Overview:
(NET) This is a romantic poem celebrating the Davidic king’s marriage to a lovely princess. The psalmist praises the king for his military prowess and commitment to justice, urges the bride to be loyal to the king, and anticipates that the marriage will be blessed with royal offspring.
Difficult text:
v.6a Your throne, O God, is permanent.
(NET) [O God] Because the Davidic king is God’s vice-regent on earth, the psalmist addresses him as if he were God incarnate. God energizes the king for battle and accomplishes justice through him...probably envision a similar kind of response when friends and foes alike look at the Davidic king in full battle regalia. When the king’s enemies oppose him on the battlefield, they are, as it were, fighting against God himself.
Observations:
(1) The praise of the king
He was handsome v.2a, well spoken v.2b, a might warrior v.2c. He went to battle and won because God fought for him v.4-6.
(2) A special occasion for the king
He loved what God love and hated what God hated v.7a. Therefore, God has set him up for a joyous occasion.
45:7 You love justice and hate evil.
For this reason God, your God has anointed you
with the oil of joy, elevating you above your companions.
(NET) To love justice means to actively promote it...To hate evil means to actively oppose it.
(NET) Anointed you. When read in the light of the preceding context, the anointing is most naturally taken as referring to the king’s coronation. However, the following context (vv. 8–9) focuses on the wedding ceremony, so some prefer to see this anointing as part of the king’s preparations for the wedding celebration. Perhaps the reference to his anointing at his coronation facilitates the transition to the description of the wedding, for the king was also anointed on this occasion.
(3) the persuasion to the bride v.8-9
a. the luxurious palace
45:8 All your garments are perfumed with myrrh, aloes, and cassia.
From the luxurious palaces comes the music of stringed instruments that makes you happy
(NET) Heb “the palaces of ivory.” The phrase “palaces of ivory” refers to palaces that had ivory panels and furniture decorated with ivory inlays. Such decoration with ivory was characteristic of a high level of luxury.
b. The bride was persuaded to forget her own family and married the king and submit to him v.10. She would then enjoyed all the privilege of being part of the royal family v.11-16.
“your people.” This reference to the “people” of the princess suggests she was a foreigner. Perhaps the marriage was arranged as part of a political alliance between Israel (or Judah) and a neighboring state. The translation “your homeland” reflects such a situation.
(NET) Submit to him. The poet here makes the point that the young bride is obligated to bring pleasure to her new husband. Though a foreign concept to modern western culture, this was accepted as the cultural norm in the psalmist’s day.
Reflections:
a. The handsome/well spoken/God-loving king was described in detail as the background of why God set him up for this joyous occasion. It was also the reason why the psalmist persuaded the bride to forget about her hometown and be the queen of this king. What quality do you have to attract other people? Do you love what God loved and hated what God hated v.7a? Do you actively promote justice and actively oppose evil?b. The psalmist persuaded the bride to forget her hometown v.10 based on the beauty/luxurious palace v.8-9 and being able to be part of the royal family v.10-16. Do we long for our heavenly home? Are you proud to be part of God's family? The Psalmist encouraged us to forget our hometown. Things on the earth can not compare with the glory of our heavenly home.
c. The other command to the bride is to Submit to the king v.11, which means to bring pleasure to him. Have you ever thought of how to bring pleasure to God?
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