Psalm 44

The inscription "on the musical instrument Shoshan" (in the form of a lily) indicates the type of musical instrument on which the psalm is to be performed: "teaching" indicates the nature of the content: the psalm represents the author's reflection on the event described in the psalm; "sons of Korah" – to writers from the family of Korah, who served as Levites at the temple of Jerusalem. "Song of Love" – the psalm is an expression of the writer's feeling of love for the subject of the hymn.

To whom the psalm is dedicated, and from here, and when it is written, we find a clear answer to these questions in the features of the person to whom the psalm is dedicated here. This person is the king (v. 2); he surpassed all men in his virtues, and especially in his reason (3); His reign is a reign for the establishment of peace, truth, but not for military exploits, although he also has a strong army (5-7); he dwells in luxurious palaces (9) and the kings and princes of the nations worship him together with the queen (13). All these features of the glorified king are exactly applicable to Solomon at the beginning of his reign, when he lived in luxurious palaces, amazed everyone with his wisdom and pomp, strove to strengthen peace and truth in his state, and received from all peoples signs of extraordinary respect and wonder for him.

The reason for writing the psalm can be considered the marriage of Solomon with the daughter of the Pharaoh of Egypt. There are indications of this in verses 10-11, where the writer, addressing the queen, advises her to forget her nation and her parents, which would be superfluous if the queen were Jewish.

I sing the praises of the king (2). Thou art the most beautiful of all the sons of men, arm thyself with thy glory and beauty, and reign to establish the truth (3-5). All enemies will fall before Thee, Thou art the king of righteousness, and Thou art glorified from Thy palaces (6-9). You, O queen, give up your family and homeland: then the king will love you especially, and all the nobles of the people will come to worship you (10-13). All the glory of the queen is in her inner merits. She, followed by the other daughters of the kings, goes to the king in his palace (14-16). Thy sons shall be princes over all the earth, and Thy name shall be glorified forever (17-18). 1. To the head of the choir. On the musical instrument Shoshan. Teaching. The sons of Korah. Song of Love. 2. A good word has poured out of my heart; I say, My song is about the King; my tongue is the reed of a scribe.

2. "A good word has poured out of my heart" — from my heart, like an overflowing vessel, this solemn and joyful song, full of good wishes to the king, naturally and irresistibly flowed; the real good word of the writer is a sincere, poured out song in honor of the Tsar from the fullness of feeling. — "My tongue is the reed of a scribe." Speed in writing was his great virtue; The author, wishing that his language should express his thoughts and feelings in exact words corresponding to his desire, as quickly and accurately as the scribe's reed.

This verse is an introduction to the content of the psalm and the singing of the King depicted in the latter.

3. You are more beautiful than the sons of men; grace has flowed out of Thy mouth; therefore God has blessed thee for ever.

3. "Thou art more beautiful than the sons of men." Beauty is a general designation of many virtues, it is a generic feature; "grace has poured out from Thy mouth" — from the mouth of the king proceeds rational speech, which brings good to the listener Solomon, indeed, amazed his contemporaries with his speech — in court cases with his special insight, in ordinary conversations — with apt expressions, depth of thought, and, in general, extensive information from all branches of human knowledge. — "Therefore God has blessed you forever" — Solomon's extraordinary virtues caused God's blessing on him. This blessing is not limited only to the historical fame of Solomon, whose name has become a household name, to designate any person with extensive and deep knowledge, but also indicates that by his initial activity, by his striving to establish and strengthen peace and truth on earth, he is the prototype of his Great Descendant, the Messiah, who gave the world fully what for Solomon was an unattainable ideal. The eternal blessing of God upon him cannot but be seen in the fact that this king was the organ of the Divine, and therefore the eternal revelation set forth in his books.

4. Препояшь Себя по бедру мечом Твоим, Сильный, славою Твоею и красотою Твоею, 5. и в сем украшении Твоем поспеши, воссядь на колесницу ради истины и кротости и правды, и десница Твоя покажет Тебе дивные дела. 6. Остры стрелы Твои (, Сильный); — народы падут пред Тобою, — они — в сердце врагов Царя.

4–6. Писатель псалма приглашает царя опоясаться мечом для борьбы с врагами. Но этот меч должен состоять из Его славы и красоты, а потому и врагами являются не люди, не враги в общественно-политическом смысле, а враги духовные — ложь, злоба, ненависть, неправосудие и т. д. Для уничтожения этих врагов царь должен напрягать свои силы («поспеши») и совершить дивные дела. Известно, что в судебных делах, где бессильны были разобраться опытные судьи, Соломон делал приговоры, поражавшие всех своей очевидной правотой и необыкновенной находчивостью. Но кроме этой духовной силы Соломон обладал и хорошо организованной и опытной в боях армией, унаследованной от Давида, которая всегда готова была защитить царя и уничтожить его врагов. Известно, что Соломон держал ее на границах своего государства для обеспечения от нападений. Эту мысль о военной силе Соломона в словах текста 6 ст. можно передать так: Твои, Сильный, острые стрелы — в сердца врагов (т. е. проникнут), и люди пред Тобою падут (т. е. враги не устоят против твоих войск).

Престол Твой, Боже, вовек; жезл правоты — жезл царства Твоего.

7. Эта военная мощь и непобедимость царя даются ему, однако, не потому, что он опытный стратег и искусный политик, но потому, что своим управлением ради установления на земле правды и мира он осуществляет на земле царство Бога, «престол Которого — правда», а потому и все народы, восстающие против такого царя, как противники царства Божия, должны погибнуть.

8. Ты возлюбил правду и возненавидел беззаконие, посему помазал Тебя, Боже, Бог Твой елеем радости более соучастников Твоих.