March 7, 2017
THE ROYAL WEDDING
Psalm 45
Cori Todd
Central Truth
Jesus will return to gather His bride. All we must do to prepare is to accept Him. Then we need to tell others about Him.
Key Verse | Psalm 45:10–11
Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:
forget your people and your father’s house,
and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him.
(Psalm 45:10-11)
Psalm 45
Your Throne, O God, Is Forever
To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Maskil 1 45:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term of the Sons of Korah; a love song.
1
My heart overflows with a pleasing theme;
I address my verses to the king;
my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.
2
You are the most handsome of the sons of men;
grace is poured upon your lips;
therefore God has blessed you forever.
3
Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,
in your splendor and majesty!
4
In your majesty ride out victoriously
for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness;
let your right hand teach you awesome deeds!
5
Your arrows are sharp
in the heart of the king's enemies;
the peoples fall under you.
6
Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;
7
you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
8
your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;
9
daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;
at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.
10
Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:
forget your people and your father's house,
11
and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him.
12
The people
2
45:12
Hebrew daughter
of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts,
the richest of the people.
3
45:12
Or The daughter of Tyre is here with gifts, the richest of people seek your favor
13
All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold.
14
In many-colored robes she is led to the king,
with her virgin companions following behind her.
15
With joy and gladness they are led along
as they enter the palace of the king.
16
In place of your fathers shall be your sons;
you will make them princes in all the earth.
17
I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations;
therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.
Dive Deeper | Psalm 45
Psalm 45 has two key characters.
The king, who is also referred to as the groom (think Jesus).
The princess, who is the bride preparing for her union with her groom. (See the Church in Ephesians 5:23-32).
Confession: I did nothing to prepare for my wedding day, but accept Patrick’s proposal and say “I will” at the altar. Wedding planning is not my thing. In fact, I threw out the word elope several times. The color of napkins or the font for the program made zero difference to me. I only cared about being with Patrick for the rest of my life.
This mindset would seem to contradict our passage as it describes the princess’ preparation for her wedding. However, the psalmist does not tell the bride to buy the perfect dress, book the best band, or drape herself with expensive jewelry to win the heart of the king. No, he bids the princess to forget all others and bow to the king (verse 11). In the same way, Jesus cares nothing about what we look like when we commit our hearts to Him.
We would be foolish to waste time cleaning up to earn God’s love. There isn't a dress pretty enough or a perfume strong enough to be beautiful in His eyes. Jesus doesn't care if you are wearing sweatpants and smell like a bottle of tequila when He finds you, but He loves you so much that He makes you look beautiful. You will become the most beautiful bride ever once you acknowledge him as Lord.
This message holds true after the wedding. A spouse does not earn the other's love by performing chores. Similarly, the believer in Jesus does not earn His love by doing good works (volunteering, donating, etc.). We love Jesus best by pursuing Him above all others and spending time with Him through prayer and reading Scripture.
Finally, tell EVERYONE about your king! Think how strange it would be for a newly married wife to take off her wedding ring and not tell people about her hubby. Brag about it! It's okay for Jesus to be on the tip of your tongue, on your Instagram, and on your desk at work.
Discussion Questions
1. Reread verses 1-9 and remind yourself of Jesus' character. List words that describe the King.
2. What things distract you from bowing your head (and heart) to Jesus?
3. If you already placed your faith in Jesus, my challenge for you today is to reflect on how your guest list is coming together. Who are the people you want to share Jesus with so they, too, can be a part of the ultimate wedding?