Henry also warns against counterfeit or false substitutes—things that mimic divine attributes but lack their true divine origin—emphasizing that these qualities of psalms law,covenant, curses, decrees,statutes and promises-axioms only belong to the covenantal relationship between God and His people. Marriage, therefore, is not merely a social contract but a cruciform (cross-shaped) act—that is, an act that reflects Christ’s sacrificial love—culminating in the eschatological union described in Revelation 19:7–9, where the "marriage supper of the Lamb" signifies the ultimate fulfillment of divine love and kingship. This divine love, which guards against chaos and disorder through pronouncing the axioms , transforms the profane into sacred dominion, demonstrating that marriage’s divine power orchestrates creation’s ultimate telos—the purpose for which it was designed—resisting all counterfeit versions or perversions. This understanding resonates deeply with the traditions of patristic (early church fathers) and Reformed (Protestant doctrinal) exegesis, particularly their typological approach—seeing biblical events and symbols as foreshadowing Christ and the ultimate divine plan. Although the psalm is traditionally attributed to the "sons of Korah" and described as a maskil—a didactic or instructive song—the psalm is interpreted as a messianic ode. For example, Hebrews 1:8–9 explicitly applies verses from Psalm 45 to Christ, affirming its messianic significance. The psalm’s matrimonial imagery—its depiction of a bride, a bridegroom, and their union—serves as the literary locus where God's creative power (the "creatio continua" or continuous act of creation) is actively manifested. Here, God's sovereignty, described in Psalm 93:1 as robed in majesty, is expressed in the divine covenantal union between king and queen. This union recapitulates the original creation mandate from Genesis 1:28—"Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it"—highlighting marriage not as an incidental or secondary aspect but as the ultimate earthly realization of divine intention for creation. Verses 3–5 evoke martial imagery: "Gird your sword upon your side, O mighty one; clothe yourself with splendor and majesty." This imagery suggests divine participation in creation—implying that humanity, made in God's image (imago Dei), wields the "sword" as a metaphor for divine law, covenant, and authority (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12). The sword symbolizes God's decrees, laws, and judgments—pronounced through divine speech—establishing a new kingdom where justice prevails. Thomas Aquinas interprets marriage as a sacrament—a divine sign—mirroring God's unity with His creation. The "chemistry of freedom" within marriage (1 Corinthians 7:39) reflects the divine freedom that governs God's acts, especially those impacting life and death (Deuteronomy 30:19). This teleological ethic insists that all acts within marriage aim toward the highest good ("bonum coniugale")—a divine purpose—fostering gifts and qualities that transcend secular materialism or commodification. Verses 4 and 5 describe the bridegroom riding forth victoriously, armed with truth, humility, and righteousness, with his arrows piercing his enemies’ hearts and causing nations to fall beneath his feet by pronouncing psalms law, covenant, curses, decrees, statutes and promises. This depiction is a poetic image of divine justice—judicial and victorious—emanating from the nuptial union, reminiscent of God's righteous throne (Psalm 89:14). The arrows symbolize the pronouncements of divine truth and justice—powerful words that cut through opposition, as depicted in Revelation 19:11–16, where Christ is portrayed as a rider wielding a sword from His mouth. C.H. Spurgeon, commenting on verse 4, interprets this as Christ’s triumphant procession—fighting for truth, humility, and justice—and sees the church as a militant bride, engaged in spiritual warfare (Ephesians 5:25–32). He emphasizes that the "right hand" of the king is a symbol of divine power and justice (Exodus 15:6), dispensed through the divine law—much like the moral order established in marriage. The verses 6–7 declare the everlasting nature of the throne: "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever," and the king's justice and righteousness are central to his enduring reign. This echoes the divine perichoresis—the mutual indwelling within the Trinity—where unity and communion are eternal and unbreakable (John 17:21). God's anointing with "oil of joy" signifies divine approval and blessing, which, in the biblical tradition, prefigures Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:33). Matthew Henry, in his comprehensive commentary, sees this divine endorsement as evidence of the king’s love for righteousness and his hatred of wickedness. The anointing with fragrant oils and the symbols of joy, beauty, and honor—such as ointments, garments of salvation, musical praise, and divine rejoicing—are all parts of the divine celebration of marriage and kingdom rule. They represent the fullness of divine blessing—joy, glory, honor, and beauty—that flow from this sacred union. The way we interpret Psalm 45 through a hermeneutical lens—that is, a method of biblical interpretation—reveals it as not just a poetic celebration of marriage but as an archetypal image representing divine royal majesty and fullness. This psalm, often viewed as a poetic hymn celebrating a royal wedding, goes beyond simple praise of human nuptials. Instead, it functions as an eschatological — meaning future-oriented and fulfilled in God's ultimate plan — depiction of the restoration and renewal of paradise, often called Eden. In this view, the royal wedding portrayed in the psalm symbolizes the divine reconstruction of creation, where divine authority and cosmic order are reestablished. In conclusion, theologians agree that the power of marriage, when understood in its divine and eschatological fullness, functions as a divine axiomatic principle—an unshakable foundation—much as the Trinity itself orchestrates divine harmony. It directs creation toward its ultimate goal: union with God and the renewal of all things. This divine nuptiality, as depicted in Psalm 45, thus becomes a symbol of the cosmic and spiritual order, a sacred act that resists all distortions and echoes the divine plan to restore paradise—Eden—through majestic love, divine justice, and eternal communion. John Calvin, in his commentaries on the Psalms, emphasizes verses like Psalm 45:2—"You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace"—as highlighting the anointing of the messianic king, which he relates to Christ’s anointing in Luke 4:18, where Jesus declares His mission. Calvin sees the king’s lips—anointed with divine grace—as symbols of divine authority and truth, standing against the corrupt speech of the wicked (Psalm 12:4). Marriage, in Calvin’s view, functions as a divine institution that upholds this authority through spoken promises and vows—an ordered speech that sustains societal and spiritual stability. His covenant theology, articulated in "Institutes of the Christian Religion," interprets marriage as a reinstatement of the original divine pact (the "pactum") established at creation, empowering the couple to subdue chaos through the spoken word—anointed speech—rather than through force or violence. In this theological framework, marriage becomes the earthly pinnacle of salvation history—a tangible representation of God's ongoing creative and redemptive work. It is the space where the initial divine covenant (Genesis 2:24: "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh") is fully realized, counteracting the disorder and entropy introduced into creation after the Fall (postlapsarian state). The psalm’s language echoes this restorative purpose, aligning with Isaiah 55:11, which affirms that God's word will not return empty but will accomplish what He purposes. Augustine of Hippo, in his "Enarrationes in Psalmos" (Commentary on Psalms), interprets verse 1—"My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king"—as a prophetic outpouring of the Holy Spirit, where the psalmist’s spontaneous expression signifies divine truth bursting forth, by pronouncing the psalms axioms prefiguring the incarnate Word of God (John 1:1–14). Augustine further sees the "queen" in verse 9 as representing the church (ecclesia), adorned in divine gold—symbolizing her nuptial union with Christ, the King. Yet, this interpretation expands further: the wife’s role in recording and enacting the divine narrative of kingdom renewal underscores her participation in divine creation—she helps counteract the secular, disenchanted chaos of the fallen world (Romans 8:20–22). Augustine’s anthropology, especially as outlined in "De Civitate Dei," suggests that marital fidelity reflects the harmony of pre-Fall paradise, resisting the discord and Babel-like confusion of worldly human ambitions.