Psalm 45
The true force of Scripture is never found except in its ascertained meaning, though, apart from this, piety may be taught from Scripture, and a great deal of truth presented to the mind; though, necessarily, failing in its power from this consideration,-that it is not the living, and perfect, and energetic thought of God in the definiteness of the language and designed application of the Holy Spirit.
Very much that is taught from Scripture is not the meaning of Scripture, even assuming that which is taught is truth, so far as it goes. This in itself may account for the little progress in the knowledge of the divine counsels, of the people of God, and also for the want of divine certainty in what is held as truth. Truth not held direct from the word of God, and based upon its ascertained meaning, can never give the ground of that certainty, the general lack of which, even amongst Christians, is to be deplored. " He that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord."
Where Scripture is not known it cannot be taught; but where it is known it is both infinite joy and profit to the soul. The strength, the richness, the beauty, as well as the immutability of truth, come thus to have their place in the heart, and God is known-known by the revelation He makes of Himself, His counsels, and His ways. These thoughts have been awakened by meditation on this most rich and precious psalm. The beauty of which, and in great degree its preciousness, is only to be rightly apprehended by seeing its direct bearing and application apart from all the sentiment and imagination, or even doctrine, that may be drafted from other parts of Scripture and incorporated with it.
The subject of the psalm is obvious from its application to Christ in the Epistle to the Hebrews: " Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom: thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity, therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." (Heb. 1:8,98But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 9Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. (Hebrews 1:8‑9).) But how vague and general must be any interpretation of the psalm as a whole, if the place which Christ, as the Messiah of Israel, holds in the counsels of God, and the connection of His future glory as King in Zion and on earth be not seen.
It is " Maschil," or a psalm of instruction, and " a song of loves," as we see by the title it bears.
In the first verse the writer announces his subject to be, " things which he has made touching the KING." For the subject of the psalm is the triumph, reign, and union of Christ with the godly Jews in Jerusalem in the latter day. It is Christ, as the Jehovah of Israel, celebrated in His character of King. " The queen" may appear in the psalm, and " the virgins that follow her; " but they are prominent only as connected with the installation and glory of the King. " My tongue is the pen of a ready writer," indicates the sense of divine guidance in what is uttered in the psalm; as the pen of a ready writer is guided in every movement by the hand of him by whom it is grasped.
The prophets testify that it is Jehovah who will appear in power for the deliverance of His people, as may be seen in Isa. 66 compared with Zech. 9:18, 12-16; 10:3; 12:7, 8; 14:3-4. But Zech. 9:9,9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. (Zechariah 9:9) and even 14:4, with this psalm, show that if it is Jehovah, it is also the man Christ. Compare Dan. 7:2222Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. (Daniel 7:22); Mic. 1:55For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem? (Micah 1:5).
Christ, in the beauty of His Person, as " fairer than the children of men"- though man-with " grace poured into his lips," as His gracious words on earth declared, and now blessed of God forever, give the subject of the second verse. His might, and glory, and majesty, and subduing power, for the establishment of " truth, meekness, and righteousness" in the earth, are the subjects of verses 3-5. His Godhead glory is next marked, and the righteousness of His reign declared-" the scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter." For His love of righteousness, when He stood on earth for God as the witness of righteousness, and testified of the world that its works were evil, He is now anointed by God with the oil of gladness above His fellows. (See Phil. 2:6-11,6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:6‑11) as to His heavenly glory.) Next, He comes forth to the marriage with Israel, with all the fragrance of the heavenly courts- His garments smelling of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces.
The daughter, the queen in gold of Ophir, is the earthly Jerusalem, seen as restored by grace. No longer, as in the days of Messiah's humiliation, claiming descent from Abraham; but saying, as in Isaiah, " Doubtless, thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not." " The virgins her companions" are the other cities of Judah; for it is Jerusalem to whom the Lord is married, and over whom He rejoices as the bridegroom rejoicing over the bride; as it is Jerusalem that will be called Jehovah-Shammah-the Lord is there. But the other cities of Judah will be round about her, and share in her nuptial joy and glory. The border nations too will be there " as the daughter of Tire," &c.
And " the rich amongst the people will entreat her favor." (See Isa. 60 throughout.)
It is well to have the heart attracted by the beauty of the Lord Jesus, but then it should be by His real beauty; but how can this be known except in the expression of it which the spirit gives?
It is not good to stay at the thought of His grace in adaptation to our necessities, essential as it is to know this. We must go a step farther; for Christ so known is not Christ in His beauty, and power, and glory. It is Christ as the remedy of our wretchedness, in a certain sense it is a selfish view of Christ, blessed as it is thus to know Him. Hence the necessity of some farther development of truth for the feeding of God's people than many, who are rightly set on the conversion of souls, would be contented with. All of Christ is precious; and it is well to have the heart filled with Him, that so we may delight in the thought of so soon seeing Him as He is, and being made like Him. For this is the Church's place and hope, in contrast with the hope of Israel, which will be realized in their association with the earthly glory of their Messiah and King.