TRV
Study This Verse
Commentary on Psalms 45 verses 1–5
Some make Shoshannim, in the title, to signify an instrument of six strings; others take it in its primitive signification for lilies or roses, which probably were strewed, with other flowers, at nuptial solemnities; and then it is easily applicable to Christ who calls himself the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valleys, Sol 2:1. It is a song of loves, concerning the holy love that is between Christ and his church. It is a song of the well-beloved, the virgins, the companions of the bride (Psa 45:14), prepared to be sung by them. The virgin-company that attend the Lamb on Mount Zion are said to sing a new song, Rev 14:3, Rev 14:4.
I. The preface (Psa 45:1) speaks, 1. The dignity of the subject. It is a good matter, and it is a pity that such a moving art as poetry should every be employed about a bad matter. It is touching the King, King Jesus, and his kingdom and government. Note, Those that speak of Christ speak of a good matter, no subject so noble, so copious, so fruitful, so profitable, and so well-becoming us; it is a shame that this good matter is not more the matter of our discourse. 2. The excellency of the management. This song was a confession with the mouth of faith in the heart concerning Christ and his church. (1.) The matter was well digested, as it well deserved: My heart is inditing it, which perhaps is meant of that Spirit of prophecy that dictated the psalm to David, that Spirit of Christ which was in the prophets, Pe1 1:11. But it is applicable to his devout meditations and affections in his heart, out of the abundance of which his mouth spoke. Things concerning Christ ought to be thought of by us with all possible seriousness, with fixedness of thought and a fire of holy love, especially when we are to speak of those things. We then speak best of Christ and divine things when we speak from the heart that which has warmed and affected us; and we should never be rash in speaking of the things of Christ, but weigh well beforehand what we have to say, lest we speak amiss. See Ecc 5:2. (2.) It was well expressed: I will speak of the things which I have made. He would express himself, [1.] With all possible clearness, as one that did himself understand and was affected with the things he spoke of. Not, "I will speak the things I have heard from others," that is speaking by rote; but, "the things which I have myself studied." Note, What God has wrought in our souls, as well as what he has wrought for them, we must declare to others, Psa 66:16. [2.] With all possible cheerfulness, freedom, and fluency: "My tongue is as the pen of a ready writer, guided by my heart in every word as the pen is by the hand." We call the prophets the penmen of scripture, whereas really they were but the pen. The tongue of the most subtle disputant, and the most eloquent orator, is but the pen with which God writes what he pleases. Why should we quarrel with the pen if bitter things be written against us, or idolize the pen if it write in our favour? David not only spoke what he thought of Christ, but wrote it, that it might spread the further and last the longer. His tongue was as the pen of a ready writer, that lets nothing slip. When the heart is inditing a good matter it is a pity but the tongue should be as the pen of a ready writer, to leave it upon record.
II. In these verses the Lord Jesus is represented,
1.As most beautiful and amiable in himself. It is a marriage-song; and therefore the transcendent excellencies of Christ are represented by the beauty of the royal bridegroom (Psa 45:2): Thou art fairer than the children of men, than any of them. He proposed (Psa 45:1) to speak of the King, but immediately directs his speech to him. Those that have an admiration and affection for Christ love to go to him and tell him so. Thus we must profess our faith, that we see his beauty, and our love, that we are pleased with it: Thou are fair, thou art fairer than the children of men. Note, Jesus Christ is in himself, and in the eyes of all believers, more amiable and lovely than the children of men. The beauties of the Lord Jesus, as God, as Mediator, far surpass those of human nature in general and those which the most amiable and excellent of the children of men are endowed with; there is more in Christ to engage our love than there is or can be in any creature. Our beloved is more than another beloved. The beauties of this lower world, and its charms, are in danger of drawing away our hearts from Christ, and therefore we are concerned to understand how much he excels them all, and how much more worthy he is of our love.
2.As the great favourite of heaven. He is fairer than the children of men, for God has done more for him than for any of the children of men, and all his kindness to the children of men is for his sake, and passes through his hands, through his mouth. (1.) He has grace, and he has it for us; Grace is poured into thy lips. By his word, his promise, his gospel, the good-will of God is made known to us and the good work of God is begun and carried on in us. He received all grace from God, all the endowments that were requisite to qualify him for his work and office as Mediator, that from his fulness we might receive, Joh 1:16. It was not only poured into his heart, for his own strength and encouragement, but poured into his lips, that by the words of his mouth in general, and the kisses of his mouth to particular believers, he might communicate both holiness and comfort. From this grace poured into his lips proceeded those gracious words which all admired, Luk 4:22. The gospel of grace is poured into his lips; for it began to be spoken by the Lord, and from him we receive it. He has the words of eternal life. The spirit of prophecy is put into thy lips; so the Chaldee. (2.) He has the blessing, and he has it for us. "Therefore, because thou art the great trustee of divine grace for the use and benefit of the children of men, therefore God has blessed thee for ever, has made thee an everlasting blessing, so as that in thee all the nations of the earth shall be blessed." Where God gives his grace he will give his blessing. We are blessed with spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus, Eph 1:3.
3.As victorious over all his enemies. The royal bridegroom is a man of war, and his nuptials do not excuse him from the field of battle (as was allowed by the law, Deu 24:5); nay, they bring him to the field of battle, for he is to rescue his spouse by dint of sword out of her captivity, to conquer her, and to conquer for her, and then to marry her. Now we have here,
(1.)His preparations for war (Psa 45:3): Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O Most Mighty! The word of God is the sword of the Spirit. By the promises of that word, and the grace contained in those promises, souls are made willing to submit to Jesus Christ and become his loyal subjects; by the threatenings of that word, and the judgments executed according to them, those that stand it out against Christ will, in due time, be brought down and ruined. By the gospel of Christ many Jews and Gentiles were converted, and, at length, the Jewish nation was destroyed, according to the predictions of it, for their implacable enmity to it; and paganism was quite abolished. The sword here girt on Christ's thigh is the same which is said to proceed out of his mouth, Rev 19:15. When the gospel was sent fort to be preached to all nations, then our Redeemer girded his sword upon his thigh.
(2.)His expedition to this holy war: He goes forth with his glory and his majesty, as a great king takes the field with abundance of pomp and magnificence - his sword, his glory, and majesty. In his gospel he appears transcendently great and excellent, bright and blessed, in the honour and majesty which the Father had laid upon him. Christ, both in his person and in his gospel, had nothing of external glory or majesty, nothing to charm men (for he had no form nor comeliness), nothing to awe men, for he took upon him the form of a servant; it was all spiritual glory, spiritual majesty. There is so much grace, and therefore glory, in that word, He that believes shall be saved, so much terror, and therefore majesty, in that word, He that believes shall not be damned, that we may well say, in the chariot of that gospel, which these words are the sum of, the Redeemer rides forth in glory and majesty. In thy majesty ride prosperously, Psa 45:4. Prosper thou; ride thou. This speaks the promise of his Father, that he should prosper according to the good pleasure of the Lord, that he should divide the spoil with the strong, in recompence of his sufferings. Those cannot but prosper to whom God says, Prosper, Isa 52:10-12. And it denotes the good wishes of his friends, praying that he may prosper in the conversion of souls to him, and the destruction of all the powers of darkness that rebel against him. "Thy kingdom come; Go on and prosper."
(3.)The glorious cause in which he is engaged - because of truth, and meekness, and righteousness, which were, in a manner, sunk and lost among men, and which Christ came to retrieve and rescue. [1.] The gospel itself is truth, meekness, and righteousness; it commands by the power of truth and righteousness; for Christianity has these, incontestably, on its side, and yet it is to be promoted by meekness and gentleness, Co1 4:12, Co1 4:13; Ti2 2:25. [2.] Christ appears in it in his truth, meekness, and righteousness, and these are his glory and majesty, and because of these he shall prosper. Men are brought to believe on him because he is true, to learn of him because he is meek, Mat 11:29 (the gentleness of Christ is of mighty force, Co2 10:1), and to submit to him because he is righteous and rules with equity. [3.] The gospel, as far as it prevails with men, sets up in their hearts truth, meekness, and righteousness, rectifies their mistakes by the light of truth, controls their passions by the power of meekness, and governs their hearts and lives by the laws of righteousness. Christ came, by setting up his kingdom among men, to restore those glories to a degenerate world, and to maintain the cause of those just and rightful rulers under him that by error, malice, and iniquity, had been deposed.
(4.)The success of his expedition: "Thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things; thou shalt experience a wonderful divine power going along with thy gospel, to make it victorious, and the effects of it will be terrible things." [1.] In order to the conversion and reduction of souls to him, there are terrible things to be done; the heart must be pricked, conscience must be startled, and the terrors of the Lord must make way for his consolations. This is done by the right hand of Christ. The Comforter shall continue, Joh 16:8. [2.] In the conquest of the gates of hell and its supporters, in the destruction of Judaism and Paganism, terrible things will be done, which will make men's hearts fail them for fear (Luk 21:26) and great men and chief captains call to the rocks and mountains to fall on them, Rev 6:15. The next verse describes these terrible things (Psa 45:5): Thy arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies. First, Those that were by nature enemies are thus wounded, in order to their being subdued and reconciled. Convictions are like the arrows of the bow, which are sharp in the heart on which they fasten, and bring people to fall under Christ, in subjection to his laws and government. Those that thus fall on this stone shall by broken, Mat 21:44. Secondly, Those that persist in their enmity are thus wounded, in order to their being ruined. The arrows of God's terrors are sharp in their hearts, whereby they shall fall under him, so as to be made his footstool, Psa 110:1. Those that would not have him to reign over them shall be brought forth and slain before him (Luk 19:27); those that would not submit to his golden sceptre shall be broken to pieces by his iron rod.
All other people, you see, exercise royal power by making war so as to gain cities or wealth, or because of enmities or vainglory. God, by contrast, acts not for any of these things but for the sake of truth, to plant it on earth; and for the sake of gentleness, to make those who are more savage than wild beasts become gentle; and for the sake of righteousness, to make those who are in thrall to lawlessness become righteous, first from grace, and second from good deeds.
What was being achieved was in fact fearful and productive of terror: death was destroyed, hell was broken asunder, paradise was opened, heaven was thrown open, demons were shackled, the lower regions were mingled with the upper, God became human, a human being is seated on the kingly throne, hope in resurrection dawned, expectation reached beyond death, ineffable good things were enjoyed, and all other good things he achieved by his coming.… The Septuagint, [by contrast], reads, “Your right hand will guide you in marvelous fashion,” that is to say, we should marvel not only at what is achieved but at the fact that it is achieved in surprising fashion: through death is death destroyed, through a curse is a curse lifted and blessing bestowed, through eating were we lately expelled, through eating we have once again been admitted. A maiden expelled us from paradise, through a maiden we find eternal life. What was the means of our being condemned becomes the means of our being crowned.
To what human being would he apply this achievement or the magnitude of what is described? To whom would he apply the verse “Your right hand will guide you in marvelous fashion” when the divine Scripture consistently says of all the righteous that it is with God’s help that they acquire strength?
It is therefore clear from this that he is not speaking of a human being as king: no human being exercises such zeal for bringing about the kingdom in himself and uses weapons and all such things so as to teach gentleness to his own; on the contrary, he is concerned to gain power, and wipe out the opposition and in every way make his own people fearsome to the enemy.
What does he mean to express by the "thigh"? The flesh. Whence those words, "A prince shall not depart from Judah; and a lawgiver from his thighs"? Did not Abraham himself (to whom was promised the seed in which "all the nations of the earth were to be blessed"), when he sent his servant to seek and to bring home a wife for his son, being by faith fully persuaded, that in that, so to speak, contemptible seed was contained the great Name; that is, that the Son of God was to come of the seed of Abraham, out of all the children of men; did not he, I say, cause his servant to swear unto him in this manner, saying, "Put your hand under my thigh," [Genesis 24:2] and so swear; as if he had said, "Put your hand on the altar, or on the Gospel, or on the Prophet, or on any holy thing." "Put" (he says) "your hand under my thigh;" having full confidence, not ashamed of it as unseemly, but understanding therein a truth. "With Your beauty and Your glory." Take to You that righteousness, in which You are at all times beautiful and glorious. "And speed on, and proceed prosperously, and reign" [Psalm 45:4]. Do we not see it so? Is it not already come to pass? He has "sped on; has proceeded prosperously, and He reigns;" all nations are subdued unto Him. What a thing was it to see that "in the Spirit," of which same thing it is now in our power to experience in the reality! At the time when these words were said, Christ did not yet "reign" thus; had not yet sped on, nor "proceeded prosperously." They were then being preached, they have now been fulfilled: in many things we have God's promise fulfilled already; in some few we have to claim its fulfilment yet.
Continue studying Psalms 45:4 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Psalms 45:4 is a majestic declaration within a royal wedding psalm, portraying a divinely empowered king who rides forth in triumphant majesty. His unparalleled success and prosperity are directly attributed to his unwavering commitment to divine virtues: truth, meekness, and righteousness. The verse culminates in a powerful image of his own formidable "right hand" accomplishing awe-inspiring deeds, signifying the decisive, just, and ultimately terrifying power of his reign. This ideal king, while initially an earthly monarch, is profoundly understood as a prophetic type of the Messiah, whose perfect reign embodies these virtues and whose power establishes an eternal kingdom of justice, peace, and awe-inspiring authority.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalm 45:4 is rich in Imagery, painting a vivid picture of a king riding forth in majesty, symbolizing his triumphant reign and the expansion of his dominion. The phrase "thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things" employs Personification, attributing the act of "teaching" to the king's hand, thereby emphasizing the autonomous, decisive, and almost self-actualizing nature of his power. This also functions as Symbolism, where the "right hand" represents the king's strength, authority, and executive action, particularly in judgment and battle. The "terrible things" are likewise symbolic, representing awe-inspiring acts of judgment, victory, or the establishment of justice that inspire reverence and fear. The entire verse uses Figurative Language to elevate the description of the king beyond a mere human ruler, hinting at a divine or divinely-empowered figure whose reign is characterized by both moral excellence and formidable might. The Parallelism between the king's character (truth, meekness, righteousness) and the outcome (prosperous ride, terrible deeds) highlights the direct correlation between his virtues and his success.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 45:4 profoundly connects to the broader biblical themes of righteous governance, divine blessing, and the very nature of God's kingdom. It unequivocally establishes that true prosperity, enduring authority, and legitimate power are rooted not in brute force or cunning, but in unwavering adherence to divine virtues. This ideal portrayal of a king whose reign is founded on truth, meekness, and righteousness directly reflects the character of God Himself, who is the ultimate source and embodiment of these qualities. The "terrible things" accomplished by the king's right hand echo the awe-inspiring acts of God throughout salvation history, particularly in delivering His people, executing justice upon His enemies, and establishing His sovereign rule. This verse, therefore, serves as a crucial theological bridge, linking the earthly ideal of kingship to the heavenly reality of God's sovereign rule and, most significantly, to the coming Messiah, whose reign perfectly fulfills these divine standards.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 45:4 invites believers to reflect deeply on the character of the King we serve and the principles that should govern our lives as His subjects. As followers of Christ, we are called to embody the very virtues that define His perfect reign: truth, meekness, and righteousness. This means living with unyielding integrity and honesty in all our dealings, cultivating genuine humility and gentle strength in our interactions, and striving for justice and moral uprightness in a world often devoid of these qualities. Our trust is not in fleeting earthly power or temporary success, but in the enduring and unshakable kingdom of our King, whose authority is built on an unwavering moral foundation. Furthermore, understanding the "terrible things" of His right hand reminds us that our God is not only loving and gracious but also just, mighty, and capable of awe-inspiring acts of deliverance and judgment. This should inspire both profound reverence and unwavering confidence, knowing that His ultimate triumph is assured and that His power works for the good of His people and the establishment of His perfect will in all the earth.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is Psalm 45:4 primarily about an earthly king or a messianic prophecy?
Answer: While Psalm 45 was likely composed for an earthly king's wedding, its language and idealized portrayal elevate it beyond a mere human monarch. The virtues ascribed to the king—unwavering truth, profound meekness, and perfect righteousness—and the awe-inspiring power of his reign are so absolute and flawless that they point to a divine or divinely-empowered figure. For this reason, Christian tradition and many biblical scholars view Psalm 45, including verse 4, as a profound messianic prophecy, finding its ultimate and perfect fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The New Testament implicitly references this psalm in Hebrews 1:8-9, applying its description directly to Christ's eternal and righteous reign.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 45:4 finds its consummate and perfect fulfillment in the person and reign of Jesus Christ, the true Messianic King. He is the one who perfectly embodies "truth," as He declared, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6), His very being and teaching are the embodiment of divine faithfulness and ultimate reality. He is the King of "meekness," humbly entering Jerusalem on a donkey, fulfilling prophecy (Matthew 21:5), and inviting the weary to find rest in His gentle and lowly heart (Matthew 11:29). And He is the perfectly "righteous" King, the only one who lived a sinless life (1 Peter 2:22) and who serves as our righteous advocate before the Father (1 John 2:1). His "majesty" is not of earthly pomp but of divine glory, revealed in His miracles, His resurrection, and His ascension to the right hand of God (Acts 2:33). His "prosperous ride" culminates not just in an earthly kingdom but in the establishment of His eternal spiritual kingdom, which will ultimately triumph over all opposition (Revelation 19:11-16). The "terrible things" accomplished by His "right hand" are His awe-inspiring acts of salvation—His victory over sin and death on the cross, His resurrection power, and His future judgment of the nations, which will inspire both reverence and fear, establishing His perfect justice and bringing about the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21:1-4).