Psalm 45

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 45:3

Verse 3 3.Gird thy sword upon thy thigh. Here Solomon is praised as well for his warlike valor, which strikes terror into ]his enemies, as for his virtues which give him authority among his subjects, and secure him their reverence. On the one hand, no king will be able to preserve and defend his subjects, unless he is formidable to his enemies; and, on the other hand, it will be to little purpose to make war boldly upon foreign realms, if the internal state of his own kingdom is not established... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 45:5

Verse 5 5.Thy arrows are sharp, etc. Here the Psalmist again refers to warlike power, when he says that the arrows of the king shall be sharp, so that they shall pierce the hearts of his enemies; by which he intimates that he has weapons in his hand with which to strike, even at a distance, all his enemies, whoever they may be, who resist his authority. In the same sense also he says that the people shall fall under him; as if it had been said, Whoever shall engage in the attempt to shake the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 45:6

Verse 6 6.Thy throne, O God! is for ever and ever. In this verse the Psalmist commends other princely virtues in Solomon, namely, the eternal duration of his throne, and then the justice and rectitude of his mode of government. The Jews, indeed, explain this passage as if the discourse were addressed to God, but such an interpretation is frivolous and impertinent. Others of them read the word אלהים, Elohim, in the genitive case, and translate it of God, thus: The throne of thy God But for this... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 45:8

Verse 8 8.All thy garments smell of myrrh As to the signification of the words I am not disposed to contend much, for I find that even the Jews are not agreed among themselves as to the meaning of the third word, except that from the similarity of pronunciation it may be conjectured to denote cassia. It is sufficient that we understand the prophet as meaning that the garments of the king are perfumed with precious and sweet-smelling odours. He describes Solomon coming forth from his ivory... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 45:10

Verse 10 10.Hearken, O daughter! and consider I have no doubt, that what is here said is spoken of the Egyptian woman, whom the prophet has described as standing at the right hand of the king. It was not, indeed, lawful for Solomon to marry a strange woman; but this of itself is to be accounted among the gifts of God, that a king so powerful as the king of Egypt was, (169) sought his alliance. At the same time, as by the appointment of the Law, it was required that the Jews, previous to... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 45:12

Verse 12 12And the daughter of Tyre with a gift. This also is a part of the recompense which the prophet promises to the queen in order to mitigate or rather to extinguish entirely, the longing desire she might still feel after her former condition. He says: that the Tyrians will come humbly to pay her reverence, bringing presents with them. Tyre, we know, was formerly a city of great renown, and, therefore, he accounts it a very high honor that men will come from a city so distinguished and... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 45:13

Verse 13 13The daughter of the King is all glorious within (172) This verse may be understood in a twofold sense; either as meaning that the queen, not only when she appears in public before all the people, but also when sitting in private in her own chamber, is always sumptuously apparelled; or, that the splendor and gorgeous appearance of her attire is not merely a thing of display, designed to dazzle the eyes of the simple, but consists of expensive and really substantial material. The... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 45:16

Verse 16 16Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children This also serves to show the glory and transcendent excellence of this kingdom, namely, that the children will not be inferior in dignity to their fathers, and that the nobility of the race will not be diminished after the death of Solomon; for the children which shall be born to him will equal those who had preceded them in the most excellent virtues. Then it is added, that they shall be princes in all the earth, because the empire shall... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 45:17

Verse 17 17I will make thy name to be remembered, etc. This also is equally inapplicable to Solomon, who, by his shameful and impious rebellion, stained the memory of his name with disgrace. In polluting by superstitious abominations the land which was consecrated to God, did he not bring upon himself indelible ignominy and shame? For this deed alone his name deserves to be buried in everlasting oblivion. Nor was his son Rehoboam in any degree more deserving of praise; for through his own... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 45:1

My heart is inditing a good matter ; literally, bubbleth with a good matter —is so full of it that the matter will burst forth. I speak of the things which I have made touching the king ; or, I utter that which I have composed concerning the king. My tongue is the pen of a ready writer . It is noted that only "psalms of high and solemn import" have formal exordia of this kind, announcing the intention of the writer. read more

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 45:3

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 45:5

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 45:6

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 45:8

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 45:10

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 45:12

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 45:13

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 45:16

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 45:17

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 45:1

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