Royal Wedding

Psalm 45 is a unique and captivating Psalm about a wedding. It's a love song. There are a lot of different views about the identity of the happy couple. In the first verse, the Psalmist sets the scene by introducing himself. "My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer." We find him sitting at his desk, pen in hand. He's deep in thought, and his heart is full and overflowing with a good topic.


We aren't given clues as to which historical king this would be. Many people think it's Solomon, but it would just be a guess. Solomon wasn't a man of war, and verse five doesn't seem to fit a man of peace. If it were important, it would be in the text. It would be a mistake to assume it's Solomon and Pharoh's daughter and interpret the Psalm from there. And since I can't get into the author's mind, we need to go by what the Bible does give us. Hebrews 1:8 tells us that Psalm 45:6 is about Jesus, "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre." It's hard to go wrong by letting the Scripture interpret the Scripture, so the best way to view the Psalm is to see it as a Messianic Psalm, one about Jesus.

I can't say for sure, but imagine the Psalmist was at a king's wedding. He watched the ceremony and was overcome with joy and happiness at the occasion. Everyone dressed in their finest apparel. The happy smiles of the bride and groom. Weddings are a joyful occasion, and the Psalmist's heart was full of good things, and his mind went to Heavenly things. Carried along by the Holy Ghost, he picked up His pen, meditating on what he had seen, and wrote about what would be. God made an eternal covenant with David, and His throne would last forever. The Messiah would come from His line and sit upon His throne. A marriage of one of David's sons had far more significance and meaning than weddings do because from this marriage would come the Son (Matthew 1:1).

The king is praised for who He is all throughout the Psalm, and the queen is praised for her connection to him. Her glory, as it were, comes from her union with the king. The Psalm is about the King of Kings and the bride He came to save (Ephesians 5:32; Revelation 19:7-8; 21:2). 

When Prince William married Kate Middleton a few years back, I preached on the Lord Jesus and His bride. I saw some of the coverage on television about a royal wedding, and it made me think about THE royal wedding. When you read Psalm 45, think of Jesus, His glory, His love, and His grace.

The bride eyes not her garments, 

But her dear Bridegroom’s face; 

I will not gaze at glory 

But on my King of grace; 

Not at the crown He giveth, 

But on His pierced hand; 

The Lamb is all the glory Of Immanuel’s land.

Samuel Rutherford