Psalm 45

What is our connection to the King of heaven, the Lord over His worshiping people? Is He someone who has what we want, who can be persuaded to give us daily happiness if we say the right words and do what He commands? That would make Him like a rich elderly relation. If we marry the wrong person, or disgrace His Name, we could be disowned. If that were the way we were encouraged to think about the Lord, we would need to at least pretend to love Him and respect Him in order to stay in His good graces, but we would not consider our relationship truly warm or close, only necessary.

God has something else in mind for us. He is our Husband, and we are His bride. He cleaves to us and will not let us go. He is our delight, and He rejoices over us with singing. He will never leave us nor forsake us.

It is good for us to reflect on this good relationship. If we will continue to love our Messiah King and God even when we do not seem to receive from Him all our immediate requests, we will demonstrate a genuine admiration of and affection for the Lord that can only be proven through the tests of adversity.

The theme of the Messiah, our Savior, the Ruler of the Kingdom of God, and the Husband of the Church, stirs up our souls with captivating love. He is so worthy of our highest praise. We address our hearts and our voices to Him who knows the truth of what is in a man, and who loves us with an everlasting love.

What is so great about our Lord? He has the beauty and splendor of perfect holiness, wisdom, and power. Grace proceeds from His lips. We hear His words of forgiveness and restoration and are reassured that He is ours and we are His. He is loved perfectly by His divine Father because of His spotless achievements that were necessary to secure our salvation. He laid down His life for us, and He has taken it up again.

Our heavenly Husband is a mighty warrior. He can protect us from every adversary who would desire to sift us as wheat. More important than our prayers to Him are His prayers for us. He keeps us in a pathway that only He fully knows. At the end of that journey, we will be with Him in the glory of His palace. He will not allow us to permanently fall into the hands of the one who would seek our eternal death. We are His chosen bride, and He loves us.

Not only does He care for us, He also maintains an environment in heaven, a world to come of perfect truth and righteousness. On earth, He is teaching us the value of meekness, and is leading us in a good way, though through times of testing and growth. He is able to perform extraordinary wonders, and will defeat all His and our enemies at just the right time.

This Messiah King is God the Son, and His throne is forever and ever. There is nothing lacking in His eternal purpose. We wait to see His kingdom come, and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Our Husband/King rejoices to find us growing in holiness, because His heart loves righteousness and hates wickedness. He has been anointed by His Father with the fulness of the Holy Spirit, the oil of gladness. To be near the Son of God is to see the beauty of holiness and to take in the most lovely fragrance of righteousness. His kingdom above must be the most wonderful combination of inner beauty and solid outward majesty far beyond that of Solomon.

The Lord's people here may face distress for a moment, but He has a lasting place for us above, a mansion of glory. The musicians are tuning up for our arrival even now. He will not leave His beloved ones to suffer forever at the hands of our enemies. He knows that we are of the dust, and He will take us to safety in a moment if He judges that to be best according to His eternal purpose.

There we will be in the finest company of those who have gone before us. Now on earth their bodies may rest in the grave, but in heaven they are with the King of Glory.

In the present clouds of trial and discouragement, some are tempted to have second thoughts about our King. Do we need an extra word of recommendation, a reminder from the One that our souls really do love? Have we forgotten how to sing hymns while chained in prison? That can happen. Not everyone is as strong as Paul and Barnabas at Philippi. Some weep on their comfortable beds at night and they entertain doubts about ivory palaces that cannot yet be seen. They pray for the salvation of others and grow weak with longing. They want answered prayers more than they want the divine Husband of their dreams. Even they will not be abandoned by Him, though their hearts become so severely damaged that they hardly know their Lord.

We need not hurt ourselves today with such discouragements. Our King who died to save us lives forever to bring us home. He does love us. Forget your life here on earth for a moment and even your highest joys that you have known in the past. Gaze upon your Husband King through the Word given to you this day. He is making everything beautiful in its time, even you. You will be fruitful and blessed in His house. Love Him, long for Him, sing to Him, and find a present joy that begins to overwhelm the moment of darkness that has so tried your soul.

Bow to your Lord. The future He has won for you is full of the richest blessings. He is powerful to save to the uttermost, and He delights in you.