Psalms 45:1-17: a reflection

1My heart overflows with a noble theme. I recite my verses for the king. My tongue is like the pen of a skillful writer. 2You are the most excellent of the sons of men. Grace has anointed your lips, therefore God has blessed you forever. 3Strap your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, in your splendor and your majesty. 4In your majesty ride on victoriously on behalf of truth, humility, and righteousness. Let your right hand display awesome deeds. 5Your arrows are sharp. The nations fall under you, with arrows in the heart of the king’s enemies. 6Your throne, God, is forever and ever. A scepter of equity is the scepter of your kingdom. 7You have loved righteousness, and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows. 8All your garments smell like myrrh, aloes, and cassia. Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made you glad. 9Kings’ daughters are among your honorable women. At your right hand the queen stands in gold of Ophir. 10Listen, daughter, consider, and turn your ear. Forget your own people, and also your father’s house. 11So the king will desire your beauty, honor him, for he is your lord. 12The daughter of Tyre comes with a gift. The rich among the people entreat your favor. 13The princess inside is all glorious. Her clothing is interwoven with gold. 14She shall be led to the king in embroidered work. The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to you. 15With gladness and rejoicing they shall be led. They shall enter into the king’s palace. 16Your sons will take the place of your fathers. You shall make them princes in all the earth. 17I will make your name to be remembered in all generations. Therefore the peoples shall give you thanks forever and ever.

This royal psalm, sung for a king, rises to language that reaches beyond any earthly king to the King who was to come. Your throne, God, is forever and ever, it says; a scepter of equity is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness, and hated wickedness. The psalm addresses the king as one whose throne is eternal, whose reign is righteous, who loves righteousness and hates wickedness. And the New Testament reads these words of Christ, the King whose throne truly is forever, whose reign is righteous, who loved righteousness above all. In Christ the King, the psalm finds its fullest meaning: an eternal, righteous King to whom we belong.

Notice the King the psalm describes, fulfilled in Christ: eternal throne, righteous reign, love of righteousness. No earthly king could truly claim an eternal throne; but Christ the King reigns forever, his throne enduring when all earthly thrones have passed. His reign is righteous, a scepter of equity; he loved righteousness and hated wickedness, and so was anointed above all. The psalm's language of an eternal, righteous King finds its fulfillment in Christ, the King whose throne is forever and whose reign is just and good. He is the King to whom the psalm points, eternal and righteous, worthy of our allegiance and love.

That is worth resting in, for we belong to Christ the King, whose throne is forever and whose reign is righteous. We can set our hopes and allegiance on earthly powers and kings, whose thrones pass away; but Christ is the King whose throne is forever, whose reign is righteous and good. He is a King worthy of our allegiance, eternal and just, who loved righteousness. Do not set your ultimate hope and allegiance on passing earthly powers; Christ is the eternal King, whose throne is forever and whose reign is righteous. Give your allegiance and love to Christ the King, whose throne is forever and whose reign is righteous, as the psalm addresses the king whose throne is forever and who loved righteousness; for Christ is the eternal, righteous King to whom the psalm points, and we who belong to him have a King whose throne does not pass away and whose reign is just and good forever.

Lord, this royal psalm, sung for a king, rises to language that reaches beyond any earthly king to the King who was to come. Your throne, God, is forever and ever, it says; a scepter of equity is the scepter of your kingdom; you have loved righteousness, and hated wickedness. The psalm addresses the king as one whose throne is eternal, whose reign is righteous. And your word reads these words of Christ, the King whose throne truly is forever, who loved righteousness above all. Show me the King the psalm describes, fulfilled in Christ: eternal throne, righteous reign, love of righteousness. No earthly king could truly claim an eternal throne; but Christ the King reigns forever, his throne enduring when all earthly thrones have passed. His reign is righteous, a scepter of equity; he loved righteousness and hated wickedness. The psalm's language finds its fulfillment in Christ, the King whose throne is forever and whose reign is just and good. He is the King to whom the psalm points, worthy of my allegiance and love. Let me rest in that, for I belong to Christ the King, whose throne is forever and whose reign is righteous. I can set my hopes and allegiance on earthly powers and kings, whose thrones pass away; but Christ is the King whose throne is forever. He is a King worthy of my allegiance, eternal and just. Keep me from setting my ultimate hope and allegiance on passing earthly powers; Christ is the eternal King, Lord. Help me give my allegiance and love to Christ the King, whose throne is forever and whose reign is righteous.