Scripture Reading: Psa. 45:1-8
Ⅰ
Psalm 45, a psalm of the sons of Korah, is a song of love according to the melody of lilies:
A
If we are those who affectionately love the Lord, we eventually become His love, His favorite—S. S. 1:1-4.
B
A lily denotes a pure, simple, single life of trusting in God—2:1-2; Matt. 6:28-29; cf. 1 Kings 7:17-19.
Ⅱ
"My heart overflows with a good matter; / I speak what I have composed concerning the King. / My tongue is the pen of a ready writer"—Psa. 45:1; cf. Matt. 12:34b; 2 Cor. 3:3, 6; Isa. 6:5-7.
Ⅲ
The psalmist praises Christ the King in His fairness—Psa. 45:2:
A
Christ is fairer than the sons of men—cf. 27:4; S. S. 5:9-16:
１
He is pure yet full of life and power, and He is distinguished as an uplifted banner against the enemy and for the drawing of the sinners—v. 10; Isa. 59:19; John 12:32.
２
His headship is of God (1 Cor. 11:3), and His submission to God is flourishing and strong—S. S. 5:11.
３
His expression of sentiment is single and pure, flowing like the river of life, distinct and clear and in proper order—v. 12.
４
His countenance is beautiful and sweet through His suffering of people's smiting and despising, and His mouth is pure, releasing sweet words of grace based upon His redemption—v. 13.
５
His works are full of the divine binding power and are stable for the carrying out of God's will; His inward parts are full of deep, tender feelings wrought through His sufferings under a clear heavenly vision—v. 14; Phil. 1:8; Exo. 24:10.
６
His standing and supporting strength is of the righteous standing based upon God's divine nature, and His expression shows that He is a person who has ascended into heaven and whose excellency transcends all others—S. S. 5:15.
７
His taste of divine things is sweet, and He is altogether lovely and desirable—v. 16.
B
Grace is poured upon Christ's lips—Luke 4:17-22; cf. Eph. 4:29-30; Acts 26:18.
C
Because the man Jesus is fair, sweet, and full of grace, God has been moved to bless Him forever—Rom. 9:5.
Ⅳ
The psalmist praises Christ the King in His victory—Psa. 45:3-5:
A
In the eyes of Satan and his fallen angels, Christ is the mighty One who has girded His sword upon His thigh, the One with majesty and splendor as signs of His victory—v. 3.
B
In His splendor Christ rides on victoriously because of truth, meekness, and righteousness—v. 4a:
１
Regardless of what the situation is on earth, regardless of what the nations are doing, Christ is riding on triumphantly, prosperously—Acts 5:31.
２
From the day of His ascension, He began to ride on, and He will continue to ride until He comes back in victory—Rev. 19:11-16.
C
His right hand performs awesome deeds—Psa. 45:4b:
１
Christ has performed many awesome deeds, including His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension—John 12:24; Rom. 8:28-29; 1 Cor. 15:45b; Eph. 1:19-23.
２
Everything the Lord Jesus does, whether great or small, is awesome—Matt. 12:46-50; 17:24-27; John 5:19, 30.
D
His arrows are sharp in the heart of His enemies, and the peoples fall under Him—Psa. 45:5; cf. Rev. 6:2.
Ⅴ
The psalmist praises Christ the King in His kingdom—Psa. 45:6-7:
A
As God, Christ's throne is forever and ever, and the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of His kingdom—v. 6; Heb. 1:8.
B
As the King, Christ has loved righteousness and hated wickedness, and God the Father has anointed Christ with the oil of gladness above His companions—Psa. 45:7; Heb. 1:9.
Ⅵ
The psalmist praises Christ the King in the sweetness of His virtues—Psa. 45:8; cf. 1 Pet. 2:9:
A
All His garments smell of myrrh and aloes and of cassia—Psa. 45:8a:
１
Garments signify Christ's deeds and virtues; myrrh and aloes signify the sweetness of His death; and cassia signifies the fragrance and repelling power of Christ's resurrection.
２
The way to experience Christ in His crucifixion by the power of His resurrection is by the Spirit Himself who is in our spirit—cf. S. S. 2:8-14; Rom. 8:16; Phil. 3:10.
B
From palaces of ivory, harpstrings have made Him glad—Psa. 45:8b:
１
Palaces signify local churches, ivory signifies the resurrection life of Christ (John 19:36), and harpstrings signify praises.
２
The local churches, which are beautiful in the eyes of the Lord and which are His expression, are built with the resurrection life of Christ, and from the local churches are the praises that make Him glad.