|  Home  |  Old Testament Studies  |  Psalms Table of Contents  |  Previous Section  |  Next Section  |

PSALM 45

STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

1. This Psalm is praising an Israeli
   1. probably Solomon at the time of one of his marriages (NASB margin)
   2. Ahab and his marriage to Jezebel (Jewish Study Bible, p. 1332)
   3. David (Ibn Ezra)
   4. Messiah (Ibn Ezra's second choice and the Church Fathers)
   
   
2. This Psalm has been viewed by some as Messianic (notice the capitalized PRONOUNS) but only in a typological sense. Historically it fits
   1. the hyperbolic royal language of the ANE
   2. a marriage of Solomon would have been attended by the people groups his empire controlled
      SPECIAL TOPIC: TYPOLOGY
   
   
3. All Israeli Kings were meant to represent YHWH (cf. 1 Sam. 8:6-7). He is the King of the Universe and they are to lead His people (by example) in His law.
   
   
4. The NASB Study Bible (p. 784) assumes the author was a Levitical singer and that as such his song was considered as coming from the temple (i.e., from God Himself). This is how the fluidity of terminology between God and the King is to be explained.
    The use of musical terms in the superscription implies that later Judaism assumed this was a Levite musical leader.
   
   
5. Psalm 45 has
   1. a related opening (Ps. 45:1-2) and close (Ps. 45:16-17)
   2. an address to the king, Ps. 45:3-9
   3. an address to the bride, Ps. 45:10-15

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 45:1-2
 ¹My heart overflows with a good theme;
 I address my verses to the King;
 My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
 ²You are fairer than the sons of men;
 Grace is poured upon Your lips;
 Therefore God has blessed You forever.

45:1 The author describes himself to his readers (only here in the Psalter) in this verse.

1. his heart (i.e., he himself) overflows (BDB 935, KB 1222, Qal PERFECT; LXX has "erupts") with a good theme (i.e., praise for the King of God's people)
2. he writes to praise the King on his marriage
3. his tongue is the pen of a ready writer (i.e.,
   1. he was eager to praise the King
   2. he was a court poet or scribe, cf. Ezra 7:6)

45:2 He describes the King in poetic imagery.

1. he is fairer (i.e., "more handsome," cf. NRSV, TEV, NJB; this word [BDB 421, KB 421] is rarely used of men; it is in a rare form – Pealal PERFECT) than other men (lit. "the sons of men")
2. his speech is eloquent (TEV) and gracious (cf. Prov. 22:11; Eccl. 10:12); I think Ps. 45:4c is parallel
3. therefore, God has blessed You forever – two thoughts about this
   1. be cognizant of ANE hyperbolic, royal language
   2. be careful of cause and effect logic (i.e., YHWH blessed him because he acted appropriately). There is a tension in Scripture between God's sovereignty and human free will (see SPECIAL TOPIC: ELECTION/PREDESTINATION AND THE NEED FOR A THEOLOGICAL BALANCE). Obedience is important but call is crucial. He was not King because he deserved it but by family line.
4. this is similar to the poetry of Song of Songs

▣ "forever" See SPECIAL TOPIC: FOREVER ('olam)

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 45:3-5
 ³Gird Your sword on Your thigh, O Mighty One,
 In Your splendor and Your majesty!
 ⁴And in Your majesty ride on victoriously,
 For the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness;
 Let Your right hand teach You awesome things.
 ⁵Your arrows are sharp;
 The peoples fall under You;
 Your arrows are in the heart of the King's enemies.

45:3-5 This strophe is poetic imagery about the King's military victories. Notice he represents YHWH as he fights for the cause of (LXX)

1. "truth" (BDB 54)
2. "meekness" (unusual vowel pointing, BDB 776, cf. Prov. 15:33; 18:12; 22:4; Zeph. 2:3)

Notice the three IMPERATIVES and two JUSSIVES which reflect military imagery.

1. gird Your sword on Your thigh" – BDB 291, KB 291, Qal IMPERATIVE, Ps. 45:3, cf. Deut. 1:41; Jdgs. 3:16; 18:11; 1 Sam.17:39; 25:13
2. ride on victoriously," Ps. 45:4
3. same as #2
   1. be successful!" – BDB 852, KB 1026, Qal IMPERATIVE
   2. "ride" – BDB 938, KB 1230, Qal IMPERATIVE
4. let Your right hand teach," Ps. 45:4 – BDB 434, KB 436, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense
5. let the peoples fall under You," Ps. 45:5 – BDB 656, KB 709, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense

45:3 "Splendor" (BDB 217 I) and "majesty" (BDB 214) are often associated with God (i.e., Ps. 104:1). Notice how NASB capitalizes the PRONOUNS in Ps. 45:2,3, 4,5,6,7,8,9. But they are also used of the Israeli King (i.e., Ps. 21:5).

This ADJECTIVE (BDB 150) basically means "strong," or "mighty." It was used of

1. human warriors – Gen. 10:9; Ps. 78:65; 120:4; 127:4; Eccl. 9:11; Song of Songs 3:7
2. Messiah – Isa. 9:5 (David as type – Ps. 89:20)
3. YHWH as faithful covenant warrior (i.e., holy war) – Neh. 9:32; Ps. 24:8; Isa. 10:21; Jer. 32:18

In this context it refers to the Davidic King (or another Israeli king) as victorious warrior, empowered by YHWH.

45:4-5 The PRONOUNS are difficult to identify.

1. some refer to God
2. some to the King

This same confusion is in Ps. 45:6-7. The problem is that the author is describing the King as a representative of YHWH Himself. It is obvious how early Christian authors (i.e., Heb. 1:8-9) saw this as a Messianic Psalm. For them the Messiah had come and the OT pointed to Him (i.e., Jesus).

Notice the theological terms found in this text.

1. truth (BDB 54; see SPECIAL TOPIC: TRUTH)
2. meekness (BDB 776)
3. raighteousness (BDB 841; see SPECIAL TOPIC: RIGHTEOUSNESS

This PARTICIPLE (BDB 431, KB 432, Niphal PARTICIPLE) means "awe-inspiring deeds."

1. God Himself – Deut. 1:19; 7:21; 10:20-21
2. His deeds – 2 Sam. 7:23; Ps. 145:6 (splitting the Red Sea, Ps. 106:22)

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 45:6-9
 ⁶Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
 A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
 ⁷You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
 Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
 With the oil of joy above Your fellows.
 ⁸All Your garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;
 Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made You glad.
 ⁹Kings' daughters are among Your noble ladies;
 At Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir.

45:6-9 Here again is a strophe that addresses both YHWH and His royal representative in a unified way.

You can see from the variety of translations that the Hebrew text is uncertain (JPSOA footnote). In a monotheistic (see SPECIAL TOPIC: MONOTHEISM) OT context this cannot be asserting deity to the King, but it is asserting that all the King is and has comes from his relationship to YHWH. The King is YHWH's earthly representative, as was the High Priest (cf. Zechariah 4).

YHWH's throne (cf. 1 Chr. 29:23; Lam. 5:19) is forever (cf. Ps. 93:2; see SPECIAL TOPIC: FOREVER (‘olam). The King's throne is for a lifetime. The Messiah is the special coming King (see SPECIAL TOPIC: OT TITLES OF THE SPECIAL COMING ONE). This phrase has one connotation in the OT and a fuller one in the NT (i.e., multi-fulfillment prophecy)!

45:7 One wonders if this is royal hyperbole or this Psalm truly addressed a godly King.

1. if it is addressed to Ahab, it is royal hyperbole
2. if Solomon, it was true at first but not later (cf. 1 Kings 11)
3. if David it was true at first and at last but not during his sinning period (i.e., Bathsheba, Uriah)

We must always be careful of attributing God's blessing based on human performance. God anointed the King for His own purposes of redemption and revelation (see SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN).

One last thought, Ps. 45:7 shows clearly that 45:6 is not attributing deity to an Israeli king. Hebrews 1:8-9 sees it as a Davidic royal typology!

▣ As YHWH loves righteousness (cf. Ps. 11:7; 33:5), so too, should His earthly representative, the Israeli king (i.e., His anointed, cf. Ps. 2:2).

This spice (BDB 893 I, KB 1122 I) is mentioned only here in the OT. It may refer to a cinnamon smelling fragrance from dried flowers.

45:9 Does this verse imply that at the current wedding there were already

1. royal daughters
2. other wives/concubines
3. a Queen (rare word, BDB 993, KB 1415, cf. Neh. 2:6). If it comes from an Akkadian root, it could mean "Royal Consort" not the Queen.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 45:10-12
 ¹⁰Listen, O daughter, give attention and incline your ear:
 Forget your people and your father's house;
 ¹¹Then the King will desire your beauty.
 Because He is your Lord, bow down to Him.
 ¹²The daughter of Tyre will come with a gift;
 The rich among the people will seek your favor.

45:10-12 This is the strophe that implies the marriage was with a foreign lady, which fits

1. David – if Bathsheba was not Jewish
2. Solomon – with his many foreign wives (cf. 1 Kgs. 11:1-8)
3. Ahab – marrying Jezebel, a Tyrian princess (note Ps. 45:12)

45:10 This verse has four IMPERATIVES.

1. listen – BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal IMPERATIVE
2. give attention (lit. "see") – BDB 906, KB 1157, Qal IMPERATIVE
3. incline your ear – BDB 639, KB 692, Hiphil IMPERATIVE, cf. Prov. 22:17
4. forget your people – BDB 1013, KB 1489, Qal IMPERATIVE

This implies a total break with the previous nation or family. She must have total allegiance to the Israeli king.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 45:13-15
 ¹³The King's daughter is all glorious within;
 Her clothing is interwoven with gold.
 ¹⁴She will be led to the King in embroidered work;
 The virgins, her companions who follow her,
 Will be brought to You.
 ¹⁵They will be led forth with gladness and rejoicing;
 They will enter in to the King's palace.

45:13-15 This refers to the wedding party from the harem ("virgins"). The other wives (besides the Queen) are called "daughters" (cf. Ps. 45:9,10,12,13).

This strophe was spiritualized by the Church to refer to herself! This was also done with Song of Songs (Canticles). Be careful of allegory and non-biblical typology.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE ALEXANDRIAN SCHOOL OF BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION

SPECIAL TOPIC: TYPOLOGY

The MT has "within" (פנימה, BDB 819, LXX), but some scholars suppose "pearls" (פנינים, BDB 819, cf. Job. 28:18; Prov. 3:15; 8:11; 31:10; Lam. 4:7).

This could refer to

1. the bride's/queen inner chamber (in a room in the harem's quarters, v. 14; NKJV, REB, Peshitta)
2. the king's inner chamber (v. 15, JPSOA, NJB, NRSV)

The UBS Text Project gives the MT an "A" rating.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 45:16-17
 ¹⁶In place of your fathers will be your sons;
 You shall make them princes in all the earth.
 ¹⁷I will cause Your name to be remembered in all generations;
 Therefore the peoples will give You thanks forever and ever.

45:16-17 The UBS Handbook, p. 429, has a good summary.

"The poet concludes by addressing the king, promising him that he will have many sons who will, like his ancestors, also be kings and rule over the whole earth."

Psalm 45:17 is a way of asserting that this Psalm will be around for a long time and keep the memory of the king alive.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Why is it thought this is a royal wedding song?
2. Does Ps. 45:6 refer to the Israeli king?
3. Why is it thought the bride is not from Israel?
4. Explain Ps. 45:16-17 in your own words.
5. Define "Your throne, O God" and explain how Hebrews 1:8-9 is using it.
6. Why is this Psalm thought to be Messianic?

|  Home  |  Old Testament Studies  |  Psalms Table of Contents  |  Previous Section  |  Next Section  |

Copyright © 2014 Bible Lessons International