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Psalm 45

For the music leader. According to “The Lilies.” Of the Korahites. A maskil.[a] A love song.

45 A marvelous word has stirred my heart
    as I mention my works to the king.
        My tongue is the pen of a skillful scribe.

You are the most handsome of men;
    grace has been poured out on your lips.
        No wonder God has blessed you forever!
Strap on your sword, great warrior,
    with your glory and grandeur.
Go and succeed in your grandeur!
    Ride out on behalf of truth, humility, and righteousness!
    Let your strong hand perform awesome deeds.[b]
Let the peoples fall beneath you.
    May your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies.
Your divine throne is eternal and everlasting.
    Your royal scepter is a scepter of justice.
You love righteousness and hate wickedness.
    No wonder God, your God, has anointed you
    with the oil of joy more than all your companions!
All your clothes have the pleasing scent of myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
    The music of stringed instruments coming from ivory palaces entertains you.
The royal princess is standing in your precious jewels; [c]
    the queen stands at your right, dressed in the gold of Ophir.

10 Listen, daughter; pay attention, and listen closely!
    Forget your people and your father’s house.
11 Let the king desire your beauty.
    Because he is your master, bow down to him now.
12 The city of Tyre, the wealthiest of all,
    will seek your favor with gifts, 13 with riches of every sort
    for the royal princess, dressed in pearls,[d]
        her robe embroidered with gold.
14 In robes of many colors, she is led to the king.
    Her attendants, the young women servants following her,
    are presented to you as well.
15 As they enter the king’s palace,
    they are led in with celebration and joy.

16 Your sons, great king, will succeed your fathers;[e]
    you will appoint them as princes throughout the land.
17 I will perpetuate your name from one generation to the next
    so the peoples will praise you forever and always.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 45:1 Perhaps instruction
  2. Psalm 45:4 Heb uncertain
  3. Psalm 45:9 Syr; MT royal princess is among your precious ones.
  4. Psalm 45:13 Correction; Heb lacks for; Heb uncertain in 45:12-13.
  5. Psalm 45:16 Heb lacks great king.

45 1 The majesty of Solomon, his honor, strength, beauty, riches, and power are praised, and also his marriage with the Egyptian being an heathen woman, is blessed. 10 If that she can renounce her people and the love of her country, and gave herself wholly to her husband.  Under the which figure, the wonderful majesty and increase of the kingdom of Christ and his Church his spouse, now taken of the Gentiles, is described.

To him that excelleth on [a]Shoshannim, a song of [b]love to give instruction, committed to the sons of Korah.

Mine heart will utter forth a good matter: I will entreat in my works of the king: my tongue is as the pen of a swift writer.

Thou art [c]fairer than the children of men: grace is poured in thy lips, because God hath blessed thee forever.

Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, to wit, thy worship and thy glory:

And prosper with thy glory: [d]ride upon the word of truth and of meekness and of righteousness: so thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.

Thine arrows are sharp to pierce the heart of the King’s enemies: therefore the people shall fall under thee.

Thy [e]throne, O God, is forever and ever: the scepter of thy kingdom, is a scepter of righteousness.

Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness, because God, even thy God, hath [f]anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

All thy garments smell of myrrh and aloes, and cassia, when thou comest out of the ivory palaces [g]where they have made thee glad.

King’s daughters were among thine honorable wives: upon thy right hand did stand the [h]Queen in a vesture of gold of Ophir.

10 [i]Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear: forget also thine own people and thy father’s house.

11 So shall the King have pleasure in thy beauty: for he is thy Lord, and reverence thou him.

12 And the [j]daughter of [k]Tyre with the rich of the people, shall do homage before thy face with presents.

13 The King’s daughter is all glorious [l]within: her clothing is of broidered gold.

14 She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needlework: the virgins that follow after her, and her companions shall be brought unto thee.

15 With joy and gladness shall they be brought, and shall enter into the king’s palace.

16 Instead of thy fathers shall thy [m]children be: thou shalt make them princes [n]through all the earth.

17 I will make thy [o]Name to be remembered through all generations: therefore shall the people give thanks unto thee, world without end.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 45:1 This was a certain tune or an instrument.
  2. Psalm 45:1 Of that perfect love that ought to be between the husband and the wife.
  3. Psalm 45:2 Solomon’s beauty and eloquence to win favor with his people, and his power to overcome his enemies, is here described.
  4. Psalm 45:4 He alludeth to them that ride in chariots in their triumphs, showing that the quiet state of a kingdom standeth in truth, meekness and justice, not in worldly pomp and vanity.
  5. Psalm 45:6 Under this figure of this kingdom of justice is set forth the everlasting kingdom of Christ.
  6. Psalm 45:7 Hath established thy kingdom as the figure of Christ, which is the peace and joy of the Church.
  7. Psalm 45:8 In the which palace the people made thee joyful to see them give thanks and rejoice for thee.
  8. Psalm 45:9 Though he had many Kings’ daughters among his wives, yet he loved Pharaoh’s daughter best.
  9. Psalm 45:10 Under the figure of Pharaoh’s daughter, he showeth that the Church must cast off all carnal affections to obey Christ only.
  10. Psalm 45:12 He signifieth that divers of them that be rich shall be benefactors to the Church, albeit they give not perfect obedience to the Gospel.
  11. Psalm 45:12 Or, Zor.
  12. Psalm 45:13 There is nothing feigned, nor hypocritical, but she is glorious both within and without: and howbeit the Church hath not at all times this outward glory, the fault is to be imputed only to their own ingratitude.
  13. Psalm 45:16 They shall have greater graces than their fathers.
  14. Psalm 45:16 He signifieth the great compass of Christ’s kingdom, which shall be sufficient to enrich all his members.
  15. Psalm 45:17 This only must be referred to Christ and not to Solomon.

Psalm 45[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.[b] A wedding song.(A)

My heart is stirred by a noble theme
    as I recite my verses for the king;
    my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.

You are the most excellent of men
    and your lips have been anointed with grace,(B)
    since God has blessed you forever.(C)

Gird your sword(D) on your side, you mighty one;(E)
    clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.(F)
In your majesty ride forth victoriously(G)
    in the cause of truth, humility and justice;(H)
    let your right hand(I) achieve awesome deeds.(J)
Let your sharp arrows(K) pierce the hearts(L) of the king’s enemies;(M)
    let the nations fall beneath your feet.
Your throne, O God,[c] will last for ever and ever;(N)
    a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
You love righteousness(O) and hate wickedness;(P)
    therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
    by anointing(Q) you with the oil of joy.(R)
All your robes are fragrant(S) with myrrh(T) and aloes(U) and cassia;(V)
    from palaces adorned with ivory(W)
    the music of the strings(X) makes you glad.
Daughters of kings(Y) are among your honored women;
    at your right hand(Z) is the royal bride(AA) in gold of Ophir.(AB)

10 Listen, daughter,(AC) and pay careful attention:(AD)
    Forget your people(AE) and your father’s house.
11 Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;(AF)
    honor(AG) him, for he is your lord.(AH)
12 The city of Tyre(AI) will come with a gift,[d](AJ)
    people of wealth will seek your favor.
13 All glorious(AK) is the princess within her chamber;
    her gown is interwoven with gold.(AL)
14 In embroidered garments(AM) she is led to the king;(AN)
    her virgin companions(AO) follow her—
    those brought to be with her.
15 Led in with joy and gladness,(AP)
    they enter the palace of the king.

16 Your sons will take the place of your fathers;
    you will make them princes(AQ) throughout the land.

17 I will perpetuate your memory through all generations;(AR)
    therefore the nations will praise you(AS) for ever and ever.(AT)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 45:1 In Hebrew texts 45:1-17 is numbered 45:2-18.
  2. Psalm 45:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 45:6 Here the king is addressed as God’s representative.
  4. Psalm 45:12 Or A Tyrian robe is among the gifts