Psalm 45
Dear RTB’ers,
Psalm 45 is … confusing. Not “strange”, but certainly confusing. Is this Psalm about a royal marriage or is it Messianic? Go online and type “Is Psalm 45 Messianic?” and see for yourself. Many scholars, both Christian and Jewish read this Psalm as Messianic.
For me that was quickly an issue because my primary Bible translation, my first reading daily is the New American Standard Bible (NASB), which capitalizes deific pronouns (You, Him, His, etc.). For me this Psalm was Messianic from the beginning. The English Standard Version (ESV), the translation that we use at St. Andrew’s does not capitalize deific pronouns. So if you read Psalm 45 in the ESV, until you get to verses 6 and 7 you can read it as a royal wedding, complete with the bride beginning in verse 10. [NOTE: Verses 6 and 7 are quoted in Hebrews 1:8-9 as referring to Jesus.]
However, if you read Psalm 45 in the NASB, you will see the King in the first verse as referring to Jesus, then you can see Jesus is all the first nine verses. Then beginning in verse 10 you can read the bride as the church, Jesus’ bride. If you read Psalm 45 in the NASB, the Psalm becomes very Messianic throughout! [NOTE: Verse 16 in the NASB is confusing – the pronouns are not capitalized, so who is the psalmist addressing in this verse?]
Yes, Psalm 45 is, to me, confusing, but only because I read two very different translations!
Blessings!
See also:
“Is this Psalm about a royal marriage or is it Messianic?”
Yes.