By John BJ Hall
All Thy garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made Thee glad. Psalm 45:8
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The passage in the 45th Psalm is prophetic in nature. It speaks of the coming King, His coronation, and the wedding feast. Jesus is the King. The church is His bride.
The hymn writer, Henry Barraclough uses the fragrant spices listed in the psalm to describe the glorious scene. Myrrh and cassia were prime ingredients in the anointing oil used to inaugurate kings and priests. In Song of Solomon 4:14, myrrh and aloes were mentioned in the wedding of King Solomon. They also had a connection with the gifts given to the Christ Child by the wise men. And they were used in preparing Christ’s body for burial.
The final stanza brings us to the Second Coming of our Lord. The latter verses of Psalm 45 speak of the beautiful bride. Jesus is coming to bring His bride home to be with Him forever.
What a glorious hope we have in Christ and His return.
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Father, what a wonderful day it will be when You send Your Son to gather His bride to glory. Thank You for Your eternal love that made this hope possible. I worship You and will serve You forever. Amen.
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This is an excerpt from Hymns of Praise Vol 2: A Devotional Guide to the Hymns of Our Faith. © Copyright 2023 by John BJ Hall (Assigned to Passages Ministries Publishing)