Psalm 45

This article is about Psalm 45 in Hebrew (Masoretic) numbering. For Psalm 45 in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering, see Psalm 46.

Psalm 45
"My heart is inditing a good matter"
English Window quoting the verse "Full of grace are thy lips"
Other name	Psalm 44 "Eructavit cor meum"
Language	Hebrew (original)

Psalm 45 is the 45th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "My heart is inditing a good matter". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 44. In Latin, it is known as "Eructavit cor meum". It was composed by the sons of Korach on (or "according to") the shoshanim–either a musical instrument or the tune to which the psalm should be sung. The psalm has been interpreted as an epithalamium, or wedding song, written to a king on the day of his marriage to a foreign woman, and is one of the royal psalms.

The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies.

Background

According to classical Jewish sources, Psalm 45 refers to the Jewish Messiah. According to Metzudot, a classical Jewish commentary, the king mentioned in verse 2 is the Jewish Messiah.

Christian scholars frequently interpret the psalm as a Messianic prophecy. Henry explains the prophecy as referring to Jesus as both the future king and a bridegroom of the church. In Hebrews 1:8–9, verses 6–7 of this psalm are quoted as allusions to Jesus.

Themes

Shoshanim (lilys) can refer to either a musical instrument shaped like a lily (shoshana in Hebrew), or the tune to which the psalm should be sung. Rashi proposes that the term refers to Torah scholars, and interprets the rest of the psalm according to the scholars' efforts in and reward for Torah study.

Jesuit writer Mitchell Dahood asserts that the psalm is an epithalamium, or a wedding song, written to a king on the day of his marriage to a foreign woman, and is one of the royal psalms. Die Bibel mit Erklärungen states that Psalm 45 is the only example of profane poetry in the Psalms and was composed and sung by a minstrel or cult prophets on the occasion of the marriage of the king. In the 19th century, Franz Delitzsch argued that the poem was written on the occasion of Jehoram of Judah's marriage to Athaliah; John Calvin and Alexander Kirkpatrick both maintained that it referred rather to the marriage of Solomon with an Egyptian princess. More recently, Near Eastern scholar Charles R. Krahmalkov posits that the wedding of Jezebel and Ahab was the likely occasion, reading verse 14 as originally referring not to a "King's daughter who is within" but a "daughter of the King of the Phoenicians (Pōnnīma)".

Charles Spurgeon, however, rejects purely historical interpretations, stating: "Maschil, an instructive ode, not an idle lay, or a romancing ballad, but a Psalm of holy teaching, didactic and doctrinal. This proves that it is to be spiritually understood. … This is no wedding song of earthly nuptials, but an Epithalamium for the Heavenly Bridegroom and his elect spouse." Calvin also explicitly links the Psalm to the spiritual marriage between Christ and the Church.

Verse 14 in the Hebrew, "All the glory of the king's daughter is within", encapsulates the import of tzniut (modesty) in Judaism. The Midrash Tanhuma teaches on this verse, "If a woman remains modestly at home, she is worthy that both her husband and children are Kohanim Gedolim [who wear golden clothes]."

Although this is the only Psalm in which women are given a sustained presence, it has received criticism for its fairy-tale depiction of the bride's expected subservience to a handsome and powerful king.

Text

Hebrew

The following table shows the Hebrew text of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

Verse	Hebrew	English translation (JPS 1917)
1	לַמְנַצֵּ֣חַ עַל־שֹׁ֭שַׁנִּים לִבְנֵי־קֹ֑רַח מַ֝שְׂכִּ֗יל שִׁ֣יר יְדִידֹֽת׃‎	For the Leader; upon Shoshannim; [a Psalm] of the sons of Korah. Maschil. A Song of loves.
2	רָ֘חַ֤שׁ לִבִּ֨י ׀ דָּ֘בָ֤ר ט֗וֹב אֹמֵ֣ר אָ֭נִי מַעֲשַׂ֣י לְמֶ֑לֶךְ לְ֝שׁוֹנִ֗י עֵ֤ט ׀ סוֹפֵ֬ר מָהִֽיר׃‎	My heart overfloweth with a goodly matter; I say: 'My work is concerning a king'; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
3	יׇפְיָפִ֡יתָ מִבְּנֵ֬י אָדָ֗ם ה֣וּצַק חֵ֭ן בְּשִׂפְתוֹתֶ֑יךָ עַל־כֵּ֤ן בֵּֽרַכְךָ֖ אֱלֹהִ֣ים לְעוֹלָֽם׃‎	Thou art fairer than the children of men; Grace is poured upon thy lips; Therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.
4	חֲגֽוֹר־חַרְבְּךָ֣ עַל־יָרֵ֣ךְ גִּבּ֑וֹר ה֝וֹדְךָ֗ וַהֲדָרֶֽךָ׃‎	Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O mighty one, Thy glory and thy majesty.
5	וַהֲדָ֬רְךָ֨ ׀ צְלַ֬ח רְכַ֗ב עַֽל־דְּבַר־אֱ֭מֶת וְעַנְוָה־צֶ֑דֶק וְתוֹרְךָ֖ נוֹרָא֣וֹת יְמִינֶֽךָ׃‎	And in thy majesty prosper, ride on, In behalf of truth and meekness and righteousness; And let thy right hand teach thee tremendous things.
6	חִצֶּ֗יךָ שְׁנ֫וּנִ֥ים עַ֭מִּים תַּחְתֶּ֣יךָ יִפְּל֑וּ בְּ֝לֵ֗ב אוֹיְבֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃‎	Thine arrows are sharp— The peoples fall under thee— [They sink] into the heart of the king's enemies.
7	כִּסְאֲךָ֣ אֱ֭לֹהִים עוֹלָ֣ם וָעֶ֑ד שֵׁ֥בֶט מִ֝ישֹׁ֗ר שֵׁ֣בֶט מַלְכוּתֶֽךָ׃‎	Thy throne given of God is for ever and ever; A sceptre of equity is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
8	אָהַ֣בְתָּ צֶּדֶק֮ וַתִּשְׂנָ֫א־רֶ֥שַׁע עַל־כֵּ֤ן ׀ מְשָׁחֲךָ֡ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֱ֭לֹהֶיךָ שֶׁ֥מֶן שָׂשׂ֗וֹן מֵחֲבֵרֶֽךָ׃‎	Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness; Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee With the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
9	מֹר־וַאֲהָל֣וֹת קְ֭צִיעוֹת כׇּל־בִּגְדֹתֶ֑יךָ מִֽן־הֵ֥יכְלֵי שֵׁ֝֗ן מִנִּ֥י שִׂמְּחֽוּךָ׃‎	Myrrh, and aloes, and cassia are all thy garments; Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made thee glad.
10	בְּנ֣וֹת מְ֭לָכִים בְּיִקְּרוֹתֶ֑יךָ נִצְּבָ֥ה שֵׁגַ֥ל לִ֝ימִינְךָ֗ בְּכֶ֣תֶם אוֹפִֽיר׃‎	Kings' daughters are among thy favourites; At thy right hand doth stand the queen in gold of Ophir.
11	שִׁמְעִי־בַ֣ת וּ֭רְאִי וְהַטִּ֣י אׇזְנֵ֑ךְ וְשִׁכְחִ֥י עַ֝מֵּ֗ךְ וּבֵ֥ית אָבִֽיךְ׃‎	'Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; Forget also thine own people, and thy father's house;
12	וְיִתְאָ֣ו הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ יׇפְיֵ֑ךְ כִּי־ה֥וּא אֲ֝דֹנַ֗יִךְ וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִי־לֽוֹ׃‎	So shall the king desire thy beauty; For he is thy lord; and do homage unto him. .
13	וּבַֽת־צֹ֨ר ׀ בְּ֭מִנְחָה פָּנַ֥יִךְ יְחַלּ֗וּ עֲשִׁ֣ירֵי עָֽם׃‎	And, O daughter of Tyre, the richest of the people Shall entreat thy favour with a gift.'
14	כׇּל־כְּבוּדָּ֣ה בַת־מֶ֣לֶךְ פְּנִ֑ימָה מִֽמִּשְׁבְּצ֖וֹת זָהָ֣ב לְבוּשָֽׁהּ׃‎
15	לִרְקָמוֹת֮ תּוּבַ֢ל לַ֫מֶּ֥לֶךְ בְּתוּל֣וֹת אַ֭חֲרֶיהָ רֵעוֹתֶ֑יהָ מ֖וּבָא֣וֹת לָֽךְ׃‎	She shall be led unto the king on richly woven stuff; The virgins her companions in her train being brought unto thee.
16	תּ֭וּבַלְנָה בִּשְׂמָחֹ֣ת וָגִ֑יל תְּ֝בֹאֶ֗ינָה בְּהֵ֣יכַל מֶֽלֶךְ׃‎	They shall be led with gladness and rejoicing; They shall enter into the king's palace.
17	תַּ֣חַת אֲ֭בֹתֶיךָ יִהְי֣וּ בָנֶ֑יךָ תְּשִׁיתֵ֥מוֹ לְ֝שָׂרִ֗ים בְּכׇל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃‎	Instead of thy fathers shall be thy sons, Whom thou shalt make princes in all the land.
18	אַזְכִּ֣ירָה שִׁ֭מְךָ בְּכׇל־דֹּ֣ר וָדֹ֑ר עַל־כֵּ֥ן עַמִּ֥ים יְ֝הוֹד֗וּךָ לְעֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃‎	I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations; Therefore shall the peoples praise thee for ever and ever.

Septuagint

The following table shows the Koine Greek text in the Septuagint, along with an English translation from the Septuagint by L. C. L. Brenton. In the Septuagint, this psalm is numbered Psalm 44.

Verse	Septuagint	English translation (Brenton 1844)
1	Εἰς τὸ τέλος, ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀλλοιωθησομένων· τοῖς υἱοῖς Κορὲ εἰς σύνεσιν· ᾠδὴ ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ. -	[For the end, for alternate [strains] by the sons of Core; for instruction, a Song concerning the beloved.]
2	ΕΞΗΡΕΥΞΑΤΟ ἡ καρδία μου λόγον ἀγαθόν, λέγω ἐγὼ τὰ ἔργα μου τῷ βασιλεῖ, ἡ γλῶσσά μου κάλαμος γραμματέως ὀξυγράφου.	My heart has uttered a good matter: I declare my works to the king: my tongue is the pen of a quick writer.
3	ὡραῖος κάλλει παρὰ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἐξεχύθη χάρις ἐν χείλεσί σου· διὰ τοῦτο εὐλόγησέ σε ὁ Θεὸς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.	Thou art more beautiful than the sons of men: grace has been shed forth on thy lips: therefore God has blessed thee for ever.
4	περίζωσαι τὴν ῥομφαίαν σου ἐπὶ τὸν μηρόν σου, δυνατέ, τῇ ὡραιότητί σου καὶ τῷ κάλλει σου	Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O Mighty One, in thy comeliness, and in thy beauty;
5	καὶ ἔντεινον καὶ κατευοδοῦ καὶ βασίλευε ἕνεκεν ἀληθείας καὶ πρᾳότητος καὶ δικαιοσύνης, καὶ ὁδηγήσει σε θαυμαστῶς ἡ δεξιά σου.	and bend [thy bow], and prosper, and reign, because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall guide thee wonderfully.
6	τὰ βέλη σου ἠκονημένα, δυνατέ —λαοὶ ὑποκάτω σου πεσοῦνται— ἐν καρδίᾳ τῶν ἐχθρῶν τοῦ βασιλέως.	Thy weapons are sharpened, Mighty One, (the nations shall fall under thee) [they are] in the heart of the king’s enemies.
7	ὁ θρόνος σου, ὁ Θεός, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος, ράβδος εὐθύτητος ἡ ῥάβδος τῆς βασιλείας σου.	Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a sceptre of righteousness.
8	ἠγάπησας δικαιοσύνην καὶ ἐμίσησας ἀνομίαν· διὰ τοῦτο ἔχρισέ σε ὁ Θεὸς ὁ Θεός σου ἔλαιον ἀγαλλιάσεως παρὰ τοὺς μετόχους σου.	Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity: therefore God, thy God, has anointed thee with the oil of gladness beyond thy fellows.
9	σμύρνα καὶ στακτὴ καὶ κασσία ἀπὸ τῶν ἱματίων σου ἀπὸ βάρεων ἐλεφαντίνων, ἐξ ὧν εὔφρανάν σε.	Myrrh, and stacte, and cassia [are exhaled] from thy garments, [and] out of the ivory palaces,
10	θυγατέρας βασιλέων ἐν τῇ τιμῇ σου· παρέστη ἡ βασίλισσα ἐκ δεξιῶν σου ἐν ἱματισμῷ διαχρύσῳ περιβεβλημένη, πεποικιλμένη.	with which kings’ daughters have gladdened thee for thine honour: the queen stood by on thy right hand, clothed in vesture wrought with gold, and] arrayed in divers colours.
11	ἄκουσον, θύγατερ, καὶ ἴδε καὶ κλῖνον τὸ οὖς σου καὶ ἐπιλάθου τοῦ λαοῦ σου καὶ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρός σου·	Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline thine ear; forget also thy people, and thy father’s house.
12	καὶ ἐπιθυμήσει ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῦ κάλλους σου, ὅτι αὐτός ἐστι Κύριός σου,	Because the king has desired thy beauty; for he is thy Lord.
13	καὶ προσκυνήσεις αὐτῷ. καὶ θυγάτηρ Τύρου ἐν δώροις· τὸ πρόσωπόν σου λιτανεύσουσιν οἱ πλούσιοι τοῦ λαοῦ.	And the daughter of Tyre shall adore him with gifts; the rich of the people of the land shall supplicate thy favour.
14	πᾶσα ἡ δόξα τῆς θυγατρὸς τοῦ βασιλέως ἔσωθεν, ἐν κροσσωτοῖς χρυσοῖς περιβεβλημένη, πεποικιλμένη.	All her glory [is that] of the daughter of the king of Esebon, robed [as she is] in golden fringed garments,
15	ἀπενεχθήσονται τῷ βασιλεῖ παρθένοι ὀπίσω αὐτῆς, αἱ πλησίον αὐτῆς ἀπενεχθήσονταί σοι·	in embroidered [clothing]: virgins shall be brought to the king after her: her fellows shall be brought to thee.
16	ἀπενεχθήσονται ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ καὶ ἀγαλλιάσει, ἀχθήσονται εἰς ναὸν βασιλέως.	They shall be brought with gladness and exultation: they shall be led into the king’s temple.
17	ἀντὶ τῶν πατέρων σου ἐγενήθησαν υἱοί σου· καταστήσεις αὐτοὺς ἄρχοντας ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν.	Instead of thy fathers children are born to thee: thou shalt make them princes over all the earth.
18	μνησθήσομαι τοῦ ὀνόματός σου ἐν πάσῃ γενεᾷ καὶ γενεᾷ· διὰ τοῦτο λαοὶ ἐξομολογήσονταί σοι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος.	They shall make mention of thy name from generation to generation: therefore shall the nations give thanks to thee for ever, even for ever and ever.

King James Version

1. My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
2. Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.
3. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.
4. And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.
5. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under thee.
6. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.
7. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
8. All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.
9. Kings' daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.
10. Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house;
11. So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.
12. And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall intreat thy favour.
13. The king's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold.
14. She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee.
15. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king's palace.
16. Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth.
17. I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.

Revised Standard Version

The verse marking for this psalm in the Revised Standard Version (RSV) differs from that used in other translations.

Uses

Judaism

In the Siddur Avodas Yisrael, Psalm 45 is recited as a Song of the Day on Shabbat Chayei Sarah and Shabbat Pekudei.

This psalm is said as a general prayer for the end of the exile and the coming of the Mashiach.

New Testament

Verses 6 and 7 are quoted in the Epistle to the Hebrews 1:8–9.

Catholic Church

Since the early Middle Ages, monasteries have traditionally performed this psalm during the celebration of Monday matins, according to the Rule of St. Benedict (530). In modern times in the Liturgy of the Hours, Psalm 45 is sung or recited, in two parts, at Vespers on Monday of the second week of the four-weekly cycle, and at the midday office on Saturday of the fourth week. The portion of the Psalm which refers to the 'Queen, in gold of Ophir' is also one of the set readings for mass on the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Book of Common Prayer

In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, this psalm is appointed to be read on the morning of the ninth day of the month, as well as at Mattins on Christmas Day.

Musical settings

Heinrich Schütz wrote a setting of a paraphrase of Psalm 45 in German, "Mein Herz dichtet ein Lied mit Fleiß", SWV 142, for the Becker Psalter, published first in 1628.

Interpretations

The Russian icon "The Queen stands at your right hand", Dormition Cathedral, Moscow, illustrating the Christian interpretation of Psalm 45, making Jesus a king and his mother Mary a queen

There have been a number of suggestions as to the location of Ophir. One such is the west coast of Hispaniola found by Christopher Columbus, "from whence at this time is brought most fine gold".

The "Queen of gold of Ophir" has been variously interpreted to mean a mother of the king of Israel, Israel itself, the Christian Church, or the Virgin Mary.

Sources

• Dahood, Mitchell (1966), Psalms I: 1–50, Anchor Bible Series, Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co
• Falk, Rabbi Pesach Eliyahu (1998). Modesty, an Adornment for Life: Halachos and Attitudes Concerning Tznius of Dress & Conduct. Feldheim Publishers. p. 560. ISBN 9780873068741.
• Kirkpatrick, A.F. (1901), The Book of Psalms, The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, Cambridge University Press
• Rhodes, Arnold B. (1960), The Book of Psalms, The Layman's Bible Commentary, Richmond, VA: John Knox Press

Further reading

• Brooke Lemmons Deal (2007). Divine Queenship and Psalm 45. ISBN 978-1-109-08292-0.

External links

• Pieces with text from Psalm 45: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
• Psalm 45: Free scores at the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
• Text of Psalm 45 according to the 1928 Psalter
• Psalms Chapter 45 Archived 2021-05-09 at the Wayback Machine text in Hebrew and English, mechon-mamre.org
• For the leader; according to "Lilies." A maskil of the Korahites. A love song. / My heart is stirred by a noble theme text and footnotes, usccb.org United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Psalm 45:1 introduction and text, biblestudytools.com
• Psalm 45 enduringword.com
• Psalm 45 / Refrain: Behold our defender, O God, and look upon the face of your anointed. Church of England
• Psalm 45 at biblegateway.com
• Hymns for Psalm 45 hymnary.org