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Celebration of a Royal Wedding

For the music director; according to The Lilies. Of the sons of Korah.

A maskil. A song of love.[a]

45 My heart is moved with a good word;
I recite my compositions[b] to the king.
My tongue is the pen of a skilled scribe.
You are the most handsome of the sons of humankind;
grace is poured out on your lips;
therefore God has blessed you forever.
Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,
in your splendor and your majesty.
And in your majesty ride victoriously,[c]
because of truth and humility and righteousness.
And let your right hand teach you awesome deeds.
Your arrows are sharp;
peoples fall under you
in the midst of the king’s enemies.
Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
A scepter of uprightness is
the scepter of your kingdom.
You love righteousness and hate wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
from among your companions with festive oil.
All your robes are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
From palaces of ivory stringed instruments gladden you.
Kings’ daughters are among your noble ladies.
The queen stands at your right hand in gold of Ophir.
10 Hear, O daughter, and discern[d] and incline your ear,
and forget your people and your father’s house.
11 Let the king desire your beauty.[e]
Because he is your lord, therefore[f] bow down to him.
12 Even the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift.
The rich from among people will seek your favor.[g]
13 The king’s daughter is all glorious within;[h]
her garment is of gold embroidered cloth.
14 She is brought to the king in colorful garments.
The young women behind her, her attendants,
are being brought to you.
15 They are led with joy and gladness.
They enter the palace of the king.
16 In place of your[i] fathers will be your sons.
You will make them princes in all the land.[j]
17 I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations;
therefore peoples will praise you forever and ever.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 45:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
  2. Psalm 45:1 Literally “works,” that is, the song he has composed
  3. Psalm 45:4 Literally “Succeed! Ride!”
  4. Psalm 45:10 Literally “see”
  5. Psalm 45:11 Or “Should the king desire … then bow down …”
  6. Psalm 45:11 Hebrew “and”
  7. Psalm 45:12 Literally “face”
  8. Psalm 45:13 That is, within her bridal chamber
  9. Psalm 45:16 The pronouns and verbal forms are masculine in this verse
  10. Psalm 45:16 Or “earth”

To the Director: An instruction[a] by the Sons of Korah. A love song to the tune of[b] “Lilies”.

A Royal Wedding Song

45 My heart is overflowing with good news;
    I speak what I have composed to the king;
        my tongue is like the pen of an articulate scribe.

You are the most handsome of Adam’s descendants;
    grace has anointed your lips;
        therefore God has blessed you forever.
Strap your sword to your side,
    mighty warrior, along with your honor and majesty.
In your majesty ride forth for the cause of truth, humility, and righteousness;
    and your strong right hand will teach you awesome things.
Your arrows are sharpened
    to penetrate the hearts of the king’s enemies.
        People will fall under you.

Your throne, God, exists forever and ever,
    and the scepter of your kingdom is a righteous scepter.
You love justice and hate wickedness.
    That is why God, even your God, has anointed you
        rather than your companions with the oil of gladness.
All your clothes are scented with[c] myrrh, aloes, and cassia.
    From ivory palaces stringed instruments have made you glad.
The king’s daughters are among your honorable women;
    the queen, dressed in gold from Ophir, has taken her place at your right hand.”

10 Listen, daughter! Consider and pay attention.
    Forget your people and your father’s house,
11 and the king will greatly desire your beauty.
    Because he is your lord, you should bow in respect before him.
12 The daughter[d] of Tyre will come with[e] a wedding gift;
    wealthy people will entreat your favor.
13 In her chamber,[f] the king’s daughter is glorious;
    her clothing is embroidered with gold thread.
14 In embroidered garments
    she is presented to the king.
Her virgin companions who follow her train
    will be presented to you.
15 Filled with joy and gladness, they are presented
    when they enter the king’s palace.

16 Your sons will take the place of your ancestors,
    and you will set them up as princes in all the earth.
17 From generation to generation,
    I will cause your name to be remembered.
        Therefore people will thank you forever and ever.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 45:1 Lit. maskil
  2. Psalm 45:1 The Heb. lacks the tune of
  3. Psalm 45:8 The Heb. lacks are scented with
  4. Psalm 45:12 I.e. The people
  5. Psalm 45:12 The Heb. lacks will come with
  6. Psalm 45:13 The Heb. lacks her chamber