Psalm 45

0To the leader: according to Lilies. Of the Korahites. A Maskil. A love song.
1  My heart overflows with a goodly 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 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 glory and majesty.
4  In your majesty ride on victoriously
  for the cause of truth and to defend the right;
  let your right hand teach you dread deeds.
5  Your arrows are sharp
  in the heart of the king’s enemies;
  the peoples fall under you.
6  Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever.
  Your royal scepter is a scepter of equity;
7   you love righteousness and hate 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, 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 with all kinds of wealth.
The princess is decked in her chamber with gold-woven robes;
14   in many-colored robes she is led to the king;
  behind her the virgins, her companions, follow.
15  With joy and gladness they are led along
  as they enter the palace of the king.
16  In the place of ancestors you, O king, shall have sons;
  you will make them princes in all the earth.
17  I will cause your name to be celebrated in all generations;
  therefore the peoples will praise you forever and ever.

Daily Prayer (based on Psalm 45:4)

Gracious Lord of lords, even as this psalm focuses on the king of Israel, so today I'm praying for the leaders of my nation. May they be committed to the cause of truth, even when that truth cuts against their partisan agendas. May they speak the truth with boldness, even when their own political futures are at risk. May they defend the right, seeing clearly where right and wrong lie. May they be committed to righteousness in their own lives as they deal with people, money, fame, and power.

Postscript

This is an unusual psalm in that it addresses, not God (expect in verse 6), but rather the human king. Christian interpreters have often used this psalm as a point of entry for praise of Jesus as the messianic king. In this mode, Psalm 45 surely raises our awareness of the majesty of Jesus as the Christ. Today, however, I was moved to stay with the more literal sense of Psalm 45 as I prayed for the modern American equivalent of the king (the leaders of the national government).

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Except for the Scripture text, all material of The Daily Psalm Copyright © 2006 by Mark D. Roberts

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The Scripture text used in The Daily Psalm is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved