O my soul,

Is your heart overflowing?

No?

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.

― Hebrews 2:1

Pay much closer attention then. But to what? To what must we pay closer attention? How about this love song?

To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah; a love song.

― Psalm 45 heading

Here in fact is the very best of love songs. O my soul, are you ready to sing?

My heart overflows with a pleasing theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.

― Psalm 45:1

Are you ready to address the king? Is your tongue ready like the pen of a scribe? So who is this king? And what will you write? Let’s consider him.

You are the most handsome of the sons of men; grace is poured upon your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever. Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, in your splendour and majesty!

― Psalm 45:2-3

This king is most handsome and mighty in splendour and majesty. But how is any of this relevant? Isn’t this merely some dusty old psalm about David or one of those other so very few noble kings of Israel. By no means! Let us behold here something truly wondrous.

In your majesty ride out victoriously for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness; let your right hand teach you awesome deeds! Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; the peoples fall under you.

― Psalm 45:4-5

The king’s cause is truth and meekness and righteousness. Meekness is our first real clue as to his identity.

Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The sceptre of your kingdom is a sceptre of uprightness; you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions; your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.

― Psalm 45:6-8a

And here is the reveal⸺the anointing and the robes and the fragrance. For the anointing is with the oil of gladness and the fragrance is of myrrh and aloes. It is the fragrance of death.

After [Jesus died] Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

― John 19:38-42

And what of cassia? Moses was instructed in that.

The LORD said to Moses, “Take the finest spices: of liquid myrrh 500 shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, 250, and 250 of aromatic cane, and 500 of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a hin of olive oil. And you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil.”

― Exodus 30:22-25

It is a holy anointing oil. It is an oil of holiness and of death and yet also an oil of gladness.

But where is the love song we were promised? Right here.

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. The people of Tyre will seek your favour with gifts, the richest of the people.⁠

― Psalm 45:10-12

So if the king is Jesus who is this daughter whose beauty he desires? She is the one who has made him her Lord. She is the one who has left her past behind and who is living for him. She is his church.

And look how he sees her.

All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold. In many-coloured 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.

― Psalm 45:13-15

She is his glorious church, his beloved bride. And with joy and gladness she enters his presence, the palace of the king.

This is the love song between Jesus and his church. It is a song founded on myrrh and aloes. It is a song founded on her leaving and cleaving. It is our song.

And what happens as we sing this song?

I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.

― Psalm 45:17

O my soul, sing this love song to Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, that his name be remembered in all generations! 🙏❤️