Psalm 45 is a song of the Bride (the holy Christian Church) that she sings about her love for the Bridegroom, the Messiah. It is a “Song of Loves,” the plural referring to the bridal virgins from all nations, languages, tribes and races. However, this psalm speaks about the Messiah’s love for His Bride, the Church. This psalm was composed to be sung in the public worship service.
Verse one declares how the Holy Spirit has filled the writer’s mind with thoughts about Christ that he sings about the King and Savior of the world.
The first section (verses 2 to 5) is addressed to the Bridegroom. The King is more beautiful than ordinary men, for from His lips come God’s grace of mercy and truth. Through His work of salvation, God raised Him to sit at His right hand forever. From Jesus comes blessings to His Bride—grace, streams of salvation, mercy and truth. This King is also the Champion of His people. On the cross He defeated Satan, sin, and death; and He now lives to protect His Bride as He rules over all things. The Church on earth suffers the afflictions of the world, but believers humbly trust in God’s truth and seek Christ’s righteousness for the forgiveness of their sins. Just as Christ is tenderhearted toward the Bride, His wrath is terrible on those who are His enemies. No matter how often the gospel is suppressed and the believers suffer in this world, God’s children are assured of Christ’s assistance, forgiveness, and eternal life on the Last Day.
The second section (verses 6 to 9) is a hymn of praise and worship to the King. God promised David that the Messiah’s kingdom would never end. Verse 6 repeats this promise. The Messiah, true God and man, reigns forever in heaven. He rules with righteousness—punishing the wicked and blessing with forgiveness those who believe in Him. In verse 7, the Messiah (the Anointed One) is addressed as God. Christ is anointed with the Holy Spirit without measure. He freely gives the Spirit to believing hearts to comfort them in their afflictions and assure them of God’s forgiveness. Everything about the Messiah is pleasant—to the eye (beauty), the nose (perfumes), and the ear (lips of grace). His palace lined with ivory walls represents His holiness, innocence and purity. The Bride is described as the King’s daughters. The “gold of Ophir” is a picture of the rich gifts of grace and righteousness that Christ has given to His Church.
In the third section (verses 10 to 12), the King addresses His Bride. She is called a “daughter” because she is born again through the Gospel. She is to be so absorbed by God’s words of grace that she forgets everything, even human relationships that come between her and Christ. Her beauty is her faith, her devotion to Christ, and her obedience. She is to worship Christ as God, “for He is your Lord.” The daughter of Tyre represents the gentiles who will one day believe on Jesus and bring gifts and seeking God’s favor by faith in Jesus.
The last section (verses 13 to 17) describes the beauty of the King’s daughters and Bride. They wear the beautiful “robes of righteousness” Christ earned for them. They shall enter the King’s palace of everlasting glory in heaven. Verse 16 speaks of the many sons of the King, believers from all over the world, who will praise Christ forever and ever.