Commentary - Psalm 45:1-5

Bird's-eye view

Psalm 45 is a royal wedding song, what the Greeks would call an epithalamium. The superscription tells us it is a "Song of Love." At the historical level, it was likely composed for the wedding of an Israelite king, perhaps Solomon to Pharaoh's daughter. But the language quickly overflows the banks of any merely human monarch. The New Testament makes it plain that the ultimate referent here is the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, and His marriage to His bride, the Church (Heb. 1:8-9). This is a Messianic psalm through and through.

The psalmist, one of the sons of Korah, begins with a flurry of creative excitement, his heart bubbling over with a "good theme" concerning the King (v. 1). He then addresses the King directly, extolling His unparalleled beauty and gracious speech, which are evidence of God's eternal blessing (v. 2). The King is depicted as a divine warrior, majestic and splendid, girding His sword for a battle of cosmic significance (v. 3). He rides forth not for personal glory, but for the cause of truth, meekness, and righteousness, and His power is awesome and terrifying (v. 4). The psalm concludes this section by describing the effectiveness of His warfare: His arrows are sharp, piercing the hearts of His enemies and causing nations to fall before Him (v. 5). This is a portrait of Christ as the beautiful Bridegroom who is also the conquering King.

Outline

Verse by Verse Commentary

v. 1 My heart overflows with a good theme; I address my verses to the King; My tongue is the pen of a skillful scribe.

The psalmist begins with a heart that is bubbling over, like a spring. The Hebrew word for "overflows" gives the sense of something boiling or welling up. This is not a man struggling for words. He is possessed by his subject, and the subject is a "good theme." The goodness of the theme, which is the King Himself, is what causes the poetic inspiration. When the object of our praise is truly magnificent, the praise itself is carried along by that magnificence. He is not trying to invent compliments; he is trying to keep up with the reality of the King's glory.

He dedicates his work, his "verses," to the King. This is a formal presentation of his art. And he describes his tongue as the instrument of a "skillful scribe." He is not just blurting things out. The inspiration is real, but so is the craftsmanship. The Holy Spirit does not bypass our skills but rather heightens and sharpens them. A ready scribe is one who is fluent, practiced, and quick. The message is from God, but the pen is the psalmist's tongue, sanctified for this holy purpose. This is a picture of inspired artistry, where passion and skill meet to glorify the King.

v. 2 You are fairer than the sons of men; Grace is poured upon Your lips; Therefore God has blessed You forever.

Here the address shifts directly to the King. The first thing celebrated is His beauty. "Fairer than the sons of men." This is not a statement of mere physical attractiveness, although we should not exclude it. We have little idea what Jesus looked like in His earthly ministry, but His true beauty is the beauty of perfect holiness, perfect manhood. He is the archetype, and all other men are faint copies. His fairness is the outshining of His perfect character. He is, in every respect, the most beautiful man who ever lived because He is the only perfect man who ever lived.

Next, "Grace is poured upon Your lips." This speaks of His words. Think of the crowds who were astonished at His teaching, for He taught as one with authority (Matt. 7:29). Think of the officers who were sent to arrest Him but came back empty-handed, saying, "No man ever spoke like this Man!" (John 7:46). The grace poured on His lips is the power of His words to bring life, to heal, to command, and to save. His speech is not just eloquent; it is effectual. It is divine speech through human lips.

The "therefore" connects this excellence to God's eternal blessing. Because He is so beautiful, and because His words are so gracious, we can see that God has blessed Him forever. This is not a blessing He earns at this moment; rather, His attributes are the evidence of an eternal, pre-existing blessing. The Father has always loved and blessed the Son, and the Son's manifest glory is the proof of it.

v. 3 Gird Your sword on Your thigh, O Mighty One, In Your splendor and Your majesty!

The image now shifts from the beautiful King to the mighty warrior. He is addressed as "O Mighty One" (Gibbor in Hebrew), a title for a champion or hero. He is called to gird His sword. A sword on the thigh is a sword ready for action. This is Christ, the warrior-King. We must not have a truncated view of Jesus. He is the Lamb of God, yes, but He is also the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He is the Prince of Peace, but He makes peace through righteous war.

The sword is worn "in Your splendor and Your majesty." The implements of war are not ugly necessities for this King. They are part of His royal regalia. His splendor and majesty are His war-clothes. When He goes to battle, He does not lay aside His glory; He displays it. The cross itself, the ultimate battlefield, was the place of His greatest glory (John 12:23-24). His warfare is majestic.

v. 4 And in Your majesty ride on victoriously, For the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness; Let Your right hand teach You awesome things.

The King is now mounted, riding on in His majesty. The purpose of His campaign is not conquest for its own sake. He fights "for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness." This is a holy war. Truth is the foundation, meekness is the disposition of His kingdom's subjects (and His own), and righteousness is the result. He is not a tyrant; He is a liberator. He wages war against lies, against pride, and against injustice. This is the gospel advance. The kingdom of God comes as a conquering army, but it conquers for the sake of these virtues.

"Let Your right hand teach You awesome things." The right hand is the instrument of power and action. The idea is that His own power will reveal its awesome potential in the doing of the deeds. As He acts, He will perform "awesome things," or "terrible things" (KJV). These are deeds that inspire awe and fear in His enemies and wondering praise in His people. Think of the resurrection, the toppling of pagan Rome, the Reformation. These are the awesome deeds of His right hand as He rides forth in history.

v. 5 Your arrows are sharp; The peoples fall under You; Your arrows are in the heart of the King’s enemies.

The King's warfare is effective. His arrows are sharp, not blunted. They are designed for piercing, and they find their mark. Where do they strike? "In the heart of the King's enemies." This is not indiscriminate warfare. It is precise and targeted. The heart is the seat of rebellion, the center of man's being. The gospel arrow, the sharp conviction of the Holy Spirit, pierces the heart (Acts 2:37). For those who persist in rebellion, the arrows are arrows of judgment.

The result is decisive victory. "The peoples fall under You." This is the language of subjugation. Nations and peoples are brought to heel. This is the great commission in poetic form. The nations are to be discipled, brought under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. For some, this falling is the collapse of proud rebellion into humble repentance. For others, it is the breaking of their power so that the Church can flourish. Either way, the King is victorious. His enemies cannot stand against Him. His arrows fly true, His kingdom advances, and the peoples fall before Him.

Application

This psalm presents us with a robust, masculine, and glorious vision of our Savior, Jesus Christ. He is not just a gentle teacher, but a magnificent King and a terrifying warrior. We must worship Him in all His fullness.

First, we should be captivated by His beauty. Our hearts should overflow with a good matter when we think of Him. Is Christ "fairer" to you than all others? Does the grace of His words, the gospel, thrill you? Our worship and our witness should flow from a heart that is genuinely smitten with the beauty of the King.

Second, we must recognize that our King is at war. He rides forth for truth, meekness, and righteousness. This means the Christian life is not a peacetime cruise; it is a wartime campaign. We are enlisted in His army. The battles we fight, whether personal struggles against sin or cultural battles against falsehood and injustice, are part of His majestic conquest. We fight, not in our own strength, but knowing that His right hand is accomplishing awesome things.

Finally, we must have confidence in His ultimate victory. His arrows are sharp. His enemies will fall. There is no corner of creation, no rebellious human heart, that is beyond the reach of His power. Whether by grace or by judgment, every knee will bow. This should give us courage. We are on the winning side. Therefore, let us praise our beautiful, warrior-King and ride with Him in His glorious cause.