Do you have a seat?
If you would open your Bibles to Psalm 45 with me.
I don't know if there are certain passages of the Bible that you feel really speak to you.
!
Things that you go back to time and time again.
Maybe you've got a few.
If I had to pick out one verse of the Bible that I feel really speaks to me.
It's something I want to read every day when I get up in the morning.
I would have to take you to Psalm 45 and the first line of verse 2.
The more you laugh, the more it hurts my feelings.
After some closer reading, I'm not sure this psalm is all about me.
But we'll see.
I think most of us have probably experienced a relationship at some point in our lives
that has gone somewhat stale at some point.
Where things just aren't the way they used to be.
Whether it's with a close friend.
Maybe your husband or your wife.
Maybe your parents or your children.
You used to get on so well.
Everything seemed to be just the way it was meant to be.
But then for no apparent reason, things just aren't quite clicking like they used to.
You don't share the same stories.
You aren't as open with one another.
Maybe you feel like they just don't care about you in the same way as they used to.
And to your knowledge, you've not done anything to make this change.
Not done anything to preserve the cold shoulder.
For some reason, you've just drifted apart.
And you've no idea why it's happened.
It can be a really miserable feeling.
And one I'm sure we all know to some degree.
Maybe you've felt that way about your relationship with God.
Life is falling apart around you.
Work is miserable.
Family life is difficult.
You pray and pray and pray.
But nothing seems to change.
You don't know what you've done wrong.
But for some reason, God doesn't seem to be listening anymore.
It's almost as if he's sleeping.
And if you've ever felt like that, you're not alone.
Most famously, the disciples, as they cross the Sea of Galilee.
Do you not care that we are perishing?
They ask Jesus as he sleeps in the bow of the boat.
Or the whole nation of Israel in Psalm 44.
Just look up there with me to verse 23.
Awake!
Why are you sleeping, O Lord?
Rouse yourself.
Do not reject us forever.
I mean, it sounds almost blasphemous.
God's sleeping.
But take a quick look through the sand.
And you can see the reason for their anguished cry.
Why they are wondering where God is.
Well, look at verse 9 there of Psalm 44.
But you have rejected us and disgraced us.
And have not gone out with our armies.
You have made us turn back from the foe.
And those who hate us have taken spoil.
You have made us like sheep for slaughter.
And have scattered us among the nations.
Verse 17.
All this has come upon us.
Though we have not forgotten you.
And we have not been false to your covenant.
Our hearts have not turned back.
Nor have our steps departed from your ways.
Yet, you don't seem to be doing anything.
Where are you, Lord?
What is going on?
The people of Israel cannot understand what's gone wrong in their relationship with God.
They've stayed faithful.
And yet, they are like sheep being led to the slaughter.
Everything that can go wrong seems to have gone wrong.
And God, despite their faithfulness, doesn't seem to be anywhere.
The people of Israel cannot figure out what's gone wrong.
Why has the relationship gone stale?
Why does God no longer care?
And it's been this way since Psalm 42.
From the beginning of the second book of the Psalms,
it's been a very sorry state of affairs.
The repeating refrain of Psalm 42 and 43.
Why are you cast down on my soul?
And why are you in turmoil within me?
Then we come to Psalm 45.
And it seems to be this seismic change of tone.
Those of you who are married,
I don't know if you've got a wedding album.
Or maybe a video of the day you got married.
Something that brings you back to that day.
The moment of union to one another.
Where you made vows to one another.
You make promises.
You make a covenant.
And that covenant stands firm through thick and thin.
Regardless of what it feels like,
however many years down the line,
a covenant is a covenant.
And when God makes a covenant,
you can be certain that it will stand forever.
And so what we have in Psalm 45
is the Old Testament version of a wedding album.
They didn't have photos, but they did have songs.
And this is a song about a day
when a covenant was made.
When a man and a woman devoted their lives to one another.
But this isn't just any wedding.
This is a royal wedding.
And the king, the bridegroom,
he is the one who is very much center stage.
So we're going to go through this Psalm
and see the day
when a man and a woman are united.
When they become one.
When they give their lives to each other.
We'll see the king in all his majesty
and the queen in all her beauty.
So as we go through this Psalm this evening,
we're going to sort of put together
this wedding album as we go through.
And we'll see six or seven different pictures
of the wedding
and bring back the memories
of these covenant promises.
And as we fill up the album,
we'll see how the Psalmist reminds
the people of Israel
and us
of the character of the king
and of his love for his bride.
Not to renew a relationship,
but to serve as a reminder
to a potentially worried bride.
The Psalm itself breaks down quite simply.
Verses 1 to 9 are addressed to the king.
Verses 10 to 15 are to the bride.
And then 16 and 17 are to the king again.
So we're going to look first at the king
and then at the queen.
So three characteristics or pictures
of the king.
His grace in verse 2.
His gallantry in verses 2 to 5.
And his glory in verses 6 to 9.
So firstly, the picture of his grace
in verse 2.
And who this Psalm
was originally written to
or about it
is kind of unclear.
But the best friend is probably
King Solomon
and his marriage to the Egyptian princess.
And to start off with,
that seems to fit.
I don't know what you find
most attractive in a person.
Maybe it's how they look.
Their wealth.
A good sense of humour.
At least decent personal hygiene.
It's probably necessary.
Maybe it depends on the clothes they wear.
Or if they're trustworthy
or kind
or confident.
That there are lots of different things
we can find attractive
about someone.
But look at what makes this king
the most handsome
of all the sons of men.
It's not his wealth
or his confidence
or his fashion sense.
Verse 2.
The handsomeness of the man
is in the words that he uses.
It's the grace
which has been poured
upon his lips.
The gentleness of his words.
The wisdom with which he speaks.
That that is what makes him
more attractive
than anybody else.
He is a delight to listen to.
What we often think of kings
as ruling with
authority
and might
and power.
But a king would rule
over his subjects
most of the time
with words.
It's how our leaders
still rule over us today
in so many ways.
But our own leaders
it feels like
rarely do very well.
I mean I don't really care
where your political
allegiances lie.
I don't think you can deny
that politics
is just a world
of lies and deceit.
Where people will
say anything
they'll promise anything
they'll slander anyone
to either
try and get into power
or try and stay there.
If you fancy a stroll
through Donald Trump's
Twitter account
it's very entertaining
but I don't think
you could say
that grace
has been poured
upon his lips.
But not so
with the king
of Sam 45.
If this king
had Twitter
the media
would probably
be quite disappointed.
It would be a bit boring
from their perspective
but you can be sure
it would do a lot more good.
And I think
we do
we find the words
of people
very influential
when we gauge
their character.
For some reason
it might not make
an immediate appearance
on our list
of priorities
or it rarely
wouldn't mind.
But the words
a person uses
the way they speak
to people
the way they speak
about people
that that's so often
what influences
the way we think
of someone.
I mean I don't think
anyone actually
dislikes Donald Trump
because of his hair.
And I don't think
people like him
just because he's rich.
It's what he says
that divides people.
But this king
this king
he speaks
with grace
poured upon his lips.
Now that's not
a promise
that he won't
divide people.
I mean
think of
King Solomon himself.
and the most
famous story
of his wisdom
that the two
women fighting
over a baby.
Solomon speaks
with great wisdom.
He speaks
rightly
and the right
choice is made.
The baby
goes to the right
mother.
But you can be sure
that one of those
women walked out
quite unhappy
with King Solomon.
Gracious words
doesn't mean
universal popularity
but it does mean
that you can
trust the person.
And you can
trust this king
to do what is
right.
Not necessarily
according to men
but you can
trust him to do
what is right
according to God.
And if doing
what is right
according to God
is our core
most concern
then we will
love to follow
a king like this
whose words
are full
of grace.
and the grace
that the kindness
of his words
is evidence
of his blessedness.
God has blessed
you
forever.
This is a
God given gift.
But already here
at the end of
verse 2
we have the first
hint that maybe
this is
talking about
someone greater
than King Solomon.
Forever.
But we will
come to a more
conclusive answer
a little later on.
So the king
is a king of grace.
Someone you want
to listen to.
Someone you want
to lead you.
Someone you can
trust when things
don't seem to be
going in the right
direction.
Here is a king
you can rely on
to have the right
words to say.
I'm sure we've
all had a moment
or two in our lives
where we've said
something we
probably shouldn't
have.
I can think of
three such occasions
in the last six
hours.
And I've probably
missed a few in
that time.
It just slips
out and they
think oh
I should not
have said that.
Sometimes it
takes years
before you
realise what
you've done.
But not so
this king.
He knows what
to say.
He knows when
to say it.
This kind of
man, this king
is the kind of
person people
would hear and
say no one
ever spoke
like this man.
This is a
king you want
to follow and
you want to
listen to.
Secondly, in
verses 3 to 5
we have a
picture of a
gallant king.
And if you
were in Israel's
position of
Psalm 44 and
you were told
of this great
king who always
had the right
words to say
you might well
be forgiven for
thinking so
what?
But this king
isn't just good
with words.
He seems to be
pretty handy with
a sword too.
The king is
armed in verse
3.
His arrow is
sharp in verse
5.
He's ready to
fight, ready to
defend his
kingdom.
He's not just
softly spoken,
kind-hearted with
warm words.
He is ready to
protect his
people.
Ready to
defend his
kingdom.
We had our
own royal
wedding in this
country not too
long ago.
I don't know if
you watched it.
I did not.
watched the
highlights, which
affirmed my
decision not to
watch it.
In our day and
age there's always
an awful lot of
talk about the
wedding dress.
I don't know if
it's always been
that way.
But if the news
coverage is anything
to go by it's a
pretty big deal.
And I didn't
really understand
the hype.
Nobody really
cares.
And then I saw
Megan come out
of the car.
I still didn't
really care.
It's a white
dress, isn't it?
No surprises
there.
What I thought
was considerably
more interesting
was what Prince
Harry was
wearing.
And it only
occurred to me
while preparing
this why he
was wearing it.
Because Prince
Harry wasn't
wearing a suit
or a tux.
He wasn't even
wearing a kilt.
Prince Harry was
wearing his
military uniform.
I don't think
it's compulsory,
but it's certainly
traditional.
That the prince
gets married
in his uniform.
Because a king
is expected not
only to rule
his people,
but he has a
duty to defend
his people as
well.
Prince Harry,
Prince William,
that they have
a history of
military service
because they
have a duty
to not only
rule, but
also to defend.
And that is
true of this
king too.
But again,
the motives of
the king are
assuredly good.
he's not
some raging
tyrant
looking to
conquer
everything in
his path
by force.
He rules
with words of
grace and he
fights for,
in verse 4,
the cause of
truth and
meekness and
righteousness.
The king is
equipped with a
sword and arrow
to fight for
what is right.
this is,
again,
this is a
king who
you can
trust.
You can
trust his
words and
you can
trust his
actions.
A king who
you can
trust to
say the
right thing
and to
do the
right thing.
It is a
short but
comprehensive
summary of
everything you
want in
someone you're
going to be
led by.
Trustworthy
in word
and deed.
But also
look at how
he fights in
these verses.
The end of
verse 3,
O mighty
one, in
your splendor
and majesty,
verse 4,
in your majesty
ride out
victoriously.
Let your
right hand
teach you
awesome deeds.
It's
splendor and
majesty.
He doesn't
fight quietly
on the
sidelines
letting someone
else do the
work or
instruct from
behind the
front lines.
He fights for
his people.
He rides out
victoriously.
His enemies,
the end of
verse 5,
they will
not stand
before him.
The peoples
fall under
you.
And again,
all this talk
is very well.
It sounds
good, but
put yourselves
in the
Israelite's
shoes and
it all
sounds good.
You'd quite
like to see
some evidence
of it on the
ground.
The king
sounds
magnificent,
but they are
still surely
like sheep
being led to
the slaughter.
And I
think we
can also
so often
find ourselves
in the
same shoes.
We wonder
who really
is winning
the battle
on the
ground.
Maybe when
you read
of the
persecuted
church or
you see
the spread
of false
religions or
every nation
just seeming
to go
stray further
and further
from what
is right.
You start
wondering who
really is in
control.
Who's really
winning this
war?
But our
questions are
answered in the
coming verses
because verse
6 to 9,
this is where
Solomon just
falls out the
picture.
Reading from
verse 6,
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.
These very
verses are
quoted in
Hebrews 1 of
the father
speaking about
the son.
The psalm
at this point
is unquestionably
messianic.
Nowhere else
in the Old
Testament is
God used to
describe someone
without some
kind of added
qualification.
This is a
king far
better than
Solomon.
This points
to a greater
king and a
greater kingdom.
It's hard to
know what the
Old Testament
readers would
have made of
the psalm.
even if they
had some
understanding
of the
Trinity,
there can
be little
doubt it
would have
been somewhat
perplexing.
This is a
case of the
Old Testament
really bursting
out of its
banks.
But we
are in the
privileged
position of
knowing this
king,
of knowing
exactly who
the king
addressed in
verse 1
is,
even if the
psalmist
wasn't aware
of the time.
And when you
see that these
verses are all
about Jesus,
it adds a
slight twist to
what we've just
seen in verses
2-5.
Because we
know Jesus
did come to
establish a
kingdom for
the quick cause
of truth and
meekness and
righteousness.
But he
certainly didn't
come with a
sword or an
arrow,
some of the
literal ones.
He didn't come
with a sword,
but he did
come with
something that
Hebrews calls
sharper than
any two-edged
sword.
Ephesians calls
it the sword of
the spirit.
Because Jesus
established his
kingdom with
his words.
His gallantry
in verses 3-5
is evidenced by
the grace upon
his lips in
verse 2,
that they're
almost the
same thing.
His words,
they bring
grace to those
who hear and
listen to them.
It's good news
for friends of
the king,
but the very
same words are
like swords and
arrows to his
enemies.
And we
know that the
kingdom that
he is establishing
is not of
this world.
And so in
the chaos,
we can be
sure that he
is in control.
He is king
over the
earth.
But this is
not where we
should expect
to see the
fullness of
his kingdom.
So we've
seen the
grace and
gallantry,
and now we
see the
glory of
the king
in verses
6-9.
First of
all, his
throne is
eternal.
This is an
everlasting
kingdom.
We've
already seen
that this
points to
something greater
than Solomon,
greater than
the greatest
earthly kings
or queens.
This is a
king who
rules eternally.
He loves
righteousness,
he hates
wickedness.
Therefore,
he's been
anointed with
gladness.
Sounds like a
pretty good
thing to be
anointed with.
In verse
8, he
also smells
good.
Don't really
know what else
to say about
that.
Then we
see stringed
instruments
being played
from ivory
palaces,
all in
praise of
this glorious
king.
Ivory
palaces appear
very rarely
in the Bible.
I mean,
they just
sound amazing.
And they're
always associated
with the
splendor of
a king,
the greatness
of his
house.
Ivory
lined
palaces from
which music
pours forth.
Bringing
gladness to
the king
because he
deserves
gladness.
Because the
king is
worthy of
the highest
honours.
He is
worthy of
the most
beautiful music
from the
most beautiful
palaces.
He is a
king of
glory.
He loves
righteousness
and hates
wickedness.
He is
honoured by
those around
him because
he is worthy
of it.
he deserves
the praise
he receives.
He is a
graceful
king,
a gallant
king,
and he
is a
glorious
king.
But he's
not alone,
as is the
way with
weddings.
There's
someone else
there.
And the
bride is
atypically
playing second
fiddle to
the king.
And she
makes an
appearance in
verses 10
to 15.
And if we
know this is
the messianic
set, and
we know
that Jesus
is in
place of
the king,
he is
fulfilling the
role of
bridegroom
here,
then that
leaves the
role of
the bride
to be
filled by
the church.
And while
we have to
be careful
drawing exact
parallels,
the overall
picture can
certainly tell
us a few
things.
So we're
now looking
at the
bride as
the bride
of the
messian.
And I
want us to
put together
another three
pictures.
This time
with the
bride at
the center
of attention.
The bride
of the
king,
the bride
of Christ.
Three
pictures of
the bride.
She is
adopted,
she is
admired,
and she
is adorned.
Adopted,
admired,
and adorned.
Firstly,
adopted in
verse 10.
And we
can see the
bride switches
allegiances,
or has at
least been
called to
switch
allegiances.
She is
removing
herself from
one family
and being
taken in
by another.
See there
in verse 10,
Hear,
O daughter,
and consider
and incline
your ear.
Forget your
people and
your father's
house,
and the
king will
desire your
beauty.
Since he
is your
lord,
bow to
him.
That's
what marriage
is.
It's been
that way
since Genesis
2.
It's how
God ordained
it.
a man
shall leave
his father
and his
mother and
hold fast
to his
wife and
they shall
become one
flesh.
Leaving your
family to
join a
new one is
a big
moment.
And it
isn't something
we can expect
to be taken
lightly.
I've never
been a bride
myself.
But I
don't think
you have to
have experienced
it to have
some appreciation
of where some
of the nerves
come from.
you've been
part of one
family, one
household all
your life.
That's all
you know.
It's what
you've grown
up with.
It's what
in some
ways at least
you've grown
to love.
And when
you are
asked to
leave all
that you
know for
something you
don't,
as part of
a lifelong
commitment,
it's an
understandably
daunting
moment.
And when
we leave
our own
lives behind
to be
united with
Christ,
it's a
big moment.
It should
be.
When I
became a
Christian,
I don't
think I
was really
aware at
the time
of what
it meant
leaving
behind.
I'm sure
I'm not
alone in
that, but
it's a
big commitment.
commitment.
And that's
why it's
so important
we recognise
and understand
what we've
seen in
the king.
When we
see the
king in
all his
glory,
leaving our
old lives
behind to
follow him
becomes
easier.
The more
we appreciate
the greatness
of the
king,
the less
appealing our
old family
becomes to
us.
And we
can see
the queen
in verse
10 needs
a fair bit
of encouragement
to leave
behind her
father's
house and
become one
with the
king.
There's four
commands there
in verse
10.
Here,
consider,
incline,
forget.
Multiple
commands that
come again
and again.
And that's
something we
need, isn't
it?
To be told
again and
again that
we need to
leave behind
our past.
We need to
know that we
are part of
a new
family, a
new house.
We submit
to a new
king.
It can be
so easy
to look
on the
past with
rose-tinted
glasses and
think things
used to be
so much
better to
look long
and back
to where
we've
come from.
But
remember the
king.
And remember
where we are
now.
We are joined
to a king
who loves
righteousness
and hates
wickedness,
whose throne
is forever
and ever,
who rides
forth in
splendor
and majesty.
The bride
is told,
forget about
where you
come from.
Forget about
it.
We have a
new lord,
a new
master,
a new
king.
So the
queen has
been adopted
into a new
family.
And secondly,
the second
picture of the
queen,
she is
admired.
She is
admired by
the king,
bridegroom,
which is
good,
and by
interestingly,
the people
of Tyre,
who seek
her favour
with gifts.
But the
bride is
unsurprisingly
attractive,
not only to
the bridegroom,
but to the
onlookers.
And when we
think of a
wedding,
that's quite
normal.
The bride
gets the
attention because
the bride is
beautiful.
I don't think
there will be
any disagreements
with that.
But if we
remember that
this queen is
the bride
of Christ,
and we go
forward to the
New Testament,
we see who
that bride is,
we see it's
the church,
the people of
God,
the people
sitting here
in Dean Hall
this evening,
who meet
together on a
Sunday,
all the church
of Christ
is his bride,
and the bride
is, we see
here in verses
11 and 12,
admired by the
king and
admired by
outsiders.
The bride is
beautiful,
and that's how
it should be,
beautiful to the
king and
beautiful to
outsiders.
I think we
live in
something of
a victim
culture,
and that's
fair to say,
everyone likes
to play the
victim,
everyone wants
to think
they're the
ones that
are oppressed,
and I think
there's a
degree of
that to
which we
can fall
susceptible
to,
to start
to think
about that,
and almost
boast about
how difficult
life is as
a Christian,
how opposed
the world
around us
is to the
church and
to all that
she stands
for.
And there
are times
when persecution
is very
real,
and I
don't want
to take
anything away
from that.
But if we're
honest about it,
I think in this
country it's
quite rare.
We probably all
know somebody
doesn't like the
fact we're a
Christian,
but they are
in a very
small minority.
I've been
doing the
book table on
Greenford for a
couple of years
now,
and there have
been a few
aggressive
individuals who
obviously really
don't like the
church and have
something against
us.
people.
But I
reckon in all
the conversations
I've had,
you could count
those people
on one hand.
Pretty much
everyone else
is generally
fairly neutral,
that they just
don't know
anything about
the church.
And I think
there's something
quite sad about
that.
Because the
king's bride
should be seen
as beautiful.
She should be
admired, not
only by the
king, but by
some of the
outsiders too.
the church
should be a
light shining
in the
darkness.
And yes,
some people
will despise
the light,
but I think
most people
will be positive
about the
church.
They should
see the
goodness of
the bride
of Christ.
That there's
a danger we
can somehow
dig ourselves
into some
kind of
asceticism,
where if
we're not
provoking
people, we
must be doing
something wrong,
as evangelism,
some kind of
bear poking
exercise.
But while
there will
be some
opposition,
the bride
of Christ
should be
admired both
by the
king and
by the
omnipotors.
The bride
is not there
to be tucked
away in some
cupboard.
Her beauty
should be
evident for
all to
see.
Adopted,
admired, and
the final picture
of the bride
adorned in
verses 13-15.
And you can
see in these
verses that the
beauty of the
queen is in
her outward
appearance,
which is in
quite stark
contrast to
much of the
king's
majesty.
Look back
to the
king.
Verse 2,
he speaks
with grace.
Verse 4,
in his
majesty, he
rides out
victoriously
for righteousness
and meekness
and truth.
His scepter
in verse 5
is a
scepter of
uprightness.
Verse 6,
he loves
righteousness
and hates
wickedness.
That the
king's beauty
is evident
from his
own
character.
But the
queen's
splendor,
her glory,
comes from
the garments
she wears.
Look there
in verse 13.
All
glorious is
the princess
in her
chamber,
with robes
interwoven
with gold.
In many
colored robes
she is led
to the
king,
with her
virgin
companions
following
behind her,
with joy and
gladness they
are led
along as
they enter
the palace
of the
king.
The
beauty of
the
queen is
all about
what she's
wearing,
about what
she's been
adorned
with.
And the
garments are
so beautiful,
so rich,
that in all
likelihood she
could not
have afforded
them herself,
that they
would almost
certainly have
had to be
provided for
by the
king,
one of the
few people
who could
afford such
fine clothing.
the bride's
beauty paid
for by
the king.
And we
know the
bride of
Christ is
no different.
The church
is covered
by robes
that only
the king,
only the
bridegroom
can afford.
He covers
our sins
and adorns
us with
righteousness.
The words
of Isaiah
61,
I will
greatly
rejoice in
the Lord.
My soul
shall exalt
in my God
for he has
clothed me
with garments
of salvation.
He has
covered me
with the
robe of
righteousness.
As a
bride
prude
decks
himself
like a
priest
with a
beautiful
headdress
and as a
bride adorns
herself with
jewels.
And as
the king
adorns
the queen,
so our
king,
our saviour
adorns
us with
the garments
of salvation.
The beauty
of the bride
should be,
as we looked
at a moment
ago,
recognised
by outsiders,
but it's
all for
the king.
It is
all for
him.
He is
the one
who is
our
lord.
He is
the one
whom we
bow to.
He is
the reason
the bride
is beautiful.
The bride
is beautiful
for the
king.
In
living for
our king,
in doing
what is
good for
him,
the beauty
should be
evident to
everyone.
So we've
had three
pictures of
the queen,
adopted,
admired,
and adorned.
And finally,
one last
picture to
see.
And that
is the
king and
the queen
together.
The greatest
treasure of
all for
the queen,
better than
the praise
of the
nations,
better than
the garments
she's been
given,
the greatest
treasure for
the queen
is that she
now gets
to be with
the king.
And this
is our
seventh and
final picture
of the king
and the
queen
together in
their
palace.
She is
brought into
the palace
with the
king at
the end
of verse
15.
At his
right hand
at the end
of verse
9.
The greatest
joy for
the bride,
the primary
source of
gladness,
is union
with the
king.
The
unsurpassable
privilege of
being united
to the
king of
kings.
And that
is where
we stand
now as
the bride
of Christ,
united to
the king.
And by
being united
to the
king,
we share
in all
the good
things that
the king
has won
for his
bride.
So you
see three
pictures of
the king,
three pictures
of the queen,
one of them
together,
and the
psalm closes
looking into
the future
of the
newlyweds.
And these
last verses
are addressed
specifically to
the king.
It's his
name that will
be remembered.
He will be
the praise
of the
nations.
And I
think we
as the
bride need
to remember
that.
That ultimately
it's all
about the
king.
Though he
loves his
bride, he
treasures his
bride, and
he cares for
his bride,
it's the
king who's
majestic.
The king
who's worthy
of praise.
It's a
beautiful picture
of king and
his queen.
And it is
our picture
of our
king and
us.
And there
probably will
be times when
we wonder
where our
king, our
god is, when
we can't
understand the
intricacies of
his plan, when
we are
dumbfounded by
the seeming
strangeness of
his providence.
But let's
remember we
are so
privileged as
to be united
to our
glorious king.
His name
will be
remembered in
all generations.
The nations
will praise
him forever.
It's all
about the
king.
Let us
pray.