INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 45 TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN UPON SHOSHANNIM, FOR THE SONS OF KORAH, MASCHIL, A SONG OF LOVES. There are some things in this title we have met with already in other psalms; as the direction, "to the chief Musician, for the sons of Korah"; and one of its names, "Maschil". The wor... [ Continue Reading ]
MY HEART IS INDITING A GOOD MATTER,.... What is valuable and excellent, concerning the excellency of Christ's person, of his kingdom, of his love to the church, and of the church itself; what is pleasant and delightful, comfortable, useful, and profitable: this his heart was inditing; which shows th... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU ART FAIRER THAN THE CHILDREN OF MEN,.... Here begins the psalm, and this is an address to the King Messiah, the subject of it, commending him for his beauty and comeliness; which is not to be understood of his divine beauty or his glory, as the only begotten of the Father, in which he is the br... [ Continue Reading ]
GIRD THY SWORD UPON [THY] THIGH, O [MOST] MIGHTY,.... As Christ is, the mighty God, even the Almighty, and which appears by his works of creation and providence; by the redemption of his people; by his care and government of them; by succouring them under all their temptations and afflictions; by st... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IN THY MAJESTY RIDE PROSPEROUSLY,.... Not literally, as was prophesied of him he should, and as he did, Zechariah 9:9; but mystically and spiritually, either in the chariots of angels up to heaven, Psalms 68:17; or on the white horse of the Gospel, with his bow and arrows after mentioned, conque... [ Continue Reading ]
THINE ARROWS [ARE] SHARP IN THE HEART OF THE KING'S ENEMIES,.... Meaning either the Jews, who were the implacable enemies of Christ, and who would not have him to reign over them; in the midst of whom were sent his arrows, of the sword, famine, and pestilence, and which were very sharp, and made sad... [ Continue Reading ]
THY THRONE, O GOD, [IS] FOR EVER AND EVER,.... This verse and Psalms 45:7 are cited in Hebrews 1:8; and applied to the Son of God, the second Person in the Trinity; and therefore are not an apostrophe to the Father, as some have said; nor will they bear to be rendered, "thy throne is the throne of... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU LOVEST RIGHTEOUSNESS,.... Either righteous persons, whom his countenance beholds, on whom his eyes are, and from whom they are never withdrawn, and with whom he is exceedingly delighted: or righteous things; a righteous administration of government; faithfulness and integrity in whatsoever he i... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THY GARMENTS [SMELL] OF MYRRH, AND ALOES, [AND] CASSIA,.... Either his human nature, as anointed with the oil of gladness, and filled with the graces of the Spirit, signified by the holy anointing oil in the tabernacle, of which the things mentioned were ingredients, Exodus 30:23; or the garmen... [ Continue Reading ]
KINGS' DAUGHTERS [WERE] AMONG THY HONOURABLE WOMEN,.... Or "maids of honour" n; who filled and adorned the king's court, and made a splendid appearance there, the same with the virgins, the companions of the bride, in Psalms 45:14; and design truly gracious souls, believers in Christ, who are his "p... [ Continue Reading ]
HEARKEN, O DAUGHTER, AND CONSIDER, AND INCLINE THINE EAR,.... These words are either spoken by the prophet, the author of the psalm; or by the King, the bridegroom himself; or, as others think, by Jehovah the Father, whose daughter the church is; unless it should be rather thought to be an address o... [ Continue Reading ]
SO SHALL THE KING GREATLY DESIRE THY BEAUTY,.... Which lies in the comeliness or righteousness of Christ put upon her; in the holiness of Christ reckoned to her; in being washed from all sin in the blood of Christ; in the graces of the Spirit being implanted in her, in which the beauty of holiness l... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE DAUGHTER OF TYRE [SHALL BE THERE] WITH A GIFT,.... That is, among the honourable women in the king's court and palace: it is a prophecy of the conversion of the Tyrians, and their admission into a Gospel church, state, which had its accomplishment in the times of Christ and his apostles, Mar... [ Continue Reading ]
THE KING'S DAUGHTER [IS] ALL GLORIOUS WITHIN,.... The "King's daughter" is the same with the "queen", Psalms 45:9; the church, who is the King's daughter, the daughter of the King of kings, through adopting grace, by marriage to Christ the King's son, and by regeneration, or being born of God: and s... [ Continue Reading ]
SHE SHALL BE BROUGHT UNTO THE KING IN RAIMENT OF NEEDLEWORK,.... Not in her sins, and trader the sense and guilt of them; as souls are brought to Christ, at first conversion, under the drawings of the Father's grace; nor in the rags of her own righteousness; but in the robe of righteousness, and gar... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH, GLADNESS AND REJOICING SHALL THEY BE BROUGHT,.... With joy unspeakable, and full of glory in themselves, because of what they shall be delivered from; from all outward troubles and afflictions; from all inward distresses, darkness, doubts, and fears; from sin, Satan, and all spiritual enemies;... [ Continue Reading ]
INSTEAD OF THY FATHERS SHALL BE THY CHILDREN,.... This is an address, not to the church, the queen, the King's daughter, spoken to and of in the preceding verses, but to the King Messiah himself, who was of the Jewish fathers, according to the flesh, Romans 9:4; and though he was rejected by that pe... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL MAKE THY NAME TO BE REMEMBERED IN ALL GENERATIONS,.... These are the words of the psalmist, spoken to the King Messiah, declaring what he would do with respect to him; cause his name, that is, not any particular name or title of his, but rather his Gospel, the good matter he had endited conce... [ Continue Reading ]