The princess inside is all glorious. Her clothing is interwoven with gold.
Parallel Translations
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The princess inside is all glorious. Her clothing is interwoven with gold.
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The king’s daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold.
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(45-14) All glorious is the king's daughter within the palace; her raiment is of chequer work inwrought with gold.
Cross-references (15)
Passages linked to Psalms 45:13 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in Yahweh! My soul will be joyful in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation. He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
- Revelation 19:7-8 Let’s rejoice and be exceedingly glad, and let’s give the glory to him. For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready.” It was given to her that she would array herself in bright, pure, fine linen: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
- Matthew 5:16 Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
- Luke 11:40 You foolish ones, didn’t he who made the outside make the inside also?
- Romans 3:22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction,
- Romans 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.
- 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
- Revelation 3:18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.
- 1 Samuel 16:7 But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”
- Psalms 45:9-10 Kings’ daughters are among your honorable women. At your right hand the queen stands in gold of Ophir. Listen, daughter, consider, and turn your ear. Forget your own people, and also your father’s house.
- Song of Solomon 7:1 How beautiful are your feet in sandals, prince’s daughter! Your rounded thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a skillful workman.
- 1 Peter 3:3-4 Let your beauty be not just the outward adorning of braiding the hair, and of wearing jewels of gold, or of putting on fine clothing; but in the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.
- Matthew 22:11-12 But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who didn’t have on wedding clothing, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here not wearing wedding clothing?’ He was speechless.
- Romans 2:29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 13 The daughter of the King is all glorious…
13 The daughter of the King is all glorious within This verse may be understood in a twofold sense; either as meaning that the queen, not only when she appears in public before all the people, but also when sitting in private in her own chamber, is always sumptuously apparelled; or, that the splendor and gorgeous appearance of her attire is not merely a thing of display, designed to dazzle the eyes of the simple, but consists of expensive and really substantial material. The prophet accordingly enhances the happy and lofty condition of the queen by the circumstance, that she has not only sumptuous apparel in which she may appear on particular occasions, but also for her ordinary and daily attire. Others expound it in this sense, That all her glory consists in the king inviting her familiarity into his presence; and this opinion they rest on the ground that immediately after there is a description given of her as passing into the chamber of the king accompanied with a great and glorious train of followers. This display of pomp exceeds the bounds of due moderation; but, in the meantime, we are taught by it, that while the Church is thus richly apparelled, it is not designed to attract the notice of men, but only for the pleasure of the King. If in our day the Church is not so richly adorned with that spiritual beauty in which the glory of Christ shines forth, the fault ought to be imputed to the ingratitude of men, who either through their own indifference despise the goodness of God, or else, after having been enriched by him, again fall into a state of poverty and want.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain There is nothing feigned, nor hypocritical, but she is…
There is nothing feigned, nor hypocritical, but she is glorious both within and without: and howbeit the Church hath not at all times this outward glory, the fault is to be imputed only to their own ingratitude.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Psa 45:13 The king’s daughter [is] all glorious within:…
Psa 45:13 The king’s daughter [is] all glorious within: her clothing [is] of wrought gold.
Ver. 13. The king’s daughter is all glorious within] In the inner man, Eph 3:16, the hidden man of the heart, 1Pe 3:4. Great is the glory of the new creature; but not discerned by the world, through which the saints must be content to pass as concealed persons; and not think much to have the greater part of their ware in the inner part of their shop, and not all on the board or stall.
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Her clothing is of wrought gold] Ex vestibus auro ocellatis. Clothed she is with humility, and other golden graces; as with that party-coloured garment, whereby kings’ daughters, as Tamar, were anciently distinguished from others.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain The king’s daughter, i.e. the spouse; so called, either…
The king’s daughter, i.e. the spouse; so called, either because she was the daughter of one king, and the wife of another; or because the spouse or wife is sometimes called the husband’s daughter; partly because she is supposed to be younger than he; and partly because of that respect and subjection which she oweth to him, and that fatherly care and affection which he oweth to her. See 2Sa 12:3; Jer 3:4. So the bridegroom calls his spouse his sister, Son 4:9. Thus Livia, the wife of Augustus, is called his sister in ancient coins.
Within; either,
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1. Even in her retiring chambers in the king’s palace, and not only when she showeth herself abroad. Or rather,
2. In her mind and soul, or in spiritual endowments, the excellent virtues and graces wherewith she is accomplished. For,
1. This is opposed to her outward clothing.
2. This being so great and so necessary a qualification of a worthy spouse, it is not likely it should be omitted in her description and commendation, especially when the bridegroom is commended for his inward accomplishments as well as for his outward glory, Psa 45:4,7
3. The church is this bride, as hath been said and proved before, whose true and chief beauty is inward and spiritual, and not consisting in outward pomp and glory.
Her clothing is of wrought gold; her inward perfections do not rest within her, but break forth into virtuous and honourable actions, wherewith she is adorned in the view of the world. This suits well with the style of the Holy Scriptures, wherein the saints are oft said to be clothed with virtues and virtuous actions. See Psa 132:9; 1Pe 5:5.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain The King's daughter is all glorious within,.... The "King's…
The King's daughter is all glorious within,.... The "King's daughter" is the same with the "queen", Psa 45:9; the church, who is the King's daughter, the daughter of the King of kings, through adopting grace, by marriage to Christ the King's son, and by regeneration, or being born of God: and she is "all glorious within"; within doors, in the inner chamber of the King, where being brought, she enjoys such communion with him as reflects a glory upon her; in his banqueting house, where his banner over her is love, and where her members enjoy fellowship with one another, and this in harmony, unity, and love; which make her look amiable, pleasant, beautiful and glorious: or within the hearts of her members, through the internal graces of the Spirit wrought there; the work of grace is an inward work; it has its seat in the heart or spirit of man, and is a glorious one, in its author, original, and usefulness; it is the workmanship of the Spirit, and a curious piece it is; it is the image of Christ upon the soul, a partaking of the divine nature; it is pure and spotless; it is clear of all sin, there is no sin in it, nor any comes from it; it is the saints' meetness for glory; it is the pledge, earnest, and beginning of it; it is "all glorious", and so are the persons that are the subjects of it, as born of God: there is nothing glorious in the old man, or corrupt nature; but in the new man, or work of grace upon the soul, everything is glorious, and it will issue in eternal glory and happiness: or all glorified within (r); like any house or building, to which the church is sometimes compared, particularly the tabernacle or temple, which were glorious within side being greatly adorned, and having many glorious things therein; as the church is with the graces of the spirit, and with the word and ordinances, and the presence of God in them;
her clothing is of wrought gold; this is different from internal grace, which is sometimes spoken of as a clothing, Pe1 5:5; since that is designed in the preceding clause; and yet this does not intend the outward conversation garments of the saints, which, though ornamental, are not so glorious as to be said to be of wrought gold; and yet not the robes of immortality and glory are meant; but the robe of Christ's righteousness, which he has wrought out for his church, the Father imputes unto her, and bestows upon her, and faith receives at his hand, and puts it on as a clothing, to appear in before God; and this may be said to be "of wrought gold"; because rich and valuable, splendid and glorious, substantial and durable.
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(r) "honorata", Junius & Tremellius; "glorificata", Gussetius, p. 362.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Daughter - The spouse; so called, because she was…
Daughter - The spouse; so called, because she was the daughter of one king, and the wife of another. Within - In her soul. Her cloathing - She is outwardly adorned with virtuous and honourable actions.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 13. The king's daughter is all glorious within]…
Verse 13. The king's daughter is all glorious within] This, in some sense, may be spoken of Solomon's bride, the daughter of the king of Egypt; and then the expression may refer either to the cultivation of her mind, or the ornaments and splendour of her palace. The Asiatic queens, sultanas, and begums, scarcely ever appear in public. They abide in the harem in the greatest luxury and splendour; and to this, as its literal meaning, the text may possibly refer.
Her clothing is of wrought gold.] Of the most costly embroidery: her palace, and her person, are decorated in the very highest state of elegance and magnificence.
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Spiritually, the king's daughter may mean the Christian Church filled with the mind that was in Christ, and adorned with the graces of the Holy Spirit; while the whole of its outward conduct is pure and holy, ornamented with the works of faith and love, and always bringing forth the fruits of the Spirit.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Psa 45:13. The King’s daughter — The spouse, so…
Psa 45:13. The King’s daughter — The spouse, so called, because she was the daughter of one king, and the wife of another: intending the church of Christ; is all glorious within — In internal graces and gifts, with which she is adorned and accomplished. Her clothing is of wrought gold — Her internal perfections do not rest within her, but break forth into virtuous and honourable actions, wherewith she is adorned in the view of the world.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain The king’s daughter - This evidently refers to the…
The king’s daughter - This evidently refers to the bride, the daughter of the foreign king. The verse contains a description of her beauty - her splendor of attire - before she is brought to the king, her future husband. She is represented here as in the palace or home of her father, before she is conducted forth to be given to her future husband in marriage. Is all “glorious.” Is all splendor or beauty; is altogether splendor. There is nothing that is not splendid, rich, magnificent in her appearance, or in her apparel. As seen in Psa 45:9, she is clad in gold; she is surrounded by honorable women - the daughters of kings Psa 45:9, and encompassed with the rich, Psa 45:12. As seen here, she is in her father’s house, adorned for the marriage, and to be brought to the king, her future husband, attired in all that could give grace and beauty to her person. The allusion here, as referring to the church - the “bride of the Lamb” - “may be” to that church considered as redeemed, and about to be received to heaven, to dwell with its Husband and Saviour. Compare the notes at Rev 19:7-8; notes at Rev 21:2, notes at Rev 21:9.
Within - This does not refer to herself, as if she was not merely splendid in her attire, but holy and pure - glorious and lovely - in “heart;” it refers to her as seen while yet “within” the palace or home of her father, in her own dwelling. The Hebrew word - פנימה penı̂ymâh - means properly, “at or by the inner wall of a house, room, or court; that is, opposite to or in front of the door, and of those entering.” Gesenius, “Lexicon” As seen in her dwelling - within the palace - in the most honored place - she is arrayed in gorgeous apparel, and adorned as becomes a king’s daughter about to be married.
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Her clothing is of wrought gold - Gold embroidery. See Psa 45:9. That is, she is arrayed in the richest apparel.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain the king's daughter--a term of dignity. It may also…
the king's daughter--a term of dignity. It may also intimate, with some allusion to the teaching of the allegory, that the bride of Christ, the Church, is the daughter of the great king, God.
within--Not only is her outward raiment costly, but all her apparel is of the richest texture.
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wrought gold--gold embroidery, or cloth in which gold is woven.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 13. King’s daughter is all glorious within—That is, in…
13. King’s daughter is all glorious within—That is, in her interior apartments of the harem. Gesenius supposes it to be the inner wall of the house, opposite the entrance, the place of the throne, and hence equal to “upon the throne.” But it seems more natural and more in accordance with usage to simply understand it of her own apartments, which Solomon had finished in such magnificence.
Clothing is of wrought gold—Gold inwrought with the texture of the fabric; an embroidery of gold settings.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 13. The King’s daughter within (the palace) is all…
13. The King’s daughter within (the palace) is all glorious:
Her clothing is inwrought with gold. (R.V.)
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The bride is described in all the splendour of her bridal attire. Within the palace, or in the inner part of the palace, may refer to her old home, the Psalmist by poetical licence ignoring intervals of time and place; but, more probably, to the house in Jerusalem to which she had been brought, and from which she is now to be conducted in state to the king’s palace (Psa_45:14-15).
13–15. Description of the bride adorned for her husband.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (13) The king’s daughter is all glorious within—i.e., in…
(13) The king’s daughter is all glorious within—i.e., in the interior, in the inner room of the palace. The next clause would alone dismiss the reference to moral qualities from which has sprung such a wealth of mystic interpretation. But what palace is intended? Certainly not that of the royal bridegroom, since the procession (see Psa_45:14) has not yet reached its destination. We must therefore think of her waiting, in all the splendour of her bridal array, in her own apartments, or in some temporary abode.
Wrought gold—i.e., textures woven with gold. The Hebrew word is used also of gems set in gold. The Eastern tales just referred to speak of the custom of repeatedly changing the bride’s dress during the marriage ceremonies, every time presenting her in greater magnificence than before.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain The King"s daughter is all glorious within. The "King"s…
The King"s daughter is all glorious within. The "King"s daughter "of this passage can be no other than the bride herself the" queen" of ver. 9. As among her attendants some were "kings" daughters" (ver. 9), so she could be no less. She is "glorious," not only without, in her robe of" gold of Ophir," but also and especially within in the inner chamber of the heart where she is indeed "glorious," through the sanctifying presence of God"s Holy Spirit. (Eph_5:26, Eph_5:27) Her clothing is of wrought gold (comp. ver. 9, and the comment ad lee. ).
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Charles H. Spurgeon 1885 · Public Domain Ver. 13. The king's daughter is all glorious within.…
Ver. 13. The king's daughter is all glorious within. Within her secret chambers her glory is great. Though unseen of men her Lord sees her, and commends her. "It doth not yet appear what we shall be." Or the passage may be understood as meaning within herself her beauty is not outward only or mainly; the choicest of her charms are to be found in her heart, her secret character, her inward desires. Truth and wisdom in the hidden parts are what the Lord regards; mere skin deep beauty is nothing in his eyes. The church is of royal extraction, of imperial dignity, for she is a king's daughter; and she has been purified and renewed in nature; for she is glorious within. Note the word all. The Bridegroom was said to have all his garments perfumed, and now the bride in all glorious withinentireness and completeness are great points. There is no mixture of ill savour in Jesus, nor shall there be alloy of unholiness in his people, his church shall be presented without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. Her clothing is of wrought gold. Best material and best workmanship. How laboriously did our Lord work out the precious material of his righteousness into a vesture for his people! no embroidery of golden threads can equal that masterpiece of holy art. Such clothing becomes on so honoured by relationship to the Great King. The Lord looks to it that nothing shall be wanting to the glory and beauty of his bride.
Ver. 13. The king's daughter is all glorious within, etc. When the children of God recollect their glorious and heavenly pedigree, they endeavour to excel others, both in the beautiful disposition of soul and manner of life. The king's daughter, that is, the daughter of the heavenly Father, who is also the bride of the king's Son; every believing soul is all glorious, adorned with a holiness not only glorious to herself, but also to the Father and the Bridegroom, and is the beginning of a heavenly glory; and that chiefly within, not only when she appears abroad, and presents herself to the view of men, but also when she sits in the inner bed chamber in the secret exercises of religion, in which she in private pleases the Father and the Bridegroom, who having a regard to the inward man, she above all endeavours to keep that pure and chaste. Her clothing is of gold; in comparison of which whatever excellency natural men were even possessed of, is but a shining vanity; nay, it was wrought gold, curiously beautified with various resemblances, which represents the perfections of God himself; and of different colours, on account of the different yet harmoniously corresponding graces of the Holy Spirit; or of needlework of the Phrygian embroiderers, or rather the work of the cunning workman, mentioned in So 7:1. Nor is the spouse only beautiful within, but also without; "holding forth the word of life, "Php 2:16, she practises charity, glorifies Christ, edifies her neighbour, and in this manner she is brought unto the king, worthy to be presented to him. This is the only way by which we are to endeavour to obtain familiarity with him, and the sweetest intercourse of the most chaste love, both on earth and in heaven. Hermann Witsius. 1636-1708.
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Ver. 13. The king's daughter is all glorious within. The meaning is, either (1.) that her chief glory consisted in this, that she was admitted to such a familiar privacy with the king; or, (2.) that when she sat in the inmost rooms of the king's palace, she was there in her greatest glory, because those rooms were most gorgeously set forth with all kinds of bravery and glorious furniture; or, (3.) that she used to be gloriously attired, not only when she went abroad in public, but also when she stayed within, as being indeed adorned (which may be implied) only for the delight of the king, and not that others might gaze upon her; or, (4.) which I like bestthat the inward virtues and endowments of her mind were her greatest ornament and glory. Arthur Jackson.
Ver. 13. All glorious within. Saints must shine by the comeliness of Christ, as a gracious husband labours to change his spouse into his own image and likeness by kindnesses, precepts, and example, that he may take the more delight in her person; so does our spiritual Solomon change the hue of his Egyptian queen to deem of things and persons as her Lord and husband judges, and frames her spirit to delight in doing his will and pleasure, and take the highest solace in obedience, to enjoy a heavenly freedom, mixed with amiable and joyful reverence. He roots out of her heart all changeable affections and worldly fancies, and hankering longings after the fond fashions of Shechem, and all carnal inclinations to the daughters of Canaan's lineage, and all the beggardly humours of the besotted world, and to pass by with a holy scorn all the pitiful pageantry of this perishing and fading life, and rise to a mean estimate of the baubles and trifles that enchant a carnal heart. At length she arrives to a noble and generous judgment, counting all but dung and dross that she may win Christ. As her prince of life was crucified by the world for her redemption, so she begins to be crucified to it in token of conformity to him, and at length becomes all glorious within. Samuel Lee, in "The Triumph of Mercy." 1676.
Ver. 13. Within. The ark was pitched within by the same pitch with which it was pitched withal; such is the sincere man, within and without alike, inside and outside, all one. Yea, he is rather better than he shows, as the king's daughter, whose outside might sometimes be sackcloth, yet was all glorious within, and her inward garments of wrought gold. Or as the temple, outwardly nothing but wood and stone to be seen, inwardly all rich and beautiful, especially the sanctum sanctorum (when the veil was drawn) was all gold. The very floor, as well as the roof, was overlaid with gold. 1Ki 6:30. John Sheffield.
Ver. 13. Her clothing is of wrought gold. Some read it purled works, or closures of gold, enamelled gold, such as precious stones were set in, which were exceeding splendid and glorious; such were the clothes of service in the tabernacle, and the garments and robes of the high priest, which shadowed forth Christ's righteousness. Ex 28:11-14 Ex 39:1-6. William Troughton.
Ver. 13. About this time, Father La Combe was called to preach on some public occasion. The new doctrine, as it was termed, was not altogether a secret. Public curiosity had become excited. He choose for his text the passage in Ps 45:13, The king's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold. By the king he understood Christ; by the king's daughter, the church. His doctrine was, whatever might be true in regard to men's original depravity, that those who are truly given to Christ, and are in full harmony with him, are delivered from it: that is to say, are all glorious within. Like Christ, they love God with a love free from selfishness, with pure love. Like Christ, they are come to do the will of the Father. Christ is formed in them. They not only have faith in Christ, and faith in God through Christ, but, as the result of this faith, they have Christ's disposition. They are now in a situation to say of themselves individually, in the language of the apostle Paul, "I live, and yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." He did not maintain that all Christians are necessarily the subjects of this advanced state of Christian experience, but endeavoured to show that this is a possible state; that, however intense human depravity may be, the grace of God has power to overcome it; that the example of Christ, the full and rich promises, and even the commands, give encouragement to effort, and confidence in ultimate victory. From the "Life, Religious Opinions and Experience of Madame de la Mothe Guyon."
Ver. 13-15.
1. The Bride's new name "The king's daughter." She is the king's daughter for two reasons.
1. She is born of God; and
2. She is espoused to the Son of God.
2. The Bride's character "All glorious within."
1. Because Christ reigns on the throne of her heart.
2. Because she is the temple of the Holy Ghost.
3. The Bride's raiment "wrought gold, " "needlework:" this is the righteousness of Christ; in other words,
1. His perfect obedience.
2. His atoning death.
4. The Bride's companion "Virgins that follow her."
5. The Bride's home going "She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework...With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king's palace."
1. She shall see the king in his beauty.
2. There will be an open declaration of his love to her before all worlds. Duncan Macgregor, M.A.
Psalms 45:14*
Ver. 13-15. See Psalms on "Ps 45:13" for further information.
Ver. 13-15. See Psalms on "Ps 45:13" for further information.
Psalms 45:16*
Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain The Kings daughter is all glorious within.
Psa_45:13
The Kings daughter is all glorious within.
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The Kings daughter glorious within and clothed with a garment of wrought gold
I. The believers inward glory.
1. All true believers have a glorious life. They live a life of justification, a life of holiness, and of sweet fellowship with God.
2. Believers have a glorious understanding and knowledge of God and Divine things. They have all received a heart to know God as their God in Christ; and that knowledge is eternal life begun.
3. Believers have a glorious conformity to and compliance with the will of God, wrought in their hearts by the Holy Spirit.
4. All true believers have a precious faith in, and a glorious love to, God in Christ implanted in their hearts by the Holy Spirit.
5. Believers have a glorious inward peace (Rom_5:1), a peace that passeth knowledge, a peace that the world knows not of, and which it can neither give nor take away.
6. Believers are possessed of a glorious joy and spiritual gladness. They stand by faith upon the sure foundation which God hath laid in Zion, and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God (Rom_5:2).
7. Believers are possessed of a meek and humble frame of heart and spirit, which is a great ornament to the soul in the sight of God; and is accordingly said to be of great price in His esteem (1Pe_3:4).
II. The apparel wherewith the believer is clothed. Wrought gold.
1. What we are to understand by it. All true believers are daughters of the King; they are chaste virgins, being espoused to His Son. They are a peculiar people; they dwell alone, and are not reckoned among the nations.
2. Its excellence.
(1) It is of an infinite value and worth, being the righteousness of God (Rom_1:17). It is a righteousness of Gods providing. The glorious Person who wrought out this righteousness is God (Rom_9:5); and the applier of it is God the Holy Ghost.
(2) It is of a durable and lasting nature.
(3) It is a garment for glory and for beauty.
(4) It is perfect and unsullied.
III. Use.
1. For information.
(1) Hence, see what a great and wonderful change, union to the person of Christ makes in the case of a poor, guilty, polluted sinner.
(2) Hence, see that imputed righteousness and inherent holiness go hand in hand together; where the one is, there is also the other.
(3) Hence, see what a precious thing the Gospel is; and how highly it ought to be had in estimation by all who enjoy it in purity. It reveals and brings the clothing of wrought gold near to the naked and starving soul (Isa_46:11-12).
(4) Hence, see that when one grace is implanted in the heart, there all grace is to be found.
(5) We may hence see the difference between the true believer and the hypocrite. The latter may have as fair an outside as the former; but he has no inward glory.
(6) Hence see who they are that are truly the excellent ones of the earth. They are not those whom the world generally takes to be so; nor those who are most disposed to account themselves so; but the truly excellent and honourable persons are those who are clothed in the robe of wrought gold, the embroidered garment of Immanuels righteousness, and made glorious within. These are the men whom the King hath highly advanced, and whom He delights to honour. (T. Bennet.)
The internal glory of the Kings daughter
The spiritual union that exists between Christ and His Church is here beautifully described. Within her pale were to be found in future ages the noble, the learned and the great. Kings daughters were to tread her courts and defend her bulwarks. Her territory was to be enlarged, for the daughter of Tyre was to be there as pro-figurative of that vast and large accession of heathen nations to the profession Of the Christian faith.
I. Gods glory is displayed in her as his residence and place of habitation. Transcendent on this account are the glory and beauty of the Church, which is called the city of God (Psa_46:4). In this city God dwells--God is in the midst of her (Psa_46:5); and she cannot but be glorious, because God delights in her for mans good: He is represented as loving the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob (Psa_48:2). The Church is described as beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth (Psa_48:2). Yea, glorious things are spoken of thee, thou city of God (Psa_87:3). Christ has secured to His Church the perpetuity of His presence by His own unalterable words (Mat_28:20). The Church is the depositary of Gods Word (1Ti_3:15). The Church is a witness and a keeper of holy writ (Art. 20); and by her is manifested all the glory of the Godhead in the face of Jesus Christ. Angels above and men below consider His salvation of His people glorious (Luk_15:7). The unsearchable riches of Christ are preached, to the intent that now unto the principalities, etc. (Eph_3:10). God does not now answer His people in a visible way, by Urim and Thummim, but yet in a real and effectual way, drawing nigh to them that draw nigh to Him; and, though God be neglected and forgotten and despised, yet He is known in her palaces for a refuge (Psa_48:3)--God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Psa_46:1).
II. The Kings daughter is all glorious within because Gods children are born is her, The figure of being all glorious within is, no doubt, taken from the splendour of Eastern palaces. The Asiatic queens, sultanas and begums scarcely ever appeared in public. They remained, as they do to the present day, in their harems, amidst splendid and gorgeous decorations. In the former part of the psalm are described the excellencies of God--in the latter part the excellencies of Gods Church. Now, whether we speak of the Church collectively, or of individual believers, their graces, their gifts, and their holiness, are the fruits of Christs passion and the work of the Holy Ghost, who renews the heart and rectifies the will. Of Zion it shall be said, this and that man was born in her (Psa_87:6). When a man is born again from above, he is accepted of God in the Beloved; Christs righteousness covers his past sins, and gives him a title to heaven. But the work does not stop here. Along with the title to heaven given to the believer in justification, there is also wrought in his heart, a meetness for heaven by sanctification. And what a privilege is this! Satan is trodden down under foot; the old man is supplanted by the new man; a depraved nature gives way to a divine nature; the image of Christ is imprinted on the heart; the believer is made like his Lord and Master--is changed from glory to glory. Now, whence is the source of all these blessings? They proceed from the King of the Church--from Him who has adopted the Church to be His daughter. With this agrees the language of the apostle (1Co_1:30). God is the Churchs glory; her honour, her wisdom and her grace proceed from Him who is, and shall be, the praise of the redeemed for ever.
III. The kings daughter is all glorious, because she is emblematic of heaven itself. Surely, when we are robed in Christs righteousness and blessed with His salvation, we shall go to the Church triumphant, of which the Church militant is a type, and has a rich foretaste. When the Church of Christ is fully prepared, she will at last be presented to God without spot. The union begun on earth will be satisfied and avowed in the Kings palace in heaven. Then will it be shouted through the universe (Rev_19:7). Then will there be a jubilee on earth; and then will the angels tune their golden harps to joyous hallelujahs in the heavens. The Church of God will then be complete; she shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needlework, etc. Then will angels rejoice; then will prophets, apostles, and martyrs, and saints in glory sing (Rev_5:13). Surely the Church is an emblem of heaven; for all who are born in her are come unto Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb_12:22). The temple of God on earth and His temple in heaven are two parts of one glorious whole. They enjoy distinctions far above any earthly temple. Of our earthly Zion it is said (Isa_60:19). And thus it is also in the heavenly Zion (Rev_21:23). It is but one family inhabiting both the one city and the other, even the family of our Lord Jesus Christ; and their employments are altogether the same; for whilst the one are rejoicing in the Lord always here below, the other are incessantly engaged in singing praises to Him above--even to Him who loved them, etc. (Rev_1:5-6). (E. Striokland, M. A.)
The beauty of the Kings Daughter
It has happened sometimes that persons of royal birth have not known their high rank. It was so with the founders of the great empire of Rome. Through jealousy two young princes were exposed on the banks of a river. After going through a strange experience they were found by a shepherd, whose simple, homely wife brought them up in her cottage as her own sons. Not till they were grown up did they discover their royal origin, and then together they founded Rome. Like them, some of us have never dreamt that we were kings daughters. Some smile incredulously at the very idea. But it is a fact that every one of us may be a kings daughter (2Co_6:18; Rom_8:29; Mat_12:50). Then what a comfort to remember that since we are the Kings daughters His wealth is ours. The King, our Father, has wonderful resources. There is one word of warning I would like to say. Many folk, when they are in trouble, say, Oh yes, if I trust in God, it will be all right. I must trust Him; theres no one else to trust to. But they forget that if they want to claim Gods fatherly provision they must live as His daughters. Then, the Kings daughter is all glorious within. She is not a sham. Mere outside goodness is not enough. The mind must be cleansed from all evil imaginations, the affections withdrawn from all wrong objects. If we nurse and foster any heart sin we are dead to our high privilege as the Kings daughters, for they are all glorious within. You notice the clothing is of wrought gold. Trouble has been taken with it, it has been worked or wrought. And it is made of gold, it is durable, it will stand the testing fires. Let us take more trouble to make our garment of lifework durable and beautiful. And then the Kings daughter is to be brought in raiment of needlework. Day by day we are putting in the stitches. Every word, every act is a stitch making or marring the beauty of the whole. Those mistaken stitches can never be drawn out. Then take the marred work to the King now, by faith place it in His hands, tell Him just how you feel about it; and you will find that for the truly contrite soul filled with sorrow and regret for past failures the King has a marvellous fashion of beautifying spoilt work, and covering the ugly stitches with His own embroidery of love. And let us remember that beauty comes from within. Paint and powder do not make beauty. Health and goodness do. Made beautiful within, we shall be enabled to express the inner life in a consistent and beautiful outward life which may well be compared to wrought gold and embroidered work. (Anon.)
The Kings daughters
1. The bridegroom is Jesus Himself; Solomon is but His type. The Church that is without wrinkle or spot, or any such thing is the beautiful bride. She is possessed of all those graces of heart and mind as well as of person which would incline the king to rejoice in her beauty.
2. Not unsuited to this occasion are allusions to this beautiful psalm. Before us we see the virgins that should be the attendants of the bride of Christ, the kings daughters who should be her honourable women. It is their vocation to do her honour, to lend additional though reflected lustre to her court. Whatever of beauty is theirs; whatever of grace and winning ways; whatever gives them influence or power in the Church or in the world--they are all the attributes that better qualify them for the duties of their high station. There may well be, there should be, gifts of gold, the fragrance of myrrh, aloes and cassia, beautiful forms and features, shining eyes, and ivory palaces at the marriage of the kings son. They are, however, the accidents and not the essential attributes of the virgins who are worthy to wait upon the spouse of Christ; like her, they must be all glorious within. No age ever excelled that of Pericles in all the arts that give softness and refinement to life. Painting, sculpture, the genius of Phidias and Praxiteles, the pencil of Zeuxis; the temple of the virgin goddess, with its elegant proportions and its carved facade, even in ruins one of the wonders of the world; poetry, oratory--all illustrated it and adorned it. The splendour of its court has passed into a proverb. Aspasia presided over it, wonderful for her wit, and beauty, and grace, yea, for her wisdom and learning, the confidante and counsellor of statesmen and kings. Her intellect, as her person, had been cultivated to its utmost limit; in that respect she was the paragon of her sex. But what ago was more corrupt than that of Pericles? Aspasia herself, the education of her moral nature and of her heart neglected, was a wreck; as the poet says, one of those shameless women who are the worst of men. She was a splendid monument of what the unsanctified can be and do. Her clothing was of wrought gold, but she was not worthy to be a daughter of the King, for she was not all glorious within. No regard was paid to her complex being; her nature was distorted, and in the absence of virtue and religion she was not an unmeet prototype of many of the discrowned women of our own age. When you increase the capacity of the intellect and dwarf the moral nature, you produce not symmetry and grace, but spiritual deformity. There is in all true education a law of proportion; the mind, the heart, the body, must all be cultured if we would have a truly cultured man.
3. Therefore it is, O daughters of the Church! that we rejoice with you on this anniversary; therefore do we feel in the deep of our heart the munificence which has provided for you this sequestered and beautiful retreat, where learning is to be for over the handmaid of religion. Religion has made woman what she is. It has lifted her out of the slough of slavery and placed her upon a pedestal where she commands the admiration and love of the world; it has given her a potent influence in moulding its destiny. Deprive her of it, and she would fall back into the starless night whence she was so long emerging. Her clothing may be of wrought gold, she may be all covered with barbaric pearl; but only as she is a daughter of the King can she be all glorious within. (G. F. Cushman.)
The kings daughter
Here are two aspects of the kings daughter--the internal and the external; within all glorious, without covered with wrought gold--a magnificent congruity, a spiritual miracle of consistency. Glorious, not commonplace; separated from every other institution or mode of life by a dazzling, gleaming brightness above the shining of the sun. All glorious--not one shadow, not one indication of love of darkness. All glorious in doctrine, in conduct, in speech, in thought, in the innermost recesses of the heart--all glorious within. Why? Because of a conscious realization of the Divine presence. Have we made our preparation for the Chief of Guests? Has the housewife made no arrangement to receive her visitor with becoming care and distinction? Mystery of mysteries is this, that the mortal can talk with the Eternal; that the creature can commune with the Creator; that a life so low that presently it will be cut down and burned like grass in the oven can go right up to eternal Kingliness and say, Let us commune together concerning the mystery of being and the mystery of destiny, the mystery of conduct and the mystery of service; O Eternal King, let poor me talk with Thee a tong time! Out of this must come a growing solicitude to be transformed into the Divine likeness. What is the kings daughter without? Look at her clothing; that will answer the inquiry--Her clothing is of wrought gold. The internal glory is proved by the external beauty. There is a clothing which we are called upon to admire--the clothing of the kings daughter is of wrought gold: no dress can be too beautiful if it express a beautiful character. We are not to be too literal in our construction of these sentences--there is a transfiguring process of soul upon cloth, if you will have it so; there is a possibility that a carpenters raiment may become white and glistering. The internal light illumines the external robe. Here is a man who has been a long time in prayer; he comes down the hill as morning might come down the quickly illuminated mountain; speak to the man, and he wists not that his face doth shine. This is the beauty of heaven; this is not formal beauty; this is the light that springeth from within, which will be as beauteous in the morning as it is at night, in the winter as in the summer; how trying soever the circumstances through which the man may pass, he will throw a sacred radiance upon his whole condition, and make a space for himself by the power of wisdom. Sometimes we have seen a man surrounded by estates, and have felt that the man was greater than the property; we have said, What a soul this man has! Listen to his thoughts, hear his conversation; presently he will rise into prayer, or utter himself in sacred song, or speak lovingly and redeemingly about the poor and those who have no helper; and then the environment falls away into its right perspective, and we say, Would God this man owned the whole world I for then the poor would be made to rejoice, and the sad of heart would know what a friend they had. If there is any disparity it should be on the spiritual side, so that we shall say concerning a man, however much he has, he ought to have more; he is a faithful steward, a generous administrator; appoint him the guardian of society. In the costume as described by the poet we have no contradiction, no irony, no sense of incongruity; we have a massive, simple, beautiful, beneficent consistency. What is the miracle that Jesus Christ wants to work? It is the miracle of congruity, the miracle of harmony, the miracle of music; it is to make us internally right that He may make us externally beautiful and noble. (J. Parker, D. D.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.