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.

During these and sometimes other studies, I go back and forth between the KJV, NKJV, NASB, and sometimes the ESV. I am the most familiar with the KJV because I have been using it for 30 years, but these translations shed light on each other.

The above is from the KJV, but the introductory note in my NASB say, “A Song Celebrating the King’s Marriage. For the choir director; according to the Shoshannim. A Maskil of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love.” These are the psalmist’s meditations about the King’s marriage, and he is eager to share them. Ephesians 5:31-33 tells us that marriage is a picture representing the relationship between Christ and the church, and this particular marriage depicts that relationship more specifically.

Verses 2-9 are addressed to the King and describe His attributes: fair, gracious, mighty, glorious, majestic, victorious, upright, righteous, eternal. Much could be drawn from these passages about the attributes of our Lord.
Verses 10-16 are addressed to the bride. She is encouraged to forget her people and her father’s house and assured that the King will desire her. Her preparations are described as well as the joy the people will have over her union with the King and her future progeny.

Verse 17, I believe, is addressed again to the King, and the psalmist accomplishes what he proclaims he will do there, as this psalm is included in the canon of Scripture and helps to make His name remembered and Himself praised.

This is just a very brief overview of the psalm: for an extensive and expert treatment, C. H. Spurgeon’s Treasury of David is online, and Psalm 45 is studied here. I particularly like what he brought out from a verse I had glossed over, verse 10:

Hearken, O daughter, and consider. Ever is this the great duty of the church. Faith cometh by hearing, and confirmation by consideration. No precept can be more worthy of the attention of those who are honoured to be espoused to Christ that that which follows. And incline thine ear. Lean forward so that no syllable may be unheard. The whole faculties of the mind should be bent upon receiving holy teaching.

This Psalm is the basis for the hymn “Out of the Ivory Palaces.”

More meditations of this Psalm can be found at the Psalms Sundays inventor and hostess, Erica at Butterfly Kisses.