Psalm 45:13 (NIV)
13 All glorious is the princess within her chamber; her gown is interwoven with gold.
The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984
I must first admit that when I read Psalm 45, all I could see was a wedding song that is over the top. Clearly it was originally written to flatter the king to whom it was written. It's laid on pretty thick as the king receives high marks for his excellence, appearance, marital prowess, character, wedding array, fragrance, music and harem. The king is even referred to as God. The poet continues with praise for the bride, of which our study verse today is in the middle, and makes predictions of the future children. The poet even predicts his own involvement in making certain the royal family is extolled through all generations.
Frankly, it seems a bit offensive to me. But whenever my sensibilities are challenged by the word of God, I know that I must look deeper in an effort to find the true meaning of the passage. Such is the case with my study verse today.
It is certainly no accident that this chapter has been preserved and included in the canon. And in the light of 2 Tim 3:16,17 I believe it serves a true purpose. We must remember that the relationship of 'the church' is portrayed in scripture as that of a bride; Christ being the bridegroom. We also may recall that in Luke 24, Jesus revealed himself in all the scripture beginning with Moses.
Therefore, I can only conclude that this passage, while originally written about an egotistical king is actually about the wedding of the church to Christ. With that in mind, examination of today's focus verse takes on new meaning. Let's consider it anew...
Psalm 45:13 (NIV)
13 All glorious is the princess within her chamber; her gown is interwoven with gold.
Applied to humans, this would indicate a beautiful bride in a moment of repose, in her room so to speak. Having been prepared for the wedding she is resplendent with beauty as she waits to be led to the throne room for the royal ceremony. Recalling the day of my own marriage some 25 years ago, I can attest to the beauty of the prepared bride as she enters the room.
Yet in our context today, this is not about outward appearance. We know that God is no impressed with outward beauty but searches within. I believe that this is a reference to the inward condition of the church, of its heart so to speak.
The bride is to be prepared for the groom. If the church is so prepared and is living with the fervent expectation of the coming bridegroom, her heart will be glorious. Her service to the world powerful and effective. In the same way that a human bride is beautiful on the outside (with no deference given to inward condition) so too is the church on the inside (with no deference given to outward appearances). Further, in the same way that the bride is attended to and 'made to be beautiful' so to are the efforts of church members with respect to the church.
There is in my head right now a bit of a nagging thought. To wit, perhaps Israel is the true church or bride. If that is the case, then we (the gentile church) are her attendants. As was the custom of the day, the bride AND HER ATTENDANTS all passed into possession of the groom upon marriage. Perhaps this is a more accurate portrayal of the deeper meaning of this passage.
Nevertheless, the passage continues with mention of her raiment. "her gown is interwoven with gold." Within the context of my interpretation of this passage, the church (the bride) is clothed with a great cloak of Christ's righteousness. Pure white is the description. Yet, the effective works of the church, those things which are of lasting value in God's economy, are woven into the very fabric of righteousness. Where the church loves and serves and teaches and encourages and accepts and forgives and cares and provides, these are added as adornments to the robe which has been given her.
In this way, purity of inward condition, clothed in righteousness and adorned with service to The Lord, the bride is indeed glorious within and without.
In His Grip,
Carl
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1 comment:
Carl, ... good post!
As I read your blog and went back to Psalm 45, my memory took me a passage in Rev. 19, which bubbled to my consciousness; and anytime this happens when I'm meditating on God's word or from someone's exposition of same (as with your journaling), I know that God is trying to make a point FOR ME (and maybe for others).
The passage is Rev. 19: 7 - 8, which says ...
7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
And as I think back to Jesus' reference to a Jewish wedding feast in John 14. There, to His inner group of Disciples, The Groom spoke of going away, as was the preparation custom in a Jewish wedding, to prepare an eternal home for His Bride.
And in the passage above, also from the writings of John in Revelations, we read of the Bride and what she must do to prepare for the wedding feast of the Lamb, Her Bridegroom and our Lord. And to me, that says that we, whom I believe to be The Bride, should be preparing our linens for the consumation of the wedding to come, when we are presented to our Groom in the home He has built for us in Heaven.
It's a wondrous picture; but it also charges me, as being part of His Bride, to be, in this life, preparing those linens of purity for my Groom. And that certainly fits into everything I've been called to do in my life as well as my ministry.
Thanks for reminding me of that charge, Carl. ... <'BB><
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