Psalms — Capítulo 45

To rich personal attractions is added grace of the lips, captivating powers of speech. This is given, and becomes a source of power and proves a blessing. Christ is a prophet (Luk 4:22).

The king is addressed as ready to go forth to battle. sword--(Compare Rev 1:16; Rev 19:15). mighty--(Compare Isa 9:6). glory and . . . majesty--generally used as divine attributes (Psa 96:6; Psa 104:1; Psa 111:3), or as specially conferred on mortals (Psa 21:5), perhaps these typically.

ride prosperously--or conduct a successful war. because of--for the interests of truth, &c. meekness . . . righteousness--without any connection--that is, a righteousness or equity of government, distinguished by meekness or condescension (Psa 18:35). right hand--or power, as its organ. shall teach thee--point the way to terrible things; that is, in conquest of enemies.

The result. people--Whole nations are subdued.

No lawful construction can be devised to change the sense here given and sustained by the ancient versions, and above all by Paul (Heb 1:8). Of the perpetuity of this government, compare Sa2 7:13; Psa 10:16; Psa 72:5; Psa 89:4; Psa 110:4; Isa 9:7.

As in Psa 45:6 the divine nature is made prominent, here the moral qualities of the human are alleged as the reason or ground of the mediatorial exultation. Some render "O God, thy God," instead of God, thy God--but the latter is sustained by the same form (Psa 50:7), and it was only of His human nature that the anointing could be predicated (compare Isa 61:3). oil of gladness--or token of gladness, as used in feasts and other times of solemn joy (compare Kg1 1:39-40). fellows--other kings.

The king thus inaugurated is now presented as a bridegroom, who appears in garments richly perfumed, brought out from ivory palaces--His royal residence; by which, as indications of the happy bridal occasion, He has been gladdened.

In completion of this picture of a marriage festival, female attendants or bridesmaids of the highest rank attend Him, while the queen, in rich apparel (Psa 45:13), stands ready for the nuptial procession.

She is invited to the union, for forming which she must leave her father's people. She representing, by the form of the allegory, the Church, this address is illustrated by all those scriptures, from Gen 12:1 on, which speak of the people of God as a chosen, separate, and peculiar people. The relation of subjection to her spouse at once accords with the law of marriage, as given in Gen 3:16; Gen 18:12; Eph 5:22; Pe1 3:5-6, and the relation of the Church to Christ (Eph 5:24). The love of the husband is intimately connected with the entire devotion to which the bride is exhorted.

daughter of Tyre-- (Psa 9:14); denotes the people. Tyre, celebrated for its great wealth, is selected to represent the richest nations, an idea confirmed by the next clause. These gifts are brought as means to conciliate the royal parties, representing the admitted subjection of the offerers. This well sets forth the exalted position of the Church and her head, whose moral qualities receive the homage of the world. The contribution of material wealth to sustain the institutions of the Church may be included (compare "riches of the Gentiles," Psa 72:10; Isa 60:5-10).

the king's daughter--a term of dignity. It may also intimate, with some allusion to the teaching of the allegory, that the bride of Christ, the Church, is the daughter of the great king, God. within--Not only is her outward raiment costly, but all her apparel is of the richest texture. wrought gold--gold embroidery, or cloth in which gold is woven.

The progress of the procession is described; according to the usual custom the bride and attendants are conducted to the palace. Some for the words-- in raiment of needlework--propose another rendering, "on variegated (or embroidered) cloths"--that is, in the manner of the East, richly wrought tapestry was spread on the ground, on which the bride walked. As the dress had been already mentioned, this seems to be a probable translation.

shall they be brought--in solemn form (compare Job 10:19; Job 21:22). The entrance into the palace with great joy closes the scene. So shall the Church be finally brought to her Lord, and united amid the festivities of the holy beings in heaven.

As earthly monarchs govern widely extended empires by viceroys, this glorious king is represented as supplying all the principalities of earth with princes of his own numerous progeny.

The glories of this empire shall be as wide as the world and lasting as eternity. therefore--Because thus glorious, the praise shall be universal and perpetual. Some writers have taxed their ingenuity to find in the history and fortunes of Christ and His Church exact parallels for every part of this splendid allegory, not excepting its gorgeous Oriental imagery. Thus, by the dresses of the king and queen, are thought to be meant the eminent endowments and graces of Christ and His people. The attendant women, supposed (though inconsistently it might seem with the inspired character of the work) to be concubines, are thought to represent the Gentile churches, and the bride the Jewish, &c. But it is evident that we cannot pursue such a mode of interpretation. For, following the allegory, we must suspend to the distant future the results of a union whose consummation as a marriage is still distant (compare Rev 21:9). In fact, the imagery here and elsewhere sets before us the Church in two aspects. As a body, it is yet incomplete, the whole is yet ungathered. As a moral institution, it is yet imperfect. In the final catastrophe it will be complete and perfect. Thus, as a bride adorned, &c., it will be united with its Lord. Thus the union of Christ and the Church triumphant is set forth. On the other hand, in regard to its component parts, the relation of Christ as head, as husband, &c., already exists, and as these parts form an institution in this world, it is by His union with it, and the gifts and graces with which He endows it, that a spiritual seed arises and spreads in the world. Hence we must fix our minds only on the one simple but grand truth, that Christ loves the Church, is head over all things for it, raises it in His exaltation to the highest moral dignity--a dignity of which every, even the meanest, sincere disciple will partake. As to the time, then, in which this allegorical prophecy is to fulfilled, it may be said that no periods of time are specially designated. The characteristics of the relation of Christ and His Church are indicated, and we may suppose that the whole process of His exaltation from the declaration of His Sonship, by His resurrection, to the grand catastrophe of the final judgment, with all the collateral blessings to the Church and the world, lay before the vision of the inspired prophet. Next: Psalms Chapter 46