A Wedding Psalm
Psalm 45 is a wedding psalm. One of the most incredible, beautiful, and maybe incomprehensible aspects of our relationship with Jesus Christ is that we are the bride of Christ. It’s probably not something that we think a whole lot about. It’s not an identity that we seem to emphasize and cultivate, but the Father is in anticipation of that day when He will throw a great celebration banquet for the wedding of His Son — Revelation calls it the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19.7-9) — and the Father will present us to His Son as a bride.
Having been chosen to be the bride of the Son, how are we living in anticipation of that day?
Are we living with a bride’s heart?
Are we living with a bride’s love?
Are we living with a bride’s preparation?
We don’t have to read too far in Psalm 45 before we realize that this psalm is not primarily about an earthly bridegroom and bride, but is about the heavenly Bridegroom and His bride.
“My heart is stirred by a noble theme
as I recite my verses for the king;
my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.”
This is the bride speaking of her bridegroom:
“You are the most excellent of men
and your lips have been anointed with grace,
since God has blessed you forever.
Gird your sword on your side, you mighty one;
clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.
In your majesty ride forth victoriously
in the cause of truth, humility, and justice;
let your right hand achieve awesome deeds.
Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of your king’s enemies;
let the nations fall beneath your feet.”
To further emphasize and let us know that this is the heavenly Bridegroom of whom is being spoken, we next read two verses that are quoted in Hebrews 1, that the Father spoke to the Son, after He had provided purification for sins, ascended, and was seated at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven after having provided purification for sins.
“Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.
All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;
from palaces adorned with ivory
the music of the strings makes you glad.
Daughters of kings are among your honored women;
at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir.”
The bride has spoken, the Father has spoken words to the Son, and now I believe this is the Holy Spirit speaking to the bride, to us:
“Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention:
Forget your people and your father’s house.
Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;
honor him for he is your lord.
The city of Tyre will come with a gift,
people of wealth will seek your favor.
All glorious is the princess within her chamber,
her gown is interwoven with gold.
In embroidered garments she is led to the king;
her virgin companions follow her —
those brought to be with her.
Led in with joy and gladness,
they enter the palace of the king.
Your sons will take the place of your fathers;
you will make them princes throughout the land.”
We come to the end of this psalm and once again it is the Father speaking about the Son,
“I will perpetuate your memory through all generations;
therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.”
This is a beautiful psalm, it is magnificent, it is loving, and it is extraordinary. The bride expressing her admiration for the Bridegroom: speaking of how glorious, powerful, and mighty He is. Her heart one with His. Seeing Him as the King of righteousness and the Lord of lords. Seeing Him as a mighty warrior going forth to vanquish the enemies of righteousness and truth. She is so enamored with the strength, the power, the glory, the majesty, the prowess of her Bridegroom, the King. The Father speaks in emphasis of the Son’s kingdom and throne, His royalty, His heritage, His enduring dominion. The Holy Spirit speaks to the bride to remind her of what an honor it is to be chosen, to be the bride of the King of kings; how she should be living in anticipation of her wedding: exclusively for her Bridegroom, making preparation, making herself worthy of her Bridegroom. Finally the Father speaks once again to emphasize that His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior and our Bridegroom is the King of kings and the Lords of lords whose kingdom and dominion will be forever and ever. May we not see ourselves in any way less than that we have been chosen to be the bride of Christ! May we not fool around with the things of this world and sully our garments. We should be living everyday with a bride’s expectation of her wedding day, making our plans, making our preparations, getting everything ready.
In Revelation 19 where it speaks of the marriage supper of the Lamb, it says that the bride is clothed with fine white linen which represents the righteous acts of the saints. Every day of a believer’s life should be spent in preparing her wedding garments — by doing those things that please her Bridegroom, that reflect His heart and His character, that reflect His ways and His agenda — the righteous acts. Things that please His heart and say, “My heart is one with His, His goals are my goals, and I am living for His honor.” Everyday should be spent in expectation, “Will this be the day that He comes for me? Will this be the day that the cry goes out, ‘Here comes the Bridegroom!’ Am I ready for Him?” Remember the parable that Jesus told in Matthew 25: the Kingdom of Heaven is like a group of virgins getting ready for the coming of the Bridegroom. Are our lamps ready? Do we have the oil of the Holy Spirit? Are we filled with the presence of the light of the Spirit who is the life of Christ? The Spirit who sanctifies us and enabled the Son to present himself unblemished as a sacrifice sufficient for our sins. Is that same Spirit sanctifying us and setting us apart, and are we yielding to Him so that He can prepare us to be a worthy bride for the bridegroom? Is our love passionate? Is our attention filled with images and thoughts, with feelings of honor, with longings of desire for our Bridegroom?
Jesus is coming soon. May we be a worthy bride for the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
This is the word of the Lord to us today. May it stir our hearts, may it draw us closer to Jesus, may it cause us to love His return and live everyday in expectation.