Jesus was a beautiful man

JESUS WAS A BEAUTIFULMAN
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Psalm45:2 New International Version"You are the
most excellentof men and your lips have been
anointedwith grace, since God has blessed you
forever."
New Living Translation
You are the most handsome of all. Gracious words streamfrom your lips. God
himself has blessedyou forever.
English Standard Version
You are the most handsome of the sons of men; grace is poured upon your
lips; therefore God has blessedyou forever.
BereanStudy Bible
You are the most handsome of men; grace has anointed your lips, since God
has blessedyou forever.
New American Standard Bible
You are fairer than the sons of men; Grace is poured upon Your lips;
Therefore Godhas blessedYou forever.

BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
The Glories Of The Eternal King
Psalm45:1-17
C. Clemance
This psalm is one of those which setforth in glowing terms the glory and
majesty of the King of kings, the Anointed One, who should come into the
world. "It is a psalm of the theocratic kingdom, the marriage song of the
King." It is a song of the highest order, which, according to its title, was for
the chief musician; set to "Shoshannim," a word which, we are told in the
margin (RevisedVersion), means "lilies." This, however, does not throw
much light on the matter. Furst is more helpful when he tells us that
Shoshannim is a proper name, and denotes one of the twenty-four music-
choirs left by David, so calledfrom a master named Shushan. The
introduction to the psalm, which is found in its first verse, is much more
striking than would appear from the translation in either the Authorized
Version or the RevisedVersion. It may be rendered," My heart is boiling over
with a goodly theme: I speak:my work is for a King: may my tongue be as the
pen of a ready writer!" Here we have a striking illustration of the words of the
Apostle Peter, "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy
Ghost;" this fervour of spirit, urging on the workeras by a powerbeyond
himself to write of "the King," is one of the ways in which the sacredwriters
were "moved." And there is no reasonfor refusing to acknowledge the far-
reachingness ofthis psalm, as setting forth beforehand, under the guidance of
the Holy Spirit, the grandeur of our victorious Lord To no one, indeed, but
Jesus, canwe apply the epithets which are herein used. That a King "higher
than the kings of the earth" is foretold in Scripture is certain (see 2 Samuel
7:12-16;2 Samuel 23:2-5; Psalm2., 72., 79., 110.). So that it is no wonder to
find that such is the case in this psalm, The main difficulty in the psalm - in
fact, the only serious one to believing critics - is the factthat the entire passage

vers. 10-15 is basedon a customwhich in the psalmist's time was not only
familiar to Orientals, but was even honourable in their eyes, though it would
not be deemed so in ours. It would be a covetedhonour among maidens to be
among the well-belovedones of an honourable king; for though the queen-
consortwas the principal wife, yet she was by no means the only one on whom
the king bestowedhis affection. Even David had six wives. He was not thought
the worse offor this. The Law of God did not sanctionit, but societydid.
Hence, though this psalm shoots far aheadto a beauty, a glory, and a majesty
beyond the sons of men, yet the ground-plan of its symbolism is found in the
usages ofOriental courts at their best. If it was then deemed a high honour for
maidens to be among the beloved of a king, how much greaterwould be the
honour of those who should be brought in the far-off times to place their
whole selves, body, soul, and spirit, at the absolute disposalof him who would
be "King of kings, and Lord of lords"! We may gather up under four heads
the main features of this sublime prophetic forecast. In doing so, however, it
behoves us to take the Christian expositor's standpoint, and to carry forward
the dim and suggestive words here given us, to the fuller and clearersetting of
New Testamentunfoldings.
I. HERE IS A KING FORESEEN,UNIQUE IN HONOUR AND RENOWN.
That the sacredwriters were familiar with the thought of a King who should
come into the world, surpassing all others, we have seenabove; this is shown
in the passagesto which reference has alreadybeen made. But even if such
passageswere fewerand less clearthan they are, the amazing combination of
expressions in the psalm before us is such, that to none other than the Sonof
God can they possibly be applied with any semblance of reason. But as we
think of him, every term fails in place. Let us take eachexpressionin order.
There are no fewer than twelve of them.
1. There is beauty. (Ver. 2.) A beauty beyond that of the sons of men. This
points to one who is above the race. And verily the beauty of the Lord Jesus is
one of his unnumbered charms. He is the "chief among ten thousand, the
altogetherlovely."
2. Grace is poured into his lips (ver. 2). How true was this of Jesus (Luke 4:22;
John 1:14)! Grace was also everpouring out from his lips.

3. The fullest blessings descendcontinually upon him (ver. 2; cf. John 3:34).
4. There are the glory and majesty of royal state (ver. 3). For "with" read
"even" ('Variorum Bible'). The swordto be girded on his thigh as for war (see
Delitzsch)is his glory and his majestic state. With these he will go forth,
conquering and to conquer.
5. His cause is that of truth, meekness, andrighteousness. (Ver. 4.) No other
king ever combined these in perfection, nor even at all. "Meeknessis about
the very last thought associatedwith earthly kings (but see Matthew 11:29).
6. His progress would be marked by terror as well as by meekness(ver. 4;
Psalm65:5; Romans 11:22;2 Corinthians 5:11; Revelation1:7).
7. His arrows would be sharp in the hearts of his enemies (ver. 5), and the
peoples (plural, RevisedVersion)would fall beneath him. He should have
universal sway, and not overIsrael only.
8. He should be God, and yet be anointed by God. (Vers. 6, 7.) How
enigmaticalbefore fulfilment! How fully realized in our Immanuel, in him
who is at once God and man, David's Son, yet David's Lord!
9. His throne should be eternal. (Ver. 6.) Thy throne, O God, is for ever and
ever" (cf. Hebrews 1:8, 9).
10. His sceptre should be a sceptre of righteousness. (Vers. 6, 7.) This is
preeminently true; so much so that even those who acknowledgehim as Lord,
and who have yet been destitute of righteousness, will be rejected(Matthew
7:22, 23).
11. He would receive a higher anointing than that of others (ver. 7; Acts 4:27;
Acts 10:38;Luke 4:18). 12. Associatedwith his coming would be fragrance,
music, and joy (ver. 8, RevisedVersion). Surely the gladness and song that
gather round this King surpass all other gladness and all other songs that
earth has ever known. No widow's wail, no orphan's sigh, attend on the
conquests of this King. He conquers but to save. And the joy! oh, how great!
Joy among the saved(1 Peter 1:8). Joy among the saints (1 John 1:4). Joy
among the angels (Luke 20:10). Joy in the heart of the Fatherand the Son

(Luke 15:32). Joyfor ever and ever (Isaiah 35:10). What a magnificent
forecast, hundreds of years beforehand! Who dares to deny the supernatural
with such a fact before him?
II. HERE IS THE KING'S BRIDE. (Ver. 9.) What can the psalmist mean by
the bride of such a King, but the Church of his love (see Ephesians 5:23-32)?
The following features, if workedout, would greatly exceedthe space at our
command.
1. She forsakes herFather's house, to be joined to this King, and leaves allher
old associatesbehind her (ver. 10).
2. She is weddedto him (ver. 11, "He is thy Lord").
3. She is devotedto him (ver. 11).
4. She is decoratedwith finest gold (ver. 9), and is at the place of honour by
his side.
5. Her attendants should come from the nations, with their offerings of
devotion (ver. 12).
III. HERE IS THE KING'S OFFSPRING. (Ver. 16.)The sacrifice which the
bride had made for the sake ofthe King shall be more than recompensedby
her having children, who should gatherround her, and who should become
"princes in the earth" (1 Peter2:9; Revelation1:6; Revelation5:10;
Revelation20:6).
IV. HERE IS FORETOLD THE KING'S UNIVERSAL AND ENDLESS
PRAISE. (Ver. 17.) Though the verse seems to be addressedimmediately to
the bride, evidently the carrying forward of the name to generationafter
generationis an honour chiefly of the King, and results from the bridal union.
And the praise which shall accrue will be from the peoples (RevisedVersion),
from all the nations; and this praise will be for everand ever (Psalm 72:17).
"Christ's espousing unto himself a Church, and gathering more and more
from age to age by his Word and Spirit unto it, his converting of souls, and
bringing them into the fellowshipof his family, and giving unto them princely
minds and affections whereverthey live, are large matters of growing and

everlasting glory" (Dickson). Blessing, andhonour, and glory, and power, be
unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb for everand ever." -
C.
Biblical Illustrator
Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into Thy lips;
therefore God hath blessedThee for ever.
Psalm45:2
The King in His beauty
A. Maclaren, D. D.
I. THE PERSONOF THE KING. The old world valued in a king, personal
beauty, and graciousness ofspeech. Bothare ascribedhere to the King spoken
of. We have to think, not of the outward form, howsoeverlovelywith the
loveliness of meeknessand transfigured with the refining patience of suffering
it may have been, but of the beauty of a soul that was all radiant with a lustre

of loveliness that shames the fragmentary and marred virtues of the rest of us,
and stands before the world for ever as the supreme type and high-water
mark of the glory that is possible to a human spirit.
II. His WARFARE. He is to put on all His panoply. Thus arrayed, with the
weaponby His side and the glittering armour on His limbs, He is calledupon
to mount His chariot or His warhorse and ride forth. But for what? "On
behalf of truth, meekness, righteousness." IfHe be a warrior these are the
purposes for which the true King of men must draw His sword, and these
only. No vulgar ambition nor cruel lust of conquest, earth-hunger or "glory"
actuates Him. Nothing but the spreadthrough the world of the gracious
beauties which are His own canbe the end of the King's warfare. In two or
three swift touches the psalmist next paints the tumult and hurry of the fight.
"Thy right hand shall teachThee terrible things." There are no armies or
allies, none to stand beside Him. The one mighty figure of the kingly warrior
stands forth, as in the Assyrian sculptures of conquerors, erectand alone in
His chariot, crashing through the ranks of the enemy, and owing victory to
His own strong arm alone. Put side by side with this the picture of our Lord's
entry into Jerusalem. And yet that lowly processionof the Christ, with tears
upon His cheeks,is part fulfilment of this glorious prediction. But it is only
part. The psalm waits for its completion still, and shall be filled on that day of
the true marriage supper of the Lamb.
III. THE ROYALTY OF THE KING. "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and
ever." In the greatmosque of Damascus, whichwas a Christian church once,
there may still be read, deeply cut in the stone, high above the pavement
where the Mohammedans bow, these words, "Thy kingdom, O Christ, is an
everlasting kingdom." It is true, and yet it shall be knownthat He is for ever
and ever the Monarch of the world.
(A. Maclaren, D. D.)
The King of kings
D. Katterns.

We canbe at no loss to understand what King is here meant (Hebrews 1:8, 9).
I. His PERSONALEXCELLENCES.
1. They are of a moral and mental character. We must bear in mind that this
whole psalm contemplates not only a king, but a Teacher-King, a Royal
Prophet. He must, consequently, be, in His own person, the perfect
exemplification of the Divine wisdom that He taught. Solomon, therefore, does
not representChrist by His outward splendour, of which our Lord had none,
but by His spiritual perfections.
2. They are not derived; they are His own, native, meritorious perfections, for
the sake ofwhich He is worthy to reign. Now, this cannot be said of any man.
If Christ had been any other than a sinless character, it must have been seen
and noticed; for He passedHis life in public, He was constantly surrounded
by a crowd of vigilant and malicious witnesses.The same argument might be
drawn from the absolute and unquestioned authority which lie always
maintained over them, and which would have been weakenedand destroyedif
they had ever detectedHim in a sin. Nor let it be imagined that all these things
are saidfor the purpose of exhibiting our blessedLord as a perfect model for
admiration merely. The application of the doctrine lies here; that, if He had
not been absolutelysinless, He could neither have been an acceptable sacrifice
for sin, nor have been the greatHigh Priest of our profession,
II. HIS PECULIAR OFFICIAL QUALIFICATIONS. "Grace is poured into
Thy lips."
1. Think of the manner in which this greatTeacher-King communicated the
knowledge ofHimself, and His Father's will. It is not possible for human
language to express the kindness, the clearness, the tenderness that
accompaniedevery word which proceededfrom His lips.
2. Note the plenitude told of — grace is poured, not sparingly but abundantly.
Now, is Christ to us altogetherlovely? Did you never feelthat you could part
with all the world for just one beam, one spark of His infinite love; for just
one drop of that heavenly joy which is the foretaste ofits full fruition? I tell
you plainly, I do not believe in that man's religion at all who has strong

affections for all other objects, and nothing but a cold assent, an icy,
philosophic calmness to lay at the feet of Jesus. I do not believe in it, because it
is not the religion of the psalmist. You have just so much religion as you have
love to Christ, and not an atom more!
III. THE BLESSING PRONOUNCEDUPON HIM. "Godhath blessedThee
for ever." This could not be saidof Solomonbut of Christ only. And this
blessing —
1. Descends through Him upon all who are His.
2. It comprehends perpetual increase. True, the progress seems to us slow, but
no important promises in the past have ever been fulfilled without similar
delays.
3. Its chief fulfilment will be seenin the latter-day glory. Christ is King;
submit to Him, so gracious and gentle in His rule.
(D. Katterns.)
Jesus Christ comparedwith men
Samuel Martin.
"Thou art fairer," etc.
I. CHRIST IS SO AS THE SON OF GOD. All others have only a creature
nature. He has the nature of God, and all the angels of God are bidden
worship Him. Then should not we? And more than they, for He died for us,
not for them.
II. As THE SON OF MAN. The children of men are born of sinful fathers;
"He was conceivedby the powerof the Holy Ghost." They are born with a
sinful taint, but He was born without sin.
III. IN WORK, SUFFERING AND TEMPTATION, whichHe sharedwith
the children of men.

1. In work. He knew what it was. Some men never know their work;they
spend their whole lives without finding it out, and consequentlynever do any
work worth doing. But Christ knew His work. He made it His meat and His
drink.
2. In suffering, too, Christ endured completelyall that He was appointed to
suffer. There was no putting away from Him that which He ought to bear; no
hiding His face from that which He ought to see and confront. "The cup which
My Fatherhath given me, shall I not drink?"
3. In temptation. It could not defile Him as it too often defiles us. Thoughts of
wrong-doing were thrown into His mind like firebrands thrown into a house,
but they never even proceededtowards the production of a wrong purpose.
IV. IN HIS OFFICIAL CHARACTERS of prophet, King and priest. Contrast
the ordinary prophets and Christ. He was ever speaking by the Holy Spirit,
ever faithful, ever possessing unlimited knowledge. And as King and priest he
was perfect.
V. IN FOUR THINGS IN WHICH MEN NOTABLY FAIL.
1. In the harmony and variety of His excellencies.
2. In the unbroken consistencyofHis actions.
3. In the perfectionof His manifold works.
4. His influence was in all respects superior. We need nobody to tell us that
Jesus Christ is better than man. Do you act the things you know best? Do you
work out now the things with which you are most familiar? Certainly not. For
example, you think of the children of men more than of Him who is "fairer
than," etc. And you love them more; and prize them more. They. seemto give
you more pleasure. You perhaps also trust "the children of men" more than
you trust Him who is "fairerthan the children of men." They have often
deceivedyou. Therefore we remind you of the truth of the text, that we may
get more thought, more love, more confidence, more service, more honest
speechfor Him, mark, who is "fairerthan the children of men." Let us take
care lest any of us, after having professedto accountthe Lord Jesus Christ

"fairer than the children of men" should be condemned for having preferred
men to our Saviour.
(Samuel Martin.)
The beauty of Christ
J. Jowett, M. A.
The whole psalm tells of "the spiritual marriage and unity that is betwixt
Christ and His Church."
I. THE EXCELLENCE OF THE BEAUTY OF CHRIST. "Thouart fairer
than," etc.
1. It is not the beauty of His personin which the psalmist dwells with such
admiration. Scripture is silent on the outward appearance of Christ. What
hints there are now to show, that what, ever beauty of this kind there may
have been, His sorrow, poverty and hardship had greatly destroyed.
2. But it is the beauty of His characterthat is told of here. He was unstained
by sin, glorious in holiness. To do the will of God was His "meat" — necessary
to His very existence.
II. THE GRACE OF HIS COMMUNICATIONS. He dwelt among us: people
wondered at His gracious words. The text may refer —
1. To the gracefulnessofHis address.
2. To the graciousnessofHis words.
III. THE GLORY OF HIS REWARD. "ThereforeGodhath blessedThee for
ever" (Philippians 2:9-11). In conclusion, What think ye of Him? What will
you ask of Him?
(J. Jowett, M. A.)
Fairerthan the children of men

Thomas Pitt.
The writer of this psalm sees his King in the light of his ownadoration, and as
he gazes, his subjectis transfigured before him, form and raiment change, and
at last he is gazing upon a glorified Being of his own vivid imagination. Take
the text, then, as a description of Jesus our Lord in His superhuman
excellence, wisdomand benign position. It presents to us —
I. His APPEARANCE. "Thouart fairer," etc. There He stands, in disposition
upright, pure, magnanimous, and the very embodiment of love. The clearlight
is produced by combination of every possible shade of colour. It is beautiful as
broken up in rose, sunflower, and rainbow, but perfect in its whiteness.
Christ's soul is the pure white light resulting from the union of all possible
excellencies. Everyshade of worth and virtue which appears brokenup and
imperfect in the very best of mortals, glows in fullest splendour in His
matchless character.
1. Gentleness.
2. Sympathy.
3. Self-forgetfulness.
4. Constancy.
II. HIS SPEECH. "Graceis poured," etc.
1. His voice must have been wondrously sweet, richand musical; His accents
more entrancing than those tones of fable which calmed the mad passions of
men, quieted the ferocity of wild beasts, and charmed the very stocksand
stones to listen.
2. We know His manner of speech;as pure literature the utterances of Jesus
are beyond praise, and will remain a joy for ever. Nowhere will you find
anything which in arrangementof words and sentencesseems so exquisitelya
work of nature — like the unfolding of the flower, the flow of the river, and
the song of the birds.

3. The matter of His teaching was the message andprophecy of grace. He
brings Godhome to men's hearts.
II. His BEATIFIC STATE. "ThereforeGodhath blessedThee for ever." We
cannot judge of Divine blessing and curse from a superficialsurvey of present
appearances.The thorny path which the Redeemertrod was His only way to
the honour He sought. God has now placedHim in a position of supreme
honour; He has gained the reverence and warm love of myriads, and is
continually attracting more to Himself. Concentrate irate one sublime ideal all
imagination can conceive ofbeauty of form, comprehensivenessofmind,
depth and purity of soul; imagine a perfect state where the King reigns in
righteousness, midst abounding peace and plenty, and all the goodthat God
has destined human souls to realize in Christ; and you catcha glimpse of the
ideal of the text.
(Thomas Pitt.)
Christ Jesus, the Bridegroomof the Church
T. Bennet.
I. SOME GENERALOBSERVATIONS.
1. In all our inquiries after the knowledge ofChrist, the first thing we ought to
know and consideris His person.
2. There is an ineffable glory and beauty in the person of Jesus Christ
(Zechariah 9:17).
3. There are some seasons whereinour Lord Jesus is pleasedto favour
believers with more than ordinary clearand distinct views of His glory and
beauty (John 2:11). He ordinarily does so in the day of conversion;the
pleasantmonth of renewedmanifestations, after a long and dark night of
desertions;when they are calledto suffer for His sake;when deeply engaged
in secretprayer, meditation, self-examination, etc. And sometimes He gives
believers very clearviews of His glory about the time of their departure from
the presentworld (2 Samuel 23:5); Simeon, Anna, etc.

4. A believing view of Christ in the beauty and glory of His person throws a
veil over all createdexcellency.
5. Those to whom the Lord Jesus has been pleasedto manifest His beauty in a
saving manner, may go and tell Him, as the psalmist does, "Thouart fairer
than the children of men." Yea, they should do it. They should tell Him in the
way of holy gratitude and thankfulness for His amazing condescensionin
showing them His glory.
II. IN WHAT RESPECTS OUR LORD JESUS IS FAIRER THAN THE
CHILDREN OF MEN.
1. In the glory and dignity of His person.
2. In respectof that fulness of grace that is poured into His lips.
3. In respectof His work as the Head and Surety of the New Covenant(Isaiah
12:5; Daniel 9:24; Hebrews 2:14; Isaiah 25:8).
4. In respectof the revelation of God's mind and will which He has made to
men (John 1:18; Psalm 40:10;John 17:8).
5. In a relative capacity. There are many endearing relations in which He
stands to His people; and in every one of them He infinitely excels all the
children of men. Among fathers, He is the everlasting Father (Isaiah9:6).
Among husbands the most loving and affectionate;for He gave His life for His
spouse (Ephesians 5:2). Among brethren He is the first-born. Among friends
the Friend that sticketh closerthan a brother. Is He prophet? then He is the
Interpreter, one among a thousand (Job 33:23). Is He a Priest? then He is the
High Priestof our profession(Hebrews 3:1). Is He a King? He is the King of
kings and Lord of Lords (Numbers 24:7). Among shepherds He is the Chief
(Hebrews 13:20). Is He a Physician? then He is the Physician both of the soul
and the body. He heals all manner of soul diseasesamong the people (Psalm
103:8). And our temporal as well as eternal life is in His hand. He gives the
physician his skill, and causes the medicinal herb to spring.

6. There is an incomparable beauty and excellencyin His Name. Hence says
the spouse (Song of Solomon1:8). There is safetyand protection in His Name;
it is a strong towerunto which the righteous run and are safe.
III. Use.
1. Forinformation.(1) We may see and be informed why believers are so much
in love with Him. They have seenthe King in His beauty (Isaiah 33:17);and
when He is seenby the eye of faith, it is impossible not to love Him (1 Peter
2:7).(2) We may see they have greatcause and reasonto rejoice unto whom
God hath revealedChrist (Luke 10:2; John 17:3).(3) We may see one special
means of taking our hearts and affections off from the vain, transitory and
fading things of a present world; and that is, to be much in the contemplation
of the glory and excellencyof the person of Christ; the fulness of grace that is
in Him, the suitableness of His saving offices to the case ofour souls, with the
powerand authority He has to put them in executionfor the good of His
Church and people.(4)Is Christ incomparably fair and excellent, and every
way suited to fill the hand and heart of faith? Then we may see matter of
lamentation, that, though He is setbefore men in the dispensation of the
Gospel, in the glory of His person and riches of His grace, there are but few
disposedto put honour upon Him by believing.(5) We may see that we should
not contentourselves with a generalconsiderationofthe beauty and
excellencyof Christ; but should enter particularly into the considerationof
these things in Him wherein He is fairer than the children of men.
2. Fortrial. Can you join with the psalmist in saying from the heart, Thou art
fairer than the children of men? Is our Lord Jesus a covering of your eyes
from every other Lord and lover? Do you confide in Christ, and solelyrely
upon His most perfect righteousnessas the ground of your access to and
acceptancewith God?
3. Forexhortation.(1) We exhort you who have been admitted to behold the
matchless beauty and excellencyof our glorious Immanuel, to bless and praise
a God of infinite love and grace for giving you the spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge ofChrist.(2) As for you who never saw any beauty
nor comeliness in Christ, why you should desire Him. Satan, the godof this

world, has blinded your eyes that the light of the glorious Gospelof Christ
hath not yet shined unto you.
(T. Bennet.)
Grace is poured into Thy lips.
Grace poured into Christ's lips
T. Bonnet.
I. THE GRACE WHICH IS POURED INTO CHRIST'S LIPS.
1. The Spirit of the Lord restedupon Him as a spirit of wisdom, counseland
understanding (Isaiah 11:2, 3). Wisdom and knowledge discoveredthemselves
in Him, to the astonishmentof His greatestenemies (Mark 6:2).
2. The Spirit of the Lord restedupon Him as the spirit of faith and trust in
God (Matthew 27:46).
3. The grace of holy gratitude and thankfulness to God, His heavenly Father,
evidenced itself in Him in the highestdegree of perfection (Psalm22:9, 10;
John 11:41).
4. Our Lord Jesus evidencedthe most cheerful and ready com. pliance with
the will of Godin every part of His work (John 4:34; Matthew 26:39).
5. The graces ofhumility and self-denial appearconspicuouslyin all the
sayings and actings ofChrist (Philippians 2:7; 2 Corinthians 7:9; Matthew
11:29;Romans 12:2, 3).
6. The graces ofmeekness andpatience were most perfectly exercisedby Him
(Hebrews 12:3; 1 Peter2:24).
7. Our Lord Jesus is full of love; love to God, and love to the souls of men was
the goldenweight which engagedand carried Him forward in every part of
the work Jehovahgave Him to do; so we find Him entering upon the crowning
piece of the work of our redemption as to purchase, in the highest exercise of
love to His, and our heavenly Father (John 14:31).

8. He was full of zeal for God and the advancement of His declarative glory
(John 2:13-18).
II. IN WHAT CAPACITY OUR LORD JESUS HAS THIS GRACE
POURED INTO HIS LIPS.
1. As the secondAdam, the Surety of the New Covenant, the Head and
Representative ofHis mystical body the Church.
2. As the Trustee of the New Covenant.
3. As the Administrator of the Covenant of grace (Acts 5:31; John 14:13, 14).
4. As sustaining the characterof our Head and Husband, our Father, our
elder Brother, our best Friend, and the Stewardsetover the family of God, to
give every one his portion in due season.
III. WHENCE IT IS THAT THE GRACE THAT IS POURED INTO THE
LIPS OF OUR GLORIOUS REDEEMERIS CONDESCENDED ON AS
SUCH A LEADING PART OF HIS GLORY AND BEAUTY.
1. Grace is here consideredas the glory of Christ, "because in this internal
grace the reparation of the image of God doth consist."
2. This grace is the glory of Christ, "because itis that which inclines the heart
of Jesus Christ unto all that goodness andkindness that He hath showedunto
us."
3. Grace is the glory of Christ, "as He is, in respectof it, the greatexample
and pattern whereunto we ought to labour after conformity."
4. Becausegracebeing poured into His lips, and poured into His lips for our
specialbenefit, it renders Him in every respecta fit match for us.
5. BecauseJesusChristis made an everlasting blessing to the sons of men in
virtue of this grace that is poured into His lips; God having poured grace into
His lips, hath setHim to be blessings for ever (Psalm21:6). Men shall be
blessedin Him.
IV. IMPROVEMENT.

1. Inferences.(1)If it be so as has been said, that grace and holiness is that
which renders our Lord Jesus so very fair and beautiful; then we may see how
much grace Should be prized by us. Grace is the ornament that adorns the
soul.(2)We may see whatreasonwe have to admire the wisdom and goodness
of God, which are so richly manifested towards fallen men, in His providing
such a suitable help for them.(3) We may see matter of comfort to believers
amidst all their wants.(4)We may see grounds of encouragementto those who
are yet destitute of grace to come to Christ for it.
2. Use of trial. Do you believe in God as your God through our Lord Jesus
Christ? And do you endeavour to maintain the claim of faith to Him as your
God and Father, even when clouds and darkness are round about Him? Do
you study, through grace, to yield a cheerful and ready obedience to all God's
commandments from love to Him and a tender regardto His authority? Are
you humble and self-denied?
3. Exhortation.(1)As to you who have been admitted to behold the beauty and
glory of Christ by the eye of faith, and have been made partakers of His
grace.(a)We exhort you to be much taken up in the believing contemplation
of the personand glory of Christ.(b) We exhort you to use and improve the
grace that is in Christ. Rememberthat it is poured into His lips for your
behoof; that you may daily come to His fulness in the exercise offaith, and
receive out of it grace forgrace.(c)We exhort you to be humble and thankful
to God for the grace you have already received.(2)As for you who are yet
strangers to Christ and so destitute of saving grace. We exhort you to believe
the misery of your present condition. To believe that you stand in absolute
need of Christ and the grace that is poured into His lips. To believe there is
grace in Christ answering to all your wants, and that He makes you heartily
welcome to come to Him, and be enriched out of His fulness for time and
eternity. To considerthat the day of grace will not always lastwith you. It is a
limited day, and may be shorter than you are aware of.
(T. Bonnet.)
The worth of Jesus seen

M. G. Pearse.
Some Cornish fishermen found a belt containing diamonds. They considered
it worth £20, and soldit for £20. "Ah," said the buyer, "I expect this is worth
money — I think it is worth £1,000,"and he sold it for I do not know how
much. "Ah," said the man who bought it, "this is worth money — it is worth
£3,000,"and he sold it for £3,000. Ibelieve eventually it passedinto the hands
of those who gave £10,000forit. If you could only have put something at the
back of the eyes of those fishermen which would have shownthem the truth!
That is what the Spirit of God has come for — to show us the worth of Jesus.
Oh, it is such a sad thing that He should be to us so little when He wants to be
so much; that we should be poor when He wants to enrich us with the
treasures of His grace.
(M. G. Pearse.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(2) Thou art fairer.—Better, Fairart thou; aye, fairer than, &c. We may thus
reproduce the Hebrew expression, which, however, grammaticallyexplained,
must convey this emphasis. The old versions render: “Thouart fair with
beauty;” or, “Thou hast been made beautiful with beauty.”
Grace is poured into thy lips.—Better, A flowing grace is on thy lips, which
may refer either to the beauty of the mouth, or to the charm of its speech.
Cicero, himself the grandestexample of his ownexpression, says of another
that “Persuasionhad her seatupon his lips;” while Christian commentators
have all naturally thought of Him at whose “words of grace”allmen
wondered.

Therefore.—Thiswordis apparently out of place. But there is nothing harsh
in rendering: Therefore, we say, God hath blessedthee for ever. And we are
struck by the emphasis of its occurrence in Psalm 45:7; Psalm45:17, as wellas
here. Ewaldseems to be right in printing the clause so begun as a kind of
refrain. The poet enumerates in detail the beauties of the monarch and his
bride, and is interrupted by the acclaimof his hearers, who cannotwithhold
their approving voices.
MacLaren's Expositions
Psalms
THE KING IN HIS BEAUTY
Psalm45:2 - Psalm 45:7.
There is no doubt that this psalm was originally the marriage hymn of some
Jewishking. All attempts to settle who that was have failed, for the very
obvious reasonthat neither the history nor the characterofany of them
correspondto the psalm. Its language is a world too wide for the diminutive
stature and stained virtues of the greatestandbest of them, and it is almost
ludicrous to attempt to fit its glowing sentences evento a Solomon. They all
look like little David in Saul’s armour. So, then, we must admit one of two
things. Either we have here a piece of poeticalexaggerationfarbeyond the
limits of poetic license, or‘a greaterthan Solomon is here.’ Every Jewishking,
by virtue of his descentand of his office, was a living prophecy of the greatest
of the sons of David, the future King of Israel. And the Psalmistsees the ideal
Personwho, as he knew, was one day to be real, shining through the shadowy
form of the earthly king, whose very limitations and defects, no less than his
excellencesand his glories, forcedthe devout Israelite to think of the coming
King in whom ‘the sure mercies’ promised to David should be facts at last. In

plainer words, the psalm celebrates Christ, not only although, but because, it
had its origin and partial application in a forgottenfestival at the marriage of
some unknown king. It sees Him in the light of the Messianichope, and so it
prophesies of Christ. My objectis to study the features of this portrait of the
King, partly in order that we may better understand the psalm, and partly in
order that we may with the more reverence crownHim as Lord of all.
I. The Personof the King.
The old-world ideal of a monarch put specialemphasis upon two things-
personalbeauty and courtesyof address and speech. The psalm ascribes both
of these to the King of Israel, and from both of them draws the conclusionthat
one so richly endowed with the most eminent of royal graces is the objectof
the specialfavour of God. ‘Thou art fairer than the children of men, grace is
poured into Thy lips: therefore God hath blessedThee for ever.’
Here, at the very outset, we have the keynote struck of superhuman
excellence;and though the reference is, on the surface, only to physical
perfection, yet beneath that there lies the deeperreference to a character
which spoke through the eloquent frame, and in which all possible beauties
and sovereigngraceswere united in fullest development, in most harmonious
co-operationand unstained purity.
‘Thou art fairer than the children of men.’ Put side by side with that, words
which possibly refer to, and seemto contradict it. A later prophet, speaking of
the same Person, said:‘His visage was so marred, more than any man, and
His form than the sons of men. . . . There is no form nor comeliness,and when
we shall see Him there is no beauty that we should desire Him.’ We have to
think, not of the outward form, howsoeverlovelywith the loveliness of
meekness andtransfigured with the refining patience of suffering it may have

been, but of the beauty of a soul that was all radiant with a lustre of loveliness
that shames the fragmentary and marred virtues of the best of us, and stands
before the world for ever as the supreme type and high-water mark of the
grace that is possible to a human spirit. God has lodgedin men’s nature the
apprehension of Himself, and of all that flows from Him, as true, as good, as
beautiful; and to these three there correspondwisdom, morality, and art. The
latter, divorced from the other two, becomes earthly and devilish. This
generationneeds the lessonthat beauty wrenched from truth and goodness,
and pursued for its own sake, by artist or by poet or by dilettante, leads by a
straight descentto ugliness and to evil, and that the only true satisfying of the
deep longing for ‘whatsoeverthings are lovely’ is to be found when we turn to
Christ and find in Him, not only wisdomthat enlightens the understanding,
and righteousness thatfills the conscience, but beauty that satisfies the heart.
He is ‘altogetherlovely.’ Norlet us forgetthat once on earth ‘the fashionof
His countenance was altered, and His raiment did shine as the light,’ as
indicative of the possibilities that lay slumbering in His lowly Manhood, and
as prophetic of that to which we believe that the ascendedChrist hath now
attained-viz. the body of His glory, wherein He reigns, filled with light and
undecaying loveliness on the Throne of the Heaven. Thus He is fairer in
external reality now, as He is, by the confessionofan admiring, though not
always believing, world, fairer in inward characterthan the children of men.
Another personalcharacteristic is ‘Grace is poured into Thy lips.’ Kingly
courtesy, and kingly graciousness ofword, must be the characteristic ofthe
Sovereignof men. The abundance of that bestowmentis expressedby that
word, ‘poured.’ We need only remember, ‘All wondered at the gracious words
which proceededout of His mouth,’ or how even the rough instruments of
authority were touched and diverted from their appointed purpose, and came
back and said, ‘Never man spake like this Man.’ To the music of Christ’s
words all other eloquence is harsh, poor, shallow-like the piping of a shepherd
boy upon some wretchedoaten straw as compared with the full thunder of the
organ. Words of unmingled graciousnesscame from His lips. That fountain
never sent forth ‘sweetwaters and bitter.’ He satisfies the canon of St. James:
‘If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man.’ Words of wisdom,

of love, of pity, of gentleness,ofpardon, of bestowment, and only such, came
from Him. ‘Daughter! be of goodcheer.’‘Son! thy sins be forgiven thee.’
‘Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy-laden.’
‘Grace is poured into Thy lips’; and, withal, it is the grace ofa King. For His
language is authoritative even when it is most tender, and regalwhen it is
most gentle. His lips, sweetas honey and the honeycomb, are the lips of an
Autocrat. ‘He speaks,and it is done: He commands, and it stands fast.’ He
says to the tempest, ‘Be still!’ and it is quiet; and to the demons, ‘Come out of
him!’ and they disappear; and to the dead, ‘Come forth!’ and he stumbles
from the tomb.
Another personalcharacteristic is-’Godhath blessedThee for ever.’ By which
we are to understand, not that the two preceding graces are the reasons for
the divine benediction, but that the divine benediction is the cause ofthem;
and therefore they are the signs of it. It is not that because He is lovely and
gracious therefore Godhath blessedHim; but it is that we may know that
God has blessedHim, since He is lovely and gracious. Theseendowments are
the results, not the causes;the signs or the proofs, not the reasons ofthe divine
benediction. That is to say, the humanity so fair and unique shows by its
beauty that it is the result of the continual and unique operation and
benediction of a present God. We understand Him when we say, ‘On Him
rests the Spirit of God without measure or interruption.’ The explanation of
the perfecthumanity is the abiding Divinity.
II. We pass from the person of the King, in the next place, to His warfare.
The Psalmistbreaks out in a burst of invocation, calling upon the King to
array Himself in His weapons ofwarfare, and then in broken clauses vividly
pictures the conflict. The Invocation runs thus: ‘Gird on thy swordupon thy

thigh, O mighty hero! gird on thy glory and thy majesty, and ride on
prosperouslyon behalf {or, in the cause}of truth and meekness and
righteousness.’The King, then, is the perfection of warrior strength as well as
of beauty and gentleness-acombinationof qualities that speaks ofold days
when kings were kings, and reminds us of many a figure in ancientsong, as
well as of a Saul and a David in Jewishhistory.
The singercalls upon Him to bind on His side His glittering sword, and to put
on, as His armour, ‘glory and majesty.’These two words, in the usage of the
psalms, belong to Divinity, and they are applied to the monarch here as being
the earthly representative of the divine supremacy, on whom there falls some
reflectionof the glory and the majesty of which He is the vice-regentand
representative. Thus arrayed, with His weaponby His side and glittering
armour on His limbs, He is called upon to mount His chariot or His warhorse
and ride forth.
But for what? ‘On behalf of truth, meekness,righteousness.’If He be a
warrior, these are the purposes for which the true King of men must draw His
sword, and these only. No vulgar ambition or cruel lust of conquest, earth-
hunger, or ‘glory’ actuates Him. Nothing but the spread through the world of
the gracious beauties whichare His own can be the end of the King’s warfare.
He fights for truth; He fights-strange paradox-for meekness;He fights for
righteousness. And He not only fights for them, but with them, for they are
His own, and by reasonof them He ‘rides prosperously,’as well as ‘rides
prosperously’ in order to establish them.
In two or three swift touches the Psalmistnext paints the tumult and hurry of
the fight. ‘Thy right hand shall teachThee terrible things.’ There are no
armies or allies, none to stand beside Him. The one mighty figure of the
Kingly Warrior stands forth, as in the Assyrian sculptures of conquerors,

erectand solitary in His chariot, crashing through the ranks of the enemy,
and owing victory to His own strong arm alone.
Then follow three short, abrupt clauses, which, in their hurry and
fragmentary character, reflectthe confusion and swiftness ofbattle. ‘Thine
arrows are sharp. . . . The people fall under Thee.’. . . ‘In the heart of the
King’s enemies.’The Psalmistsees the bright arrow on the string; it flies; he
looks-the plain is strewedwith prostrate forms, the King’s arrow in the heart
of each.
Put side by side with that this picture:-A rockyroad; a great city shining in
the morning sunlight across a narrow valley; a crowdof shouting peasants
waving palm branches in their rustic hands; in the centre the meek
carpenter’s Son, sitting upon the poor robes which alone draped the ass’s colt,
the tears upon His cheeks, andHis lamenting heard above the Hosannahs, as
He lookedacross the glen and said, ‘If thou hadst known the things that
belong to thy peace!’ That is the fulfilment, or part of the fulfilment, of this
prophecy. The slow-pacing, peacefulbeastand the meek, weeping Christ are
the reality of the vision which, in such strangelycontrastedand yet true form,
floated before the prophetic eye of this ancientsinger, for Christ’s humiliation
is His majesty, and His sharpestweaponis His all-penetrating love, and His
cross is His chariot of victory and throne of dominion.
But not only in His earthly life of meek suffering does Christ fight as a King,
but all through the ages the world-wide conflict for truth and meekness and
righteousness is His conflict; and whereverthat is being waged, the power
which wages it is His, and the help which is done upon earth He doeth it all
Himself. True, He has His army, willing in the day of His power, and clad in
priestly purity and armour of light, but all their strength, courage, andvictory
are from Him; and when they fight and conquer, it is not they, but He in them
who struggles and overcomes. We have a better hope than that built on ‘a

stream of tendency that makes for righteousness.’We know a Christ crucified
and crowned, who fights for it, and what He fights for will hold the field.
This prophecy of our psalm is not exhausted yet. I have set side by side with it
one picture-the Christ on the ass’s colt. Put side by side with it this other. ‘I
beheld the heaven opened; and lo! a white horse. And He that sat upon him
was calledFaithful and True; and in righteousness He doth judge and make
war.’ The psalm waits for its completion still, and shall be fulfilled on that day
of the true marriage supper of the Lamb, when the festivities of the marriage
chamber shall be precededby the last battle and crowning victory of the King
of kings, the Conqueror of the world.
III. Lastly, we have the royalty of the King.
‘Thy throne, O God! is for ever and ever.’ This is not the place nor time to
enter on the discussionof the difficulties of these words. I must run the risk of
appearing to state confident opinions without assigning reasons,whenI
venture to say that the translation in the Authorised Version is the natural
one. I do not say that others have been adopted by reasonofdoctrinal
prepossessions;I know nothing about that; but I do saythat they are not by
any means so natural a translation as that which stands before us. What it
may mean is another matter; but the plain rendering of the words, I venture
to assert, is what our English Bible makes it-’Thy throne, O God! is for ever
and ever.’
Then it is to be remembered that, throughout the Old Testament, we have
occasionalinstancesofthe use of that great and solemn designationin
reference to persons in such place and authority as that they are
representatives ofGod. So kings and judges and lawyers and the like are
spokenof more than once. Therefore there is not, in the language, translated

as in our English Bible, necessarilythe implication of the unique divinity of
the persons so addressed. But I take it that this is an instance in which the
prophet was ‘wiserthan he knew,’ and in which you and I understand him
better than he understood himself, and know what God, who spoke through
him, meant, whatsoeverthe prophet, through whom He spoke, did mean. That
is to say, I take the words before us as directly referring to Jesus Christ, and
as directly declaring the divinity of His person, and therefore the eternity of
His kingdom.
We live in days when that perpetual sovereigntyis being questioned. In a
revolutionary time like this it is well for Christian people, seeing so many
venerable things going, to tighten their graspupon the convictionthat,
whatevergoes, Christ’s kingdom will not go; and that, whatever may be
shakenby any storms, the foundation of His Throne stands fast. For our
personallives, and for the greathopes of the future beyond the grave, it is all-
important that we should grasp, as an elementary conviction of our faith, the
belief in the perpetual rule of that Saviour whose rule is life and peace. In the
greatmosque of Damascus, whichwas a Christian church once, there may
still be read, deeply cut in the stone, high above the pavement where now
Mohammedans bow, these words, ‘Thy kingdom, O Christ! is an everlasting
kingdom.’ It is true, and it shall yet be knownthat He is for ever and ever the
Monarchof the world.
Then, again, this royalty is a royalty of righteousness. ‘The sceptre of Thy
kingdom is a right sceptre. Thou lovestrighteousness and hatestwickedness.’
His rule is no arbitrary sway, His rod is no rod of iron and tyrannical
oppression, His own personalcharacteris righteousness.Righteousnessis the
very life-blood and animating principle of His rule. He loves righteousness,
and, therefore, puts His broad shield of protection over all who love it and
seek afterit. He hates wickedness,and therefore He wars againstit wherever
it is, and seeksto draw men out of it. And thus His kingdom is the hope of the
world.

And, lastly, this dominion of perennial righteousness is the dominion of
unparalleled gladness. ‘Therefore God, evenThy God, hath anointed Thee
with the oil of joy above Thy fellows.’Setside by side with that the other
words, ‘A Man of sorrows andacquainted with grief.’ And remember how,
near the very darkesthour of the Lord’s earthly experiences,He said:-’These
things have I spokenunto you that My joy may remain in you, and that your
joy may be full.’ Christ’s gladness flowedfrom Christ’s righteousness.
BecauseHis pure humanity was ever in touch with God, and in conscious
obedience to Him, therefore, though darkness was around, there was light
within. He was ‘sorrowful, yet always rejoicing,’and the saddestof men was
likewise the gladdest, and possessed‘the oil of joy above His fellows.’
Brother! that kingdom is offered to us; participation in that joy of our Lord
may belong to eachof us. He rules that He may make us like Himself, lovers of
righteousness, andso, like Himself, possessorsofunfading joy. Make Him
your King, let His arrow reachyour heart, bow in submission to His power,
take for your very life His words of graciousness, lovinglygaze upon His
beauty till some reflection of it shall shine from you, fight by His side with
strength drawn from Him alone, ownand adore Him as the enthroned God-
man, Jesus Christ, the Sonof God. Crown Him with the many crowns of
supreme trust, heart-whole love, and glad obedience. So shall you be
honoured to share in His warfare and triumph. So shall you have a throne
close to His and eternalas it. So shall His sceptre be graciouslystretchedout
to you to give you accesswith boldness to the presence-chamberofthe King.
So shall He give you too, ‘the oil of joy for mourning,’ even in the ‘valley of
weeping,’and the fulness of His gladness forevermore, when He sets you at
His right hand.
BensonCommentary
Psalm45:2. Thou art fairer — More beautiful and amiable; than the children
of men — Than all other men. Which is most true of Christ, but not of
Solomon;whom many have excelled, if not in wisdom, yet in holiness and

righteousness, whichis the chief part of the beauty celebratedin this Psalm.
Grace is poured into thy lips — God hath plentifully poured into thy mind
and tongue the gift of speaking wisely, eloquently, and acceptably, so as to
find grace with, and communicate grace to, the hearers. This was in some sort
true of Solomon, but far more eminently of Christ, Isaiah 50:4; Luke 4:22;
John 7:46. The former clause refers to his inward perfections, and this to his
ability and readiness to communicate them to others. Therefore Godhath
blessedthee, &c. — The psalmist does not mean that the beauty and grace,
now mentioned, were the meritorious cause ofthe blessings which he speaks
of, for they were the free gifts of God, and therefore, properly speaking, the
effects and not the cause of God’s blessing. But the sense of the clause is,
BecauseGodhath so eminently adorned and qualified thee for rule, therefore
he hath intrusted and blessedthee with an everlasting kingdom.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
45:1-5 The psalmist's tongue was guided by the Spirit of God, as the pen is by
the hand of a ready writer. This psalm is touching the King Jesus, his
kingdom and government. It is a shame that this goodmatter is not more the
subject of our discourse. There is more in Christ to engage our love, than
there is or canbe in any creature. This world and its charms are ready to
draw awayour hearts from Christ; therefore we are concernedto understand
how much more worthy he is of our love. By his word, his promise, his gospel,
the goodwill of God is made known to us, and the goodwork of Godis begun
and carried on in us. The psalmist, ver. 3-5, joyfully foretells the progress and
successofthe Messiah. The arrows of conviction are very terrible in the
hearts of sinners, till they are humbled and reconciled;but the arrows of
vengeance willbe more so to his enemies who refuse to submit. All who have
seenhis glory and tasted his grace, rejoice to see him, by his word and Spirit,
bring enemies and strangers under his dominion.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
Thou art fairer than the children of men - That is, Thou art more fair and
comely than men; thy comeliness is greaterthan that which is found among
men. In other words, Thou art beautiful beyond any human standard or

comparison. The language, indeed, would not necessarilyimply that he was
not a man, but it means that among all who dwell upon the earth there was
none to be found that could be compared with him. The Hebrew word
rendered "thou art fairer" - ‫פיפיפי‬ yāpeyāpiytha - is a very unusual term. It is
properly a reduplication of the word meaning "beautiful," and thus means to
be very beautiful. It would be well expressedby the phrase "Beautiful -
beautiful - art thou above the children of men." It is the language ofsurprise -
of a sudden impression of beauty - beauty as it strikes atthe first glance - such
as the eye had never seenbefore. The impression here is that produced by the
generalappearance oraspectof him who is seenas king. Afterward the
attention is more particularly directed to the "grace that is poured into his
lips." The language here would well express the emotions often felt by a young
convert when he is first made to see the beauty of the characterof the Lord
Jesus as a Saviour: "Beautiful; beautiful, above all men."
Grace is poured into thy lips - The word here rendered "is poured" means
properly to pour, to pour out as liquids - water, or melted metal: Genesis
28:18;2 Kings 4:4. The meaning here is, that grace seemedto be spread over
his lips; or that this was strikingly manifest on his lips. The word grace means
properly favor; and then it is used in the generalsense of benignity, kindness,
mildness, gentleness,benevolence.The reference here is to his manner of
speaking, as corresponding with the beauty of his person, and as that which
particularly attractedthe attention of the psalmist: the mildness; the
gentleness;the kindness; the persuasive eloquence of his words. It is hardly
necessaryto remark that this, in an eminent degree, was applicable to the
Lord Jesus. Thus if is said Luke 4:22, "And all bare him witness, and
wondered at the gracious words which proceededout of his mouth." So John
7:46 : "Neverman spake like this man." See also Matthew 7:29; Matthew
13:54;Luke 2:47.
Therefore Godhath blessedthee for ever - In connectionwith this moral
beauty - this beauty of character - God will bless thee to all eternity. Since he
has endowedthee with such gifts and graces, he will continue to bless thee,
forever. In other words, it is impossible that one who is thus endowed should
ever be an objectof the divine displeasure.

Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
2. To rich personalattractions is added grace of the lips, captivating powers of
speech. This is given, and becomes a source of powerand proves a blessing.
Christ is a prophet (Lu 4:22).
The Treasuryof David
2 Thou art fairer than the children of men; grace is poured into thy lips:
therefore God hath blessedthee for ever.
"Thou." As though the King himself had suddenly appeared before him, the
Psalmistlost in admiration of his person, turns from his preface to address his
Lord. A loving heart has the powerto realise its object. The eyes of a true
heart see more than the eyes of the head. Moreover, Jesusreveals himself
when we are pouring forth our affections towards him. It is usually the case
that when we are ready Christ appears. If our heart is warm it is an index that
the sun is shining, and when we enjoy his heat we shall soonbehold his light.
"Thou art fairer than the children of men." In person, but especiallyin mind
and character, the King of saints is peerless in beauty. The Hebrew word is
doubled, "Beautiful, beautiful art thou," Jesus is so emphatically lovely that
words must be doubled, strained, yea, exhaustedbefore he can be described.
Among the children of men many have through grace beenlovely in
character, yet they have eachhad a flaw; but in Jesus we behold every feature
of a perfect characterin harmonious proportion. He is lovely everywhere, and
from every point of view, but never more so than when we view him in
conjugalunion with his church; then love gives a ravishing flush of glory to
his loveliness. "Grace is poured into thy lips." Beauty and eloquence make a
man majestic when they are united; they both dwell in perfectionin the all
fair, all eloquent Lord Jesus. Grace ofpersonand grace ofspeechreachtheir
highest point in him. Grace has in the most copious manner been poured upon
Christ, for it pleasedthe Father that in him should all fulness dwell, and now
grace is in superabundance, poured forth from his lips to cheerand enrich his
people. The testimony, the promises, the invitations, the consolations ofour
King pour forth from him in such volumes of meaning that we cannot but
contrastthose cataracts ofgrace with the speechof Moses whichdid but drop

as the rain, and distil as the dew. Whoeverin personalcommunion with the
Well-belovedhas listened to his voice will feelthat "never man spake like this
man." Well did the bride say of him, "his lips are like lilies dropping sweet-
smelling myrrh." One word from himself dissolvedthe heart of Saul of
Tarsus, and turned him into an apostle, anotherword raised up John the
Divine when fainting in the Isle of Patmos. Oftentimes a sentence from his lips
has turned our own midnight into morning, our winter into spring.
"Therefore Godhath blessedthee for ever." Calvin reads it, "BecauseGod
hath blessedthee for ever." Christ is blessed, blessedofGod, blessedfor ever,
and this is to us one greatreasonfor his beauty, and the source of the gracious
words which proceedout of his lips. The rare endowments of the man Christ
Jesus are given him of the Father, that by them his people may be blessedwith
all spiritual blessings in union with himself. But if we take our own
translation, we read that the Father has blessedthe Mediatoras a rewardfor
all his gracious labours;and right well does he deserve the recompense.
Whom God blesses we shouldbless, and the more so because allhis
blessednessis communicated to us.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
Fairer, or, more beautiful, i.e. lovely and amiable. He speaks nothere so much
of this outward beauty, which, though it be an ornament both to a bridegroom
and to a king, yet is not very considerable in either, nor is much admired or
applauded by wise men, as of the inward and glorious endowments of his
mind or soul, such as wisdom, and righteousness,and meekness, &c., as the
particulars of this beauty are declared, Psalm45:4,7. Than the children of
men; than all other men: which is most true of Christ, but not of Solomon;
whom many have excelled, if not in wisdom, yet in holiness and righteousness,
which is the chief part of this beauty, and most celebratedin this Psalm.
Grace is poured into thy lips; God hath plentifully poured into thy mind and
tongue the gift of speaking with admirable grace, i.e. mostwisely and
eloquently, and therefore most acceptably, so as to find grace with and work
grace in thy hearers. This was in the same sort true of Solomon, but far more

eminently and effectually in Christ; of which see Isaiah50:4 Luke 4:22 John
7:46. The former clause noted his inward perfections, and this signifies his
ability and readiness to communicate them to others.
Therefore;which notes not the meritorious cause, forthat beauty and grace
now mentioned are declaredto be the free gifts of God, and were the effects,
and not the causes,ofGod’s blessing him; but rather the final cause, or the
end for which God endowedhim with those excellentqualifications; and so
the sense ofthe place is, Because Godhath so eminently adorned and qualified
thee for rule, therefore he hath trusted and blessedthee with an everlasting
kingdom. Or, because, as this particle is used, Genesis 38:26 Psalm42:6, and
elsewhere.And so God’s blessing him with such solid and everlasting
blessings, is noted as the cause of this singular beauty and grace here
expressed.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
Thou art fairer than the children of men,.... Here begins the psalm, and this is
an address to the King Messiah, the subject of it, commending him for his
beauty and comeliness;which is not to be understood of his divine beauty or
his glory, as the only begottenof the Father, in which he is the brightness of
his glory, and the express image of his person;for this admits of no
comparison, nor is the beauty of angels and men to be mentioned with it; but
of the beauty of his human nature, both in body and soul, which being the
immediate produce of the Holy Spirit, and without sin, and full of wisdom,
grace, and holiness, must transcend that of any or all the sons of Adam. They
are all deformed by sin; and whatever spiritual beauty there is in any of them,
they have it from Christ; they are comely through his comeliness the outward
beauty of men is vain and deceitful, and soonperishes;but Christ is ever the
same, and he esteemedofby all that know him, as exceeding precious,
altogetherlovely, and transcendently excellentand glorious. The Hebrew
word here used is doubled in its radicals, which denotes the exceeding great
fairness and beauty of Christ, especiallyas Mediator, and as full of grace and
truth. It follows,

grace is poured into thy lips; by which is meant the matter of his speech, or
the Gospelpreachedby him; these words of grace, as Kimchi on the text
expresses himself;or gracious words which proceededout of his mouth, Luke
4:22. The Gospelof the grace ofGod was given him to preach; it was put into
his mouth, and that in greatabundance; it was given at sundry times and in
divers manners, and by piecemeal, to the prophets before him; but it was
poured into his lips, and he was abundantly qualified for preaching it, by
having the Spirit without measure given him; and so was poured out in a
gracefulmanner, with greatauthority, and as never man before him spake, in
doctrines of grace, gracious invitations, precious promises, excellentprayers,
and even words of eternal life; see Sol5:13;
therefore God hath blessedthee for ever; or, "because (e)God hath blessed
thee for ever"; in his human nature, with the grace of union to the Sonof
God, and with all the gifts and graces ofthe Spirit of God; and as Mediator,
with all spiritual blessings, with grace and glory for his people. Hence all his
comeliness, grace, andgracefulness.
(e) "eo quid", Tigurine version; "propterea quod", Musculus, Piscator;
"quia", Gejerus.
Geneva Study Bible
Thou art {c} fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips:
therefore God hath blessedthee for ever.
(c) Solomon's beauty and eloquence to win favour with his people, and his
powerto overcome his enemies, is here described.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
2. Thou art fairer &c.]Personalbeauty was always regardedas a qualification
for a ruler, partly on accountof its intrinsic attractiveness,partly as the index
of a noble nature. Cp. 1 Samuel 9:2; 1 Samuel10:23; 1 Samuel 16:12;and the
descriptions of the classicalheroes in Homer and Vergil; e.g. Aeneas (Aen. i.
589), “os humerosque deo similis.”

grace is poured into thy lips] Or, upon thy lips. The gracious smile upon his
lips gives promise of the gracious words which proceedfrom them. Cp.
Proverbs 22:11, “He that hath gracious lips, the king shall be his friend”;
Ecclesiastes10:12;Luke 4:22.
therefore]This is usually explained to mean, ‘Hence it may be seenthat God
hath blessedthee; it is the logicalinference from this endowment of beauty.’
But must not therefore be understood as in Psalm45:7? Physical
qualifications correspondto moral qualifications. They are in themselves a
Divine gift; but they are further regarded as a ground of the specialblessings
which have been showeredupon the king. The P.B.V. because is
ungrammatical.
for ever] The perpetuity of the covenantwith David and his seedis constantly
emphasised. Cp. 2 Samuel 7:13; 2 Samuel 7:16; 2 Samuel 7:25; 2 Samuel 7:29;
Psalm18:50; Psalm89:2 ff.
2–9. The royal bridegroom: his personalbeauty, the justice of his government,
the success ofhis arms, the glory of his kingdom, the magnificence ofhis
court. He is one upon whom the Divine blessing has restedin fullest measure.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 2. - Thou art fairer than the children of men. It has been argued that a
description of the Messiahwouldnot lay stress on his personalbeauty. But in
the Song of Songs the personalbeauty of the bridegroom, whom so many
critics regard as the Messiah, is a main point (Song of Solomon5:10-16). A
perfect man, such as Messiahwas to be, must needs be beautiful, at any rate
with a beauty of expression. In calling his bridegroom "fair beyond the sons of
men," the writer at once gives us to understand that he is not a mere man.
Grace is poured into thy lips; rather, grace is poured out on thy lips

(Hengstenberg, Cheyne, Kay). The gift of gracious expressionand gracious
speechhas been poured upon him from on high (comp. Song of Solomon5:16,
"His mouth is most sweet"). Therefore Godhath blessedthee for ever. The
gifts bestowedupon him show the Divine favor and blessing, which, once
granted, are not capriciouslywithdrawn.
Keil and DelitzschBiblical Commentary on the Old Testament
(Heb.: 44:23-27)The church is not consciousofany apostasy, foron the
contrary it is suffering for the sake ofits fidelity. Such is the meaning intended
by ‫,יפ‬ Psalm44:23 (cf. Psalm37:20). The emphasis lies on ‫,ךפלע‬ which is used
exactly as in Psalm 69:8. Paul, in Romans 8:36, transfers this utterance to the
sufferings of the New Testamentchurch borne in witnessing for the truth, or I
should rather say he considers it as a divine utterance corresponding as it
were prophetically to the sufferings of the New Testamentchurch, and by
anticipation, coinedconcerning it and for its use, inasmuch as he cites it with
the words καθὼς γέγραπται. The suppliant cries ‫ערּוע‬ and ‫עצפקע‬ are Davidic,
and found in his earlierPs; Psalm7:7; Psalm 35:23;Psalm 59:5., cf. Psalm
78:65. God is said to sleepwhen He does not interpose in whateveris taking
place in the outward world here below; for the very nature of sleepis a
turning in into one's own self from all relationship to the outer world, and a
resting of the powers which actoutwardly. The writer of our Psalmis fond of
couplets of synonyms like ‫לנצנר‬ ‫ענפנר‬ in Psalm44:25; cf. Psalm44:4, ‫פךפנך‬
‫עך‬ ‫.רעּו‬ Psalm119:25 is an echo of Psalm44:26. The suppliant cry ‫קרךע‬ (in this
instance in connectionwith the ‫עיּועע‬ which follows, it is to be accentedon the
ultima) is Davidic, Psalm 3:8; Psalm7:7; but originally it is Mosaic.
Concerning the ah of ‫,עיּועע‬ here as also in Psalm 63:8 of like meaning with
.3:3 mlasP no ,.div ,yltneuqerf dna ,02:22 mlasP ,‫לעעּויפ‬
END OF BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
SPURGEON
“Thou art fairer than the children of men.” Psalm 45:2

The entire person of Jesus is but as one gem, and his life is all along but one
impression of the seal. He is altogethercomplete;not only in his severalparts,
but as a gracious all-glorious whole. His characteris not a mass of fair colours
mixed confusedly, nor a heap of precious stones laid carelesslyone upon
another; he is a picture of beauty and a breastplate of glory. In him, all the
“things of goodrepute” are in their proper places, and assistin adorning each
other. Not one feature in his glorious personattracts attention at the expense
of others; but he is perfectly and altogetherlovely.
Oh, Jesus!thy power, thy grace, thy justice, thy tenderness, thy truth, thy
majesty, and thine immutability make up such a man, or rather such a God-
man, as neither heavennor earth hath seenelsewhere. Thyinfancy, thy
eternity, thy sufferings, thy triumphs, thy death, and thine immortality, are all
woven in one gorgeous tapestry, without seamor rent. Thou art music without
discord; thou art many, and yet not divided; thou art all things, and yet not
diverse. As all the colours blend into one resplendent rainbow, so all the
glories of heavenand earth meet in thee, and unite so wondrously, that there
is none like thee in all things; nay, if all the virtues of the most excellentwere
bound in one bundle, they could not rival thee, thou mirror of all perfection.
Thou hast been anointed with the holy oil of myrrh and cassia, whichthy God
hath reservedfor thee alone; and as for thy fragrance, it is as the holy
perfume, the like of which none other can evermingle, even with the art of the
apothecary;eachspice is fragrant, but the compound is divine.
“Oh, sacredsymmetry! oh, rare connection
Of many perfects, to make one perfection!
Oh, heavenly music, where all parts do meet
In one sweetstrain, to make one perfect sweet!”
P S A L M S

PSALM XLV.
This psalm is an illustrious prophecy of Messiahthe Prince:it is all over
gospel, and points at him only, as a bridegroom espousing the church to
himself and as a king ruling in it and ruling for it. It is probable that our
Saviour has reference to this psalm when he compares the kingdom of heaven,
more than once, to a nuptial solemnity, the solemnity of a royal nuptial, Matt.
xxii. 2; xxv. 1. We have no reasonto think it has any reference to Solomon's
marriage with Pharaoh's daughter; if I thought that it had reference to any
other than the mystical marriage betweenChrist and his church, I would
rather apply it to some of David's marriages, because he was a man of war,
such a one as the bridegroom here is describedto be, which Solomonwas not.
But I take it to be purely and only meant of Jesus Christ; of him speaks the
prophet this, of him and of no other man; and to him ( ver. 6, 7) it is applied in
the New Testament(Heb. i. 8), nor can it be understood of any other. The
preface speaks the excellency of the song, ver. 1. The psalm speaks, I. Of the
royal bridegroom, who is Christ. 1. The transcendentexcellencyof his person,
ver. 2. 2. The glory of his victories, ver. 3-5. 3. The righteousness ofhis
government, ver. 6, 7. 4. The splendour of his court, ver. 8, 9. II. Of the royal
bride, which is the church. 1. Her consentgained, ver. 10, 11. 2. The nuptials
solemnized, ver. 12-15. 3. The issue of this marriage, ver. 16, 17. In singing
this psalm our hearts must be filled with high thoughts of Christ, with an
entire submission to and satisfactionin his government, and with an earnest
desire of the enlarging and perpetuating of his church in the world.
To the chief musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil. A
song of loves.
1 My heart is inditing a goodmatter: I speak ofthe things which I have
made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. 2 Thou art
fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God
hath blessedthee for ever. 3 Gird thy swordupon thy thigh, O most mighty,
with thy glory and thy majesty. 4 And in thy majesty ride prosperously

because oftruth and meekness andrighteousness;and thy right hand shall
teachthee terrible things. 5 Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's
enemies;whereby the people fall under thee.
Some make Shoshannim, in the title, to signify an instrument of six
strings; others take it in its primitive significationfor lilies or roses, which
probably were strewed, with other flowers, at nuptial solemnities; and then it
is easilyapplicable to Christ who calls himself the rose of Sharon and the lily
of the valleys, Cant. ii. 1. It is a song of loves, concerning the holy love that is
betweenChrist and his church. It is a song of the well-beloved, the virgins, the
companions of the bride (v. 14), prepared to be sung by them. The virgin-
company that attend the Lamb on Mount Zion are said to sing a new song,
Rev. xiv. 3, 4.
I. The preface (v. 1) speaks, 1. The dignity of the subject. It is a good
matter, and it is a pity that such a moving art as poetry should every be
employed about a bad matter. It is touching the King, King Jesus, andhis
kingdom and government. Note, Those that speak ofChrist speak ofa good
matter, no subjectso noble, so copious, so fruitful, so profitable, and so well-
becoming us; it is a shame that this goodmatter is not more the matter of our
discourse. 2. The excellencyofthe management. This song was a confession
with the mouth of faith in the heart concerning Christ and his church. (1.) The
matter was welldigested, as it well deserved:My heart is inditing it, which
perhaps is meant of that Spirit of prophecy that dictated the psalm to David,
that Spirit of Christ which was in the prophets, 1 Pet. i. 11. But it is applicable
to his devout meditations and affections in his heart, out of the abundance of
which his mouth spoke. Things concerning Christ ought to be thought of by us
with all possible seriousness,with fixedness of thought and a fire of holy love,
especiallywhen we are to speak ofthose things. We then speak best of Christ
and divine things when we speak from the heart that which has warmed and
affectedus; and we should never be rash in speaking of the things of Christ,
but weighwell beforehand what we have to say, lest we speak amiss. See Eccl.
v. 2. (2.) It was wellexpressed:I will speak ofthe things which I have made.
He would express himself, [1.] With all possible clearness, as one that did
himself understand and was affectedwith the things he spoke of. Not, "I will
speak the things I have heard from others," that is speaking by rote; but, "the

things which I have myself studied." Note, What God has wrought in our
souls, as well as what he has wrought for them, we must declare to others, Ps.
lxvi. 16. [2.] With all possible cheerfulness, freedom, and fluency: "My tongue
is as the pen of a ready writer, guided by my heart in every word as the pen is
by the hand." We callthe prophets the penmen of scripture, whereas really
they were but the pen. The tongue of the most subtle disputant, and the most
eloquent orator, is but the pen with which God writes what he pleases.Why
should we quarrel with the pen if bitter things be written againstus, or idolize
the pen if it write in our favour? David not only spoke what he thought of
Christ, but wrote it, that it might spread the further and last the longer. His
tongue was as the pen of a ready writer, that lets nothing slip. When the heart
is inditing a goodmatter it is a pity but the tongue should be as the pen of a
ready writer, to leave it upon record.
II. In these verses the Lord Jesus is represented,
1. As most beautiful and amiable in himself. It is a marriage-song;and
therefore the transcendentexcellencies ofChrist are representedby the
beauty of the royal bridegroom (v. 2): Thou art fairer than the children of
men, than any of them. He proposed(v. 1) to speak of the King, but
immediately directs his speechto him. Those that have an admiration and
affectionfor Christ love to go to him and tell him so. Thus we must profess
our faith, that we see his beauty, and our love, that we are pleasedwith it:
Thou are fair, thou art fairer than the children of men. Note, Jesus Christ is in
himself, and in the eyes of all believers, more amiable and lovely than the
children of men. The beauties of the Lord Jesus, as God, as Mediator, far
surpass those of human nature in generaland those which the most amiable
and excellentof the children of men are endowedwith; there is more in Christ
to engage our love than there is or can be in any creature. Our belovedis
more than another beloved. The beauties of this lower world, and its charms,
are in danger of drawing awayour hearts from Christ, and therefore we are
concernedto understand how much he excels them all, and how much more
worthy he is of our love.
2. As the greatfavourite of heaven. He is fairer than the children of men,
for Godhas done more for him than for any of the children of men, and all his

kindness to the children of men is for his sake, and passes throughhis hands,
through his mouth. (1.) He has grace, and he has it for us; Grace is poured
into thy lips. By his word, his promise, his gospel, the good-willof Godis made
known to us and the goodwork of God is begun and carried on in us. He
receivedall grace from God, all the endowments that were requisite to qualify
him for his work and office as Mediator, that from his fulness we might
receive, Johni. 16. It was not only poured into his heart, for his own strength
and encouragement, but poured into his lips, that by the words of his mouth
in general, and the kisses ofhis mouth to particular believers, he might
communicate both holiness and comfort. From this grace poured into his lips
proceededthose gracious words which all admired, Luke iv. 22. The gospelof
grace is poured into his lips; for it beganto be spokenby the Lord, and from
him we receive it. He has the words of eternal life. The spirit of prophecy is
put into thy lips; so the Chaldee. (2.) He has the blessing, and he has it for us.
"Therefore, becausethouart the greattrustee of divine grace for the use and
benefit of the children of men, therefore God has blessedthee for ever, has
made thee an everlasting blessing, so as that in thee all the nations of the earth
shall be blessed." Where God gives his grace he will give his blessing. We are
blessedwith spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus, Eph. i. 3.
3. As victorious over all his enemies. The royal bridegroom is a man of
war, and his nuptials do not excuse him from the field of battle (as was
allowedby the law, Deut. xxiv. 5); nay, they bring him to the field of battle, for
he is to rescue his spouse by dint of swordout of her captivity, to conquer her,
and to conquer for her, and then to marry her. Now we have here,
(1.) His preparations for war(v. 3): Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O
MostMighty! The word of God is the swordof the Spirit. By the promises of
that word, and the grace containedin those promises, souls are made willing
to submit to Jesus Christ and become his loyal subjects;by the threatenings of
that word, and the judgments executedaccording to them, those that stand it
out againstChrist will, in due time, be brought down and ruined. By the
gospelof Christ many Jews and Gentiles were converted, and, at length, the
Jewishnation was destroyed, according to the predictions of it, for their
implacable enmity to it; and paganismwas quite abolished. The swordhere
girt on Christ's thigh is the same which is saidto proceedout of his mouth,

Rev. xix. 15. When the gospelwas sentfort to be preachedto all nations, then
our Redeemergirded his sword upon his thigh.
(2.) His expedition to this holy war: He goes forth with his glory and his
majesty, as a greatking takes the field with abundance of pomp and
magnificence--his sword, his glory, and majesty. In his gospelhe appears
transcendently greatand excellent, bright and blessed, in the honour and
majesty which the Fatherhad laid upon him. Christ, both in his personand in
his gospel, hadnothing of external glory or majesty, nothing to charm men
(for he had no form nor comeliness), nothing to awe men, for he took upon
him the form of a servant; it was all spiritual glory, spiritual majesty. There is
so much grace, andtherefore glory, in that word, He that believes shall be
saved, so much terror, and therefore majesty, in that word, He that believes
shall not be damned, that we may well say, in the chariotof that gospel, which
these words are the sum of, the Redeemerrides forth in glory and majesty. In
thy majesty ride prosperously, v. 4. Prosperthou; ride thou. This speaks the
promise of his Father, that he should prosper according to the goodpleasure
of the Lord, that he should divide the spoil with the strong, in recompence of
his sufferings. Those cannotbut prosper to whom God says, Prosper, Isa. lii.
10-12. And it denotes the goodwishes of his friends, praying that he may
prosper in the conversionof souls to him, and the destruction of all the powers
of darkness that rebel againsthim. "Thy kingdom come;Go on and prosper."
(3.) The glorious cause in which he is engaged--becauseoftruth, and
meekness,and righteousness,which were, in a manner, sunk and lost among
men, and which Christ came to retrieve and rescue. [1.] The gospelitself is
truth, meekness,and righteousness;it commands by the power of truth and
righteousness;for Christianity has these, incontestably, on its side, and yet it
is to be promoted by meeknessand gentleness,1 Cor. iv. 12, 13; 2 Tim. ii. 25.
[2.] Christ appears in it in his truth, meekness, and righteousness, andthese
are his glory and majesty, and because of these he shall prosper. Men are
brought to believe on him because he is true, to learn of him because he is
meek, Matt. xi. 29 (the gentleness ofChrist is of mighty force, 2 Cor. x. 1), and
to submit to him because he is righteous and rules with equity. [3.] The gospel,
as far as it prevails with men, sets up in their hearts truth, meekness, and
righteousness, rectifiestheir mistakes by the light of truth, controls their

passions by the power of meekness, and governs their hearts and lives by the
laws of righteousness. Christcame, by setting up his kingdom among men, to
restore those glories to a degenerate world, and to maintain the cause of those
just and rightful rulers under him that by error, malice, and iniquity, had
been deposed.
(4.) The successofhis expedition: "Thy right hand shall teachthee terrible
things; thou shalt experience a wonderful divine powergoing along with thy
gospel, to make it victorious, and the effects of it will be terrible things." [1.]
In order to the conversionand reduction of souls to him, there are terrible
things to be done; the heart must be pricked, consciencemust be startled, and
the terrors of the Lord must make way for his consolations. This is done by
the right hand of Christ. The Comforter shall continue, John xvi. 8. [2.] In the
conquestof the gates ofhell and its supporters, in the destruction of Judaism
and Paganism, terrible things will be done, which will make men's hearts fail
them for fear(Luke xxi. 26) and great men and chief captains call to the rocks
and mountains to fall on them, Rev. vi. 15. The next verse describes these
terrible things (v. 5): Thy arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies.
First, Those that were by nature enemies are thus wounded, in order to their
being subdued and reconciled. Convictions are like the arrows of the bow,
which are sharp in the heart on which they fasten, and bring people to fall
under Christ, in subjectionto his laws and government. Those that thus fall
on this stone shall by broken, Matt. xxi. 44. Secondly, Those that persist in
their enmity are thus wounded, in order to their being ruined. The arrows of
God's terrors are sharp in their hearts, whereby they shall fall under him, so
as to be made his footstool, Ps. cx. 1. Those that would not have him to reign
over them shall be brought forth and slain before him (Luke xix. 27); those
that would not submit to his golden sceptre shall be broken to pieces by his
iron rod.
6 Thy throne, O God, is for everand ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a
right sceptre. 7 Thou lovestrighteousness, andhatest wickedness:therefore
God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 8
All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, andcassia, outof the ivory

palaces, wherebythey have made thee glad. 9 Kings' daughters were among
thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of
Ophir.
We have here the royal bridegroom filling his throne with judgment and
keeping his court with splendour.
I. He here fills his throne with judgment. It is God the Fatherthat says to
the Sonhere, Thy throne, O God! is forever and ever, as appears Heb. i. 8, 9,
where this is quoted to prove that he is God and has a more excellentname
than the angels. The Mediatoris God, else he neither would have been able to
do the Mediator's work nor fit to wearthe Mediator's crown. Concerning his
government observe, 1. The eternity of it; it is for ever and ever. It shall
continue on earth throughout all the ages oftime, in despite of all the
opposition of the gates of hell; and in the blessedfruits and consequencesofit
it shall last as long as the days of heaven, and run parallel with the line of
eternity itself. Perhaps even then the glory of the Redeemer, and the
blessednessofthe redeemed, shall be in a continual infinite progression;for it
is promised that not only of his government, but of the increase ofhis
government and peace, there shall be no end (Isa. ix. 7); even when the
kingdom shall be delivered up to God even the Father (1 Cor. xv. 24) the
throne of the Redeemerwill continue. 2. The equity of it: The sceptre of thy
kingdom, the administration of thy government, is right, exactly according to
the eternalcounseland will of God, which is the eternal rule and reasonof
goodand evil. Whatever Christ does he does none of his subjects any wrong,
but gives redress to those that do suffer wrong: He loves righteousness,and
hates wickedness, v. 7. He himself loves to do righteousness, andhates to do
wickedness;and he loves those that do righteousness,and hates those that do
wickedness. Bythe holiness of his life, the merit of his death, and the great
design of his gospel, he has made it to appear that he loves righteousness (for
by his example, his satisfaction, and his precepts, he has brought in an
everlasting righteousness), andthat he hates wickedness,fornever did God's
hatred of sin appear so conspicuouslyas it did in the sufferings of Christ. 3.
The establishmentand elevationof it: Therefore God, even thy God (Christ,
as Mediator, called God his God, John xx. 17, as commissionedby him, and
the head of those that are taken into covenantwith him), has anointed thee

with the oil of gladness. Therefore,that is, (1.) "In order to this righteous
government of thine, God has given thee his Spirit, that divine unction, to
qualify thee for thy undertaking," Isa. lxi. 1. 1. The Spirit of the Lord God is
upon me, because he has anointed me. What God calledhim to he fitted him
for, Isa. xi. 2. The Spirit is called the oil of gladness becauseofthe delight
wherewith Christ was filled in carrying on his undertaking. He was anointed
with the Spirit above all his fellows, above all those that were anointed,
whether priests or kings. (2.) "In recompence ofwhat thou has done and
suffered for the advancement of righteousness andthe destruction of sin God
has anointed thee with the oil of gladness, has brought thee to all the honours
and all the joys of thy exalted state." Becausehe humbled himself, God has
highly exalted him, Phil. ii. 8, 9. His anointing him denotes the powerand
glory to which he is exalted; he is invested in all the dignities and authorities
of the Messiah. And his anointing him with the oil of gladness denotes the joy
that was setbefore him (so his exaltation is expressed, Heb. xii. 2) both in the
light of his Father's countenance (Acts ii. 28)and in the successofhis
undertaking, which he shall see, and be satisfied, Isa. liii. 11. This he is
anointed with above all his fellows, above all believers, who are his brethren,
and who partake of the anointing--they by measure, he without measure. But
the apostle brings it to prove his pre-eminence above the angels, Heb. i. 4, 9.
The salvationof sinners is the joy of angels (Luke xv. 10), but much more of
the Son.
II. He keeps his court with splendour and magnificence. 1. His robes of
state, wherein he appears, are taken notice of, not for their pomp, which
might strike an awe upon the spectator, but their pleasantness andthe
gratefulness ofthe odours with which they were perfumed (v. 8): They smell
of myrrh, aloes, and cassia (the oil of gladness with which he and his garments
were anointed): these were some of the ingredients of the holy anointing oil
which God appointed, the like to which was not to be made up for any
common use (Exod. xxx. 23, 24), which was typical of the unction of the Spirit
which Christ, the greathigh priest of our profession, received, and to which
therefore there seems here to be a reference. It is the savour of these good
ointments, his graces andcomforts, that draws souls to him (Cant. i. 3, 4) and
makes him precious to believers, 1 Pet. ii. 7. 2. His royal palaces are saidto be

ivory ones, such as were then reckonedmostmagnificent. We read of an ivory
house that Ahab made, 1 Kings xxii. 39. The mansions of light above are the
ivory palaces, whence allthe joys both of Christ and believers come, and
where they will be for ever in perfection; for by them he is made glad, and all
that are his with him; for they shall enter into the joy of their Lord. 3. The
beauties of his court shine very brightly. In public appearancesatcourt, when
the pomp of it is shown, nothing is supposedto contribute so much to it as the
splendour of the ladies, which is alluded to here, v. 9. (1.) Particular believers
are here comparedto the ladies at court, richly dressedin honour of the
sovereign:Kings' daughters are among thy honourable women, whose looks,
and mien, and ornaments, we may suppose, from the height of their
extraction, to excel all others. All true believers are born from above; they are
the children of the King of kings. These attend the throne of the Lord Jesus
daily with their prayers and praises, which is really their honour, and he is
pleasedto reckonit his. The numbering of kings'daughters among his
honourable women, or maids of honour, intimates that the kings whose
daughters they were should be tributaries to him and dependents on him, and
would therefore think it a preferment to their daughters to attend him. (2.)
The church in general, constitutedof these particular believers, is here
compared to the queen herself--the queen-consort, whom, by an everlasting
covenant, he hath betrothed to himself. She stands at his right hand, near to
him, and receives honour from him, in the richest array, in gold of Ophir, in
robes woven with goldenthread or with a gold chain and other ornaments of
gold. This is the bride, the Lamb's wife, whose graces, whichare her
ornaments, are compared to fine linen, cleanand white (Rev. xix. 8), for their
purity, here to gold of Ophir, for their costliness;for, as we owe our
redemption, so we owe our adorning, not to corruptible things, but to the
precious blood of the Son of God.
10 Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also
thine own people, and thy father's house; 11 So shall the king greatlydesire
thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him. 12 And the daughter
of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall intreat
thy favour. 13 The king's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of

wrought gold. 14 She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of
needlework:the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto
thee. 15 With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter
into the king's palace. 16 Insteadof thy fathers shall be thy children, whom
thou mayest make princes in all the earth. 17 I will make thy name to be
remembered in all generations:therefore shall the people praise thee for ever
and ever.
This latter part of the psalm is addressedto the royal bride, standing on
the right hand of the royal bridegroom. God, who said to the Son, Thy throne
is for ever and ever, says this to the church, which, upon the accountof her
espousals to the Son, he here calls his daughter.
I. He tells her of the duties expectedfrom her, which ought to be
consideredby all those that come into relationto the Lord Jesus:"Hearken,
therefore, and considerthis, and incline thy ear, that is, submit to those
conditions of thy espousals, andbring thy will to comply with them." This is
the method of profiting by the word of God. He that has ears, let him hear, let
him hearkendiligently; he that hearkens, lethim considerand weighit duly;
he that considers, let him incline and yield to the force of what is laid before
him. And what is it that is here required?
1. She must renounce all others.
(1.) Here is the law of her espousals:"Forgetthy ownpeople and thy
father's house, according to the law of marriage. Retain not the affectionthou
hast had for them, nor covetto return to them again;banish all such
remembrance (not only of thy people that were dear to thee, but of thy
father's house that were dearer) as may incline thee to look back, as Lot's wife
to Sodom." When Abraham, in obedience to God's call, had quitted his native
soil, he was not so much as mindful of the country whence he came out. This
shows, [1.]How necessaryit was for those who were converted from Judaism
or paganism to the faith of Christ wholly to castout the old leaven, and not to
bring into their Christian professioneitherthe Jewishceremonies orthe
heathen idolatries, for these would make such a mongrel religion in
Christianity as the Samaritans had. [2.] How necessaryit is for us all, when we

give up our names to Jesus Christ, to hate father and mother, and all that is
dear to us in this world, in comparison, that is, to love them less than Christ
and his honour, and our interest in him, Luke xiv. 26.
(2.) Here is goodencouragementgiven to the royal bride thus entirely to
break off from her former alliances:So shall the king greatly desire thy
beauty, which intimates that the mixing of her old rites and customs, whether
Jewishor Gentile, with her religion, would blemish her beauty and would
hazard her interest in the affections of the royal bridegroom, but that, if she
entirely conformed to his will, he would delight in her. The beauty of holiness,
both on the church and on particular believers, is in the sight of Christ of
greatprice and very amiable. Where that is he says, This is my restfor ever;
here will I dwell, for I have desired it. Among the goldencandlesticks he walks
with pleasure, Rev. ii. 1.
2. She must reverence him, must love, honour, and obey him: He is thy
Lord, and worship thou him. The church is to be subject to Christ as the wife
to the husband (Eph. v. 24), to call him Lord, as Sarah calledAbraham, and
to obey him (1 Pet. iii. 6), and so not only to submit to his government, but to
give him divine honours. We must worship him as God, and our Lord; for this
is the will of God, that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the
Father; nay, in so doing it is reckonedthat they honour the Father. If we
confess that Christ is Lord, and pay our homage to him accordingly, it is to
the glory of God the Father, Phil. ii. 11.
II. He tells her of the honours designed for her.
1. Greatcourt should be made to her, and rich presents brought her (v.
12): "The daughter of Tyre," a rich and splendid city, "the daughter of the
King of Tyre shall be there with a gift; every royal family round about shall
send a branch, as a representative of the whole, to seek thy favour and to
make an interestin thee; even the rich among the people, whose wealthmight
be thought to exempt them from dependence at court, even they shall entreat
thy favour, for his sake to whom thou art espoused, that by thee they may
make him their friend." The Jews, the pretending Jews, who are rich to a
proverb (as rich as a Jew), shallcome and worship before the church's feet in

the Philadelphian period, and shall know that Christ has loved her, Rev. iii. 9.
When the Gentiles, being convertedto the faith of Christ, join themselves to
the church, they then come with a gift, 2 Cor. viii. 5; Rom. xv. 16. When with
themselves they devote all they have to the honour of Christ, and the service of
his kingdom, they then come with a gift.
2. She shall be very splendid, and highly esteemedin the eyes of all, (1.)
For her personalqualifications, the endowments of her mind, which every one
shall admire (v. 13):The king's daughter is all glorious within. Note, The
glory of the church is spiritual glory, and that is indeed all glory; it is the glory
of the soul, and that is the man; it is glory in God's sight, and it is an earnest
of eternal glory. The glory of the saints falls not within the view of a carnal
eye. As their life, so their glory, is hidden with Christ in God, neither can the
natural man know it, for it is spiritually discerned; but those who do so
discern it highly value it. Let us see here what is that true glory which we
should be ambitious of, not that which makes a fair show in the flesh, but
which is in the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible (1 Pet.
iii. 4), whose praise is not of men, but of God, Rom. ii. 29. (2.) For her rich
apparel. Though all her glory is within, that for which she is truly valuable,
yet her clothing also is of wrought gold; the conversationof Christians, in
which they appear in the world, must be enriched with goodworks, not gay
and gaudy ones, like paint and flourish, but substantially good, like gold; and
it must be accurate andexact, like wrought gold, which is workedwith a great
deal of care and caution.
3. Her nuptials shall be celebratedwith a great dealof honour and joy (v.
14, 15): She shall be brought to the king, as the Lord God brought the woman
to the man (Gen. ii. 22), which was a type of this mystical marriage between
Christ and his church. None are brought to Christ but whom the Father
brings, and he has undertaken to do it; none besides are so brought to the
king (v. 14)as to enter into the king's palace, v. 15.
(1.) This intimates a two-fold bringing of the spouse to Christ. [1.] In the
conversionof souls to Christ; then they are espousedto him, privately
contracted, as chaste virgins, 2 Cor. xi. 2; Rom. vii. 4. [2.] In the completing of
the mystical body, and the glorificationof all the saints, at the end of time;

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