Psalm 45:14

She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(14) In raiment of needlework.—This is now more generally understood of rich tapestry carpets spread for the procession. (Comp. Æsch. Agam. 908-910.)

Benson Commentary

Psalm 45:14-15. She shall be brought unto the king — He alludes to the custom of conducting the bride to the bridegroom’s house; in raiment of needlework — The image of God, the divine nature, the robe of righteousness, the garment of salvation. The virgins, her companions — Her bride-maidens, attending upon her, called the honourable women, Psalm 45:9. (where see the note,) and here virgins, because of their spiritual purity and chastity, 2 Corinthians 11:2. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought — Full of joy, for the glory and felicity of the bride and bridegroom, and for the comfort and benefit which redound to themselves therefrom.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

45:10-17 If we desire to share these blessings, we must hearken to Christ's word. We must forget our carnal and sinful attachments and pursuits. He must be our Lord as well as our Saviour; all idols must be thrown away, that we may give him our whole heart. And here is good encouragement, thus to break off from former alliances. The beauty of holiness, both on the church and on particular believers, is, in the sight of Christ, of great price, and very amiable. The work of grace is the workmanship of the Spirit, it is the image of Christ upon the soul, a partaking of the Divine nature. It is clear of all sin, there is none in it, nor any comes from it. There is nothing glorious in the old man or corrupt nature; but in the new man, or work of grace upon the soul, every thing is glorious. The robe of Christ's righteousness, which he has wrought out for his church, the Father imputes unto her, and bestows upon her. None are brought to Christ, but those whom the Father brings. This notes the conversion of souls to him. The robe of righteousness, and garments of salvation, the change of raiment Christ has put upon her. Such as strictly cleave to Christ, loving him in singleness of heart, are companions of the bride, who partake of the very same grace, enjoy the same privileges, and share in one common salvation. These, every one, shall be brought to the King; not one lost or left behind. Instead of the Old Testament church, there shall be a New Testament church, a Gentile church. In the believing hope of our everlasting happiness in the other world, let us always keep up the remembrance of Christ, as our only way thither; and transmit the remembrance of him to succeeding generations, that his name may endure for ever.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

She shall be brought unto the king - She shall be conducted to the king in the marriage procession, and be presented to him, clad in this magnificent raiment. The entire imagery is that of an Oriental marriage procession, where the bride is conducted forth to her future husband, attended by her virgin companions, or (as we should say) "bridesmaids."

In raiment of needlework - The word used here means properly "something variegated" or "versicolored," and would here denote a garment of divers colors, or "versicolored raiment." The word - רקמה riqmâh - occurs in the following places: Judges 5:30, twice, where (as here) it is rendered "needlework;" 1 Chronicles 29:2; Ezekiel 17:3, rendered "divers colors;" and Ezekiel 16:10, Ezekiel 16:13, Ezekiel 16:18; Ezekiel 26:16; Ezekiel 27:7, Ezekiel 27:16, Ezekiel 27:24, where it is rendered "broidered work." It has reference probably to embroidery or needlework, though the particular idea is rather that of the variegated "appearance" of the garment than to the manner in which it is made.

The virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee - literally, "virgins after her, her companions, brought unto thee." That is, they will be brought to the king. They will come in the same state as the queen herself; they, her companions, will be of so illustrious rank and birth, and apparelled with so much richness, that even "they" will be regarded as worthy to be treated as queens, or in the manner of queens. The design of the whole is to show the rank, the dignity, the splendor of the bride; herself gorgeously apparelled, and attended with companions so exalted as to he worthy of being treated as queens themselves. If this is to be regarded as applicable to the church, "the Lamb's wife" Revelation 21:9, it is designed to describe that church as beautiful and glorious, and as worthy of the affection of its Saviour. Compare Ephesians 5:27.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

14, 15. The progress of the procession is described; according to the usual custom the bride and attendants are conducted to the palace. Some for the words—

in raiment of needlework—propose another rendering, "on variegated (or embroidered) cloths"—that is, in the manner of the East, richly wrought tapestry was spread on the ground, on which the bride walked. As the dress had been already mentioned, this seems to be a probable translation.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

He alludes to the custom of conducting the bride to the bridegroom’s house.

Her companions, i.e. her bridemaidens attending upon her, called her honourable women, Psalm 45:9, See Poole "Psalm 45:9", and here

virgins, because of their spiritual purity and chastity, 2 Corinthians 11:2.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needlework,.... Not in her sins, and trader the sense and guilt of them; as souls are brought to Christ, at first conversion, under the drawings of the Father's grace; nor in the rags of her own righteousness; but in the robe of righteousness, and garments of salvation, the change of raiment Christ has put upon her, having before this caused her iniquities to pass from her; or in the shining robes of immortality and glory: for this introduction of the church to Christ, her King, Head, and Husband, will be upon the first resurrection; when she being as a bride adorned and prepared for her husband, will be brought unto him, and presented to him by himself, a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing: and she will be introduced, either by the angels, who will be employed in gathering the elect from the four winds; or by the ministers of the Gospel, who, at the general harvest, in the end of the world will bring their sheaves with them; those souls they have been the instruments of converting, comforting, and ripening for glory; who will be their joy and crown of rejoicing then; these will be brought in several companies, which joining together, will make up the general assembly and church of the firstborn, that will then be presented to Christ: or by Jehovah the Father, who, as he brought Eve to Adam, when he had formed her of his rib, and had prepared her as a helpmeet for him; so when all the elect of God are formed by divine grace, and are prepared as a bride for the bridegroom, he will then bring them unto him, and they shall be with him where he is, and behold his glory; which is what he prays his father for, John 17:24;

the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee; such who are betrothed as chaste virgins to Christ, who strictly and chastely adhere unto him, love him in the singleness of their hearts; are incorrupt in faith and worship, and of pure and upright conversations; see Revelation 14:4; these are the "companions" of the church, who are partakers of the same grace, enjoy the same privileges, and share in the common salvation; and, as they are partners together in sufferings, they will be in glory: these "follow" the footsteps of the flock, walk after the church in the path of doctrine and duty; are followers of her, as she is of the Lord, in the word and ordinances, and in the exercise of faith and patience; these, even everyone, shall be brought unto the King, not one shall be lost, or left behind: whither they shall be brought, and the manner in which, are expressed in Psalm 45:15.

Geneva Study Bible

She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

14. In raiment of embroidery shall she be conducted to the king, in solemn and stately procession, accompanied by a train of attendants such as befits a king’s daughter. Cp. Esther 2:9. For mention of embroidery cp. Exodus 28:39; Jdg 5:30; &c. Other but less probable renderings are, on tapestry or carpets of divers colours, or, into tapestry-curtained chambers.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 14. - She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needlework; i.e. in garments richly embroidered. Such were known to the Hebrews from the time of the Exodus (Exodus 28:4, 39), and were worn by princeases in David's day (2 Samuel 13:18). Brides were commonly "led" into the presence of the bridegroom. The virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee (comp. ver. 9). A virgin train follows the bride as she is led to the palace of the bridegroom, for a royal bride necessarily had her attendants. These symbolize the Gentile converts that should attach themselves to the original Church, and follow that Church into Christ's presence. Psalm 45:14

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

(Heb.: 45:14-16) Now follows the description of the manner in which she absolutely leaves her father's house, and richly adorned and with a numerous train is led to the king and makes her entry into his palace; and in connection therewith we must bear in mind that the poet combines on the canvas of one picture (so to speak) things that lie wide apart both as to time and place. He sees her first of all in her own chamber (פּנימה, prop. towards the inside, then also in the inside, Ges. 90, 2, b), and how there

(Note: In Babylonia these words, according to B. Jebamoth 77a, are cited in favour of domesticity as a female virtue; in Palestine (במערבא), more appropriately, Genesis 18:9. The lxx Codd. Vat. et Sinait. has Ἐσεβών (Eusebius), which is meaningless; Cod. Alex. correctly, ἔσωθεν (Italic, Jerome, Syriac, Chrysostom, Theodoret, Apollinaris).)

she is nothing but splendour (כּל־כּבוּדּה, prop. mere splendour, fem. of כבוד as in Ezekiel 23:41; cf. כּל־הבל, Psalm 39:6, mere nothingness), her clothing is gold-interwoven textures (i.e., such as are interwoven with threads of gold, or woven in squares or diamond patterns and adorned with gold in addition). She, just like Esther (Esther 2:12), is being led to the king, her husband, and this takes place לרקמות, in variegated, embroidered garments (ל used just as adverbially as in 2 Chronicles 20:21, להדרת), with a retinue of virgins, her companions, who at the same time with herself become the property of her spouse. According to the accents it is to be rendered: virgines post eam, sociae ejus, adducuntur tibi, so that רעותיה is an apposition. This is also in harmony with the allegorical interpretation of the Psalm as a song of the church. The bride of the Lamb, whom the writer of the Apocalypse beheld, arrayed in shining white linen (byssus), which denotes her righteousness, just as here the variegated, golden garments denote her glory, is not just one person nor even one church, but the church of Israel together with the churches of the Gentiles united by one common faith, which have taken a hearty and active part in the restoration of the daughter of Zion. The procession moves on with joy and rejoicing; it is the march of honour of the one chosen one and of the many chosen together with her, of her friends or companions; and to what purpose, is shown by the hopes which to the mind of the poet spring up out of the contemplation of this scene.