ROYAL PSALMS (Ps. 44-45)

“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” -Psalm 45:6-7

CHAPTER OF THE WEEK: Psalm 45 You can read it every day or just once, pray it, meditate on it, talk about it, or find other resources about it.

VERSE OF THE WEEK: Psalm 45:6-7 You can memorize it, read it every day or just once, pray it, meditate on it, talk about it, or find other resources about it.

ON THE LOOKOUT: Over the next few months, we’ll be taking a look at the different categories of the Psalms. There are all sorts of categories and themes in Psalms. Keep looking for attributes of God, but add to your list looking for the theme of the week.

RESOURCE OF THE WEEK: “Royal Psalms” video by BibleTalk.TV YouTube link

SONG OF THE WEEK: “Psalm 45” by The Psalms Project YouTube link, Spotify link.

PLAYLIST FOR THE WEEK: Here is a playlist with songs from Psalm 44-45 YouTube link, Spotify link.

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK: As you read Scripture this week, see if you can categorize or find themes in the passages. Especially look for verses about or alluding to or prophesying about Jesus as King.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Psalm 45 is unique, unlike any other psalm. It is a beautiful poem prepared on the occasion of a royal wedding, evoking all the sights, sounds, movement, splendor, and emotion of such an important occasion. It is at the same time a messianic psalm, as the words ‘O God’ in verse 6 and the use of verses 6-7 in the first chapter of Hebrews in reference to Jesus Christ clearly show” – from Psalms Volume 2 by James Montgomery Boice.

THOUGHTS On Ps. 44-45

Lament Psalms, wisdom Psalms, acrostics, Psalms of thanksgiving, Psalms of trust, Messianic Psalms… The categories in the book of Psalms are so numerous! Today, we add the royal Psalms to the growing list of different categories.

How does one spot a Royal Psalm? Royal Psalms can also be called kingship psalms. These psalms always relate to and mention a king, whether that be a contemporary king of the author of the psalm or a future king. They are often Messianic, or prophecies of Jesus, but not always. These Psalms are actually extremely varied, so their main marker is its primary focus on some aspect of a kingship.

How many Royal Psalms are there? Of all the categories, this one seems to have the most consensus. Most scholars and pastors agree that there are ten Royal Psalms: Ps. 2, 18, 20, 21, 45, 72, 101, 110, 132, & 144. Some scholars include other Psalms that focus on God as the sovereign king, but these ten definitely focus on an earthly king even though some still allude to God as King.

How do we Interpret Royal Psalms? Interpreting these Psalms can seem a little tricky at first. One of the reasons is the great variety amongst these ten Psalms. But, even amongst the variety there are some tips we can use such as being on the lookout for Jesus and knowing the original way these Psalms were used in worship. Here is a small summary and important information about whether or not the Psalm can be considered Messianic:

Psalm 2 The Lord’s Anointed is set up as king of the earth. Messianic. Quoted in NT 18 times.

Psalm 18 King David reminisces about God (The Sovereign King of Everything) delivering and establishing him as king of Israel. Messianic in the last half. No specific quotations related to Jesus in NT.

Psalm 20 A prayer sung by the Jewish people on behalf of their king. Doesn’t seem Messianic. Not quoted in NT.

Psalm 21 Another prayer sung by the Jewish people on behalf of their king. Tiny bit Messianic. Not quoted in NT.

Psalm 45 A love song for a king’s wedding ceremony. Messianic. Quoted in Hebrews and confirms the deity of Christ.

Psalm 72 A prayer sung by the Jewish people on behalf of their king. Not explicitly Messianic, but Jesus definitely is all the good things the people are to pray for their king to be. Quoted in NT, but not specifically about Jesus.

Psalm 101 The King commits through prayer to lead with integrity. Not explicitly Messianic. Not quoted in NT.

Psalm 110 The triumphant king. Super Messianic. 110:1 is the most quoted verse in NT. The chapter has 27 direct quotes or allusions in the NT.

Psalm 132 A prayer asking God to remember the chosen city where the king was to dwell. Messianic. Not quoted in NT.

Psalm 144 David prays for deliverance and blessing for his people. Not Messianic. Not quoted in NT.

As we look for an interpretation, it’s important to note that some of these Psalms that are Messianic are also quoted in the New Testament. That’s one of the main reasons we can easily claim these to be prophesies about Jesus. Being on this side of the cross is awesome because we don’t have to guess at which psalms are prophecies, the New Testament tells us! Some of the others like Psalm 21, 72, and 144 can be held up to the things we learn about Jesus in the New Testament and it seems obvious by Jesus’ character and actions that these are Messianic.

It’s also good to remember that these Psalms likely would have been used at various ceremonies. This is especially obvious with Psalm 45 because the superscription tells us that it’s written for a royal wedding. When interpreting these Psalms, it can be very helpful to remember the original purpose of these Psalms.

How do we Pray Royal Psalms? Just like we pray any of the Psalms. We praise God for who He is, thank Him for what He’s done, and ask for His guidance in our lives and others. The coolest thing about these Psalms is definitely looking for Jesus. I think looking for Christ as King in these Psalms helps us remember to keep Him as King of our lives because He is the King whether we acknowledge Him or not!