Psalm 45

Opening Prayer: Psalm 45.1, 2
My heart is overflowing with a good theme;
I recite my composition concerning the King;
My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
You are fairer than the sons of men;
Grace is poured upon Your lips;
Therefore God has blessed You forever.

Sing Psalm 45.1, 2
(Manoah: When All Your Mercies, O My God)
O my heart, let now a pleasing theme overflow to praise the Lord;
My song I pledge to You, my King, and dedicate my words.

You of all men are the fairest, Lord, and Your lips are flush with grace;
Thus God has blessed You evermore before His holy face.

Read Psalms 45; meditate on Psalm 45.6-8.

Preparation
1. How would you describe Jesus, as you see Him here on His throne?

2. What mood does this vision evoke?

Meditation
We observed in our comments on the superscription of Psalm 45 that this is intended both as a contemplation and a song of love. The fact is, the more deeply you contemplate the portrait of Jesus revealed here, the more your love for Him will grow.

The sons of Korah drew their description of the King from their observations of Solomon and his court. He was as splendid and powerful a ruler as Israel had ever seen. But they tapped into those familiar royal trappings to turn the minds of those who sang this song to higher heights, even to the eternal throne room of God (v. 6).

No one can see God and live. But it pleases God to encourage us to look to Him by looking to Jesus (Jn. 14.9), and by giving us types like Solomon on his throne to engage the eye of our heart in meditation and love (Eph. 1.15-23).

We see Jesus in His beauty – the fairest of all men (v. 2). The words coming from His mouth uphold the entire vast cosmos with the grace of God (v. 2, cf. Heb. 1.3). We see Him in His power, armed with the Sword of the Spirit and going forth over all the earth by His Spirit and in His Church to subdue His enemies and advance His rule (vv. 4, 5). We contemplate Jesus in the midst of His Church, gathered to Him for uprightness and righteousness, praising and glorifying Him, together with all creation (vv. 6-15 cf. Rev. 4, 5). We hear Him calling His saints to Himself and promising to make them a royal priesthood to rule over all the earth (vv. 16, 17).

The vision outlined here calls for long meditation. Set your mind on these things that are above (Col. 3.1-3). Take your seat there amid saints and angels (Eph. 2.6). As you do, the things of earth will grow strangely dim, and your love for Jesus will increase. Meditating thus, you will be better equipped to fulfill your calling as a legacy of grace in His Kingdom.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
To fulfill our calling as a legacy of grace we must make sure that we are a spouse that Jesus will be proud of. We want to represent our family, and our heritage, in a responsible and positive way.
Solomon said, “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones” (Prov. 12.4). And King Lemuel said that he desired his wife “do him good and not evil all the days of her life” (Prov. 31.12).

To be His crown, to do Him good and not evil all the days of our life, we must love Him properly. True love suffers long and is kind; does not envy; does not parade itself, is not puffed up. Does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails (1 Cor. 13.4-8).

And the King also calls us to love others because this will glorify Him. Jesus says to us, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all you mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it; ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself”” (Matt. 22.37-39). And then He adds, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (Jn. 14.15).

And we do love Him, so we will.

Our promise and song of love to our Savior and King is our legacy of grace, so that,
When we at last Your palace gain, and others take our place,
Then let our children with You reign, a legacy of grace.

Reflection
1. How does Psalm 45 enrich your understanding and vision of Jesus?

2. Why does loving Jesus lead us to love others more? How have you experienced that in your own walk with the Lord?

3. What legacy of grace are you leaving for the Lord and His glory?

The words Your throne indicate the messianic direction of the psalm. Here the King is addressed as God, yet it is “God, Your God” who anointed Him. Thus these verses describe the interaction of the Father and the Son, for both are called “God.” The writer of Hebrews used these verses to assert Jesus’ deity (Heb. 1:8, 9). Earl Radmacher (1931-2014), NKJV Study Bible Notes on Psalm 45.6-9

Closing Prayer: Psalm 45.6-8
In your prayer, mention each thing noted in these verses, giving thanks and praise as you let your mind expand on the grandeur of Jesus and your heart swell with love for Him.

Sing Psalm 45.6-8
(Manoah: When All Your Mercies, O My God)
Your throne, O God, is evermore, and upright is Your reign;
though wicked men Your soul abhor, Your righteousness must gain.

Your God has thus anointed You with oil of gladness great.
Your robes are rich with rich perfume; sweet music gilds Your way.

T. M. and Susie Moore

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by clicking here.