PSALM 45:16-17

I write this week some concluding thoughts from Psalm 45.  The Bible title was ‘A Song of Loves’.  It is a grand picture of the relationship between a Bridegroom (The Christ) and His Bride (The Church).

            We have been studying verse 9-17, ‘The Righteous Bride Described’.  Let us look this week at verses 16-17 which says, “Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth. I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.”  I am calling this section ‘The Praise By The Righteous Bride’.  Please notice I didn’t say the ‘praise of’ but the ‘praise by’ the Righteous Bride.  She is doing the praise. She is not being praised.

            Let us turn our attention to verse 16 and ‘The Praise Of The Bride’s Lineage’.  In verse 16a we find ‘The Fruit Of Her Lineage’.  God will raise up children to take the place of the fathers.  In every generation God has had a remnant.  He has never had a large group in any generation.  If we are to calculate all the generations together it will be a number no man can number.  The Bible emphasizes the fact of God’s little group in every generation.  In Luke 12:32 Jesus said, ‘Fear not little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”  The Lord calls His people a ‘little flock’.  In Matthew 7 Jesus speaks of a ‘strait gate’, narrow and broad way.  He tells us that the narrow way leads to life and only few will find it.  The broad way leads to destruction and many will go that way.

            The Lord has given us great spiritual fathers in our lineage but I am so glad He is raising up the fruit of children from their fathers.  I recently helped celebrate the 40^th anniversary of my former Pastor.  He was preaching 40 years ago when the Lord saved me.   I thank him for his faithful gospel preaching.  All of these children and forefathers are a part of the bride.

            I see also in verse 16b ‘The Furtherance Of The Bride’.  The Psalmist said the Bridegroom would make of His people ‘princes in all the earth’.  The position of the Bride here has been one of a lowly servant.  One day they shall be kings, and priests, and rule in all the earth.  We are told it will be of the Bridegroom’s doings.  No wonder there is praise given to Him.

            In verse 17 we find ‘The Praise Of The Bride’s Lord’.  None of the attention is given to the Bride.  That is the program of an earthly wedding.  The heavenly wedding will find the Bridegroom getting all the praise.

            In verse 17a we find ‘The Prior Praise Of The Lord’.  We are told the Lord will cause it to be that this will never be a generation where they will not remember His name.  I can surely say ‘Jesus is the sweetest name I know and He is just the same as His lovely name and that’s the reason why I love Him so, for Jesus is the sweetest name I know.”

            I see in verse 17b there will be ‘The Perpetual Praise Of The Lord’.  The people mentioned in verse 17b are His Bride, the Church.  Mary, the mother of Jesus said ‘we will call his name Jesus for He will save His people from their sins’.  Let us see clearly here one of the privileges of being a part of the Bride is that we will praise Him ‘for ever and ever’.  One writer said this phrase in the original is without a period at the end.  Let me say with the songwriter, ‘When morning gilds the skies, my heart awaking cries; May Jesus Christ be praised.  This is the eternal song through all the ages on; May Jesus Christ be praised.’

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