Psalm 45 – the wedding psalm

(Worship leader: A wedding psalm by the Korah family. To the tune of “Lilies.”)

I swell with song,
Poetry humming in my veins
As I sit to write
These few lines of verse
For the king.
And yet I grasp for the skill
To write
Of such a lofty theme.

You are a man’s man,
The epitome of masculinity.
Yet it is the kindness of your words
That defines you,
Revealing how truly God-blessed
You are.

You’re gallant,
Sword strapped to your side,
Muscled and armored.
Such splendor!
Such royalty!
You ride forth in majesty
To claim victory
But not for your own fame.
You champion truth,
Humility,
Justice.
They are the damsels in distress
You fight for
So valiantly.
Your arrows find their deadly mark
In enemy breast.
Nations surrender,
Bowing at your feet.
The rule of your throne,
You champion of God,
Will last from age to age.
Your scepter will establish
Justice:
That will be the sign of your kingdom.
Your core commitment is to those who foster
The good,
The true,
The beautiful,
Banishing those who deal in
The destructive,
The false,
The ugly.
This is why God, your God,
Chose you over all else,
Joyfully anointing you as king.

Just like you,
Your wedding clothes are cut
From the finest cloth,
Fragrant and clean.
Your grand home is finely crafted,
The perfect setting for a wedding.
The music spilling from it
Elevates the heart.
And such royal bridesmaids,
Young women of quality
And character.
And finally, your bride!
She is golden,
Radiant,
Rare,
The true meaning of royalty.

And now I turn to you, my daughter.
Hear my words.
You are a bride now,
No longer a child,
No longer papa’s girl.
Forget your parents.
See only your husband,
Whose eyes see only you,
Drunk with your beauty.
Treat him like a king,
For that’s what he is.
Wedding gifts pile high
Given by well-wishers,
Even from far-away Tyre.

The princess is stunning,
Beauty incarnate,
Her wedding dress exquisite,
Highlighted with golden thread.
With bridesmaids in parade,
She walks down the aisle
To her groom, the king.
There are smiles all around
And eyes wet
With tears of joy
As they glide into the king’s hall.

Your children will replace
Your parents,
Your attention turned to them
As you raise them up
To be great ones in the land.

But I will not forget you, daughter.
No one will.
For my poetry
Will speak of your beauty
To people around the world
Forever.