Psalm 45:2 Kommentar

This psalm is an illustrious prophecy of Messiah the Prince: it is all over gospel, and points at him only, as a bridegroom espousing the church to himself and as a king ruling in it and ruling for it. It is probable that our Saviour has reference to this psalm when he compares the kingdom of heaven, more than once, to a nuptial solemnity, the solemnity of a royal nuptial, Mat 22:2; Mat 25:1. We have no reason to think it has any reference to Solomon's marriage with Pharaoh's daughter; if I thought that it had reference to any other than the mystical marriage between Christ and his church, I would rather apply it to some of David's marriages, because he was a man of war, such a one as the bridegroom here is described to be, which Solomon was not. But I take it to be purely and only meant of Jesus Christ; of him speaks the prophet this, of him and of no other man; and to him (Psa 45:6, Psa 45:7) it is applied in the New Testament (Heb 1:8), nor can it be understood of any other. The preface speaks the excellency of the song (Psa 45:1). The psalm speaks, I. Of the royal bridegroom, who is Christ. 1. The transcendent excellency of his person (Psa 45:2). 2. The glory of his victories (Psa 45:3-5). 3. The righteousness of his government (Psa 45:6, Psa 45:7). 4. The splendour of his court (Psa 45:8, Psa 45:9). II. Of the royal bride, which is the church. 1. Her consent gained (Psa 45:10, Psa 45:11). 2. The nuptials solemnized (Psa 45:12-15). 3. The issue of this marriage (Psa 45:16, Psa 45:17). In singing this psalm our hearts must be filled with high thoughts of Christ, with an entire submission to and satisfaction in his government, and with an earnest desire of the enlarging and perpetuating of his church in the world. To the chief musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil. A song of loves.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 45 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, Sol 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 Isa 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 Psa 45:14, and friends and lovers of the bridegroom; see Sol 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 Psa 45:2 of the King Messiah; and Ben Melech says, he is meant by the King in Psa 45:1. Aben Ezra observes, that this psalm is said concerning David, or concerning the Messiah his son, for so is his name, Eze 37:26; and Kimchi expressly says, it is spoken concerning the Messiah; and Arama affirms, that all agree that it treats of him. (t) "de liliis", Tigurine version. (u) "canticum amicarum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "amatarum", Cocceius. (w) "Dilectarum sen de dilectis Christo virginibus", Michaelis; "a song of the well beloved virgins", Ainsworth.

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, Luk 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 Sol 5:13; therefore God hath blessed thee for ever; or, "because (e) 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. (e) "eo quid", Tigurine version; "propterea quod", Musculus, Piscator; "quia", Gejerus.

Now a proof that “grace was poured on his lips” is the fact that although the time he spent in teaching was short, … the world has been filled with this teaching and with the religion that came through him. For there has arisen “in his days” “righteousness and an abundance of peace” lasting until the consummation.

He had no form or comeliness in the eyes of the Jews, but to David he is fairer than the children of people. And on the mountain he was bright as the lightning and became more luminous than the sun, initiating us into the mystery of the future.

How, then, does another inspired author say, “We saw him: he had no form or beauty; instead, his form was dishonorable, of no importance beside human beings.” He is not speaking about deformity—God forbid—but about an object of scorn. You see, once having deigned to become human, he went through every demeaning experience, not choosing a queen for his mother, not placed in a bed of gold at the time of swaddling clothes but in a manger, not reared in an affluent home but in an artisan’s humble dwelling. Again, when he picked disciples, he did not pick orators and philosophers and kings but fishermen and tax collectors. He shared this simple life, not owning a house, or clad in rich clothing or enjoying similar fare, but nourished at others’ expense, insulted, scorned, driven out, pursued. Now, he did this to trample underfoot human conceit in fine style. So, since he did not fit himself out in any pomp or circumstance or attach to himself hangers on or bodyguards, but went about at times alone, like any ordinary person, thus that author said, “We saw him, and he had no form or beauty,” whereas the psalmist says, “Comely to behold beyond all human beings,” suggesting grace, wisdom, teaching, miracles. Then to underline the comeliness he says, “Grace streamed out on your lips.”

Lo! now then that Word, so uttered, Eternal, the Co-eternal Offspring of the Eternal, will come as "the Bridegroom;" "Fairer than the children of men" [Psalm 45:2]. "Than the children of men." I ask, why not than the Angels also? Why did he say, "than the children of men," except because He was Man? Lest you should think "the Man Christ" [1 Timothy 2:5] to be any ordinary man, he says, "Fairer than the children of men." Even though Himself "Man," He is "fairer than the children of men;" though among the children of men, "fairer than the children of men:" though of the children of men, "fairer than the children of men." "Grace is shed abroad on Your lips." "The Law was given by Moses. Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ." [John 1:17] ...

After mentioning the glory, here he mentions its effect, namely, that you were invested with such persuasion as even to attract disciples merely by your lips: the extraordinary degree of wisdom required no great number of words for persuading.

"Beautiful in form above the sons of men." With the prologue set forth according to one sense, or the divinity of Christ according to another sense, here is set forth the commendation of Christ according to his humanity. And because he said, "I speak my works to the king," he commends Christ after the likeness of a king, namely David, from four things: namely, from graciousness, from warlike virtue, from judicial power, and from abundance of delights. The second part, at "Gird yourself." The third, at "your throne." The fourth, at "myrrh." Regarding the first, he does two things. First, he describes the graciousness of the king. Second, the cause or effect, at "therefore." Note that two senses are especially prominent in man, namely sight and hearing; hence through these two someone appears gracious: through beauty to sight, through gracious speech to hearing. Hence these two were especially in Christ; hence Song 2: "Show me your face, let your voice sound in my ears; for your voice is sweet and your face is comely." For he was beautiful and eloquent in those things that befitted his eloquence. As to the first, he says, "beautiful in form." And note in Christ a fourfold beauty. One according to the divine form. Phil. 2: "Who, being in the form of God." And according to this he was beautiful above the sons of men, for all have grace only by redundance and participation, but he has it of himself and fully. Col. 2: "In him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." Heb. 1: "Being the brightness of his glory and the figure of his substance." Wis. 7: "He is the brightness of eternal light and the spotless mirror of God's majesty." Another is the beauty of justice and truth. Jer. 31: "The Lord bless you, O beauty of justice." Jn. 1: "Full of grace and truth." Another is the beauty of an honorable life; and of this, 1 Pet. 5: "Being made a pattern of the flock." And in this form he was beautiful above the sons of men, because his life was more honorable and virtuous than anyone's. 1 Pet. 2: "He committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth." Augustine in the original: "To us beholding, he is everywhere beautiful: beautiful in the hands of his parents, beautiful in miracles, beautiful in scourges, beautiful laying down his life, beautiful on the gallows, beautiful on the wood, beautiful in heaven." The fourth is bodily beauty; and this also was in Christ. Song 1: "Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved." But was he beautiful above the sons of men according to this beauty? It seems not, because Is. 53 says: "We saw him, and there was no beauty in him nor comeliness." Also, by reason it is proved that Christ chose to have poverty and not to use riches, to teach that they are to be despised. But just as these things are to be despised, so also bodily beauty. Prov. 31: "Grace is deceitful and beauty is vain." I respond: It must be said that beauty, health, and things of this sort are said in a certain way by comparison to something, because a certain balance of humors makes for health in a child that does not make for health in an old man. There is a certain health for a lion that is death for a man. Hence health is a proportion of humors in comparison to such a nature. And similarly, beauty consists in the proportion of members and colors. And therefore the beauty of one person is different from that of another; and thus Christ had this beauty to the highest degree insofar as it was fitting for the state and reverence of his condition. It is not therefore to be understood that Christ had blond hair or was ruddy, because this would not have been fitting for him; but he had that bodily beauty to the highest degree which pertained to the state and reverence and graciousness of aspect, so that something divine radiated in his countenance, which made all revere him, as Augustine says. To the first objection, it must be said that the prophet wished to express the contempt of Christ in the Passion, in which the beauty of his body was deformed by the multitude of afflictions. To the other objection, it must be said that those riches and beauties are to be despised which we use badly. He was also gracious in speech; hence he says, "Grace is poured forth on your lips." Sir. 6: "A gracious tongue in a good man shall abound." And his word was gracious. In three ways is someone's word considered gracious because of the things he says: namely, when he says things that are pleasing and useful; thus Christ's word was gracious, because he imposed light burdens and promised rest. Mt. 11: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you." Jn. 6: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." Also, someone has a gracious word on account of an ordered and fervent manner of speaking; and thus Christ had an ordered and fervent manner of speaking. Ps. 118: "Your word is enkindled." Also, someone is said to have a gracious word on account of its efficacy in persuading; and thus also Christ had this. Mt. 7: "He was teaching in the temple as one having authority." And therefore Lk. 21 says that all the people "went early in the morning to him" in the temple to hear him. And Jn. 7: "Never has anyone spoken like this man." "Therefore God has blessed you forever." Here the cause or effect is set forth. As was said, to bless God signifies the effect of his goodness, or his conferral of a benefit. God therefore conferred a twofold benefit on Christ the man. Of glory or of the kingdom; and this is the reward of Christ's merits. Phil. 2: "Therefore God has also exalted him." And thus the word "therefore" denotes the meritorious cause; as if to say: because you are beautiful in form, gracious in teaching, "therefore God has blessed you forever," with the blessing of a spiritual kingdom. Gen. 22: "In your seed all nations shall be blessed." The other is the benefit of grace; and thus the sense is: "Therefore God has blessed you forever," so that you might be beautiful and grace might be poured forth on your lips.

Shoshannim--literally, "Lilies," either descriptive of an instrument so shaped, or denoting some tune or air so called, after which the Psalm was to be sung (see on Psa 8:1, title). A song of loves, or, of beloved ones (plural and feminine)--a conjugal song. Maschil--(See on Psa 32:1, title, and Psa 42:1, title) denotes the didactic character of the Psalm; that it gives instruction, the song being of allegorical, and not literal, import. The union and glories of Christ and his Church are described. He is addressed as a king possessed of all essential graces, as a conqueror exalted on the throne of a righteous and eternal government, and as a bridegroom arrayed in nuptial splendor. The Church is portrayed in the purity and loveliness of a royally adorned and attended bride, invited to forsake her home and share the honors of her affianced lord. The picture of an Oriental wedding thus opened is filled up by representing the complimentary gifts of the wealthy with which the occasion is honored, the procession of the bride clothed in splendid raiment, attended by her virgin companions, and the entrance of the joyous throng into the palace of the king. A prediction of a numerous and distinguished progeny, instead of the complimentary wish for it usually expressed (compare Gen 24:60; Rut 4:11-12), and an assurance of a perpetual fame, closes the Psalm. All ancient Jewish and Christian interpreters regarded this Psalm as an allegory of the purport above named. In the Song of Songs the allegory is carried out more fully. Hosea (Hos. 1:1-3:5) treats the relation of God and His people under the same figure, and its use to set forth the relation of Christ and His Church runs through both parts of the Bible (compare Isa 54:5; Isa 62:4-5; Mat 22:3; Mat 25:1; Joh 3:29; Eph 5:25-32, &c.). Other methods of exposition have been suggested. Several Jewish monarchs, from Solomon to the wicked Ahab, and various foreign princes, have been named as the hero of the song. But to none of them can the terms here used be shown to apply, and it is hardly probable that any mere nuptial song, especially of a heathen king, would be permitted a place in the sacred songs of the Jews. The advocates for any other than the Messianic interpretation have generally silenced each other in succession, while the application of the most rigorous rules of a fair system of interpretation has but strengthened the evidences in its favor. The scope of the Psalm above given is easy and sustained by the explication of its details. The quotation of Psa 45:6-7 by Paul (Heb 1:8-9), as applicable to Christ, ought to be conclusive, and their special exposition shows the propriety of such an application. (Psa. 45:1-17) An animated preface indicative of strong emotion. Literally, "My heart overflows: a good matter I speak; the things which I have made," &c. inditing--literally, "boiling up," as a fountain overflows. my tongue is the pen--a mere instrument of God's use. of a ready writer--that is, it is fluent. The theme is inspiring and language flows fast.

To rich personal attractions is added grace of the lips, captivating powers of speech. This is given, and becomes a source of power and proves a blessing. Christ is a prophet (Luk 4:22).