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Commentary on Psalms 45 verses 10–17
This latter part of the psalm is addressed to the royal bride, standing on the right hand of the royal bridegroom. God, who said to the Son, Thy throne is for ever and ever, says this to the church, which, upon the account of her espousals to the Son, he here calls his daughter.
I. He tells her of the duties expected from her, which ought to be considered by all those that come into relation to the Lord Jesus: "Hearken, therefore, and consider this, and incline thy ear, that is, submit to those conditions of thy espousals, and bring thy will to comply with them." This is the method of profiting by the word of God. He that has ears, let him hear, let him hearken diligently; he that hearkens, let him consider and weigh it duly; he that considers, let him incline and yield to the force of what is laid before him. And what is it that is here required?
1.She must renounce all others.
(1.)Here is the law of her espousals: "Forget thy own people and thy father's house, according to the law of marriage. Retain not the affection thou hast had for them, nor covet to return to them again; banish all such remembrance (not only of thy people that were dear to thee, but of thy father's house that were dearer) as may incline thee to look back, as Lot's wife to Sodom." When Abraham, in obedience to God's call, had quitted his native soil, he was not so much as mindful of the country whence he came out. This shows, [1.] How necessary it was for those who were converted from Judaism or paganism to the faith of Christ wholly to cast out the old leaven, and not to bring into their Christian profession either the Jewish ceremonies or the heathen idolatries, for these would make such a mongrel religion in Christianity as the Samaritans had. [2.] How necessary it is for us all, when we give up our names to Jesus Christ, to hate father and mother, and all that is dear to us in this world, in comparison, that is, to love them less than Christ and his honour, and our interest in him, Luk 14:26.
(2.)Here is good encouragement given to the royal bride thus entirely to break off from her former alliances: So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty, which intimates that the mixing of her old rites and customs, whether Jewish or Gentile, with her religion, would blemish her beauty and would hazard her interest in the affections of the royal bridegroom, but that, if she entirely conformed to his will, he would delight in her. The beauty of holiness, both on the church and on particular believers, is in the sight of Christ of great price and very amiable. Where that is he says, This is my rest for ever; here will I dwell, for I have desired it. Among the golden candlesticks he walks with pleasure, Rev 2:1.
2.She must reverence him, must love, honour, and obey him: He is thy Lord, and worship thou him. The church is to be subject to Christ as the wife to the husband (Eph 5:24), to call him Lord, as Sarah called Abraham, and to obey him (Pe1 3:6), and so not only to submit to his government, but to give him divine honours. We must worship him as God, and our Lord; for this is the will of God, that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father; nay, in so doing it is reckoned that they honour the Father. If we confess that Christ is Lord, and pay our homage to him accordingly, it is to the glory of God the Father, Phi 2:11.
II. He tells her of the honours designed for her.
1.Great court should be made to her, and rich presents brought her (Psa 45:12): "The daughter of Tyre," a rich and splendid city, "the daughter of the King of Tyre shall be there with a gift; every royal family round about shall send a branch, as a representative of the whole, to seek thy favour and to make an interest in thee; even the rich among the people, whose wealth might be thought to exempt them from dependence at court, even they shall entreat thy favour, for his sake to whom thou art espoused, that by thee they may make him their friend." The Jews, the pretending Jews, who are rich to a proverb (as rich as a Jew), shall come and worship before the church's feet in the Philadelphian period, and shall know that Christ has loved her, Rev 3:9. When the Gentiles, being converted to the faith of Christ, join themselves to the church, they then come with a gift, Co2 8:5; Rom 15:16. When with themselves they devote all they have to the honour of Christ, and the service of his kingdom, they then come with a gift.
2.She shall be very splendid, and highly esteemed in the eyes of all, (1.) For her personal qualifications, the endowments of her mind, which every one shall admire (Psa 45:13): The king's daughter is all glorious within. Note, The glory of the church is spiritual glory, and that is indeed all glory; it is the glory of the soul, and that is the man; it is glory in God's sight, and it is an earnest of eternal glory. The glory of the saints falls not within the view of a carnal eye. As their life, so their glory, is hidden with Christ in God, neither can the natural man know it, for it is spiritually discerned; but those who do so discern it highly value it. Let us see here what is that true glory which we should be ambitious of, not that which makes a fair show in the flesh, but which is in the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible (Pe1 3:4), whose praise is not of men, but of God, Rom 2:29. (2.) For her rich apparel. Though all her glory is within, that for which she is truly valuable, yet her clothing also is of wrought gold; the conversation of Christians, in which they appear in the world, must be enriched with good works, not gay and gaudy ones, like paint and flourish, but substantially good, like gold; and it must be accurate and exact, like wrought gold, which is worked with a great deal of care and caution.
3.Her nuptials shall be celebrated with a great deal of honour and joy (Psa 45:14, Psa 45:15): She shall be brought to the king, as the Lord God brought the woman to the man (Gen 2:22), which was a type of this mystical marriage between Christ and his church. None are brought to Christ but whom the Father brings, and he has undertaken to do it; none besides are so brought to the king (Psa 45:14) as to enter into the king's palace, Psa 45:15.
(1.)This intimates a two-fold bringing of the spouse to Christ. [1.] In the conversion of souls to Christ; then they are espoused to him, privately contracted, as chaste virgins, Co2 11:2; Rom 7:4. [2.] In the completing of the mystical body, and the glorification of all the saints, at the end of time; then the bride, the Lamb's wife, shall be made completely ready, when all that belong to the election of grace shall be called in and called home, and all gathered together to Christ, Th2 2:1. Then is the marriage of the Lamb come (Rev 19:7; Rev 21:2), and the virgins go forth to meet the bridegroom, Mat 25:1. Then they shall enter into the king's palaces, into the heavenly mansions, to be ever with the Lord.
(2.)In both these espousals, observe, to the honour of the royal bride, [1.] Her wedding clothes - raiment of needle-work, the righteousness of Christ, the graces of the Spirit; both curiously wrought by divine wisdom. [2.] Her bride-maids - the virgins her companions, the wise virgins who have oil in their vessels as well as in their lamps, those who, being joined to the church, cleave to it and follow it, these shall go in to the marriage. [3.] The mirth with which the nuptials will be celebrated: With gladness and rejoicing shall she be brought. When the prodigal is brought home to his father it is meet that we should make merry and be glad (Luk 15:32); and when the marriage of the Lamb has come let us be glad and rejoice (Rev 19:7); for the day of his espousals is the day of the gladness of his heart, Sol 3:11.
4.The progeny of this marriage shall be illustrious (Psa 45:16): Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children. Instead of the Old Testament church, the economy of which had waxed old, and ready to vanish away (Heb 8:13), as the fathers that are going off, there shall be a New Testament church, a Gentile-church, that shall be grafted into the same olive and partake of its root and fatness (Rom 11:17); more and more eminent shall be the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, Isa 54:1. This promise to Christ is of the same import with that Isa 53:10, He shall see his seed; and these shall be made princes in all the earth; there shall be some of all nations brought into subjection to Christ, and so made princes, made to our God kings and priests, Rev 1:6. Or it may intimate that there should be a much greater number of Christian kings than ever there was of Jewish kings (those in Canaan only, these in all the earth), nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the church, which shall suck the breasts of kings. They are princes of Christ's making; for by him kings reign and princes decree justice.
5.The praise of this marriage shall be perpetual in the praises of the royal bridegroom (Psa 45:17): I will make thy name to be remembered. His Father has given him a name above every name, and here promises to make it perpetual, by keeping up a succession of ministers and Christians in every age, that shall bear up his name, which shall thus endure for ever (Psa 72:17), by being remembered in all the generations of time; for the entail of Christianity shall not be cut off. "Therefore, because they shall remember thee in all generations, they shall praise thee for ever and ever." Those that help to support the honour of Christ on earth shall in heaven see his glory, and share in it, and be for ever praising him. In the believing hope of our everlasting happiness in the other world let us always keep up the remembrance of Christ, as our only way thither, in our generation; and, in assurance of the perpetuating of the kingdom of the Redeemer in the world, let us transmit the remembrance of him to succeeding generations, that his name may endure for ever and be as the days of heaven.
The queen who, chosen out of many, stands at the right hand of God, clothed in the golden ornament of virtue, whose beauty the King desired, is, as I said, the undefiled and blessed flesh, which the Word himself carried into the heavens and presented at the right hand of God, “wrought about with many colors,” that is, in the pursuits of immortality, which he calls symbolically golden fringes. This garment is variegated and woven of various virtues, as chastity, prudence, faith, love, patience, and other good things, which, covering as they do the unseemliness of the flesh, adorn humankind with a golden ornament.
The spiritual garment is woven when the attendant action is interwoven with the word of doctrine. In fact, just as a bodily garment is woven when the woof is interwoven with the warp, so when the word is antecedent, if actions in accordance with the word should be produced, there would be made a certain most magnificent garment for the soul that possesses a life of virtue attained by word and action.
The visible beauty is not hidden, but that which is unseen is visible to God. All the glory of the king’s daughter is within, clothed with golden fringes, embroidered whether by actions or by contemplation. On the words of the Gospel, “WHEN JESUS HAD FINISHED THESE SAYINGS,”
[Daniel 10:16] "O my lord, at the sight of thee my joints are loosed..." Theodotion interprets it this way, in accordance with what we read in the One Hundred and Second Psalm: "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name." (Psalm 103:1) For our inward nature must direct its gaze without, before we deserve to behold a vision of God; and when we actually have beheld a vision of God, then our inward nature is converted within us and we become wholly of the number of those concerning whom it is written in another Psalm: "All the glory of the daughter of kings is within, in golden borders" (Psalm 45:13).
By “within” he refers to the mind, and the words can refer only to not bodily beauty but virtue of soul. This, in fact, is the true glory of the devout, purity of conscience, for which they will be utterly conspicuous in the judge’s sight.
"All the glory of her, the King's daughter, is from within" [Psalm 45:13]. Not only is her robe, outwardly, "of gold, and of various colours;" but He who loved her beauty, knew her to be also beautiful within. What are those inward charms? Those of conscience. It is there Christ sees; it is there Christ loves her: it is there He addresses her, there punishes, there crowns. Let then your alms be done in secret; for "all the glory of her, the King's daughter, is from within."
Within, he is saying, she has the comeliness of virtue and is resplendent with the manifold gifts of the Holy Spirit.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 45:13 vividly portrays the radiant splendor of the king's daughter, a central figure in this royal wedding psalm. The verse declares her "all glorious within," emphasizing an intrinsic, internal beauty and character that is foundational. Simultaneously, it notes her "clothing [is] of wrought gold," signifying her outward magnificence, royal status, and immense value. This verse masterfully blends the essential nature of inner virtue with the complementary display of external honor, offering profound insights into true glory, whether applied to an earthly queen or, more significantly, to the Church as the glorious bride of Christ.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 45:13 employs several potent literary devices to convey its profound message. Parallelism is evident in the juxtaposition of "glorious within" and "clothing [is] of wrought gold," creating a complementary relationship between inner character and outer adornment. This is a form of synthetic parallelism, where the second clause expands upon and complements the first, illustrating how outer splendor can serve to reflect and enhance inner glory. Symbolism is richly present throughout the verse: the "king's daughter" symbolizes the bride, often interpreted messianically as the Church. "Gold" universally symbolizes purity, divinity, and immense value, emphasizing the preciousness and purified nature of the bride. The phrase "wrought gold" further enhances this, symbolizing intricate care, high quality, and a royal standard of excellence. The verse also utilizes vivid Imagery, painting a picture of a resplendent bride whose inner radiance shines through, complemented by her magnificent, costly attire, creating a holistic image of beauty, dignity, and worth.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 45:13 offers profound theological insights into the nature of true beauty and worth, moving beyond mere external appearance to emphasize the primacy of inner character. This principle resonates throughout Scripture, asserting that genuine glory stems from a transformed heart and spirit. The dual emphasis on internal "glory within" and external "wrought gold" clothing provides a powerful paradigm for understanding how spiritual reality should manifest in outward expression. Theologically, this verse points to the Church as the bride of Christ, whose inner sanctification and righteousness are the true source of her beauty, complemented by the imputed righteousness of Christ and the good works that flow from a life lived in union with Him, which serve as a visible testimony to her King.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 45:13 provides a timeless blueprint for understanding true beauty and worth, challenging us to prioritize the cultivation of our inner lives. In a world often obsessed with external appearances, this verse reminds us that genuine glory emanates from within—from a heart transformed by God, filled with His Spirit, and adorned with virtues like humility, integrity, and love. Our "glorious within" is cultivated through a deepening relationship with Christ, through prayer, diligent study of His Word, and obedient submission to His commands. While outward expressions of faith and good works are important, they are meant to be an authentic reflection of this inner reality, much like the "wrought gold" clothing complements the inner glory of the king's daughter. As believers, we are called to live lives that honor God not just in visible acts, but primarily in the hidden recesses of our hearts, knowing that our true value and beauty are found in our union with Christ and the righteousness He imparts. Our outward conduct, our "clothing of wrought gold," should therefore be a consistent and authentic expression of the precious, purified spiritual reality within us, testifying to the King who has made us His own.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is Psalms 45:13 only about an earthly queen, or does it have a deeper meaning?
Answer: While Psalms 45 was likely composed for a specific earthly royal wedding, its language, themes, and application by New Testament writers transcend the immediate historical context. Christian tradition, supported by the New Testament's direct application of other parts of Psalms 45 to Christ (e.g., Hebrews 1:8-9), widely interprets this psalm messianically. In this deeper sense, the "king" is Christ, and the "king's daughter" or bride symbolizes the Church. Thus, Psalms 45:13 speaks not only of the beauty of an earthly queen but prefigures the spiritual glory and adornment of the Church, the bride of Christ, both internally (through sanctification and imputed righteousness) and externally (through good works and faithful witness).
What does "glorious within" mean for believers today?
Answer: For believers, "glorious within" speaks to the profound spiritual transformation that occurs through faith in Christ. It refers to the "hidden person of the heart" (as described in 1 Peter 3:4), which is renewed and made beautiful by the indwelling Holy Spirit. This inner glory encompasses virtues like humility, integrity, love, purity of motive, and a spirit of worship. It is the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and the righteousness that flows from a life lived in communion with Him. It emphasizes that our true worth and beauty in God's eyes are not based on outward show or human achievements, but on the condition of our heart and our intimate relationship with Him.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 45:13 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ and His relationship with the Church, His beloved bride. The "King" of Psalms 45 is perfectly embodied in Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords, whose throne is forever and ever, as affirmed in Hebrews 1:8. The "king's daughter," glorious within and clothed in wrought gold, beautifully foreshadows the Church, whom Christ has chosen and redeemed. Her "glory within" symbolizes the Church's spiritual purity and righteousness, not earned by human merit but imputed by Christ through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, making her holy and blameless before God (as seen in Colossians 1:22). This inner glory is further cultivated by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, conforming believers to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). Her "clothing of wrought gold" represents the divine righteousness of Christ that covers His people, described in Revelation 19:8 as "fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints." This speaks to both the imputed righteousness of Christ and the good works that flow from a Spirit-filled life, which are themselves a gift from God (Ephesians 2:10). Ultimately, Psalms 45:13 paints a picture of the glorious Church, presented by Christ to Himself, without spot or wrinkle, holy and without blemish, prepared for the eternal wedding feast of the Lamb (Ephesians 5:27).