Psalm 45 — A Wedding Hymn

Well aware that the Word is the Son of God, the psalmist sings in 45 in the voice of the Father, "My heart has uttered a good Word."

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

This psalm is unique in that it is a royal wedding song. The first part addresses, the bridegroom who is also the king. The second part addresses the bride, of course the queen. Jewish tradition read the paslm as a prophecy of the Messiah. The Church took up that thinking and applied it to Jesus, the Messiah, with the Church being his bride.

David Foresees the Mystic Marriage of Christ and the Church

There is so much excellent commentary from the Church Fathers on this psalm that it is difficult to know what to share here. I have picked one that mostly talks about how this psalm calls Jesus fairest of humankind while Isaiah (53:2-3) talking about the Suffering Servant (also understood to be about Christ the Messiah) says that he had no beauty of majesty. It reconciles the two passages by looking to the inner meaning. I found it really interesting. 

45:2 The Fairest of Humankind

His Form. Chrysostom: How, then, does another inspired author say, "We saw him: he had no form or beauty; instead, his form was dishonorable, of no importance beside human beings. He is not speaking about deformity—God forbid—but about an object of scorn. You see, once having deigned to become human, he went through every demeaning experience, not choosing a queen for his mother, not placed in a bed of gold at the time of swaddling clothers but in a manger, not reared in an affluent home but in an artisan's humble dwelling. Again, when he picked disciples, he did not pick orators and philosophers and kings but fishermen and tax collectors. He shared this simple life, not owning a house or clad in rich clothing or enjoying similar a similar fate, but nourished at others' expense, insulted, scorned, driven out, pursued. Now he did this to trample underfoot human conceit in fine style. So, since he did not fit himself out in any pomp or circumstance or attach to himself hangers on or bodyguards, but went about at times alone, like any ordinary person, thus that suthor said, "We saw him, and he had no form or beauty," whereas the psalmist sayd, "Comely to behold beyond all human beings," suggesting grace, wisdom, teaching, miracles. Then to underline the comeliness he says, "Grace streamed out on your lips."

Chrysostom's Commentary on the Psalms 45
Psalms 1-50 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture)

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An index of psalm posts is here.