Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever,
[PSALM 45:7]
a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom;
you love righteousness and hate iniquity.
| ADVENT DAILY OFFICE READINGS |
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| AM Psalm 45; PM Psalm 47, 48 Zech. 2:1-13; Rev. 3:14-22; Matt. 24:32-44 |
Psalm 45 is superscripted as a “Love Song,” or an “Ode for a Royal Wedding.”
Scholars mostly agree that it was probably written for Solomon’s wedding to the daughter of Pharaoh (see 1 Kings 3).
In my lifetime, the only two royal weddings I’ve seen were on television: the wedding of Prince (now King) Charles to Lady Diana in 1981; and Prince Harry to Meghan Markle in 2018 (see feature image above).
Having celebrated more than a few weddings over the years as a pastor, I’ve learned to put the majority of my effort into the pre-marital counseling rather than the ceremony itself.
The couple learns nothing on the day of the wedding. Perhaps a few of those gathered at the ceremony pay attention to the sermon; but for the most part, that day is lost to the thrill of the celebration.
The words spoken are forgotten sooner than the rose petals left on the floor by the flower girl in the procession, or the confetti that is swept from the church steps after showering the couple as they leave to take photos and make their way to the reception hall.
However, in the hopes that someone will remember something, I stress to the couple, and to those gathered, that the marriage celebration is a sign of God’s love for us, and the couple’s love for one another reflects to the world what God is like.
This psalm emphasizes this as it seems to change tone in verse seven.*
The psalmist turns to God and points out that God “loves righteousness and hates iniquity.”
In his sermon at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Most Reverend Michael Curry, then Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, developed that theme in his most eloquent style as he defined the meaning of love.
At this point, I’m going to borrow heavily from that sermon. Curry stated:
Jesus began the most revolutionary movement in all of human history, a movement grounded in the unconditional love of God for the world. A movement mandating people to live that love. And in so doing, to change not only their lives but the very life of the world itself.”
He sacrificed his life for the good of the others, for the good of the other, for the well-being of the world. For us, that’s what love is.
Love is not selfish and self-centered.
Love can be sacrificial. And in so doing, becomes redemptive, and that way of unselfish, sacrificial, redemptive love, changes lives. And it can change this world.
If you don’t believe me, just stop and think or imagine.
Think and imagine a world where love is the way.
Imagine our homes and families when love is the way.
Imagine neighborhoods and communities where love is the way.
Imagine governments and nations where love is the way.
Imagine business and commerce when love is the way.
Imagine this tired old world when love is the way, unselfish, sacrificial redemptive.
When love is the way, then no child will go to bed hungry in this world ever again.
When love is the way, we will let justice roll down like a mighty stream and righteousness like an ever-flowing brook.
When love is the way, poverty will become history.
When love is the way, the earth will be a sanctuary.
When love is the way, we will lay down our swords and shields down, down by the riverside to study war no more.
When love is the way, there’s plenty good room, plenty good room, for all of God’s children.
Because when love is the way, we actually treat each other like we are actually family.
When love is the way, we know that God is the source of us all and we are brothers and sisters, children of God.
The entire sermon is well worth the fifteen-minute view on YouTube.
In his book, Reflections of the Psalms, [1] C.S. Lewis considers Psalm 45 a Christmas psalm. He argues that Psalm 45, “shows us so many aspects of the Nativity we could never get from the carols or even (easily) from the gospels…It is far more valuable for the light it throws on the Incarnation.” (p. 150)
These past few days have been heartbreakingly violent. There have been shootings and stabbings both in this country and abroad.
As we try to make sense of all the tragedy, my prayer is that the reading and reflecting on this psalm may help to transform us into messengers of peace and love – God’s love for us, and for each other.
Let us pray:
Eternal God, creator and preserver of all life, author of salvation, and giver of all grace: Look with favor upon the world you have made, and for which your Son gave his life. Grant that the bonds of our common humanity, by which all your children are united one to another, and the living to the dead, may be so transformed by your grace, that your will may be done on earth as it is in heaven; where, O Father, with your Son and the Holy Spirit, you live and reign in perfect unity, now and for ever. Amen.
(Book of Common Prayer, edited p. 429-430)
*The Psalter in the Book of Common Prayer breaks up the verses into shorter segments for music and chanting purposes.
Feature image: Prince Harry and Meghan, official wedding photo. Photo: Alexi Lubomirski / Courtesy of @KensingtonRoyal
[1] Lewis, C. S. Reflections on the Psalms. New York: Harper Collins, 1958.
Walking Together in Faith 