Psalm 45 & 47
Memory Verse: Psalm 45:15 - “With joy and gladness, they are led along as they enter the palace of the king.”
Song: Peace by Bethel Music
How do you rejoice in the Lord? We are commanded to rejoice, to feel and show great joy or delight in God. His throne and kingship declare how worthy He is of our praise.
In Psalm 45 and 47, a union between Jesus and His people is demonstrated through an extended metaphor of a perfect king adopting a daughter into His family, rescuing her from the life she once lived.
The king fights for truth, meekness, and righteousness - all lost among the world, hoping to be restored. This mirrors Jesus's restoration through defeating sin and death on the cross. Colossians 1:21-22 says, “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him…” Christ defeated all evil by taking on the sin of the world, rising from the dead, and emerging victorious over all. Through Jesus’ victory, His people can rejoice in their newfound freedom and purpose. His enemies are defenseless against His efforts, and the Church celebrates their all-powerful king.
In this story, the daughter (church) is given a difficult decision; she must leave her current life and forget her people to join the King’s family as a princess or stay where she is. The transitional language from daughter to princess reveals a dramatic change in identity. Leaving our current life is problematic because it is familiar, comfortable, and safe. By having faith in God and trusting his plan for our lives, we inherit the kingdom and the promise to live eternally in a relationship with him. God desires us to choose Him, regardless of what we could lose, ultimately to gain something better. When we accept Jesus into our lives, He makes a similar call to us: surrender the desires of our hearts and join his family as daughters and sons of the true King.
Sing praises, oh Israel, sing praises! Chapter 47 is filled with the heart of a worshiper - do you recognize the power of the God you worship? “For God is king of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm! God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne. v 7” God lavishes us with blessings; deserving death, we have been saved from our sins AND are given the inheritance of heaven. He is worthy of our praise - His lineage will never end. He is worthy of our praise - His power is unrivaled. He is worthy of our praise - His people will worship him forever.
For we are filled with a promise - “to obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:21)”. As the church pursues oneness with Christ, we are given unconditional freedom from putting our hopes in things, people, and notions that won’t last. We are free from the bondage of sin and slavery in this world to rejoice and worship with our creator. As generations look to the world's rulers to provide fulfillment, true freedom, and overflowing gratitude is lavished on the one from whom all things are given. The church receives both the gracious blessings from the King and the freedom to rejoice in salvation from our sins.
