As in other psalms, this one has a historical and prophetic view. The psalmist described the marriage of a king’s son as a historical event. It represents the return of our Lord Jesus Christ in glory in the prophetical sense. There are lessons to be learned in both events as we think of the dignity, honor, and purity expected in an earthly marriage of royalty. Respect does not eliminate joy and gladness in a marriage. It sets a standard for what is demonstrated at a wedding. It is no laughing matter or place for jokes when two people are united for life by vows to each other before the witnesses and God. When our Lord comes in all of His royal glory, the whole world will observe the dignity and honor of this heavenly Bridegroom.
The psalm writer knows how to put the words of his heart down on paper to be read. He speaks only very briefly of himself, but it is obvious his feelings about the king and the coming King were like a fountain of thoughts that were springing up and overflowing with good and significant things. He was compelled to write as a record what he thought and saw, and did so as a skilled scribe. So, the first verse is a dedication of the song to the King.
The next subject is the Groom. He was handsome. He was graceful in his speech and majestic in how he carried himself. He was righteous in his rule and powerful as a military leader. He was wise and spiritual in his choices and was regal in his garments as one would be in his courtroom appearance. This description of a mere man may seem to be an exaggeration, but as a description of our Lord Jesus Christ, it seems more appropriate. Hebrews chapter one clarifies that this psalm is messianic, pointing directly to our Lord.
His Person and Power are described in this psalm when He comes as the Messiah of Israel and the King who takes the throne and reigns. The moral glory of our Lord is reflected in His character, words, and ways. His words are both words of grace and condemnation. Truth, the corresponding of a statement with the facts, is what He speaks. His meekness and righteousness are power under control that brings victory and condemnation. His authority will be prominent, and the way He will appear will be such that the whole world will be startled when He comes. People today are not used to hearing the truth. Meekness is not accepted as an appropriate leadership characteristic. Righteousness is so foreign to people today that even long- standing law standards are rejected, misinterpreted, and changed.
When our Lord is revealed in His glory, He is not only coming as a victor, but He will be a judge dispensing justice; he has all power, and there is no authority greater than He is. His glory is that of deity because he is God, the Son of God, and the Messiah of God. His throne is eternal. His kingdom is forever. The victory of the cross over sin, death, and hell has brought eternal gladness to all who have trusted Him, and in His own joy, He will see the travail of His soul and be satisfied. Even while living here among sinful men when He was despised and rejected, the personal and moral fragrance of our Lord and His life is not passing.
Following the song's dedication to the King and the descriptions of the Heavenly Bridegroom, the Bride is given advice. It would have been given to an earthly bride married to a prince. How much more should it be given to the Bride of Christ? Each believer needs to know that we have a role to fill in the royal family of God. We are to be submissive to the King and loyal to those who belong to the King as part of that responsibility. Whether the bride referred to in the psalm is Israel, as some believe, when His chosen earthly people are finally brought into holy fellowship with their King, or is the church which is referred to in the New Testament as “the bride of the Lamb,” the point to be made is that those people belong to the King. They are associated with Him
The church is our Lord’s heavenly and eternal bride. The “friends of the Bridegroom” will rejoice when that marriage supper occurs. The world will rejoice with the Bridegroom-King and His bride as peace lasts for one thousand years. The promise to Abraham will be fulfilled, and “all nations of the earth shall be blessed” when the King reigns with His bride at His side. There is moral and spiritual glory within the bride, which is her glory, not her physical beauty, which is hers personally or because of her glorious adornments. The outward attraction reflects the honor and authority of the King. That which is bodily is suitable to bring glory to Him.
Then comes the entrance, the processional. There is dignity and honor that are appropriate for the marriage of the King. The bride's clothing and attendants are suited to the occasion and the persons involved in the marriage. It will be such that the whole world will remember that day to “all generations.” This psalm describes marriage in physical terms that took place some time in Israel’s history, but in a far more excellent and more important way, it tells the marriage of our Lord Jesus Christ when He comes. Blessing will come to Israel, His chosen earthly people. That blessing will extend to all the nations of the earth. The bride will be beautiful when there is no sin. The one thousand years of peace will be a wonderful millennium, even though there will be an event at the end that proves once and for all that man left on his own, without submission to the Lord in his heart, will fail and fall. When faith is real, salvation is real.
The last words of the psalm are in anticipation of generations to come that will carry on the King’s name forever. The kingdom of our Lord is eternal. His name will be remembered as representing the character, reputation, nature, and attributes of the King and those who belong to Him. He came to earth for the first time, bringing joy and gladness to those who believe in Him. At His second coming, there will be real “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.” There are examples of brides in the scripture that let us know we do not belong to the world and are not to love the world. We have been saved from it spiritually and will be physically. We belong to the Lord now and forever. Whether the interpretation of this psalm is that the bride is Israel or the bride is the church is beyond my ability to say dogmatically. But we know the bride will be beautiful when there is no sin, and the Lord Jesus is, and always will be, “Fairer than all the children of men.”