My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer. – Psalm 45:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 3, 2019): Psalm 45

“No Doubt” lead singer, Gwen Stefani says, “I remember when I was in school, they would ask, 'What are you going to be when you grow up?' and then you'd have to draw a picture of it. I drew a picture of myself as a bride.” As children, we all play the “when I grow up” game with excitement, even though we really don’t understand the process of growing up. And for a lot of young children, love and marriage and having children is part of the dream; for young girls and even for young boys. My five-year-old grandson has already announced his “when I grow up plans” which include being a daddy and a maker of pizza. (He probably knows that pizza is the way to his grandfather’s heart.)

As we grow older, the dream of marriage sometimes tarnishes. I live in a culture where most marriages start strong but soon lose their shine and power. The fairytale married life is just that, a fairytale. Marriage, and love, take work and commitment. The “I do” of the wedding ceremony are only two words unless they are spoken daily throughout the length of the marriage. But the wedding often begins with a fairytale party. Special songs are sung, or played. And in the midst of the party, promises for the future are made. It is just a day, but one that is filled with hope for the future.

Psalm 45 is a wedding song. The author has written it with a wedding day in mind. It is filled with themes of a strong and handsome groom and a beautiful bride. It speaks about a wedding dress that is embroidered and woven with gold. It is about the wedding day, but it also holds hints for the future. All generations will remember this day, this wedding, and this marriage.

So, who is the lucky couple? We really don’t know. The names of the Bride and Groom are not mentioned, but traditionally it is believed that the Groom is Solomon and that the Bride is Solomon’s Egyptian princess. But Christians have often seen this wedding song as a spiritual allusion to the relationship between Christ and his Church.

But, no matter who it is that is getting married, when the wedding day is finally over, it is now time for the work to begin.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 4