I must admit, when I first read through Psalm 45 I found myself feeling a bit detached from its message. I mean, I don’t spend a great deal of time thinking about royal weddings, ancient thrones, or love songs. But my heart knew what it was getting at.
 
It’s a Psalm, a royal song, full of beauty, celebration, and honor. It puts words of worship for a King whose reign is marked by truth, humility, and righteousness.
 
We know what it’s like to live under the broken rule of this world. We’ve seen power used for selfish gain and watched leaders promise to deliver righteousness and justice only to protect themselves. A quick study of history will reveal a long and sordid story of injustice in the home, churches, cities, nations, and most importantly, in our own hearts.
 
Deep down our souls long for a King who isn’t corrupt, is kind, stable, and focused on the service of others.
 
This song teaches our hearts to desire a Kingdom where strength serves righteousness, authority isn’t feared because it’s holy, and justice isn’t a campaign slogan but the very attitude and posture of the throne.
 
This week we’ve seen the Word become flesh. The incarnation didn’t just bring comfort and hope to our own individual souls, it brought the rightful King into the world. He is here to reclaim humanity, and that includes our loyalties, our disordered loves, and our deep inner longing for righteous rule.
 
If we give place to an improper view of power, it bends our hearts away from things that matter like character, compassion, and justice towards admiration of whoever, or whatever, wins, what dominates, whatever gets results. This beautiful love song pushes us back from that precipice. It helps to form our desire around a better King, a righteous King.
 
The heart that belongs to Jesus must learn to love His reign and not just the benefits of His rescue. He doesn’t come only to forgive, but to rule in righteousness, truth, humility, and justice. And believe it or not … that’s fantastic news!

This may be a loaded reflection in the climate we find ourselves in, but where have you seen broken power and rule shape your expectations of leadership and authority? Have we lowered our expectations to allow the brokenness to dominate? What would it look like for our hearts to love the righteousness of Christ’s reign, not just the comfort of His help

Father, I know my heart is easily shaped at times by the things of this world. Reshape it around ;the beauty of Your righteous King. Free me from admiring power detached from holiness. Ferret out the tendencies of my own heart to want power without accountability. Teach me to love the reign of Jesus and to trust His justice, His Truth, and goodness. Amen.