If we have composed something beforehand, when we arrive in the meeting, our tongue will be the pen of a ready writer. This is the third principle. Firstly, we need the experience with which to bubble over; secondly, we need the composition before coming to the meeting; and thirdly, we need to exercise our tongue. We all must be the writers, so equipped and ready with our tongue. We need to be bubbling over with Christ and the church, we need to compose something before coming to the meeting, and we need to practice speaking what we have already composed when we come to the meeting. In the meeting we do some writing with our tongue. Our writing is speaking, firstly about Christ and then about the church.
From verse 2 to verse 8 we have what the Psalmist has composed concerning the King, Christ. Firstly we must speak about Christ. Then from verse 9 through verse 15 we have the Psalmist’s composition concerning the Queen with the virgins, the daughters, or the women—the church with the saints. Finally, in verses 16 and 17, we see what he has composed regarding the King’s children.
We have already mentioned how seldom praises concerning Christ Himself are heard in the meetings of today’s Christianity. There are frequent thanksgivings made for material blessings of every kind, whereas praises such as those found in Psalms 68 and 45 are practically nonexistent. Rarely can you hear someone praising, “Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured upon Thy lips: therefore God hath blessed Thee forever.” There is nothing about material blessing here. We must learn whenever we open our mouths to praise with Christ plus the church, the King and the Queen.
Of course, if you have the King, you must also have the Queen. The King introduces the Queen. Therefore, from verse 9 through 15 we have the second section of this Psalm, the praise to the King about the Queen. In other words, the Queen becomes the praise of the King. If we would praise the King, we cannot forget to utter something concerning the Queen, for the Queen is a part of the King. In the first section, the praise is to the King about the King (vv. 1-8); but in the second section, the praise is to the King, but about the Queen (vv. 9-15). Lastly we have the third section of the Psalm—the praise to the King about His children (vv. 16-17). The entire Psalm is a praise to the King, but the first part is the praise about the King, the second is the praise about the Queen, and the third is the praise about the King’s children, the princes.
Psalm 45 is a Psalm about Christ and full of Christ, yet it is written from the various standpoints of human relationships. As a human being you must, of course, have yourself. As a human being you also need a wife. Then, as a human being so complete, perfect and full, you need your children. Christ is not a bachelor nor is He childless: He is the King with the Queen and all the children. If we would render Him complete praise, we must say something concerning Himself, we must speak about His Queen, and we must also utter something regarding His children. His glory is not only in Himself, but also in His Queen and all His children. These are the three sections of this marvelous and unique praise of Christ. It is directed to one person in three parts—the King, the Queen, and the royal children.
Christ’s glory is not only in Himself, but also in the church. To see Christ’s glory in Himself, we must read the four Gospels. In these the divine and human glory of Christ blazes forth. But we know that following the four Gospels are many epistles. In all these we may see the beauty of Christ in the church with many saints. There we see the Queen with the virgins, kings’ daughters, and honorable women. When we come to the book of Revelation, we also see Christ’s glory in His church and in His children, His princes. Actually, in that last consummate book of the Holy Scriptures, we see the threefold glory and beauty of the Lord: in Himself, in His bride, and in His sons, the overcomers. How much we have with which to compose our praises! Christ and the church with the saints! The King and the Queen with the princes! The husband and the wife with the children! Hallelujah!