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The Royal Wedding
Christ is the righteous warrior-king who makes His bride glorious. Christ reigns righteously by His Word until He returns to secure His victory and to judge the living and the dead.
Scripture: Psalm 45
Sermon Notes:
- Psalm 45 was written for the occasion of a royal wedding.
- The song is designed to make us wise; the deeper meaning in Psalm 45 speaks about Christ and His bride the church (cf. Isa. 54, Isa. 62; Jer. 3; Ezek. 16, 23; Hosea 1-14; John 3; 2 Cor. 11; Eph. 5; Rev. 1, 19, 21, 22).
- God’s grace has been poured out upon the king making him glorious. It is the king’s gracious, kind speech which makes him handsome.
- The king is a warrior who rides out majestically, ready to wage just war for the cause of truth, meekness, and righteousness.
- Meekness is a manly virtue and it is included in the list of causes to fight for.
- The king is a righteous ruler who governs according to God’s law, not his own law (cf. Deut. 17:16-19).
- The king learns to fear the Lord by both learning and doing God’s commands.
- God’s law keeps him humble, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers.
- He is to promote righteousness and to punish wickedness.
- On his wedding day the king is fragrant with glorious attire.
- The bride is called upon to leave her family and to be loyal to her new husband. The result of this loyalty is that the king will desire her beauty.
- Scripture calls upon the queen to submit to the king who is God’s representative.
- The king is not a tyrant; he speaks kindness and he does what is right in everything.
- Finally there is a word of benediction: there will be princes on the throne and all nations will be blessed.
- There is a deeper meaning in Psalm 45; the high and lofty language suggests that this is about more than an earthly king. Hebrews quotes Psalm 45 in reference to Christ (Heb. 1:8-9). Revelation 19 alludes back to this Psalm 45 in the celebration of a royal wedding and just warfare.
- Christ is the righteous warrior who spoke words of comfort, grace, and mercy (Jn. 1:17; Lk. 4:22; Ps. 45:3-7).
- Christ goes into battle as a warrior. He took the name Joshua, the great military leader of Israel.
- At His second coming Christ comes as a warrior to secure His victory and to judge the living and the dead.
- In His ongoing ministry in the world, Christ bears the sword of His Word to execute justice and to separate the righteous from the wicked.
- Christ came to wage war and to rescue us defeating sin and the devil. He did so by dying on the cross, conquering in meekness (Heb. 2:14; Phil. 2:5-11).
- The words to the bride are a word of counsel to us. We’re to meditate on God's word and submit to it.
- God calls us to daily repentance and good works that we may be adorned as a beautiful bride.
- In our response of love and submission, let us make a renewed commitment to walk in obedience, faith and repentance each day.
Application Questions:
- What is the surface meaning of Psalm 45?
- How can we demonstrate that there is the deeper reference to Christ and the Church?
- Compare the themes of a wedding and righteous warfare in Psalm 45:4-7 and Revelation 19:11-16.
- How does Christ deliver us from our enemies?
- What is our proper response to the glorious bridegroom?