Psalm 45-47

The Message

45 My heart bursts its banks,
spilling beauty and goodness.
I pour it out in a poem to the king,
shaping the river into words:

* * *

^2-4“You’re the handsomest of men;
    every word from your lips is sheer grace,
    and God has blessed you, blessed you so much.
Strap your sword to your side, warrior!
    Accept praise! Accept due honor!
    Ride majestically! Ride triumphantly!
Ride on the side of truth!
    Ride for the righteous meek!

^4-5“Your instructions are glow-in-the-dark;
you shoot sharp arrows
Into enemy hearts; the king’s
foes lie down in the dust, beaten.

^6-7“Your throne is God’s throne,
    ever and always;
The scepter of your royal rule
    measures right living.
You love the right
    and hate the wrong.
And that is why God, your very own God,
    poured fragrant oil on your head,
Marking you out as king
    from among your dear companions.

^8-9“Your forest-drenched garments
    are fragrant with mountain breeze.
Chamber music—from the throne room—
    makes you want to dance.
Kings’ daughters are maids in your court,
    the Bride glittering with golden jewelry.

* * *

^10-12“Now listen, daughter, don’t miss a word:
    forget your country, put your home behind you.
Be here—the king is wild for you.
    Since he’s your lord, adore him.
Wedding gifts pour in from Tyre;
    rich guests shower you with presents.”

^13-15(Her wedding dress is dazzling,
    lined with gold by the weavers;
All her dresses and robes
    are woven with gold.
She is led to the king,
    followed by her virgin companions.
A procession of joy and laughter!
    a grand entrance to the king’s palace!)

^16-17“Set your mind now on sons—
    don’t dote on father and grandfather.
You’ll set your sons up as princes
    all over the earth.
I’ll make you famous for generations;
    you’ll be the talk of the town
    for a long, long time.”
46 ^1-3God is a safe place to hide,
    ready to help when we need him.
We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom,
    courageous in seastorm and earthquake,
Before the rush and roar of oceans,
    the tremors that shift mountains.

Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

^4-6River fountains splash joy, cooling God’s city,
    this sacred haunt of the Most High.
God lives here, the streets are safe,
    God at your service from crack of dawn.
Godless nations rant and rave, kings and kingdoms threaten,
    but Earth does anything he says.

⁷ Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

^8-10Attention, all! See the marvels of God!
    He plants flowers and trees all over the earth,
Bans war from pole to pole,
    breaks all the weapons across his knee.
“Step out of the traffic! Take a long,
    loving look at me, your High God,
    above politics, above everything.”

¹¹    Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
    God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.
47 ^1-9Applause, everyone. Bravo, bravissimo!
    Shout God-songs at the top of your lungs!
God Most High is stunning,
    astride land and ocean.
He crushes hostile people,
    puts nations at our feet.
He set us at the head of the line,
    prize-winning Jacob, his favorite.
Loud cheers as God climbs the mountain,
    a ram’s horn blast at the summit.
Sing songs to God, sing out!
    Sing to our King, sing praise!
He’s Lord over earth,
    so sing your best songs to God.
God is Lord of godless nations—
    sovereign, he’s King of the mountain.
Princes from all over are gathered,
    people of Abraham’s God.
The powers of earth are God’s—
    he soars over all.

Psalm 45-47

New International Version

Psalm 45^[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.^[b] A wedding song.^(A)

¹My heart is stirred by a noble theme
as I recite my verses for the king;
my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.

²You are the most excellent of men
and your lips have been anointed with grace,^(B)
since God has blessed you forever.^(C)

³Gird your sword^(D) on your side, you mighty one;^(E)
    clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.^(F)
⁴In your majesty ride forth victoriously^(G)
    in the cause of truth, humility and justice;^(H)
    let your right hand^(I) achieve awesome deeds.^(J)
⁵Let your sharp arrows^(K) pierce the hearts^(L) of the king’s enemies;^(M)
    let the nations fall beneath your feet.
⁶Your throne, O God,^[c] will last for ever and ever;^(N)
    a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
⁷You love righteousness^(O) and hate wickedness;^(P)
    therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
    by anointing^(Q) you with the oil of joy.^(R)
⁸All your robes are fragrant^(S) with myrrh^(T) and aloes^(U) and cassia;^(V)
    from palaces adorned with ivory^(W)
    the music of the strings^(X) makes you glad.
⁹Daughters of kings^(Y) are among your honored women;
    at your right hand^(Z) is the royal bride^(AA) in gold of Ophir.^(AB)

¹⁰Listen, daughter,^(AC) and pay careful attention:^(AD)
    Forget your people^(AE) and your father’s house.
¹¹Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;^(AF)
    honor^(AG) him, for he is your lord.^(AH)
¹²The city of Tyre^(AI) will come with a gift,^[d]^(AJ)
    people of wealth will seek your favor.
¹³All glorious^(AK) is the princess within her chamber;
    her gown is interwoven with gold.^(AL)
¹⁴In embroidered garments^(AM) she is led to the king;^(AN)
    her virgin companions^(AO) follow her—
    those brought to be with her.
¹⁵Led in with joy and gladness,^(AP)
    they enter the palace of the king.

¹⁶Your sons will take the place of your fathers;
you will make them princes^(AQ) throughout the land.

¹⁷I will perpetuate your memory through all generations;^(AR)
therefore the nations will praise you^(AS) for ever and ever.^(AT)

Psalm 46^[e]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth.^[f] A song.

¹God is our refuge^(AU) and strength,^(AV)
    an ever-present^(AW) help^(AX) in trouble.^(AY)
²Therefore we will not fear,^(AZ) though the earth give way^(BA)
    and the mountains fall^(BB) into the heart of the sea,^(BC)
³though its waters roar^(BD) and foam^(BE)
    and the mountains quake^(BF) with their surging.^[g]

⁴There is a river^(BG) whose streams^(BH) make glad the city of God,^(BI)
    the holy place where the Most High^(BJ) dwells.^(BK)
⁵God is within her,^(BL) she will not fall;^(BM)
    God will help^(BN) her at break of day.
⁶Nations^(BO) are in uproar,^(BP) kingdoms^(BQ) fall;
    he lifts his voice,^(BR) the earth melts.^(BS)

⁷The Lord Almighty^(BT) is with us;^(BU)
the God of Jacob^(BV) is our fortress.^(BW)

⁸Come and see what the Lord has done,^(BX)
    the desolations^(BY) he has brought on the earth.
⁹He makes wars^(BZ) cease
    to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow^(CA) and shatters the spear;
    he burns the shields^[h] with fire.^(CB)
¹⁰He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;^(CC)
    I will be exalted^(CD) among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

¹¹The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob^(CE) is our fortress.^(CF)

Psalm 47^[i]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

¹Clap your hands,^(CG) all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.^(CH)

²For the Lord Most High^(CI) is awesome,^(CJ)
    the great King^(CK) over all the earth.
³He subdued^(CL) nations under us,
    peoples under our feet.
⁴He chose our inheritance^(CM) for us,
    the pride of Jacob,^(CN) whom he loved.^[j]

⁵God has ascended^(CO) amid shouts of joy,^(CP)
    the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets.^(CQ)
⁶Sing praises^(CR) to God, sing praises;
    sing praises to our King, sing praises.
⁷For God is the King of all the earth;^(CS)
    sing to him a psalm^(CT) of praise.

⁸God reigns^(CU) over the nations;
    God is seated on his holy throne.^(CV)
⁹The nobles of the nations assemble
    as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings^[k] of the earth belong to God;^(CW)
    he is greatly exalted.^(CX)

Footnotes

Psalm 45:1 In Hebrew texts 45:1-17 is numbered 45:2-18.
Psalm 45:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 45:6 Here the king is addressed as God’s representative.
Psalm 45:12 Or A Tyrian robe is among the gifts
Psalm 46:1 In Hebrew texts 46:1-11 is numbered 46:2-12.
Psalm 46:1 Title: Probably a musical term
Psalm 46:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 7 and 11.
Psalm 46:9 Or chariots
Psalm 47:1 In Hebrew texts 47:1-9 is numbered 47:2-10.
Psalm 47:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
Psalm 47:9 Or shields

The Message (MSG)

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 45-47

The Message

Psalm 45-47

New International Version

Psalm 45^[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.^[b] A wedding song.^(A)

Psalm 46^[e]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth.^[f] A song.

Psalm 47^[i]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 45-47 The Message

Psalm 45-47 New International Version

Psalm 45[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.[b] A wedding song.(A)

Psalm 46[e]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth.[f] A song.

Psalm 47[i]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 45-47

The Message

Psalm 45-47

New International Version

Psalm 45^[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.^[b] A wedding song.^(A)

Psalm 46^[e]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth.^[f] A song.

Psalm 47^[i]