Concerning Christ And The Church.

CONCERNING CHRIST AND THE CHURCH.

Psalm 45:1-17.

The mysterious word in the title of this Psalm, ‘Shoshannim’, may refer to a six-stringed instrument, or to the scattering of roses or lilies around the nuptial bed: what we might call confetti today. The word ‘Maschil’ may be a musical reference, but also speaks of understanding. This is a song about love: but principally about the love of Christ and the Church (cf. Ephesians 5:32).

The Psalmist wrote of things beyond his natural knowledge. As a prophet, he sought diligently and inquired after the grace that was to come (1 Peter 1:10). Then he spoke and wrote as the Spirit of God led him (2 Peter 1:21).

I). Psalm 45:1-2. Seeing Jesus as He is.

The believer’s heart, in grateful adoration, is ever contemplating the goodness of the Lord. When our hearts thus bubble over in love toward King Jesus, we cannot remain silent: our thoughts must needs give expression in words. The Psalmist found his tongue to be the pen of a ready writer (Psalms 45:1), all set to make this contribution to Scripture.

Psalm 45:2 begins, “You are fairer than the children of men” This is how we first discover Jesus to be. Of all men, He alone is the flawless One (1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5).

It continues, “grace is poured into your lips.” As the best of men, and our sacrifice, we receive grace from His grace (John 1:16). And grace pours forth from His lips (Luke 4:22).

In consequence, the verse concludes, “therefore God has blessed you for ever.” We receive our blessings only in Him (Ephesians 1:3). He redeemed us ‘that we might receive the blessing of Abraham’ (Galatians 3:14).

II). Psalm 45:3-5. The sword and arrows of Jesus.

Psalm 45:3. Part of the royal insignia of King Jesus is His sword. The Psalmist addresses Jesus here as “O most mighty,” and bids Him “Gird thy sword upon thy thigh” along with "thy glory and thy majesty.”

The preacher commissioned to preach the gospel hardly dare proceed without ‘the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God’ (Ephesians 6:17; cf. Song of Solomon 3:8).

The Word of God, when the gospel is faithfully preached, ‘is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword… and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart’ (Hebrews 4:12). To the ‘saved’ it is the savour of ‘life unto life.’ But to ‘them that perish’ it is the savour of ‘death unto death’ (2 Corinthians 2:15-16).

Jesus holds His sword ready upon His thigh - and when He draws it, He does not draw it in vain. The Word of God will accomplish all for which He has sent it (Isaiah 55:11). Without Jesus, the preacher has nothing to say.

Psalm 45:4. When the Word of “truth” is preached, Jesus rides forth triumphantly, defeating His (and our) spiritual foes, and gathering a harvest of the souls for whom He died. Jesus’ “meekness” has already been seen in His humiliation, which took Him from heaven, through incarnation, to ‘the death of a cross’ (Philippians 2:8). Here, at the Cross, “righteousness” is established: ‘the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ’ (Romans 3:22).

The Psalmist predicts the inevitability of Jesus’ victory, and envisages the King looking back upon the results.

Psalm 45:5. In another vivid illustration, through the preaching of the gospel, the “arrows” of conviction shoot forth. They strike to the “heart.” People fall under their power.

Some will find relief by believing in the One who struck them. Others will prove themselves to be “enemies” indeed by refusing the offered salvation. They shall by and by fall under the “arrows” of condemnation (cf. John 3:18).

But there is ‘therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus’ (Romans 8:1).

III). Psalm 45:6-7. The excellency of His rule.

As part of his argument to establish the superiority of Jesus to the angels, the writer to the Hebrews says, ‘Unto the Son He says, “Your throne O God is for ever and ever”’ (Hebrews 1:8; quoting Psalm 45:6). The Holy Spirit, speaking first through the Psalmist and then through the writer to the Hebrews, addresses Jesus as God, yet distinguishes Jesus from God.

We saw in passing that God’s blessing upon Jesus is “for ever” (Psalm 45:2). Now we perceive that His throne is to be “for ever and ever” (Psalms 45:6; cf. Psalm 72:17). ‘Of the increase of His government and of peace there shall be no end’ (Isaiah 9:7). Jesus’ sceptre is a “right” sceptre.

“You love righteousness and hate wickedness” (Psalm 45:7a; Hebrews 1:9a). It is He who ushers in ‘everlasting righteousness’ (Daniel 9:24) by the shedding of His blood upon the Cross.

It is through Jesus’ sacrifice that God is seen to be both ‘just’ and ‘the justifier’ of all that come to Him (Romans 3:26). God’s abhorrence of sin is seen in sharpest relief at the Cross: but it is there also that His justice in justifying the wicked is vindicated. Jesus became sin for us, ‘that we might become the righteousness of God in Him’ (2 Corinthians 5:21).