“How can you tell when a politician is lying? When his lips are moving!” That’s meant to be a joke, but it wouldn’t be funny if there weren’t an element of truth in it. After all, when he was running for President, George H.W. Bush promised, “Read my lips: no new taxes!” He lost a lot of his popularity when he broke that promise, and was succeeded by Bill Clinton – who went on to tell his own tall tales about his Oval Office activities with Monica Lewinsky.

Oh, and then there’s the problem of leaders remaining in office long after they’ve lost their edge. President Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke in September of 1919, and did not meet with his cabinet for over seven months – historians speculate that his wife was handling the papers that required his attention. And whether an obviously ill Franklin Roosevelt surrendered too much of Eastern Europe to Joseph Stalin at Yalta in February of 1945 continues to be hotly debated.

No, we can all understand why the psalmist praised his king for upholding “the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness” (verse 4), for loving righteousness and hating wickedness (verse 7). We long for a Mighty One (verse 3) who will not only “make the world safe for democracy,” as Woodrow Wilson promised when sending American troops into the First World War, but who will make it possible for us to attend a crawfish festival in Jackson, Mississippi without fear. And who wouldn’t want the throne, the reign of such a king to last “forever and ever” (verse 6)?

Well, the good news is that we have such a king – King Jesus. The psalmist even prophesied his righteous, mighty, and eternal reign in verse six, when he called his king, “O God.” But at the same time, in verse 7, the psalmist says to the king, “God, your God, has anointed You.” The psalmist thus displays a trinitarian understanding of King Jesus – that while He is distinguished from God the Father, He remains God the Son. His worldwide, everlasting reign could therefore not be more legitimate, more powerful, or more pure.

But the psalmist also reminds us that the king has a queen, beautifully adorned with gold (verses 9 and 13). And Christ has a bride as well – the Church (Revelation 21:2). In fact, Jesus has promised that He has only gone away into Heaven to prepare a place for all those who love and trust Him (John 14:3). And He has given sons to His Church (verse 16), a multitude of believers from every tribe and tongue and nation, who will worship and serve Him forever, clothed in robes of righteousness that are washed in the saving blood of Christ Himself (Revelation 7:9, 14-15).

So, instead of putting our faith in very fallible human rulers (verse 10), why don’t we bow down before our loving Lord (verse 11). Instead of looking to human governments to solve all our problems, wouldn’t it be better to join the saints through all the ages, singing praise to the King of Kings: “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” (Revelation 7:10)? For the only King Who lives forever is the only ruler who will never let us down.

Psalm 45 (NASB)

For the choir director; according to the Shoshannim. A Maskil of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love.
My heart overflows with a good theme; I address my verses to the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
2 Thou art fairer than the sons of men; Grace is poured upon Thy lips; Therefore God has blessed Thee forever.
3 Gird Thy sword on Thy thigh, O Mighty One, In Thy splendor and Thy majesty!
4 And in Thy majesty ride on victoriously, For the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness; Let Thy right hand teach Thee awesome things.
5 Thine arrows are sharp; The peoples fall under Thee; Thine arrows are in the heart of the King’s enemies.
6 Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Thy kingdom.
7 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness; Therefore God, Thy God, has anointed Thee With the oil of joy above Thy fellows.
8 All Thy garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made Thee glad.
9 Kings’ daughters are among Thy noble ladies; At Thy right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir.
10 Listen, O daughter, give attention and incline your ear; Forget your people and your father’s house;
11 Then the King will desire your beauty; Because He is your Lord, bow down to Him.
12 And the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift; The rich among the people will entreat your favor.
13 The King’s daughter is all glorious within; Her clothing is interwoven with gold.
14 She will be led to the King in embroidered work; The virgins, her companions who follow her, Will be brought to Thee.
15 They will be led forth with gladness and rejoicing; They will enter into the King’s palace.
16 In place of your fathers will be your sons; You shall make them princes in all the earth.
17 I will cause Thy name to be remembered in all generations; Therefore the peoples will give Thee thanks forever and ever.