#725 The Bride and Groom

My heart overflows with a pleasing theme;

I address my verses to the king;

my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.

2 You are the most handsome of the sons of men;

grace is poured upon your lips;

therefore God has blessed you forever.

3 Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,

in your splendor and majesty!

4 In your majesty ride out victoriously

for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness;

let your right hand teach you awesome deeds!

5 Your arrows are sharp

in the heart of the king's enemies;

the peoples fall under you.

6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.

The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;

7 you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.

Therefore God, your God, has anointed you

with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;

8 your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.

From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;

9 daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;

at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

10 Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:

forget your people and your father's house,

11 and the king will desire your beauty.

Since he is your lord, bow to him.

12 The people of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts,

the richest of the people.

13 All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold.

14 In many-colored robes she is led to the king,

with her virgin companions following behind her.

15 With joy and gladness they are led along

as they enter the palace of the king.

16 In place of your fathers shall be your sons;

you will make them princes in all the earth.

17 I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations;

therefore nations will praise you forever and ever. Psalm 45 ESV

The Psalmist here speaks to his own excitement in writing this; it is not a gloomy subject, but a joyous wedding. It is also in the marvelous and mysterious language of the Church as the bride of Christ. One could come across this without much inspection and argue that it was solely in reference to the wedding of an earthly king, but that would fall short.

Like the pen of a ready scribe - The words of the poet are inspired.

You are the most handsome - As the lamb of God it was recorded by the Prophet Isaiah that there was no beauty that we should desire Him, he came poor, out of Nazareth, where no one thought any good could come. This passage speaks to a later time, His triumphant return.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men. 12 It instructs us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 as we await the blessed hope and glorious appearance of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.… Titus 2: 11-13

Oh Mighty One - The Lamb that was slain returns as the Lion Who conquered.

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns.He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

King of kings and Lord of lords. Revelation 19: 11-16

The cause of truth, meekness and righteousness - His kingdom is not of this world and He did not conquer as others by political schemes or violence. He is the way, the truth and the life. He has won by way of meekness, taking on the form of a servant, and where none were found righteous, not one of us, He became our righteousness, for He knew no sin. This is not the way men respect, we look to who has the most money, the biggest army, the greatest weapons. He conquered sin and death by living humbly to the glory of God and dying in perfect obedience to fulfill God's just and Holy nature. He should and always will be most high and lifted up. 

Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”…Matthew 11:28-30

Your throne oh God is forever - The King is God, eternal, and He is the same as the Word through which all was created. The writer of Hebrews makes this same confession.

But about the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever, and justice is the scepter of Your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God,Your God, has placed You above Your companions by anointing You with the oil of joy.” 10 And: “In the beginning, O Lord, You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. Hebrews 1: 8-10

A scepter of righteousness - The qualifications were not attainable to anyone else by this measure. He does not come to this position by violent force, He is what men cannot be, and that is God, but also what they cannot be without Him, and that is righteous. What we must be brought to, He already has, in that He has hated wickedness from eternity. Christ, who willingly suffered sorrow beyond measure, has been anointed with joy overflowing.

More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death,…Philippians 3: 8-10

Here, Oh daughter - Now the poet addresses the church, the bride of Christ. This reminds me of the story of Abraham sending his servant under oath to get a bride, not from the inhabitants of the land, but from his own people. The way of the servant is blessed because the messenger of God prepares the way before him. 

7 The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me from my father’s house and my native land, who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land’—He will send His angel before you so that you can take a wife for my son from there. 8 And if the woman is unwilling to follow you, then you are released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there.” 9 So the servant placed his hand under his master Abraham’s thigh and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.…Genesis 24: 7-9

Forget your people - She has truly been set apart, broken ties with the ways of this world, the things that are perishing.

A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ 37 Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me; 38 and anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.… Matthew 10: 36-38

I hope you will bear with a little of my foolishness, but you are already doing that. 2 I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy.For I promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 3 I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ.…2 Corinthians 11: 1-3