"Your Throne, O God, Is Forever"
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Intro:
Self: Already did liturgy welcome…
Topic: Bittersweet week… Psalms Kickoff series
Text: Not like the past three
Transition: This psalm comes up out of the pit of despair and into a wedding celebration! We see this in the title of this Psalm. We often gloss over these titles in our english bibles and just start at verse 1
Psalm 45
To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah; a love song.
We often gloss over these titles…
However, When looking up the Psalms in a Hebrew Bible, the verses are always one off!
Verse 1 in our english bible is actually verse 2 in a Hebrew bible
Why? Because they have the title as verse 1! These are not assigned titles, as is the ESV’s title for , “Your Throne, O God, Is Forever.”
The Psalms title is original with the Psalm. So the Hebrew tradition is to take it as inspired text and thus, verse 1.
However, no worries, I’ll be using the english this morning.
But, i do want to draw your attention to the title.
In the title you find to whom it is addressed and often, though not always, it’s authorship and sometimes even it’s occasion was preserved in the original.
Think about how important these titles can be to understanding the occasion of the Psalm.
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
We know exactly of which transgressions David is referring to, because of the title. It is David, and his sins are that he committed adultery and murder.
which is a very helpful context when readying
its all the more powerful when knowing who it is and what his sins are, that he still thinks God could have mercy on a sinner like him.
and indeed, God does.
So, then what does our title in tell us about the Psalm we are in today?
To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah; a love song.
A love song?
My heart overflows with a pleasing theme;
I address my verses to the king;
my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.
There are not many of those in the couldn’t find any. There are a lot of psalms talking about the love of God, but none that say in the title… this is a love song!
The closest resemblance would perhaps be the Song of Solomon. In which Husband and wife sing of their love and devotion to one another. Many have written books on the song of Solomon to teach us how to have a vibrant and healthy marriage.
the Song of Solomon. In which Husband and wife sing of their love and devotion to one another. Many have written books on the song of Solomon to teach us how to have a vibrant and healthy marriage. Commentators argue if the Song of Solomon is suppose to teach us something about Christ and His Bride, the church! Solomon had many wives, but his love and devotion is reserved particularly for his beloved, which many scholars argue, is Christ and His Church.
Commentators argue if the Song of Solomon is suppose to teach us something about Christ and His Bride, the church! Solomon had many wives, but his love and devotion is reserved particularly for his beloved, which many scholars argue, is Christ and the particular love he has for His Church.
Notice the similarities of our Psalm to the Song of Solomon…
The description of the king…
We are told of how good looking the king is… and if you’ve read the song of Solomon you know it has a lot in there about good looks.
You are the most handsome of the sons of men;
grace is poured upon your lips;
therefore God has blessed you forever.
Good looking, good speaker, and...
Now that will make a guys feel good.
We are even told of how good he smells…
your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;
Likewise we are told of the Queens beauty, and how she stands head above the other women
daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;
at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.
Psalm 45:9
Think Cleopatra.
Psalm 45:
All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold.
And we are told of the Kings desire for her beauty in verse 11.
and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him.
And again, the title makes it clear, that this is a love song. This wedding would put all other weddings to shame. The bride and groom are radiant.
To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah; a love song.
The early church fathers classified as an epi-tha-lamion. which is a Wedding Song.
Epithalamion is a song or poem written specifically for a bride on her way to the marital chamber. epithalamion in Greek, from epi, "upon," and thalamos, "bridal chamber."
includes the procession of the bride, with her bridal party, walking from her chamber into the Kings palace.
All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold.
In many-colored robes she is led to the king,
with her virgin companions following behind her.
With joy and gladness they are led along
as they enter the palace of the king.
Psalm 45:13
Do you see how could very well have been the Wedding Psalm of the two love birds in the Song of Solomon?
Well, if you do, as i do, see the connection, you would have to defend your position against those who say is not talking about King Solomon at all, thus nothing to do with song of Solomon, and certainly nothing to do with Christ and his Church.
We will spend much of our time combatting those nay-sayers, because getting a grasp on who this Psalm is talking about, is the best part about this psalm.
Let’s go ahead and read it one time through and I’ll tell why there is such a divided debate about this Psalm.
My greatest joy came from discovering who all these people were in this psalm. And then, what occasion, or wedding, is it referring.
To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah; a love song.
My heart overflows with a pleasing theme;
I address my verses to the king;
my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.
You are the most handsome of the sons of men;
grace is poured upon your lips;
therefore God has blessed you forever.
Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,
in your splendor and majesty!
In your majesty ride out victoriously
for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness;
let your right hand teach you awesome deeds!
Your arrows are sharp
in the heart of the king’s enemies;
the peoples fall under you.
Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;
you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;
daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;
at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.
Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:
forget your people and your father’s house,
and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him.
The people of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts,
the richest of the people.
All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold.
In many-colored robes she is led to the king,
with her virgin companions following behind her.
With joy and gladness they are led along
as they enter the palace of the king.
In place of your fathers shall be your sons;
you will make them princes in all the earth.
I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations;
therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.
Let’s start with the former.
So, what would the nay-sayers say?
They would grant you verse 2, and say that it’s true that Solomon spoke with grace upon his lips, in that he was able to reign in peace with all neighboring nations.
However, verses 3-5 sounds like Solomons Dad, David, not Solomon.
Thus, they say this is simply another Psalm about David, and let’s leave it at that.
Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,
in your splendor and majesty!
In your majesty ride out victoriously
for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness;
let your right hand teach you awesome deeds!
Your arrows are sharp
in the heart of the king’s enemies;
the peoples fall under you.
But, we would argued back, How did Solomon avoid all those wars?
He inter-married with gentile nations!
He married gentile Kings’ daughters to build relationships and keep the peace.
look at verse 9, 10, 11, 12.
daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;
at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.
daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;
at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.
Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:
forget your people and your father’s house,
and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him.
The people of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts,
the richest of the people.
Psalm 45:9
Those daughters of kings are not the bridal party. They come later in verse 14.
These daughters of kings are ladies of honor to the king.
His many wives he married to keep the peace with all the neighboring nations.
This is not David. It is Solomon!
The Queen here is shown as above all of them, clothed in the gold of Ophir, which is likely the Pharaoh’s daughter!
Whom, Solomon Married ()
Yes, even all powerful Egypt wanted peace with Israel.
On top of that: notice the warning given to the Queen. Verse 10-11. “hear O daughter.”
Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:
forget your people and your father’s house,
and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him.
Warning to the Queen to no longer be devoted to her fathers house, leave and cleave, especially if her father’s house worships the false gods of Egypt!
Warning to the King… that is likened to this warning.
“When you come to the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and then say, ‘I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,’
“When you come to the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and then say, ‘I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,’ you may indeed set a king over you whom the Lord your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.
“When you come to the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and then say, ‘I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,’ you may indeed set a king over you whom the Lord your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again.’ And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.
Deut
And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.
Solomon does both. He acquires excessive silver and gold...
1Kings 11:1-8
For the king had a fleet of ships of Tarshish at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the fleet of ships of Tarshish used to come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
And you know what they would sing as they entered the kings court?
Make way for Prince Ali!
When it comes to exotic type mammals, he’s got the lovely peacocks, and the monkeys? He’s got the monkeys. And oh he’s generous, so generous, to all the ladies.
And he got all this from a place called Ababwa, just kidding, he got a lot of it from Ophir and Tyre.
Psalm 45:
The people of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts,
the richest of the people.
Now Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for Hiram always loved David.
As soon as Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the Lord this day, who has given to David a wise son to be over this great people.”
And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.
And he sent them to Lebanon, 10,000 a month in shifts. They would be a month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the draft.
Solomon built his temple w/ the cedar of Tyre, the Gentile King. Solomons temple was all in gold. Coming from the Ships of Tarshish and King Hiram from the land of Ophir.
Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. And the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind. Every one of them brought his present, articles of silver and gold, garments, myrrh, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.
1Kings 10:23
1Kings 10:
Guess what comes after 1 Kings Chapter 10? Yup, 1 Kings Chapter 11 which says… with all these riches and treaties came all these wives, who turned Solomon’s heart away from the Lord.
Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. He had 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done. Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. And so he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods.
We often forget. Solomon not only built a temple for the Lord, he built temples for other gods too.
1Kings 11:9-
And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded. Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant. Yet for the sake of David your father I will not do it in your days, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem that I have chosen.”
And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice
And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice
Solomon built his temple w/ the cedar of Tyre, the Gentile King.
He then tore the kingdom in two, for Solomons heart was divided, so too his kingdom would be divided between his son and his servant, thus we get the northern and southern kingdoms.
Because his heart was divided, between the one true God and other gods, he divided his kingdom. A split, northern and southern.
There is plenty in this Psalm that makes it clear it is a wedding song, written for the wedding of Solomon and the princess of Egypt, warning her to forget her father’s house and her people, lest her heart and the heart of her husband be turned away from the LORD, however it is also clear that Solomon and his bride do not heed this warning.
So in that, i agree with the nay-sayers. This King in Psalm 45 seems more glorious than Solomon, and his bride more glorious than the daughter of Pharoah.
Because there is a greater Solomon coming, who will wage war to win his bride, and turn his bride’s heart away from worthless idols and cause her beauty to shine as she bows to her lord.
There is plenty in this Psalm that
I believe Psalm 45 is written during Solomon’s wedding, but is looking through it, to an even greater wedding to come, between Christ and His Church.
Why do I think a Greater Solomon is in view here?
Would you like for me to show you?
Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;
Psalm 45:6
This verse is quoted in
But of the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
In verse one, The Psalmist makes it clear that he is addressing his Psalm to the King!
My heart overflows with a pleasing theme;
I address my verses to the king;
my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.
Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;
So, how could he be addressing the King and God at the same time?
It is because he is addressing the SON OF DAVID
Psalm 45:
Anyone here know who is the SON OF DAVID?
Solomon or Jesus? The answer is… both. Jesus is the son of David, whose throne will last forever.
Jesus is the greater Solomon. The greater Solomon is God himself.
But of the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
So the author of hebrews says psalm 45 is speaking of Jesus, even though in the immediate context it looks like it is speaking of Solomon
Jesus is the greater Solomon. The second person of the Trinity. God the Son.
And God the Son is the King whose throne shall last forever!
It gets even more interesting in this Psalm. Because, if the King is God, than who is the one doing the anointing in the next verse?
Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;
you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
We actually witness here, the anointing of God the Son by God the Father on his wedding day! God the Father is anointing God the Son as King. (Did you know that the word here for anointed is “Messiah.” Messiah, means anointed one. By quoting , the author of Hebrews tells us that the Messiah, is anointed by God the Father, and is addressed as God the Son. THe Messiah is not only King, he is God. Chosen by and anointed by God the father.
If this doesn’t make your trinitarian head spin, let’s look at verse 1 again. We’ve got 2/3 persons of the trinity in , what about the Holy Spirit?
He’s the one filling up the heart of the psalmist and dictating to him as if he were a ready scribe…
My heart overflows with a pleasing theme;
I address my verses to the king;
my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.
My tongue, like a pen, my composition of , an overflow of my heart as a ready scribe. The Psalmist tells us, it is the Spirit who is speaking through me, I am but his scribe!
Who
So then, the Spirit of God uses the voice of the psalmist to prophecy of a future wedding through the lens of an ancient one. This is a truly incredible Psalm. Both poetic and prophetic in nature.
For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”?
Or again,
“I will be to him a father,
and he shall be to me a son”?
But of the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”
Let me summarize for you what I have learned form this love Psalm of the Triune God: This Psalm is God the Spirit, on the wedding day of God the Son, singing about the anointing of God the Father, serenading the bride in describing Jesus as more handsome than all the sons of men, his lips filled with grace, his majesty and splendor are like a chariot of glory that he rides into battle and comes back as the victorious King (vs. 1-5), he is the anointed one, anointed by God the Father himself, the Messiah, anointed with the oil of gladness, his rule: marked by righteousness and compassion, his robes smell of salvation, his praise: the worship of the nations playing on stringed instruments make him glad, his bride: gorgeous, at his right hand clothed in golden robes of many colors, (vs. 6-15) his throne: is forever, his name: is never forgotten, his praise: is sung by by all nations in every generation, because his children rule over all the earth (vs. 16-17).
This is a song to be sung for our all glorious all beautiful all wonderful all victorious King at the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Those who take Song of Solomon to be about Christ and His Church use our Psalm, , to support their view that King Solomon and his Queen.
What instruction can we gain from ? What application comes to your heart and mind? Perhaps we should only sit back and be in awe of great our God is.
Perhaps that’s why this Psalm comes after 3 Psalms of suffering and pain?
Perhaps it’s, as Paul says,
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
What Glory?
Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready;
it was granted her to clothe herself
with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
The marriage supper of the lamb with his bride!
Victorious King riding on his White Horse tattooed on his thigh is the name King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
, The New Jerusalem coming out of heaven as a bride adorn for her husband
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Revelation 19:11-
Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
When God and his bride come back together, all pain and suffering will cease.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.
Revelation 21:1-
This sounds like an
Epithalamion is a song or poem written specifically for a bride on her way to the marital chamber.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - Triune God - bringing all of history to a close. And all of life ends, the final scene, roll the credits, is a wedding celebration.
A bride is coming to dwell with her bridegroom adorn for her husband with gold and precious jewels
Accompanied by a marriage supper and party to follow
A king who rides out victoriously defeating the enemy
Who then brings about the end of all sin, and pain and suffering, wiping away every tear from their eyes
Jesus is a king greater in war than David, who brings about greater peace than Solomon.
And as sons we reign with him!
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
And who marries a greater bride than the princess of Egypt.
In place of your fathers shall be your sons;
you will make them princes in all the earth.
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
Chiastic Structure: Verse 16 ties back to verse 10
Romans 8:
and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
In place of your fathers shall be your sons;
you will make them princes in all the earth.
Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:
forget your people and your father’s house,
Psalms 45:
The sons of Solomon and the Queen will rule in the place of her fathers. Not only in Egypt but in all the earth. The sons of the king will reign with him, but not apart from suffering. There is now crown without first a cross. No resurrection without a death. We will not enter the Kingdom of God, without tears, if we did, he would have no need to wipe them away.
The church will labor. Suffer. In trials and tribulations of all kinds, but well worth it.
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
romans 8:16
We suffer for the sake of Christ, considered to be sheep lead to the slaughter, though truly we are more than conquers through Christ who raised victoriously over the grave.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
No matter the trial we must remember that we have been made children of God, as sons, we are heirs, as heirs we reign with him, as his bride we shall long for and love his appearing.
And consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us…
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
I hope that has caused you to say, WOW!
There is but one warning we are given in , God the Spirit says three times, as does Jesus to Peter, do you love me?
If, King Solomon represents Christ, than the church is his bride, and verses 10-11 are also directed at us.
Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:
forget your people and your father’s house,
and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him.
Psalm 45:10
Hear, Consider, incline your ear…
Forget your people
Your Father’s house
He is your Lord, bow to him.
Do not let your heart be torn in two, you must love God above all.
Do you love God more than any other?
Has there been anything this week that has drawn your heart away from the Lord?
Has there been anything this week that has drawn your heart away from the Lord? What about this past few months or year?
Has there been anything this week that has drawn your heart away from the Lord? What about this past few months or year?
Has there been anything this week that has drawn your heart away from the Lord? What about this past few months or year?
What about this past few months or year?
Hear, consider, incline your ear!
Forget about that old way of life
Forget about those old desires
Forget about those old pursuits
Forget about your father Adam… you must die to those old impulses and ways of thinking
Who are you living for?
Do you notice that you have two masters?
No one can serve two masters. You will serve the one and hate the other.
I use to love listening the Song, hello fear by Kirk Franklin.
“I’m no longer your prisoner. Each day i remember. Apart from you is where I belong. Goodbye, so long fair well.”
You will view God and his church as thorn in your side. Nagging you, over burdening you, if you are too busy serving your other master, a request from your true Master will produce hatred in your heart. Like Joshua Harris, you will Hate God for the claim he makes on your life, if indeed, you really are serving another master. Than you can kiss jesus goodbye.
Forget those old ways, old habits, old sins, old attitudes, old masters.
Forget about all that might draw your heart away from your God and King
Do not forgot your first love?
Why will all of history end with a wedding? And a love song during the credits?
Because that is what God has been about throughout all the OT. What will the new creation look like, it will look like every person loving God will all their heart soul mind and strength and loving their neighbor as themself.
No that does not mean we will all affirm each others sins and self-identification. We will love God and all that God loves and hate all that God hates
We will love God, as God has loved us, and we love each other, as God has loved us.
We may be tempted to feel bad for the queen is , and thus feel bad for ourselves. Forget her fathers house? And her people? How terrible…
And I suppose we would think that when we see God’s blessings as of more worth than God himself.
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
I suppose we would feel like we’ve given up a lot to follow Christ, if we believe our achievements are better than his grace.
Yeah poor queen, to have to lose so much, to gain so little.
Paul, would count his gain as loss, and his loss as gain.
He would lose it all to gain a righteousness that causes him to stand at the right hand of the king, a righteousness more pure than the gold of Ophir.
He would gladly forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead, pressing on toward the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Phil 3:4-
Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
-40
Philippians 3:
I know Christ. Christ knows me. There is nothing else I boast in.
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
I think some of us need to pause and remember to whom we are married. Remember how good we have it. And how good we will have it when he returns. For our present sufferings will not even be worthy of comparison when such glory is revealed, and the ending credit begin to roll, and the wedding songs begin to play.
Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
May we remember the tune of this psalm as we forget what we have left behind in our death to sin, and rise up in procession to the palace of the King.
Phil
37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment.39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
Those who take Song of Solomon to be about Christ and His Church use our Psalm, , to support their view that King Solomon and his Queen are clearly illustrating something greater than themselves.