim” (lilies). Here the theory that the inscriptions belong to preceding Psalms breaks down, for He is the Lily of the Valley, revealed now as the King, the Beloved One.

What sublime descriptions of the Person of our Lord! Here is His perfect Humanity, fairer than the children of men, with grace poured into His lips. His kingly glory, His manifestation in glory, executing the vengeance of God upon His enemies and delivering His waiting people. Here is His deity, for the King is God, “Thy Throne, O God, is forever”; His cross, He loved righteousness and hated iniquity, and the oil of gladness which is upon Him in resurrection glory, and His fellows share His glory. He receives the kingdom. With Him is the queen at His right hand in gold of Ophir, the Lamb’s wife, to share His rule and reign with Him. The King’s daughter is Israel, now all glorious within, born again, with garments of wrought gold, the symbol of glory. Her companions are nations now brought to the King. From henceforth the Name, which is above every other name, will be remembered and His people will praise Him forever and ever.