Psalm 45 (44):10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Similarly, he foreshadows the emergence of the bride alongside the queen, declaring, “The Queen has appeared at Thy right hand.” Another translator, Aquila, interprets this as “set in the form of a pillar,” symbolizing steadfastness and immovability, just as Christ remarks elsewhere, “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against her” (Matt. 16:18). Can you perceive the magnitude of this honor? Can you grasp the height of her dignity? He has exalted the defeated and humiliated ones to such a level that they stand before God. Once captives, forsaken, unfaithful, and impure, can you see the worthiness they have attained? They stand before God alongside the heavenly authorities. The Son, being equal to the Father, sits at His right hand, yet she stands, for she is a queen, although a created being. How, then, does Paul write, “and raised us up with Him, and seated us in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:6)? Let us delve deeper. He did not merely claim, “raised up” and “seated,” but included “in Christ,” that is, through Christ. He states that since our Head is our sorrow and we constitute His body, when the Head is exalted, we too share in the glory, albeit while we stand. “In a garment embroidered with gold, adorned.” Another version (Theodotion) refers to a diadem of gold. Just as the King is understood beyond physical weaponry, the bride’s adornments should not be interpreted literally but should elevate our thoughts from earthly to spiritual reflections (Ps. 44:14). To ensure clarity, the prophet adds, “All the glory of the King’s daughter is within her” (Ps. 44:14). While the material garments are visible to all who observe, when speaking of spiritual attire, one should direct their focus inwardly. This garment is a creation of the King, who clothed the Church through baptism: “all ye who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27). Originally, she was bare and unappealing, exposed to all who passed by; yet, once she donned this garment, she was elevated and honored to stand at the right hand of God. Hence, the prophet fittingly describes her as “adorned.” Her garments are not identical, as salvation encompasses not only grace but also faith along with virtue. Nevertheless, the matter here is not simply about garments. The Spirit’s intention in portraying the golden garments of the woman was not trivial. If Isaiah critiques women who seek to adorn themselves (Isaiah 3), and luxury is denounced throughout, then how could He commend the jewelry of the woman?

Thus, the essence of Christ emanates as a fragrance akin to Smyrna due to His sufferings, and like stacti, for He did not remain inactive for three days and nights, but instead descended into the depths for the Resurrection, fulfilling all that was ordained for Him. The essence of cassia is present as well because cassia is a wonderfully fragrant bark that envelops the tree's trunk. The prophetic term cassia perhaps insightfully refers to the suffering endured on the cross, accepted for the benefit of all creation. Hence, we observe Smyrna in relation to burial, stacti in connection with the descent into hell (for every drop indeed gravitates downwards), and cassia due to the foundation established by His flesh upon the cross. Consequently, the Prophet exclaims, The daughters of kings rejoice in Your honor. And who are the daughters of kings but noble, esteemed, and regal souls? Recognizing Christ through His incarnation, they rejoice in His honor with genuine faith and profound love, extolling His divine nature. In discussing these fragrances, signifying the inflow of the Word and the proclamation of doctrine, the Prophet indicates that they were abundant upon Christ’s garment, pervading all the structures. By referring to 'heaviness,' he denotes grand edifices, and by illustrating that they were made from ivory, he signifies the vastness of Christ's love for the world. The queen shall stand at Your right hand, adorned in gilded garments. The prophet alludes to the Church, of which we learn from the Song of Songs (cf. Songs 6:9) that ‘one is the perfect dove’ of Christ, welcoming to His right those recognized for their righteous deeds, distinguishing them from the unworthy, much like a shepherd differentiates the sheep from the goats. Thus, there exists a queen, representing a soul united with the Bridegroom through the Word, untainted by sin and partaking in the kingdom of Christ, who stands at the Savior's right hand, arrayed in resplendent robes—magnificently and sacredly adorned with spiritual teachings that are woven in various forms. Since the doctrines are not uniform but encompass a wide range—natural, moral, and sacramental—the Psalm mentions that the bride’s garments are beautifully embellished.

In the Hebrew text, it states that "The spouse stood at Thy right hand in a golden crown." Where we have interpreted it as 'consort,' the original Hebrew uses 'segal.' Aquila rendered it as ‘concubine,’ while Simmachus and the Fifth Edition used ‘mistress,’ and the Seventy, Theodotion, and the Sixth Edition termed it ‘queen.’ Additionally, in the instance of "in a golden crown," Simmachus referred to "in fine gold," and Aquila along with the Fifth and Sixth Editions described it as "in the gold of Ophir." The daughters of kings, preparing themselves for the embrace of the Bridegroom, rejoice with humility, stacte, cassia, and treasures to Him whose throne exists throughout the ages. Firmly grounded on the rock - Christ - stands the Orthodox Church; a singular dove, pure and immaculate, positioned at His right side, lacking nothing. She is clad in gilded vestments, delving deep into the Scriptures and abundant in every virtue, or as we interpret it, "in a golden crown." She is a queen and reigns alongside the King; her daughters may symbolize the souls of all believers and particularly the faces of maidens. Ophir denotes a specific gold, named either after a location in India or for its hue, as the Jews had seven designations for gold. As for wife and companion, drawing from the Song of Solomon, we refer to one who cannot find rest in the absence of her beloved.

The phrase regarding the weight of elephants, or as translated by Symmachus and Aquila, the temples of elephants, symbolizes the magnificent churches that rulers and kings have constructed across land and sea. Thus, the Prophet prophesies that this suffering, although physical, will permeate the entire world with its fragrance, leading formerly misguided nations to establish splendid and radiant temples to Christ, adorned with royal decorations.

They have honored You sincerely and have served You as their divine Lord. This represents a profound interpretation of the text. Yet, a simpler understanding may also emerge, suggesting that the fragrant qualities of virtue arise from the pure humanity You embraced, O Lord, and not only from this but also from the noble and revered churches You have established in various locations. This is illustrated by the ivory houses of celebration. The diversity of these fragrant offerings symbolizes the richness of virtue’s fragrance. When it is said that they shall make You joyful through these temples, it refers to the generous souls who have constructed them. The use of the past tense—“they cheered Thee”—rather than a future construction—“they will cheer Thee”—reflects how the prophets often speak of future events as if they have already occurred. The phrase “daughters of kings” denotes that not only the ordinary or humble will honor You, but even royalty, which is remarkable. Indeed, the daughters of monarchs are surrounded by countless guardians and kept within the most secluded and secretive chambers of royal households, as illustrated by the accounts of wise Catherine and many others who upheld their faith in Christ.

To clarify, David portrays a vision of rejoicing, saying, "Rejoice, O Lord, from the grand ivory houses constructed by the daughters of kings in Your honor, as they create temples within their hearts." Here, David refers to the Church or assembly of faithful Christians, which Christ, the King, reconciled to Himself through faith after it had succumbed to idolatry. The Church reigns over earthly desires and shares in the heavenly kingdom alongside her Bridegroom, Christ. While Christ, in His divine nature, sits at the right hand of the Father, His Bride and the Church stands beside Him, alongside the angels, for though She is both bride and queen, She exists within created nature. It is a tremendous honor for Her to be granted this standing at the right hand of Christ. Additionally, Paul's words regarding God the Father indicate that He has "raised us up and seated us together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:6), which aligns with David's statement. For through Christ, who is seated at the right hand of the Father as our head, the remaining members of the Church's body are conferred with the honor of sharing the exalted position with their head, even though they stand rather than sit, as explained by Chrysostom. The Church of Christ is described as adorned in a bright garment, symbolizing grace and acceptance through holy baptism and faith in Christ, embellished with diverse virtues. These words denote a spiritual garment and adornment, distinct from a physical one, as will be elaborated upon below. The remarks of St. Basil clarify this, describing a "gilded garment" as one that is majestically and reverently decorated with well-established and varied principles of faith. Since these principles encompass a broad spectrum consisting of moral, natural, and visionary guidance, Scripture designates this bridal garment as glorified.

This is a position that God Himself admires and commends, emphasizing her prominence to the heavenly beings, as echoed in the Song of Songs: "How beautiful Thou art, My neighbor," radiating brighter than the most splendid paradise, more beautiful than the entirety of creation both seen and unseen.

Not only is she close to Him, she holds the esteemed place of honor at His right hand, for where Christ is enthroned in glory, there she also resides, having ascended from the earthly realm to the heavenly. This elevation is not just due to her deep love for Him, which reflects the natural order, but it is also because she is truly His Throne; where the Sovereign's seat is, there stands His Throne. Isaiah beheld this Throne flanked by the cherubim and described it as "high exalted," reinforcing Our Lady's supremacy over the celestial beings.

Now, in her glorious abode, a royal palace befitting her, she has been received and appears at the right hand of the King, clothed in a garment of glory and honor, as noted by the words of the Psalmist. The term "a garment glorified" signifies her divine body, richly adorned with virtues; she is the only one who possesses a body glorified by God and now dwells with the Son. Neither the earth, the grave, nor death could ultimately confine the life-giving and divinely favored body, nor is there a dwelling more cherished by God than heaven itself and the highest heavens.

She possesses ‘all the glory’ attainable by a created being; for she is the Mother of the King of Glory, the Mother of God the Son, bearing a dignity that surpasses the Cherubim and outshines the Seraphim. Yet, ‘all Her glory’ is ‘inward,’ comprising not external appearances but inner virtues and qualities, as the Blessed Virgin, throughout her earthly life, humbly concealed her glory within her heart. Upon acknowledging the Blessed Virgin Mary in the prophetic depiction of the ‘daughter of the King,’ who bears ‘all glory within,’ we must also recognize her in the same prophetic song as the ‘Queen who stands’ at the right hand of the King, Whose ‘throne is in the age of ages,’ Who, being ‘God,’ is ‘anointed with the oil of gladness above His companions’ (Psalms 44:8). When did she appear so magnificently before Him? Undoubtedly, it was after the fulfillment of His earthly mission, in heaven, where He shares with His Father ‘the glory which He had before the world existed’ (John 17:5). She ‘stands’ before Him as servants stand before their Lord, for she is also a servant by her created nature; yet she stands as ‘Queen’ for she partakes in His glory and possesses a motherly boldness before Him. Can it be imagined that her standing before the King of Glory is idle? If on earth, while He and His glory were hidden, she stood before Him, interceding for our needs—even the simplest, such as wine for a joyful wedding—and brought forward the ‘hour that had not yet come’ for His benevolent miracles (John 2:1-9), how much more now in heaven, where her humanity and boldness before the Son and God are liberated from earthly constraints! She stands not in forgetfulness of the earthly but actively intercedes for us, seeking gracious assistance in our needs, trials, and sorrows, for the peace of the world and for the salvation of every soul that earnestly desires it. As the ‘Queen’—for in heaven titles bear significance, authority, and action—she possesses the power to intercede, to shield, and to enrich with graces those who seek her sovereign protection. Thus, from the prophetic word, we encounter what is affirmed in Church tradition, what we often perceive not through text but through sacred icons, and what we now jubilantly celebrate in liturgical observances— we recognize the Most Holy Virgin Theotokos, who, after her earthly dormition, ascended into heaven as Queen, appearing in glory before the King of Glory, interceding for us with grace and salvation. Rejoice, O ye virgins; for virginity now reigns in heaven, and from thence it nobly safeguards you. Do not be disheartened, O ye who labor; the Mother of the Lord, though she underwent no pains of childbirth in her sinless delivery, profoundly understands the sorrows inherent in a mother’s love and concern. Thus, like her Divine Son, ‘having been tempted herself’ by His grace, she can and desires to assist those ‘who are tempted’ (Hebrews 2:18). Rejoice, all who are born of women; for if the Son of God, according to His humanity, ‘is not ashamed to call them brethren’ (Hebrews 2:11), certainly His Immaculate Mother is not ashamed to regard all of us as her children and to show mercy to us all with a maternal heart. But it is not sufficient merely to offer you reassurance and solace through the guardianship of the ‘Queen who is at the right hand’ of the King of Glory in Heaven. You must also be uplifted and ascend, not necessarily to this very elevation, yet to a nearby proximity. The prophet emphasizes this when he states, ‘There shall be brought unto the King virgins in her footsteps’ (Psalms 44:15). What kind of virgins? Surely not mere physical virgins; for ‘flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God’ (1 Corinthians 15:50), but rather spiritual virgins—souls that have purified and elevated their innate virginity through grace; in a broader sense, souls that have maintained and enhanced the spiritual virginity with which they were born of the Spirit in the waters of Baptism, or who have restored what was lost through true repentance and a penitential life. Christian souls! Do you not aspire to join the ranks of the wise virgins, following in the footsteps of the Blessed Virgin? Will any of you willingly resign yourselves to the fate of the foolish virgins? Does your heart not yearn to draw near to the heavenly Bridegroom, whom the heavenly Father has proclaimed ‘beloved’ on many occasions, not due to necessity but to inspire our love for Him? Or is it doubt that weakens you, questioning the possibility of reaching such greatness? Yet there is no uncertainty regarding the truth of what the infallible prophetic word promises: ‘The virgins shall be brought to the King in her footsteps!’ Or is a sense of unworthiness stifling you, obstructing the divine desire from grasping hold? Distinguish between a rightful sense of unworthiness and the overwhelming hopelessness that is unjust. Did the Son of God descend to earth for the worthy? ‘I came not,’ He proclaims, ‘to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance’ (Mark 2:17). ‘The Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost’ (Matthew 18:11). If the Savior reached out not only to the unworthy and sinful but to the lost, then both the unworthy and sinful, as well as the lost, have hope in advancing toward their Savior; provided they desire, strive, and endeavor to prepare for this closeness, not through their own strength, but by His gracious aid. Those souls eager to be guided into the footsteps of the Queen, who stands at the right hand of the King of Glory, must prepare themselves for this beautification akin to hers: ‘all glory to the daughter of the King within.’ What does ‘glory within’ signify? St. Basil the Great elucidates, ‘He who adorns himself before the Father who sees in secret and prays, performing all things not for human approval but solely for God: he possesses all glory within, as the daughter of the King does.’ This is a present admonition for you Christians on the pathway to the kingdom, in the trail of the heavenly Queen; this is the current lesson from the school of Christ: cultivate and cherish inner dignity and glory, piety and virtue in your hearts, in the depths of your souls, before the gaze of the All-Seeing One, rather than focusing solely on external appearances and actions before the eyes of men. This remains a vital and beneficial lesson, yet it seems particularly urgent in this age, which is absorbed in outward appearances and, as a natural consequence of distraction, frequently neglects inward reflection. How much attention is consumed by many, how much time is lost, how much wealth is exhausted due to an increasing passion for external splendor and pleasure, in housing, attire, nourishment, beverages, and entertainment! Many ponder or assert: What harm is there in seeking our own enjoyment? It is a pitiful excuse for a rational and moral being that there is no danger in such pursuits! Does this justification not implicitly suggest there is no good, no benefit, no dignity in such endeavors? Yet if in order to rectify our activities, it is necessary to address the threat of imminent misfortune, consider how as luxury abounds, contentment dwindles, while the burdens of impure and neglected poverty rise excessively among society. Observe how the craving for extravagance, flowing from the rich to the poor, breeds indiscretion in means of fulfillment and undermines both private and public morality, along with order and security. Watch as the habit of finding solace in external pleasures seeps into spiritual life, damaging moral sensibilities; it leaves those who do good in discontent until that goodness is externally acknowledged; it denies them the peace found in their merit, tormenting them with desires for public distinction. Let us be wary not to err in assessing the relative worth of what is external versus what is internal, lest we trade gold for copper and silver for tin, becoming entrenched in vanity by fixating on the external. The internal does not exist for the sake of the external, but the reverse—the external serves the internal, visible goods are meant for the body, the body for the soul, the soul for God and His kingdom: and the ‘kingdom of God,’ as the Lord declares, ‘is within you’ (Luke 17:21). If you are not trapped by the external and do not stray within it, occupy and utilize the external in moderation and as necessary; yet consistently strive to turn towards the internal. Address the adorned temple; you are not the hall of the heavenly Bridegroom. His altar lies within the immaculate heart. He resides ‘by faith in hearts’ (Ephesians 3:17). Tell the fine garments; none of you serve as a proper ‘wedding garment' (Matthew 22:12), suited for entering the royal marriage and without which one is cast into the outer darkness. This garment will not be fashioned at camp, nor brought from afar; it is partly bestowed from above, partly cultivated through one’s own efforts according to what is written: ‘Put on the Lord Jesus Christ’ (Romans 13:14); ‘put on the womb of bounty, kindness, humility, gentleness, and longsuffering’ (Colossians 3:12). Speak to the lavish feast; this is not where the heavenly Guest will arrive, although He has promised to ‘come in’ and ‘dine’ with anyone who ‘opens the door’ of their heart (Revelation 3:20). His nourishment is distinct: ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’ (Matthew 4:4). He must open the doors of your heart; prayer, love, and obedience to His word will do so: ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him’ (John 14:23). Cast away thoughts of vanity and selfishness as they approach your good deeds; remove ‘the foxes that spoil the vines’ (Song of Songs 2:15); we seek to present to the Lord the fruit of the vine untainted. With the assistance of the previously mentioned spiritual reflections and practices, ‘may the heavenly Father,’ brethren, ‘according to the riches of His glory, grant you strength to be established by His Spirit in the inner man’ (Ephesians 3:16), so that, possessing ‘glory within,’ we may be deemed worthy to be ‘brought’ into eternal glory. Amen.

This gathering undoubtedly included not only distinguished men but also women recognized as daughters of kings, some of whom were of royal descent, having resided in Solomon's court or traveled from distant lands for his wedding, receiving the honor and grandeur befitting their heritage. Among them, the daughter of the Egyptian king, as Solomon's bride, held the foremost position. Thus it is proclaimed, “The queen stands at Thy right hand, clothed in gilded robes, ennobled.”