Psalm 45

A Royal Wedding Song

For the choir director: according to “The Lilies.”(A) A Maskil of the sons of Korah. A love song.

My heart is moved by a noble theme
as I recite my verses to the king;
my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.(B)
You are the most handsome of men;[a]
grace flows from your lips.(C)
Therefore God has blessed you forever.(D)

Mighty warrior, strap your sword at your side.
In your majesty and splendor(E)
in your splendor ride triumphantly
in the cause of truth, humility, and justice.
May your right hand show your awe-inspiring acts.(F)
Your sharpened arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies;
the peoples fall under you.(G)

Your throne,(H) God, is[b] forever and ever;
the scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of justice.(I)
You love righteousness and hate wickedness;(J)
therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy
more than your companions.
Myrrh, aloes, and cassia perfume all your garments;
from ivory palaces harps bring you joy.(K)
Kings’ daughters are among your honored women;(L)
the queen, adorned with gold from Ophir,
stands at your right hand.(M)

10 Listen, daughter, pay attention and consider:
Forget your people and your father’s house,(N)
11 and the king will desire your beauty.
Bow down to him, for he is your lord.(O)
12 The daughter of Tyre, the wealthy people,
will seek your favor with gifts.(P)

13 In her chamber, the royal daughter is all glorious,
her clothing embroidered with gold.(Q)
14 In colorful garments she is led to the king;
after her, the virgins, her companions, are brought to you.(R)
15 They are led in with gladness and rejoicing;
they enter the king’s palace.(S)

16 Your sons will succeed your ancestors;
you will make them princes throughout the land.(T)
17 I will cause your name to be remembered for all generations;
therefore the peoples will praise you forever and ever.(U)

Footnotes

  1. 45:2 Or of the descendants of Adam
  2. 45:6 Or Your divine throne is, or Your throne is God’s

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”