Psalm 45: A Wedding and an Invitation -- By: Michael E. Travers

Journal: Faith and Mission
Volume: FM 20:2 (Spring 2003)
Article: Psalm 45: A Wedding and an Invitation
Author: Michael E. Travers


Psalm 45: A Wedding and an Invitation

Michael E. Travers

Professor of English
Southeastern College at Wake Forest
Wake Forest, North Carolina 27587

Psalm 45 is an exalted song of praise, or encomium, that from its opening verse encourages its readers to focus on the glory and splendor of the exalted king it depicts. It is paralleled in the Old Testament by the celebration of wedded love in the Song of Songs and in the New Testament by the anticipation of the marriage supper of the Lamb in the Book of Revelation (19:8ff). Throughout the psalm, the poet looks forward to the celebration of the wedding of the king of Israel and the joy the bride and groom will share. At the same time, the psalm invites onlookers to participate in the happiness of the wedding. In effect, Psalm 45 is a celebration for believers and an invitation for nonbelievers.

Psalm 45 has proven difficult for commentators to classify. Leland Ryken identifies the psalm as the only epithalamion in the Bible.1 An epithalamion is a wedding song, “Originally sung just outside the room to which the bride and groom retired on their wedding night.”2 While Psalm 45 is certainly a wedding song, it anticipates the wedding, rather than rejoicing in its having already occurred. The psalm looks forward to the wedding ceremony, giving attention to the preparation of the bride and the ceremonial walk to the groom’s house before the wedding. Richard D. Patterson sees Psalm 45 as “a Royal Psalm celebrating the marrying of a king in the line of David.”3 Willem VanGemeren views the psalm as a Royal Psalm that “in a special way. .. also applies to our Lord, who rules as the Son of David.”4 Among earlier commentators, John Calvin recognizes the Messianic references in the psalm, though he does not classify it according to genre.5 Charles Haddon Spurgeon goes so far as to say that Psalm 45 does not refer to David’s sons at all, but only to Jesus Christ in a Messianic way.6 This much at least is clear: the Old Testament psalmist writes in praise of the ancient Israelite king at his wedding, and the writer of Hebrews sees the celebration in Messianic terms, thereby applying the ...

You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
Click here to subscribe
visitor : : uid: ()