Psalm 45:2

2 Thou art more beautiful than the sons of men: grace has been shed forth on thy lips: therefore God has blessed thee for ever.

Psalm 45:2 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 45:2

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 brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person; for this admits of no comparison, nor is the beauty of angels and men to be mentioned with it; but of the beauty of his human nature, both in body and soul, which being the immediate produce of the Holy Spirit, and without sin, and full of wisdom, grace, and holiness, must transcend that of any or all the sons of Adam. They are all deformed by sin; and whatever spiritual beauty there is in any of them, they have it from Christ; they are comely through his comeliness the outward beauty of men is vain and deceitful, and soon perishes; but Christ is ever the same, and he esteemed of by all that know him, as exceeding precious, altogether lovely, and transcendently excellent and glorious. The Hebrew word here used is doubled in its radicals, which denotes the exceeding great fairness and beauty of Christ, especially as Mediator, and as full of grace and truth. It follows,

grace is poured into thy lips;
by which is meant the matter of his speech, or the Gospel preached by him; these words of grace, as Kimchi on the text expresses himself; or gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, ( Luke 4:22 ) . The Gospel of the grace of God was given him to preach; it was put into his mouth, and that in great abundance; it was given at sundry times and in divers manners, and by piecemeal, to the prophets before him; but it was poured into his lips, and he was abundantly qualified for preaching it, by having the Spirit without measure given him; and so was poured out in a graceful manner, with great authority, and as never man before him spake, in doctrines of grace, gracious invitations, precious promises, excellent prayers, and even words of eternal life; see ( Song of Solomon 5:13 ) ;

therefore God hath blessed thee for ever;
or, "because ^F5 God hath blessed thee for ever"; in his human nature, with the grace of union to the Son of God, and with all the gifts and graces of the Spirit of God; and as Mediator, with all spiritual blessings, with grace and glory for his people. Hence all his comeliness, grace, and gracefulness.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 (Nk-le) "eo quid", Tigurine version; "propterea quod", Musculus, Piscator; "quia", Gejerus.

Psalm 45:2 In-Context

1 My heart has uttered a good matter: I declare my works to the king: my tongue is the pen of a quick writer.

2 Thou art more beautiful than the sons of men: grace has been shed forth on thy lips: therefore God has blessed thee for ever.

3 Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O Mighty One, in thy comeliness, and in thy beauty;

4 and bend thy bow, and prosper, and reign, because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall guide thee wonderfully.

5 Thy weapons are sharpened, Mighty One, (the nations shall fall under thee) they are in the heart of the king’s enemies.

6 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a sceptre of righteousness.

7 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity: therefore God, thy God, has anointed thee with the oil of gladness beyond thy fellows.

8 Myrrh, and stacte, and cassia are exhaled from thy garments, and out of the ivory palaces,

9 with which kings’ daughters have gladdened thee for thine honour: the queen stood by on thy right hand, clothed in vesture wrought with gold, and arrayed in divers colours.

10 Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline thine ear; forget also thy people, and thy father’s house.

11 Because the king has desired thy beauty; for he is thy Lord.

12 And the daughter of Tyre shall adore him with gifts; the rich of the people of the land shall supplicate thy favour.

13 All her glory is that of the daughter of the king of Esebon, robed as she is in golden fringed garments,

14 in embroidered clothing: virgins shall be brought to the king after her: her fellows shall be brought to thee.

15 They shall be brought with gladness and exultation: they shall be led into the king’s temple.

16 Instead of thy fathers children are born to thee: thou shalt make them princes over all the earth.

17 They shall make mention of thy name from generation to generation: therefore shall the nations give thanks to thee for ever, even for ever and ever.