Psalm 45
1My heart is stirring with a noble song;
let me recite what I have fashioned for the king;
my tongue shall be the pen of a skilled writer.
2You are the fairest of men;
grace flows from your lips,
because God has blessed you for ever.
3Strap your sword upon your thigh, O mighty warrior,
in your pride and in your majesty.
4Ride out and conquer in the cause of truth
and for the sake of justice.
5Your right hand will show you marvelous things;
your arrows are very sharp, O mighty warrior.
6The peoples are falling at your feet,
and the king’s enemies are losing heart.
7Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever,
a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom;
you love righteousness and hate iniquity.
8Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness above your fellows.
9All your garments are fragrant with myrrh, aloes, and cassia,
and the music of strings from ivory palaces makes you glad.
10Kings’ daughters stand among the ladies of the court;
on your right hand is the queen,
adorned with the gold of Ophir.
11“Hear, O daughter; consider and listen closely;
forget your people and your father’s house.
12The king will have pleasure in your beauty;
he is your master; therefore do him honor.
13The people of Tyre are here with a gift;
the rich among the people seek your favor.”
14All glorious is the princess as she enters;
her gown is cloth-of-gold.
15In embroidered apparel she is brought to the king;
after her the bridesmaids follow in procession.
16With joy and gladness they are brought,
and enter into the palace of the king.
17“In place of fathers, O king, you shall have sons;
you shall make them princes over all the earth.
18I will make your name to be remembered
from one generation to another;
therefore nations will praise you for ever and ever.”
A Prayer for the Human Family
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
