Psalms 45:1-9

1 To the overcomer for the lilies, the most loved song of learning of the sons of Korah. Mine heart hath told out a good word; I say my works to the king. My tongue is the pen of a writer; writing swiftly. (To the overcomer, for the lilies, the most loved song, for the sons of Korah, for their teaching. My heart hath told out a good word; I tell of my works to the king. My tongue is like the pen of a writer, yea, writing swiftly.)

2 Christ, thou art fairer in shape than the sons of men; grace is spread abroad in thy lips; therefore God blessed thee [into] without end. (Thou anointed king, thou art more comely in appearance than any other man; grace is spread abroad by thy lips/thy lips speak most eloquently; yea, God hath blessed thee forever.)

3 Be thou gird with thy sword; on thy hip most mightily. Behold thou in thy shapeliness and thy fairness; (Be thou gird with thy sword on thy hip, most mighty man. In thy glory, and in thy majesty,)

4 come thou forth with prosperity, and reign thou. For truth, and mildness, and rightfulness; and thy right hand shall lead forth thee wonderfully. (come thou forth with prosperity; and reign thou in truth, and humility, and righteousness. And thy right hand, or thy strength, shall lead thee forth to great victories.)

5 Thy sharp arrows shall fall into the hearts of the enemies of the king; peoples shall be under thee. (Thy arrows shall be sharp in the hearts of the enemies of the king; and nations shall fall down under thee.)

6 God, thy seat is into the world of world; the rod of thy realm is a rod of right ruling, or of equity. (Like God, thy throne shall last forever; and the sceptre of thy kingdom is a sceptre of justice, yea, of equity and fairness.)

7 Thou lovedest rightfulness, and hatedest wickedness; therefore thou, God, thy God (and so God, thy God), anointed thee with the oil of gladness, more than thy fellows.

8 Myrrh, and gum, and cassia, of thy clothes, (out) of the ivory houses/(out) of the house of ivory; of which the daughters of kings delighted thee. (Myrrh, and gum, and cassia be the perfumes of thy clothes; and the sound of music coming forth from the ivory palace delighteth thee.)

9 A queen stood nigh on thy right side, in clothing overgilded; compassed with diversity. (The daughters of kings be there among thy honourable women; the queen standeth nigh on thy right side, in clothing overgilded with the gold of Ophir.)

Psalms 45:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

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 word "shoshannim," according to Kimchi and Ben Melech, is the name of a musical instrument, on which this psalm was sung; an instrument of six strings, as Junius: but Aben Ezra thinks it was the first word of a song, to the tune of which it was sunny; though others are of opinion that it points at the persons, the subjects of this psalm, and may be rendered, "concerning Shoshannim"; that is, as the Targum interprets it, "concerning those that sit in the sanhedrim of Moses": and Jarchi's note is, "for the glory of the disciples of the wise men," comparable to lilies; for so this word signifies, and may be translated, "concerning the lilies" {t}; that is, concerning Christ and his church, who are manifestly the subject of this psalm, and are compared to lilies, Song of Solomon 2:1. This psalm is called "a song of loves," an epithalamium, or marriage song, setting forth the mutual love of Christ and his church; or "a song of the beloved ones" {u} or "friends"; of Christ, who is the beloved and friend of his church; and the church, who is the beloved and friend of Christ; see Isaiah 5:1; and the word here used being in the feminine gender, some have supplied the word "virgins," and render it thus, "a song of the beloved virgins" {w}; sung by them on account of the marriage between Christ and his church, who are the companions of the bride, mentioned in Psalm 45:14, and friends and lovers of the bridegroom; see Song of Solomon 1:3. The writer of this psalm is not mentioned; it was not written by the sons of Korah, as say the Targum and Syriac version; but most probably by David, though not concerning his son Solomon, as some have thought, who, though wiser than all men, is never said to be fairer; nor was he a warrior, as the person is represented; nor was his throne and kingdom for ever and ever; nor he the object of worship; nor was his marriage with Pharaoh's daughter so commendable a thing; nor is she ever praised, as the queen herein mentioned is: but the person who is spoken of is the Messiah, as is owned by several Jewish writers: the Targum interprets Psalm 45:2 of the King Messiah; and Ben Melech says, he is meant by the King in Psalm 45:1. Aben Ezra observes, that this psalm is said concerning David, or concerning the Messiah his son, for so is his name, Ezekiel 37:26; and Kimchi expressly says, it is spoken concerning the Messiah; and Arama affirms, that all agree that it treats of him.

{t} Mynvv le "de liliis," Tigurine version. {u} tdydy ryv "canticum amicarum," Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "amatarum," Cocceius. {w} "Dilectarum sen de dilectis Christo virginibus," Michaelis; "a song of the well beloved virgins," Ainsworth.