Psalm 45

The Bridegroom - part 2

Intro

√ The Bridegroom?

“To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Lilies.” A Contemplation of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love.”

This is a royal psalm, written for the wedding of a king - though we do not know for sure which king!

It is also a Messianic psalm, that is, it typological in nature of the coming Messiah and His Royal wedding!

In fact, this psalm is quoted in Hebrews as a proof text to show that Jesus is God and as such deserves our worship!

Ap. Type of Christ and His Bride

The Church is the Bride of Christ - that means that you are His beloved, and He is yours! Regarding Jesus and your thoughts toward Him…

Do you love Jesus?

Do you long to be with Him?

Do you dream of His return to earth?

As we review this psalm may we find application for our own lives in that a fresh passion would be stirred in our hearts for Jesus!

His beauty

His battles

His bounties

His bride

That He would be the object of our love - above all others - our first love!

The psalmist brings out a number of reasons that Jesus should be our first love…

His Beauty

His Battles

His Bounties

His Bride

His bounties (vs. 6-9)

Ps. 45:6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.

Ps. 45:7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.

Ps. 45:8 All Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia, Out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made You glad.

Ps. 45:9 Kings’ daughters are among Your honorable women; At Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir.

√ His bounties

In these verses the psalmist describes the rich and abundant bounty of the king.

An eternal throne

A scepter of righteousness

Anointed by God with joy

Clothed in beautiful clothes perfumed with sweet spices

Dwelling in a rich palace

Attended by noble woman

Graced with a beautiful bride

While the psalmist has in mind an earthly king, the Messianic typology can't be missed!

For example, the writer of Hebrews points to vs. 6 & 7 as being prophetic of Jesus' exaltation and sovereign rule in His coming kingdom.

Heb. 1:8 But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom.

Heb. 1:9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”

Additionally, you'll note that the author of Hebrews points to these verses in psalm 45 as proof that Jesus is God!

Greater than the angels

Greater than Man

And…one verse that the J.W.'s haven't yet changed in their "New World Translation". Great text to show them that their own Bible declares that Jesus is God!

Ex. Witnessing to the Jehovah's Witness

Take them to Psalm 45:6 and ask them…

"Who's throne is the psalmist describing as eternal?"

Their answer…

"God - Jehovah's throne"

Their dilemma…

"The author of Hebrews applies this verse to the Son - to Jesus!"

The solution…

"Jesus is Jehovah!"

Ap. Jesus shares His bounties

2Tim. 2:12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him.

And…

Rev. 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

Rev. 5:10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

He has promised that those who love & serve Him will rule and reign with Him for all eternity!

His Bride (vs. 10-17)

Ps. 45:10 Listen, O daughter, Consider and incline your ear; Forget your own people also, and your father’s house;

Ps. 45:11 So the King will greatly desire your beauty; Because He is your Lord, worship Him.

Ps. 45:12 And the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift; The rich among the people will seek your favor.

Ps. 45:13 The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace; Her clothing is woven with gold.

Ps. 45:14 She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colors; The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to You.

Ps. 45:15 With gladness and rejoicing they shall be brought; They shall enter the King’s palace.

Ps. 45:16 Instead of Your fathers shall be Your sons, Whom You shall make princes in all the earth.

Ps. 45:17 I will make Your name to be remembered in all generations; Therefore the people shall praise You forever and ever.

√ His bride

The psalmist now describes for us the king's wedding day. Everything and everyone is ready for this joyous occasion!

Note…

The Bridegroom is ready - vs. 8

The attendants are ready - vs. 9

The Bride is prepared and brought to the king with rejoicing - vs. 14-15

It’s the day that the king had…

Long planned for

Long anticipated

When He would finally take his bride and present her to the guests

…as the one for whom all his love was reserved.

Ex. Your wedding day - remember how you longed for it!

√ The Bride of Christ

Once again we find that the psalmist has painted us a beautiful picture of that future wedding between Jesus and His Church (Eph. 5:25 & Rev. 19:1-10).

Note…

The Bridegroom is ready - vs. 8

The attendants are ready - vs. 9

The Bride is prepared and brought to the king with rejoicing - vs. 14-15

The night before Jesus was crucified He promised that He would one day return for His Bride - the Church. All those who have trusted in Him will one day find themselves called into His presence where they will be presented as His Bride.

It’s the day that the Jesus had long planned for, the day which Jesus has long anticipated, the day when Jesus would finally take his bride and present her to the guests as the one for whom all his love was reserved.

It might be this very night!

Ap. Are you ready?

Marriage supper of the Lamb (vs. 7-8)

Rev 19:7 "Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."

Rev 19:8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

√ We find the saints of God expressing their praise and joy at the announcement that it is time for the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Ex. Ancient Eastern wedding tradition

Engagement = usually arranged before kids old

enough to be married - dowry paid.

Wedding = bridegroom comes to get his wife and

bring her to his home.

Wedding feast = once home the wedding feast began.

Type

Engagement = when redeemed by Jesus at the cross

(II Cor. 11:2) - legally His!

Wedding = get’s His Bride at the rapture of the

church (parable of the virgins - Matt. 25)

Wedding feast = then follows the feast.

Ap. The significant point that we don’t want to miss is that we find the Bride of Christ already called “wife” here in chapter 19 before Jesus is said to return to earth to set up His kingdom at the 2nd Coming.

That is, the wedding between Jesus and His Bride (the Church) has already taken place and the feast is now announced - all before Jesus returns to the earth to set up the Millennial Kingdom.

Therefore the rapture must take place before the 2nd Coming!

√ A word about Her clothes.

Rev 19:8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

We're told in vs. 7 that the wife of Christ has "made herself ready" and that she dressed in beautiful line - bright and clean.

The Bible doesn't leave us to wonder as to the symbolism of her clothes - we told in vs. 8 that...

"the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints."

Before you get hung up with a heavy legalistic trip understand that there is a difference between justification and sanctification.

We are justified by faith in Christ.

Works cannot justify us, nor can we enter heaven by our works - we're saved by faith.

Following justification by faith the Holy Spirit begins a work of sanctification in our lives.

The work of sanctification is manifested by our works of righteousness.

So we're to understand from this section that the Wife of Christ (the Church) once justified by faith, then responds to the Love of Jesus by preparing Herself for Him through good works.

Ap. We are justified the moment we trust in Jesus to wash our sins away. Sanctification begins at that moment and continues while we live in these mortal bodies.

So, I ask you tonight…

Have you made yourself ready?

Do you love Jesus?

Do you long to be with Him?

Do you dream of His return to earth?

Do the words recorded in the Revelation reflect your heart tonight?

"And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” - Rev. 22:17

Close

√ He's worth waiting for!