Psalms Sermons 

The Perfect Song for the Perfect Royal Wedding

 

Readings:Psalms 45 (text); Hebrews 1:8-9; Ephesians 5:25-27

August 23, 2015 • Download this sermon (PDF)

Congregation of Christ: July 29, 1981 was a memorable day for 750 million people around the world. On this day, the “wedding of the century” took place: the wedding of Prince Charles, heir to the throne of England, and Lady Diana Spencer. It was a pompous and ostentatious event. The bride wore an ivory taffeta and antique lace gown decorated with 10,000 tiny mother-of-pearl sequins and pearls. Both her train and veil were 25 feet long. Prince Charles was in his full regalia and uniform of a naval commander. Lady Diana walked to the altar to the music “Prince of Denmark’s March” instead of the familiar wedding march music, Wagner’s “Bridal March” or Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March.” Her recessional was to Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance.”

But this “fairy tale wedding” ended sadly and tragically. The royal couple divorced in 1996, and a year later, she died in a car crash in Paris. There is no such thing as a “fairy tale wedding” where the story ends in “and they lived happily ever after.” Even the “happy ever-aftering” in Camelot ended in tragedy.

The Wode Psalter (1562-92), 106 psalms in four-part harmonies (BBC News) (click to enlarge)
The Wode Psalter (1562-92), 106 psalms in four-part harmonies (BBC News) (click to enlarge)

Our text today is a perfect wedding song for a real, perfect wedding, in contrast to this royal “wedding of the century.” As the title says, Psalm 45 is a “love song” for the wedding of a king and his bride who will “live happily ever after” because it is also a description of a future wedding between our Lord Jesus Christ and his Church. In contrast to many marriages today that end in divorce, our King’s marriage to his Bride will be perfect and will last for eternity.

Psalm 45 was originally composed by the psalmist to celebrate the wedding of a king in David’s line, but we do not know which king. The psalmist says, “I address my verses to the king.” To be sure, the marriages of David and the kings after him were not perfect, since most of these kings were wicked. And many of them also ended tragically, including the marriage of David’s own son, King Solomon who took for himself 700 pagan wives.

In this psalm, both the king and his bride were described with overflowing praise, wonder and adoration. And in the end, all the nations of the earth will also praise this King. So our theme today, then, is “The Perfect Song for the Perfect Royal Wedding” in three headings: first, A Song for the Fairest, Majestic and Just King;second, A Song for the Beautiful Princess Bride; and third, A Song of All Nations Praising the King.

A Song for the Fairest, Majestic and Just King

The psalmist says he speaks from his heart overflowing with a good, noble and pleasing theme: his king’s wedding. He first extols his appearance, character, and mighty works.

He is the most excellent, fairest, and “handsome of the sons of men.” No one can compare to his beauty and splendor, even Prince Charming. Even in the full regalia of a naval commander, the elegant nobility of Prince Charles would not compare with the attire of this handsome king. In verse 8, the song describes the king’s attire and palaces, “your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia. From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad.” He wears the most fragrant and expensive spices and perfumes. And in verse 9, his wedding entourage comes from many nations, “daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor; at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.” He is regarded highly by neighboring kings. His wedding is adorned with gold from an unknown place called Ophir, from where the most precious gold comes (1 Chr 29:4; Job 28:16).

But this king is praised not only for his outward beauty and attire. The psalmist describes his speech, “Grace is poured upon your lips.” His gracious words are what King Solomon calls “pure” (Prv 15:26), and “like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body” (Prv 16:24). So this “wise man’s mouth win him favor” (Ecc 10:12).

The king is not only handsome and wise, but also mighty in power. His sword and his arrows are always ready to conquer his enemies. But he wages wars against other kings not for his own power-grabbing ambition, but “for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness.” He does his “awesome deeds” for these causes. Even his scepter is a symbol of kingship and authority in righteousness.

To be sure, no Davidic king has ever met these highest qualifications for an ideal king. But all of these kings have been anointed by God, and in his installation and wedding, God has anointed him “with the oil of gladness beyond your companions” (v 7).

In verses 1-9, the song focuses on the beauty, majesty and righteousness of the king-bridegroom. Next, in verses 10-15, the psalmist turns his attention to the princess bride.

A Song for the Beautiful Princess Bride

The psalmist says that the bride has to “forget [her] people and [her] father’s house.” This is in obedience to God’s command in the creation account, that when a man and a woman are joined together in marriage, they will start a new family, separate from their parents’ families, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Gen 2:24). When the princess does leave her home, “the king will desire [her] beauty.” Now, her lord is not her father anymore, but her husband, the king.

However, verse 12 is not very clear. It says, “The people of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts, the richest of the people” (ESV). The original Hebrew says, “the daughter of Tyre,” so most translations use this. It seems that the king is marrying the princess of Tyre, which was then considered a very rich country (Ezk 27-28), but there is no record of any Davidic king marrying a princess from Tyre. It is therefore possible that “the daughter of Tyre” represents the people of the whole city (Psa 48:11), just as “the daughter of Judah” represents the whole kingdom (Lam 2:2).

As handsome as the king is, his bride is even more splendid in beauty, “all glorious is the princess in her chamber” (v 13). Her wedding dress is more opulent than that of Lady Diana’s, interwoven with gold and of different colors. Surrounded by her bridesmaids, she walks and enters the palace of the king with joy and gladness, and much fanfare.

A Song of All Nations Praising the King

Now that the king and his bride are married, the psalmist turns his attention to their future. Their future is very much unlike the future of Prince Charles and Lady Diana. There is no divorce or tragedy, but the song has a happy-ever-after ending. And much more than just a happy-ever-after ending.

In verses 16-17, the song makes two wonderful but amazing prophecies. First, this king of Israel and his princess bride will have sons, and they will become “princes in all the earth.” The second prophecy is this, “I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.” Was there ever a king of Israel who fulfilled this prophecy? No, not even David or Solomon, two of Israel’s greatest kings. So who did fulfill this prophecy?

Verses 6-7a give us a clue to the answer. It says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; you have loved righteousness and hated wicked­ness.” It would seem that verse 6 refers to the king as God, but Psalm 45 speaks of the wedding of a real human king, not a divine king. So this verse most likely addresses God in his throne, and the king seated on the throne represents God ruling over his people Israel. In his covenant with King David, God promised him that he will have a son, and God “will establish the throne of his kingdom forever,” and therefore, his “throne shall be established forever” (2 Sam 7:13, 16).

In speaking of the king’s “scepter of uprightness,” Psalm 45:6 is a fulfillment of the prophecy of Jacob about Judah, “the scepter shall not depart from Judah” (Gen 49:10), and another prophecy by Balaam, “a scepter shall rise out of Israel” (Num 24:17). David again speaks of another powerful king, his Lord, in Mount Zion, “The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies!” (Psa 110:2).

Finally, Isaiah made all these previous prophecies clearer when he said, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.” This Son will not only sit on David’s throne as “the Prince of Peace,” but will also be divine, “the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father.” And of this Son’s kingdom, “there will be no end” (Isa 9:6-7).

These Old Testament prophecies are so clear to the writer of the book of Hebrews that he applies Psalm 45:6-7 to our Lord Jesus Christ. He says that the inspired wedding song of Psalm 45 is about the Son of God, and this Son is better than all the angels in heaven because he is God, “But of the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom’” (Heb 1:8).

Who is the most majestic and splendor of all men, “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature”? Who is the mightiest of all that “he upholds the universe by the word of his power”? (Heb 1:3) Who speaks the most gracious words, but with astonishing authority (Luke 4:22; Matt 7:28-29) Who has been blessed as the “Beloved Son” by God forever, and well-pleasing in God’s sight (Matt 3:17) Who came to the world “for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness?” Who is “the Way, the Truth and the Life”? (John 14:6) Who invites you to come to him because he is “meek and lowly of heart,” riding to his people on a humble donkey? (Matt 11:30; Zec 9:9) Who left his divine glory and majesty in heaven to save his people from sin by taking on a humble human form? (Php 2:7-8) Who “suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous”? (1 Pet 3:18) Who is the Son of David whose name is remembered in all generations and praised by all nations? (Php 2:10-11)

All of these things pointed to and were fulfilled by Jesus the Anointed One, the Christ, the Eternal Son of God, David’s greater Son. When he returns in great glory, he will be riding on a white horse, bearing the name “Faithful and True.” His appearance is frightening, “his eyes are like a flame of fire,” but majestic, “on his head are many diadems.” His wedding attire is worn by no one else, because “he is clothed in a robe dipped in blood.” His groomsmen are “the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.” Because he hates all his wicked enemies, he will destroy them with his sword, which is the Word of God coming from his mouth (Rev 19:11-16). Be encouraged, people of God, for God hates all those who hate, persecute and murder God’s people, and they will be destroyed at his coming!

And the final fulfillment of the wedding song of Psalm 45 is the “Wedding of Eternity” when Jesus Christ returns from heaven and is eternally united in “marriage” to his Eternal Bride, the Church of all faithful Christians from all nations. And all of them reigning as kings with their Lord and Savior over all the earth for eternity (Rev 20:6). There will be an even more perfect song for this wedding, as the Apostle John says,

“Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.” (Rev 19:7-8).

Beloved friends, since you are the Bride of Christ your Lord and King, he “loved [you] and gave himself up for [you], that he might sanctify [you], having cleansed [you] by the washing of water with the word.” When he returns, he will take you as his Bride, and “present [you] to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish” (Eph 5:25-27). No bride will ever match your beauty, glory and holiness at this heavenly wedding, because you are to him a “pure virgin” who has been “[betrothed] to one husband,” who is Christ (2 Cor 11:2). On that day, John’s prophecy about the church will be fulfilled, “the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Rev 21:).

What are you going to do to keep yourself prepared and pure on the day of Christ’s return? First, you must be faithful to him until your wedding day, unlike Hosea’s wife who was an adulterer. But even when his wife was unfaithful, Hosea attracted her back to become his wife again (Hos 2:14-15). When you disobey Christ’s commandments, and put your love for money, pleasures, power, friends and family above your love for Christ, his Word and his Church, you are unfaithful to him. But when you return to the Lord, he will not cast you out.

Second, you can be prepared for his arrival by being always on the watch for him. Jesus tells of a parable of ten bridesmaids who were waiting for the bridegroom’s arrival. Five were ready with their lamps, but five were not. The five who were ready were allowed into the wedding, but the other five were shut out.

Friends, are you being faithful to Christ in all your life? Are you ready, because you have been faithful to your future Bridegroom? Are you ready because your faith is strong through hearing the Word of God preached in this church; through your partaking of the Lord’s Supper; through singing and praying God’s Word; through confessing your sins to God, personally and corporately during each Lord’s Day worship? If there is one place to be for getting ready for the coming Bridegroom, it is in the church every Lord’s Day worship service.

Or are you like the foolish bridesmaids who came to the wedding unprepared? But for those of you who are unprepared because you do not believe, the good news is that the Bridegroom hasn’t arrived yet. There is still time. And today, right now, is the time to believe, because the Bridegroom will come at an unexpected day and time. So the Spirit of God and his church invite all of you who do not believe in Christ, “Come. You who are thirsty, come; let those who desire take the water of life without price” (Rev 22:17).

Believe and trust in Christ, and when he arrives, you will become the most beautiful and perfect Bride of all in the Wedding of Eternity. And when you accept his invitation, you will live happily ever after, even forever and forever.

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