Psalm 45


Psalm 45
C. S. Lewis wrote The Chronicles of Narnia for children and one wonderful year during my time as Religion & Ethics teacher at Holy Nativity Episcopal School we studied all seven stories in class, both reading the books and seeing the available BBC movies. That year Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media announced that The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe would be released December 9, 2005. We posted the banner prominently in my classroom all semester and on Friday, December 9th took the HNES Middle School, some 75 students, to the movie as their semester exam. In class the following week of school, competing with the mounting excitement about Christmas vacation, we discussed the book again, and the movie, and also compared it to the 1988 BBC movie that we had seen at the beginning of the semester.
The Narnia stories, described by Lewis as “pre-evangelical” mean different things to different people and this showed up sharply in the classroom. For most students it was an exciting tale of modern fantasy fiction. But a few students with an acute sense of the Gospel immediately recognized Jesus in Aslan, largely because of the climactic episode in which Aslan allows himself to be put to death in ransom for the deadly sin of Edward Pevensie, then is resurrected the next morning. When we discussed this and brought the theology of the story to light, the students who had been simply enjoying the fun semester of stories, movies and treats were astonished. The stories now meant something entirely different to them. They are not only exciting, but beautiful, sacred, holy.
Lewis may be the best known Anglican theologian and writer of the twentieth century. Reflecting on the psalms he wrote that some of them mean two things. Psalm 45, the psalm appointed for this morning, has an entirely secular meaning for those who do not know Christ. But it means something totally other to a Christian.

B.C. it is flattering praise of the Judean king on the throne, perhaps David or more likely Solomon. But
A.D. every Christian who reads Psalm 45 this morning will instantly recognize the King of kings and Lord of lords as the song unfolds.
What does Psalm 45 truly mean? 
Depends on who and what you are. 
Read it and find out. TW+
Psalm 45
1 My heart overflows with a goodly theme;
   I address my verses to the king;
   my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe. 
2 You are the most handsome of men;
   grace is poured upon your lips;
   therefore God has blessed you for ever.
3 Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,
   in your glory and majesty. 
4 In your majesty ride on victoriously
   for the cause of truth and to defend* the right;
   let your right hand teach you dread deeds.
5 Your arrows are sharp
   in the heart of the king’s enemies;
   the peoples fall under you. 
6 Your throne, O God,* endures for ever and ever.
   Your royal sceptre is a sceptre of equity;
7   you love righteousness and hate wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
   with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
8   your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;
9   daughters of kings are among your ladies of honour;
   at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir. 
10 Hear, O daughter, consider and incline your ear;
   forget your people and your father’s house,
11   and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him;
12   the people* of Tyre will seek your favour with gifts,
   the richest of the people 13with all kinds of wealth. 
The princess is decked in her chamber with gold-woven robes;*
14   in many-coloured robes she is led to the king;
   behind her the virgins, her companions, follow.
15 With joy and gladness they are led along
   as they enter the palace of the king. 
16 In the place of ancestors you, O king,* shall have sons;
   you will make them princes in all the earth.
17 I will cause your name to be celebrated in all generations; therefore the peoples will praise you for ever and ever.