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The Royal Wedding

By David Robinson/ August 16, 2015

Series  Meditations on the Psalms

Context  Westminster Chapel Toronto

Topic  Person Of Christ

Scripture  Psalms 45

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:

  1. Psalm 45 was written for the occasion of a royal wedding.
  2. 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).
  3. 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.
  4. The king is a warrior who rides out majestically, ready to wage just war for the cause of truth, meekness, and righteousness.
  5. Meekness is a manly virtue and it is included in the list of causes to fight for.
  6. The king is a righteous ruler who governs according to God’s law, not his own law (cf. Deut. 17:16-19).
  7. The king learns to fear the Lord by both learning and doing God’s commands.
  8. God’s law keeps him humble, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers.
  9. He is to promote righteousness and to punish wickedness.
  10. On his wedding day the king is fragrant with glorious attire.
  11. 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.
  12. Scripture calls upon the queen to submit to the king who is God’s representative.
  13. The king is not a tyrant; he speaks kindness and he does what is right in everything.
  14. Finally there is a word of benediction: there will be princes on the throne and all nations will be blessed.
  15. 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.
  16. Christ is the righteous warrior who spoke words of comfort, grace, and mercy (Jn. 1:17; Lk. 4:22; Ps. 45:3-7).
  17. Christ goes into battle as a warrior. He took the name Joshua, the great military leader of Israel.
  18. At His second coming Christ comes as a warrior to secure His victory and to judge the living and the dead.
  19. 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.
  20. 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).
  21. The words to the bride are a word of counsel to us. We’re to meditate on God's word and submit to it.
  22. God calls us to daily repentance and good works that we may be adorned as a beautiful bride.
  23. In our response of love and submission, let us make a renewed commitment to walk in obedience, faith and repentance each day.

Application Questions:

  1. What is the surface meaning of Psalm 45?
  2. How can we demonstrate that there is the deeper reference to Christ and the Church?
  3. Compare the themes of a wedding and righteous warfare in Psalm 45:4-7 and Revelation 19:11-16.
  4. How does Christ deliver us from our enemies?
  5. What is our proper response to the glorious bridegroom?