Day 98

Psalm 45 Part 2

Vs 3& 4 had described the bridegroom’s arrival, similar to the description in Revelation. V5 describes ‘arrows in the heart. ‘Jesus shoots His arrows at the heart and they are ‘sharp’ c.f. Acts 2:37;7:54.  These arrows are in the plural because, while there are arrows of conviction, justice, and terror, there are also arrows of mercy and consolation. While there are arrows that kill sin, there are also arrows that kill despair. As there are arrows that smite and slay our carnal hopes, so there are other arrows that effectually destroy our fears; and all these arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies.

The King is then praised and exalted as God (v6-7). The description of vs2-5 might apply to a remarkable man who was nevertheless merely a man. As the description continued, it clearly refers to this King as God, seated upon an eternal throne. The writer of Hebrews explained how these words specifically apply to Jesus (Hebrews 1:8-9). He noted not only that these words say that Jesus is the eternally enthroned God, but also that God the Father regards Him so. The writer of Hebrews explained that prophetically, the sons of Korah gave us the words that God the Father spoke to God the Son. Even the ancient Jewish translators regarded these words as referring to the Messiah. He is the anointed King v7. Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) both mean ‘the anointed one.’

V6-7 contains a strange statement – this King is God, and yet receives from God. Passages like this are the foundation for the idea that there is One God who exists in Three Persons. This is the way to make sense of what seems to be contradictory statements in the Bible. That there is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4, Galatians 3:20). That Three Persons are said to be God, and they relate to One another (here and many other passages). The words of these two verses together are incomprehensible unless they are understood to refer to the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Only he can be called God and at the same time have the Father as His God.

PTL