The Daily Office: Day 61- The Beauty of the Bridegroom and the Bride
Silence for 2-5 minutes:
If your mind wanders, silently pray a simple prayer again and again, such as, "I surrender to your love" or "Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me" until the Holy Spirit gives you a sense of peace and focus.
Scripture:
Psalm 45
1 My heart overflows with a pleasing theme; I address my verses to the King; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.
2 You are the most handsome of the sons of men; grace is poured upon your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever. 3 Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, in your splendor and majesty!
4 In your majesty ride out victoriously for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness; let your right hand teach you awesome deeds! 5 Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King's enemies; the peoples fall under you.
6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; 7 you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions; 8 your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia. From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad; 9 daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor; at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.
10 Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear: forget your people and your father's house, 11 and the King will desire your beauty. Since he is your Lord, bow to him. 12 The people[b] of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts, the richest of the people.[c]
13 All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold. 14 In many-colored robes she is led to the King, with her virgin companions following behind her. 15 With joy and gladness they are led along as they enter the palace of the King.
16 In place of your fathers shall be your sons; you will make them princes in all the earth. 17 I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.
Reading:
Psalm 45 is a song about a royal wedding. The King in this Psalm is a prophetic picture of Christ. Our King, the bridegroom, is the most wonderful of men, who, when he speaks grace, fills every word. Our King is a mighty warrior whose arrows will destroy all of his wicked foes. Christ has loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore, God has placed him as Lord over all others. This beautiful Psalm expresses how lovely is our Christ and why we adore him.
Verse 11 should certainly catch us off guard and surprise us, for the Psalm states that as we give ourselves over entirely to our heavenly bridegroom and leave all others for him, that he will desire our beauty. This points to the reality that as Christ’s bride, we are one with him. We see Jesus’ great beauty, and as we bow to him and leave all others for his sake, his radiant beauty is ours and is desired by our Lord.
Paul compares this mystery to marriage and yet says our union with Christ is beyond any earthly reality.
“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. Ephesians 5:31-32
The book of Revelation pictures heaven as a time of the wedding of the church to this glorious King. Our earthly pilgrimage is a time for preparation so that when that day comes, he “will desire our beauty.”
Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Revelation 19:7
Actions:
Spend time today thinking of the attributes of Christ that make him more beautiful and to be desired than all others.
Prayer:
O Lord, truly, you are beautiful above all others. Let your presence, glory, and radiance shine in me that you would desire my beauty. Help me prepare for the glorious day when as part of the church, I will be your bride and you my bridegroom. Amen.