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Summer Psalms - On Psalm 45

August 18, 2022

Pray for Illumination - Heavenly Father, help me to know your ways; teach me your paths and lead me into your truth. Amen.

Read Psalm 45

My heart is stirred by a noble theme
    as I recite my verses for the king;
    my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.  Psalm 45:1

Have you ever been inspired by something beautiful?  Maybe so inspired that you take a picture, or you tell others about what you saw.   Usually on family vacations, as we are travelling, I am often telling my family to “look!” at something I think is beautiful (mountain peak, rainbow, cloud formations, etc.).  I want them to see and experience the beauty that I see.  

Our Psalmist is so inspired by the king’s beauty and majesty, that he decides to write a wedding song for the king and his bride to be.   He gushes over the king’s good-looks and ability to speak well.  He is not a harsh king, but a king “anointed with grace”, blessed by God, a mighty warrior who fights victoriously for “truth, humility and justice”.

He then gives instruction to the bride that are designed to capture her heart for this marriage to the King.  Likely this was an arranged marriage, and the bride would be from a foreign nation.   These inspired words are written to help her know how adored she is by the King.  He tells her to let go of everything - your family, country - because now your home is with the King.

Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention:
    Forget your people and your father’s house.
 Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;
    honor him, for he is your lord.   Psalm 45:10-11

It is easy to see the connection of this king with Jesus Christ, our King of Kings.  He is a gentle King, full of grace and mercy, yet powerful and just.  He is our victorious King, preparing his Bride, the Church.  And as the Bride of Christ, may we know how much the King adores us.  So much so that he gave up his life to bring us to Himself and given us the Holy Spirit to make us ready.  

Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Revelation 19:7

May today we be inspired by the love of Jesus Christ, our King.  May we honor him in our prayers as we seek to leave the past behind and make our home with Christ our King.