Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Psalms
Book: Psalms
Chapter: 45
Overview:
This psalm is a
Prophecy of
Messiah the
Prince, and points to
him as a Bridegroom espousing the
Church to himself, and as a
King ruling in it, and for it.
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 good matter is not more the subject of our discourse. There
is more in
Christ to engage our
Love, than there is or can be in
any
Creature. This world and its charms are ready to draw away
our hearts from
Christ; therefore we are concerned to understand
how much more worthy he is of our
Love.
By his
Word, his
promise, his
Gospel, the good will of
God is made known to us,
and the good work of
God is begun and carried
On in us. The
psalmist, ver. 3-5, joyfully foretells the progress and
success of the
Messiah. The
Arrows of conviction are very
terrible in the hearts of sinners, till they are humbled and
reconciled; but the
Arrows of vengeance will be more
So to his
enemies who refuse to submit. All who have seen his
Glory and
tasted his
Grace, rejoice to see him,
By his
Word and
Spirit,
bring enemies and strangers under his dominion.
6-9 The
Throne of this almighty
King is established for ever.
While the Holy
Spirit leads
Christ's people to look to his
Cross, he teaches them to see the evil of
Sin and the beauty of
Holiness;
So that none of them can feel encouragement to
continue in
Sin. The
Mediator is
God, else he had been neither
able to do the
Mediator's work, nor fit to wear the
Mediator's
Crown.
God the
Father, as his
God in respect to his human nature
and mediatorial offices, has given to him the Holy
Spirit
without
Measure. Thus anointed to be a
Prophet,
Priest, and
King,
Christ has pre-eminence in the gladdening
Gifts and graces
of the
Spirit, and from his
Fulness communicates them to his
brethren in human nature. The
Spirit is called the
Oil of
gladness, because of the delight wherewith
Christ was filled, in
carrying
On his undertaking. The
Salvation of sinners is the
joy of angels, much more of the Son. And in proportion as we are
conformed to his holy image, we may expect the gladdening
influences of the
Comforter. The excellences of the
Messiah, the
suitableness of his offices, and the sufficiency of his
Grace,
seem to be intended
By the fragrance of his garments. The
Church
formed of true believers, is here compared to the
Queen, whom,
By an
Everlasting Covenant, the
Lord Jesus has betrothed to
himself. This is the
Bride, the
Lamb's
Wife, whose graces are
compared to fine
Linen, for their purity; to
Gold, for their
costliness: for as we owe our
Redemption,
So we owe our
adorning, to the precious
Blood of the
Son of God.
10-17 If we desire to share these blessings, we must hearken to
Christ's
Word. We must forget our
Carnal and sinful attachments
and pursuits. He must be our
Lord as
Well as our
Saviour; all
idols must be thrown away, that we may give him our whole
Heart.
And here is good encouragement, thus to break off from former
alliances. The beauty of
Holiness, both
On the
Church and
On
particular believers, is, in the sight of
Christ, of great
price, and very amiable. The work of
Grace is the workmanship of
the
Spirit, it is the image of
Christ upon the soul, a partaking
of the Divine nature. It is clear of all
Sin, there is none in
it, nor any comes from it. There is nothing glorious in the old
Man or corrupt nature; but in the new
Man, or work of
Grace upon
the soul, every thing is glorious. The robe of
Christ's
Righteousness, which he has wrought out for his
Church, the
Father imputes unto her, and bestows upon her. None are brought
to
Christ, but those whom the
Father brings. This notes the
Conversion of souls to him. The robe of
Righteousness, and
garments of
Salvation, the change of raiment
Christ has
Put upon
her. Such as strictly cleave to
Christ, loving him in singleness
of
Heart, are companions of the
Bride, who partake of the very
same
Grace, enjoy the same privileges, and share in one common
Salvation. These, every one, shall be brought to the
King; not
one lost or left behind. Instead of the Old
Testament Church,
there shall be a New
Testament Church, a Gentile
Church. In the
believing
Hope of our
Everlasting happiness in the other world,
let us always keep up the remembrance of
Christ, as our only way
thither; and transmit the remembrance of him to succeeding
generations, that his name may endure for ever.