Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9

About 33 percent of our Bible is poetry in genre. That stated, I think it is wise for us to know how to read Hebrew Poetry so we might be better equipped to understand it and teach it. This casual commentary is going to be far too short to offer an exhaustive lesson on the subject (and I’m certain there are others much more qualified), but I would encourage you to either learn or relearn the various forms of Hebrew Poetry. You may find Alex Varughese’s Discovering the Bible helpful in this regard. Specifically related to our reading today, he has a relevant section on the various types of Psalms.

In the case of Psalm 45, it is a Royal Psalm. These are psalms either written by the king (such as King David) or for the king. In this specific case, this is a psalm written for the king for a special occasion – his wedding day. The identity of the king is not provided. Perhaps it’s King Solomon, perhaps not, and perhaps it doesn’t matter much. The title of this psalm gives us a further description: To the leader: according to Lilies. Of the Korahites. A Maskil. A love song. According to Lillies may refer to a specific tune or instructions for what type of instruments should be used, but the full meaning isn’t clear. As it is with all the psalms meant to be performed, we don’t have the sheet music. The music group Shane & Shane wrote a song titled Psalm 45 (Fairest of All) inspired by this psalm. Give it a listen, if you wish. The Korahites were a group of professional temple musicians. From what scholars have deduced, a Maskil is related to some sort of teaching lesson.[1] Essentially what this title tells us is that it was meant to be performed a certain way, by people who were trained to perform such songs, to convey a specific wise teaching.

Before we dive into the exegesis of this psalm some more, let me pause and get a little personal. Growing up I never enjoyed poetry all that much. I believe this is a relatable statement for many. My teachers tried to instill a love of poetry, but I never “got it”. Recently, however, I’ve taken a great fondness for poetry, both in reading it and creating it. One thing I’ve discovered is that the true beauty of poetry comes from reading it out loud and hearing it read out loud. I think we’ve forgotten how the Bible (as a whole) was often, in its original way, shared through the spoken word. It might be a healthy practice this week to read this psalm out loud. Maybe even a couple of times. You could even read it in congregational unison. All that to say, I am convinced the psalms are meant to be heard, so give it a go!

Now, back to Psalm 45. The psalmist structures this Royal Psalm by first giving adoration to the king, then giving praise to God, and then back to more adoration of the king, but this time connecting God’s character to the character of the king. The portion the Lectionary omits is directed toward the bride of the groom.

The poetry lines here are full of sensory imagery – you can see it and smell it in your mind’s eye. Take the ending of verse 1 for example: “My tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.” That’s just good stuff. It’s as if what the psalmist is about to say (sing) is just as good as the written word itself. The irony here, of course, is these words do become penned.

Verse 2 is all about the king and his splendor. This king is handsome, is wise, and God has shown him favor. He’s a total catch! Verses 3-5, which are left out of the Lectionary inclusion, continue with praises to the king. These omitted verses go on, not to give greater detail to the king’s chiseled features, but to offer more inward qualities, such as truth and justice.

As we turn to verse 6, we find the psalmist turns to give proper praise to God. We are reminded the throne of God is the only eternal throne. We are reminded how God’s character is one of equity. We are reminded of God’s love for righteousness and hatred for wickedness. It’s a line of truth but it’s also a line of remembrance. To rephrase the famous Spiderman quote, “With great power given by God, comes great responsibility.” The king is wise, truly wise, if he does not forget where all his luxury and leisure come from.

The Lectionary passage concludes by giving adoration back to the king, then follows by finally giving attention to the bride. Which, if you think about it, is a bit unusual compared to a modern wedding. At most weddings today the groom is there… and that’s about it. It’s the bride we stand for. But this psalm begins with affection for the king… who signs the checks.

Now, some could argue that this psalm could have a double meaning, a dual purpose. Much like some have read the Song of Songs as allegorical for the love Christ has for his Church, one could argue the same here for Psalm 45. The Church is described as the bride of Christ, so you may want to explore that some and come to your own conclusion. But, to be clear, this is not a Messianic Psalm. All that to say, there is a connection the author of Hebrews makes. In pursuit of defending the lordship of Jesus Christ, the author directly quotes Psalm 45:6-7, writing, “But of the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever, and the righteous sceptre is the sceptre of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions’” (Heb 1:8-9).

I  believe the author of Hebrews had a solid grasp on Hebrew Poetry. I believe the author saw the aesthetic value of poetry. As it is with all beauty, there is indeed a contextual origin, but sometimes that beauty spills over and offers further inspiration. Perhaps you too will recognize the aesthetic beauty of the poetry in Psalm 45 and perhaps it will captivate you too beyond its original intention. May you be seized by the beauty of this psalm in your study and your sermon creation. Peace be with you, fellow pastor.

[1] Bowman, Peg. “A Love Song.” Getting Started, 3 Sept. 2018, getstarted.wordpress.com/2018/09/02/a-love-song/.