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Bible Commentaries
Psalms 45

Garner-Howes Baptist CommentaryGarner-Howes

Verses 1-17

Psalms 45

The Great King and Bride Psalm

Scripture 1-17:

This Is a Messianic psalm. It describes God seated upon an everlasting throne, waiting to be reunited with His Holy Bride. What David beheld in a vision he described with eloquent tongue and ready pen. He beheld six striking things about this bridegroom-king:

1) Verse 2, His beauty.

2) Verse 3, His sword.

3) Verse 4, His cause.

4) Verse 5, His arrows.,

5) Verse 6, 7, His throne and sceptre.

6) Verse 8, His fragrant garments.

This Is a parallel view of the marriage of Jesus Christ to His bride, the church, at the end of this age. In context, it is a Messianic psalm, Revelation 19:5-9, describing His second advent or coming.

Verse 1 relates that David’s heart was bubbling over to testify to the honor of the King of glory, as his tongue was like the quick pen of a ready writer, something to record at once to share as news with others; It is much as Ezra was called a "ready scribe," in matters of the law of Moses, Ezra 7:6.

Verse 2 describes His appearance as Bridegroom-King, as "fairer than the children of men," perfectly beautiful, a thing not said of Him, at His first advent; For then He had "no beauty," that men should desire him, Isaiah 53:2. It is added that "grace" was "poured into His lips or words." Therefore the Elohim God (trinity) would bless Him forever, for who He was, and for what He had done, v. 7, 17; Luke 4:22, even from His first coming, Isaiah 61:1-2.

Verse 3 calls upon Him to gird his sword upon His thigh "O most mighty," in harmony with His glory and majesty, as He shall return to the earth, after the marriage of the Lamb, Revelation 19:7-9; Revelation 19:11-16, to destroy all His enemies, 1 Corinthians 15:23-28. See also Psalms 110:5; Isaiah 9:6; Luke 1:33­-35.

Verse 4 calls upon Him to ride prosperously in His majesty, because of His nature of truth, meekness, and righteousness. For He is the embodiment of these virtues. His right hand of power in judgment termination of the battle of Armageddon is to teach Israel terrible things, as this terminates her years of tribulation suffering, Revelation 16:15-16; Revelation 19:15-21.

Verse 5 adds that his arrows (of judgment) are penetrating, sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies, whereby the people fall under Him (literally), at His second coming, as King of kings and Lord of lords; These are judgment arrows not to be spiritualized away, Deuteronomy 32:23; Deuteronomy 32:41-42; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10; Revelation 19:11-21.

Verse 6 extols "Thy throne O God (adonai)" name for the bridegroom God, in marriage to His church, Revelation 19:5-9," is forever and ever," without cessation or end, Isaiah 9:7; Luke 1:33-35; It perpetuates David’s throne, in the millennial age, and the age of the ages, And it is declared that the "sceptre of his kingdom is a right sceptre," as certified Genesis 49:10; Psalms 72:1-2; 2 Samuel 23:3-4; Isaiah 11:3-4; Psalms 68:4. See also Psalms 93:2; Hebrews 1:8.

Verse 7 asserts that this Bridegroom-King continually loves righteousness and hates wickedness, therefore it is concluded that God his God, (the trinity-elohim) had anointed Him with the "oil of gladness," above His fellows, of the heavens, even above the unfallen archangels, Michael and Gabriel, Leviticus 8:12; Psalms 89:20; Psalms 21:6; John 20:17.

Verse 8 describes all the garments of the Bridegroom-King as fragrant with pleasant odors of myrrh, aloes, and cassia from the ivory palaces, heaven itself, whereby the groom-king was made glad, for the "joy that was set before Him," back when He had "endured the cross and despised (taken lightly) the shame," in giving Himself as a ransom for all men, for the earth, and in purchasing the church with His own blood, 1 Timothy 2:5-6; John 3:16; Acts 20:28; Ephesians 5:25; Hebrews 12:2.

Verse 9 declares that the "King’s daughters", the redeemed of Israel (not of the Bride of Christ, the church,) were to be among the honorable women at the Bridegroom-King’s marriage. But upon the Groom’s right hand did stand or lean the Queen (the church Bride) bedecked in the gold of Ophir, most precious of metals, John 3:19; John 3:30; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:12-32; Revelation 19:7-9. The kings are the "called" or invited ones to the marriage, v. 9.

Verse 10 addresses the Queen as "O daughter," as also v. 13. She is called to hear, consider, incline her ear to the voice of the Groom­-King, with reverence and obedience in all things; Even as Paul instructed the church at Ephesus in this identical matter, Ephesians 5:22-32. She is called upon to forget, forsake, or turn fully away from her former family attachments, to give herself wholly to her Groom-King, Deuteronomy 21:13; Deuteronomy 23:9. Such is not easy, but it is the .will of God, Genesis 2:24; Genesis 12:1; Matthew 10:37; Mark 8:34-37.

Verse 11 adds that when or as the new bride does this the king will greatly desire, be pleased with her beauty. Because He is the Lord, it is added, "worship thou (bow down, be in subjection) before Him," Let His will be your will, even as Jesus did always the things that pleased His Father, John 4:34; John 6:38; John 5:30; Matthew 26:39; John 17:4. See also Psalms 95:6; Isaiah 54:5; Ephesians 5:22-32.

Verse 12 adds that "the daughters of Tyre," the gentile redeemed, will be there, as one called to the marriage, Revelation 19:9. She will come with gladness and the gift of praise saying, "Let us rejoice and give honor," Revelation 19:7-9. Even the rich among the people shall intreat your favor, in the ages to come, when the twelve apostles of the church sit on 12 thrones in the golden age with His Queen-Bride, the church, millennial age, as pledged Luke 22:29-30.

Verses 13, 14 describe the presentation of the Queen bride, the church, to the groom by her virgin companions, the redeemed of the ages, who are not of the church; She the Queen Bride, is all glorious in her clothing wrought of gold and needlework, even "clean and white, which is (exists as) the righteousness, righteous deeds of the saints," the members of the Bride, the church, Revelation 19:7-8: Song of Solomon 1:4.

Verses 15-17 explain that all they of the Bride shall enter the King’s palace with gladness and rejoicing, Philippians 4:4. Instead of our Hebrew fathers, those before the church age, shall be the children, members of the Bride of the whole earth, to rule during the golden millennium, making the Bride and the Groom to be remembered and praised through all generations, Matthew 25:21; Ephesians 3:21; Revelation 5:9-10. Some of the Bride shall reign over five and some over ten cities, Luke 19:17-19.

Bibliographical Information
Garner, Albert & Howes, J.C. "Commentary on Psalms 45". Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary. https://studylight.org/commentaries/eng/ghb/psalms-45.html. 1985.
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