My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the King. My tongue is the pen of a skillful writer. Jesus is the most excellent of men, and His lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed Him forever. (Psalm 45:1-2 adapted)
This post builds on Excellent Lord Jesus Part 1 and Part 2.
I have already written about Christ’s supremacy and His encouragement to troubled Christians.
Jesus says: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)
Now, let’s look at what Psalm 45 teaches about Jesus as the excellent Husband of His people.
Precious Bowl at a Yard Sale
A small bowl bought for $35 at a yard sale in Connecticut turned out to be a rare 15th-century Chinese artifact. Experts estimated that the white porcelain bowl was worth between $300,000 and $500,000. It dates from the Ming Dynasty and is one of only seven such bowls in existence. The others are all in museums. One appraiser said, “It’s astounding that these treasures can still be discovered. It’s exciting when something we didn’t even know existed seems to appear out of nowhere.”1
That’s how it is with Jesus Christ, our precious Savior. He hides His supreme value behind His ordinary appearance. Isaiah said, “Jesus had no physical beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.”2 Christ was born in a humble place, worked as a carpenter, had no home or apartment, and was crucified along with criminals. Jesus’ beauty was all in His holy character and conduct! And despite outward appearances, Christ was and is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world by His life, death, and resurrection!3
Original Setting of Psalm 45
Psalm 45 is a wedding song that points up to God (Father, Son, and Spirit) as the Bridegroom of His people. The Lord also refers to Himself as a Husband in other Old Testament Scriptures.4
Isaiah says: I delight greatly in the LORD. My soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of His righteousness. He is like a Bridegroom adorning His head like a priest, and His bride adorning herself with jewels… As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you. As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you. (Isaiah 61:10, 62:5)
Parts of Psalm 45 are Messianic, predicting Jesus’ coming, and other parts are not. Some verses fit an ancient king’s wedding, while other verses are too magnificent for a mere human. They point ahead to Christ alone, the King of kings and Lord of lords. Psalm 45:6,17 says “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever. A scepter of justice will be the scepter of Your kingdom… I will perpetuate Your memory through all generations. Therefore, the nations will praise You forever and ever.” Only Jesus fits that description! Only He is worthy of our endless adoration!
Again, Isaiah says: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of His government and peace, there will be no end. Jesus will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)
Christ Fulfills Psalm 45 in His Two Comings
Hebrews 1:8-9 quotes Psalm 45:6-7 as fulfilled in Jesus. Christ is described as the Bridegroom of His followers in the whole New Testament.5 Jesus loves His Church, all His true believers across the nations and centuries. Christ gave up His life for us to make us holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. Both male and female believers are referred to as the Bride of Christ, and we are precious to Him. Jesus sacrificed Himself to make us a glorious Church without a spot, wrinkle, or any other blemish. By His saving work for us and in us, Christ makes us holy and without fault in God’s sight.6 What a Beautiful Savior!
Christians are blessed with saving faith in Jesus, with the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying work, and are united together in the one Body of Christ, also called His Bride. Christians are never meant to follow Christ in isolation from other believers. We gather in imperfect local congregations where King Jesus is loved, worshiped, and served. Our perfection comes only when our Lord Jesus returns for us.7
When Jesus returns, it will be the happiest day ever for us who are His followers. Maximum rightness, peace, joy, and perfection. Maximum freedom from sin, sorrow, suffering, and everything bad. The best part will not be the streets of gold or Heaven’s endless beauty, but the supreme joy of seeing Christ face-to-face with our own eyes and being present with Him forever. As a bonus, Christ’s followers will understand so many things much better and be reunited with our Christian loved ones.8
To be continued.
Notes (various Bible translations used): 1 “Exceptional 15th-Century Ming Dynasty bowl unearthed at US yard sale,” BBC (3-3-21). 2 Isa 53:1-3. 3 John 1:29,36; Isa 53:7. 4 Isa 54:5; Jer 16:9, 33:11; Hos 2:19-20. 5 Matt 9:15, 25:1-13; 2 Cor 11:2; Rev 19:6-9, 21:1-4. 6 Eph 5:25-33. 7 Adapted from “The Essentials” of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. 8 Adapted from Pastor J. R. Miller (1840–1912).