Psalm 45:2 You are fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into your lips: therefore God has blessed you for ever. I. THE GRACE WHICH IS POURED INTO CHRIST'S LIPS. 1. The Spirit of the Lord rested upon Him as a spirit of wisdom, counsel and understanding (Isaiah 11:2, 3). Wisdom and knowledge discovered themselves in Him, to the astonishment of His greatest enemies (Mark 6:2). 2. The Spirit of the Lord rested upon Him as the spirit of faith and trust in God (Matthew 27:46). 3. The grace of holy gratitude and thankfulness to God, His heavenly Father, evidenced itself in Him in the highest degree of perfection (Psalm 22:9, 10; John 11:41). 4. Our Lord Jesus evidenced the most cheerful and ready com. pliance with the will of God in every part of His work (John 4:34; Matthew 26:39). 5. The graces of humility and self-denial appear conspicuously in all the sayings and actings of Christ (Philippians 2:7; 2 Corinthians 7:9; Matthew 11:29; Romans 12:2, 3). 6. The graces of meekness and patience were most perfectly exercised by Him (Hebrews 12:3; 1 Peter 2:24). 7. Our Lord Jesus is full of love; love to God, and love to the souls of men was the golden weight which engaged and carried Him forward in every part of the work Jehovah gave Him to do; so we find Him entering upon the crowning piece of the work of our redemption as to purchase, in the highest exercise of love to His, and our heavenly Father (John 14:31). 8. He was full of zeal for God and the advancement of His declarative glory (John 2:13-18). II. IN WHAT CAPACITY OUR LORD JESUS HAS THIS GRACE POURED INTO HIS LIPS. 1. As the second Adam, the Surety of the New Covenant, the Head and Representative of His mystical body the Church. 2. As the Trustee of the New Covenant. 3. As the Administrator of the Covenant of grace (Acts 5:31; John 14:13, 14). 4. As sustaining the character of our Head and Husband, our Father, our elder Brother, our best Friend, and the Steward set over the family of God, to give every one his portion in due season. III. WHENCE IT IS THAT THE GRACE THAT IS POURED INTO THE LIPS OF OUR GLORIOUS REDEEMER IS CONDESCENDED ON AS SUCH A LEADING PART OF HIS GLORY AND BEAUTY. 1. Grace is here considered as the glory of Christ, "because in this internal grace the reparation of the image of God doth consist." 2. This grace is the glory of Christ, "because it is that which inclines the heart of Jesus Christ unto all that goodness and kindness that He hath showed unto us." 3. Grace is the glory of Christ, "as He is, in respect of it, the great example and pattern whereunto we ought to labour after conformity." 4. Because grace being poured into His lips, and poured into His lips for our special benefit, it renders Him in every respect a fit match for us. 5. Because Jesus Christ is made an everlasting blessing to the sons of men in virtue of this grace that is poured into His lips; God having poured grace into His lips, hath set Him to be blessings for ever (Psalm 21:6). Men shall be blessed in Him. IV. IMPROVEMENT. 1. Inferences. (1) If it be so as has been said, that grace and holiness is that which renders our Lord Jesus so very fair and beautiful; then we may see how much grace Should be prized by us. Grace is the ornament that adorns the soul. (2) We may see what reason we have to admire the wisdom and goodness of God, which are so richly manifested towards fallen men, in His providing such a suitable help for them. (3) We may see matter of comfort to believers amidst all their wants. (4) We may see grounds of encouragement to those who are yet destitute of grace to come to Christ for it. 2. Use of trial. Do you believe in God as your God through our Lord Jesus Christ? And do you endeavour to maintain the claim of faith to Him as your God and Father, even when clouds and darkness are round about Him? Do you study, through grace, to yield a cheerful and ready obedience to all God's commandments from love to Him and a tender regard to His authority? Are you humble and self-denied? 3. Exhortation. (1) As to you who have been admitted to behold the beauty and glory of Christ by the eye of faith, and have been made partakers of His grace. (a) We exhort you to be much taken up in the believing contemplation of the person and glory of Christ. (b) We exhort you to use and improve the grace that is in Christ. Remember that it is poured into His lips for your behoof; that you may daily come to His fulness in the exercise of faith, and receive out of it grace for grace. (c) We exhort you to be humble and thankful to God for the grace you have already received. (2) As for you who are yet strangers to Christ and so destitute of saving grace. We exhort you to believe the misery of your present condition. To believe that you stand in absolute need of Christ and the grace that is poured into His lips. To believe there is grace in Christ answering to all your wants, and that He makes you heartily welcome to come to Him, and be enriched out of His fulness for time and eternity. To consider that the day of grace will not always last with you. It is a limited day, and may be shorter than you are aware of. (T. Bonnet.) Parallel Verses KJV: Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever. |
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