| Introduction The psalm we just read is a love song written specifically to be sung at a wedding. But it is a love song for a very special wedding: the wedding of the king to his beautiful bride. I. A Psalm about the Davidic King, But Really about Christ. · This psalm is a royal psalm likely written for the wedding of a Davidic king, perhaps Solomon. · Yet, the NT tells us that this king is ultimately the Lord Jesus Christ, which means that this bride is his Church. · The psalmist was looking forward to the day of his Messiah-King and he could not contain himself, v. 1. · So, though this psalm refers to the wedding ceremony of the sons of David who inherit the throne by way of covenant, it ultimately speaks of THE Son of David who married his covenant bride, the Church, by way of the cross and resurrection. · This is a love song – a song about the love of Jesus Christ for his bride, and of his bride for him. II. The Glory of the King as the Bridegroom, vv. 2-9. · The King of kings and Lord of lords is the most beautiful, the most handsome, the most attractive of all humanity, v. 2a. · Our Bridegroom-King is gracious, v. 2b. · Our Bridegroom-King has the favor of God upon him, v. 2c. · Our Bridegroom-King is mighty to protect his bride, vv. 3, 5. · The bridegroom's majesty is based on truth, humility, and righteousness, v. 4. · Lastly, the Bridegroom's kingdom is forever and ever, vv. 6-9 · This is the King of glory who is your bridegroom, and he sees you as glorious in his sight. III. The Glory of the Bride, vv. 10-15. · At the end of verse 9, the bride is described as the queen dressed in gold of Ophir, that is, the best gold. · The King desires his bride, the Church, and he thinks she is beautiful, v. 11. · He thinks we are beautiful, not because he thinks sin is beautiful (see v. 7a), but because he has clothed his bride with his righteousness, vv. 13-14. · The bride, instead of missing where she came from, focuses on her bridegroom, v. 10. · So the bride's attention is no longer on the things that were, but on her bridegroom, v. 11b. · And the bride is glad, happy, and delighted in her Bridegroom, v. 15. · As a result of this union, the bride will produce fruit, v. 16. Conclusion This is the mystery of the union between Christ and his Church. He loves her. He loves us. Let me finish with two last passages that speak clearly of Christ's marriage to his Church. Eph. 5:25-27, 32 – Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish…. This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. He will accomplish this, and at his second coming the marriage will be clearly displayed for all to see. Rev. 19:6-9 – And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!' " And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God." These are the true sayings of God: Christ is the Bridegroom-King and the Church is his bride.  | |||
| | |||
| | |||
|
Thursday, April 26, 2012
The King and His Bride - Psalm 45
