Psalm 045 - The King and I - Aneel Aranha
My heart is stirred by a noble theme
as I recite my verses for the king;
my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.
You are the most excellent of men
and your lips have been anointed with grace,
since God has blessed you forever.
Gird your sword on your side, you mighty one;
clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.
In your majesty ride forth victoriously
in the cause of truth, humility and justice;
let your right hand achieve awesome deeds.
Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies;
let the nations fall beneath your feet.
Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.
All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;
from palaces adorned with ivory
the music of the strings makes you glad.
Daughters of kings are among your honored women;
at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir.
Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention:
Forget your people and your father’s house.
Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;
honor him, for he is your lord.
The city of Tyre will come with a gift,
people of wealth will seek your favor.
All glorious is the princess within her chamber;
her gown is interwoven with gold.
In embroidered garments she is led to the king;
her virgin companions follow her—
those brought to be with her.
Led in with joy and gladness,
they enter the palace of the king.
Your sons will take the place of your fathers;
you will make them princes throughout the land.
I will perpetuate your memory through all generations;
therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.
Psalm 45, attributed to the "Sons of Korah," is a wedding song, also considered a song of love between a king and his bride. An interesting aspect of this psalm is the depiction of the king and his righteousness.
The psalm begins with an appeal to the king to speak with grace and power, reflecting the beauty and majesty of his character. The king is portrayed as fair and just, ruling with righteousness and equity. In verse 6, the psalmist sings: "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom."
This depiction of the king's righteousness points to the Messiah, who is to come and establish a kingdom of righteousness and justice. In the New Testament, Jesus is identified as this promised Messiah, the King of kings and Lord of lords who rules with perfect justice and equity. As believers, we share in the righteousness of Christ through faith in him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
Through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, our sins are forgiven, and we are made right with God. We receive this righteousness as a gift by grace through faith, as it says in Ephesians 2:8-9, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast."
To share in the righteousness of Christ, we must first acknowledge our need for a Savior and place our faith in Jesus. As we grow in our relationship with him, we seek to live a life pleasing to God and to follow his will for our lives. As we walk in obedience to him, we reflect his righteousness to the world around us and become more like him day by day (1 John 2:6).
As we sing this psalm, let us remind ourselves of the beauty and righteousness of our King, Jesus Christ, and also the righteousness we have secured in him.
God bless you.
