Psalm 45

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Psalm Overview 45
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Royal wedding song

Introduction

Overview

Purpose: To celebrate the king (on the occasion of his wedding) for his just and eternal rule.

Content: The king's throne is forever and ever. The king is attractive, wise, powerful, and righteous. The king is due loyalty from his new bride and honour from foreign nations. The king's descendants will be princes. Therefore, the king's throne is forever and ever!

Message: God's chosen king and his descendants rule forever with wisdom, righteousness, and joy.

Background Ideas

  • Songs in praise of the king (rather than the deity) are common in the ANE, though rare in the biblical psalms. One example is the Egyptian marriage stele of Rameses II, which presents the marriage as as part of a political alliance following a military victory.
  • Lips of kindness are associated with wisdom and virtue (Prov 22:1, 11; Ecc 10:12); the ideal ANE king spoke with wisdom.
  • The ideal ANE king was a warrior.
  • Ancient royal marriages were often political arrangements between one nation and another. The marriage described in this psalm may have been arranged as part of a political alliance between Isreal/Judah and a neighbouring state (such as Tyre). The NET Bible translates Heb. "your people" (v. 11) as "your homeland" to reflect this situation.

Background Situation

Ps 045 - Story Background.jpg

Sections

Ps 45 - synth.jpg

Videos



Video files

  • The script for the Overview video is available here.
  • The slides for the Overview video are available here.

Translation Aids

Recommended steps for translating the psalms

To translate poetry accurately and beautifully, a knowledge of both the source language's poetry and the target language's poetry is needed. So, here are the steps we recommend to follow when setting out to translate the psalms:

  1. GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE TARGET LANGUAGE'S POETRY/ARTS. Research and analyze many examples from numerous genres of poetry, storytelling, and music in the target language and culture, and document findings. See our for help.
  2. GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE SOURCE LANGUAGE'S (HEBREW) MEANING AND POETRY. The aim of all our materials is to provide exactly this for the translator, poet/musician/artist, and consultant: an understanding of what the psalm means, as well as its poetics.
  3. TRANSLATE THE PSALM IN THE APPROPRIATE LOCAL ART/POETRY GENRE.

Translation and Performance Notes

TPNs are an at-a-glance reference for anyone involved with translating or checking a translation of the psalm. Specific words, phrases, and images that could be difficult to understand or to translate are highlighted, and then briefly discussed. Each note is intended to help the reader understand the meaning of the Hebrew word or phrase in its context, as well as provide a few translation options or suggestions, often pulling from existing translations. Where pertinent, our preferred translation option is given. NOTE: These notes are intended to supplement a robust internalization of the psalm, not replace it. Translation Challenges for Psalm 45 not available yet.

Close-but-Clear Translation

1. For the director. According to “Lilies.” By the Korahites.
A maskil. An ode.
2. My heart has been stirred by a good theme;
I am about to recite my verses to the king.
My tongue is a pen of a skilful scribe.
3. You are the most attractive of all people;
kindness has been poured out by your speech.
Therefore, God has commended you forever.
4. Strap your sword upon your thigh, great one,
in your splendour and your majesty.
5. And in your majesty, victoriously ride
for the cause of truth and humility, righteousness,
and let your right hand show you awesome things.
6. Your arrows are sharp.
Peoples will fall under you;
in the heart of the enemies of the king.
7. Your throne, God, is forever and ever;
the sceptre of your kingdom is the sceptre of righteousness.
8. You love righteousness, and you hate wickedness.
Therefore, God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil, which is rejoicing, more than your companions.
9. All your clothes are myrrh and aloes [and] cassia.
From ivory palaces, stringed instruments have caused you to rejoice.
10. Princesses are among your treasures;
a queen has taken a stand at your right hand in the gold of Ophir.
11. Hear, daughter, and see and incline your ear,
and forget your people and your father’s household,
12. so that the king will desire your beauty,
because he is your husband, and bow down to him,
13. and Daughter Tyre, the richest of people, will seek your favour with a gift.
14. The princess is in her chamber with all kinds of valuable goods;
her clothing [is made] from gold settings.
15. In embroidered cloth she will be led to the king;
young women after her, her female companions,
being brought to you.
16. They will be led with joy and gladness;
they will go into the king’s palace.
17. In the place of your ancestors, your sons will be [princes];
you will appoint them as princes over all the earth.
18. I shall profess your name in all generations.
Therefore peoples will praise you forever and ever.



Explore the Layers

Exegetical Issues

  • The Division and Syntax of Ps. 45:6 (Draft)
  • The Referent of God (Elohim) in Ps. 45:7 (Draft)
  • The Identity of the Daughter of Tyre in Ps. 45:13 (Draft)
  • Grammar

    Semantics

    Lexical and Phrase-level Semantics

    Verbal Semantics

    Story Behind the Psalm (Unit-level Semantics)

    Discourse

    Participant Analysis

    Macrosyntax

    Speech Act Analysis

    Emotional Analysis

    Repeated Roots

    Poetics

    Poetic Structure & Features

    Verse-by-Verse Notes

    View all of Psalm 45 Verse-by-Verse Notes, or click on an individual verse below.