Psalms 45 · Verse 4

Psalms 45:4

And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.
Psalms 45:4, King James Version

Psalms 45:4 in other translations

BSBIn your splendor ride forth in victory on behalf of truth and humility and justice; may your right hand show your awesome deeds.
WEBIn your majesty ride on victoriously on behalf of truth, humility, and righteousness. Let your right hand display awesome deeds.
ASVAnd in thy majesty ride on prosperously, Because of truth and meekness and righteousness: And thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.
YLTAs to Thy majesty--prosper! --ride! Because of truth, and meekness--righteousness, And Thy right hand showeth Thee fearful things.
DARBYAnd in thy splendour ride prosperously, because of truth and meekness and righteousness: and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.
BBEAnd go nobly on in your power, because you are good and true and without pride; and your right hand will be teaching you things of fear.
WebsterAnd in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.

What does Psalms 45:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 45:3-4

3-4. The king is addressed as ready to go forth to battle. sword--(Compare Re 1:16; 19:15). mighty--(Compare Is 9:6). glory and ... majesty--generally used as divine attributes (Psa 96:6; 104:1; 111:3), or as specially conferred on mortals (Psa 21:5), perhaps these typically.

Read the full comment on Psalms 45:3-4 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 In thy majesty ride prosperously - These words cannot be spoken of Solomon; they are true only of Christ. His riding is the prosperous progress of his Gospel over the earth. He uses no sword but the sword of the Spirit; and what religion, system of truth, pretended or real, ever made such progress as the religion of Christ has done, without one sword being ever drawn to propagate it from the first introduction of Christianity to the present time? His Gospel is Truth, proclaiming Humility, ענוה anvah, and Righteousness. This, indeed, is the sum of the Gospel; and an epitome of its operations in the hearts of men. 1. The Gospel is a revelation of eternal Truth, in opposition to all false systems of religion, and to all flgurative and ceremonial representations of the true religion. It is truth concerning God, his Nature, and his Works. It is truth concerning Man, his Origin, his Intents, his Duties, and his End. It is truth in what it says concerning the natural, the moral, and the invisible world. 2. It teaches the doctrine of meekness or Humility; opposes pride and vain glory; strips man of his assumed merits; proclaims and enforces the necessity of humiliation or repentance because of sin, humiliation under the providential hand of God, and humility in imitation of the character of the Lord Jesus Christ throughout life. 3. The Gospel teaches Righteousness: shows the nature of sin, wrong, injustice, transgression, etc.; works righteousness in the heart; and directs and influences to the practice of it in all the actions of life. The Gospel leads him who is under its influences to give to all their due; to God, to his neighbor, to himself. And it is by the propagation of truth, humility, and righteousness, that the earth has become so far blessed, and the kingdom of Christ become extended among men. And thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things - The Chaldee is different: "And the Lord will teach thee to perform terrible things by thy right hand." The Arabic: "And with admiration shall thy right hand direct thee." The Septuagint: "And thy right hand shall lead thee wonderfully." To the same purpose are the Vulgate, Anglo-Saxon, and the old Psalter. The meaning is, Nothing shall be able to resist thee, and the judgments which thou shalt inflict on thine enemies shall be terrible.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 45:1-5

This psalm is a prophecy of Messiah the Prince, and points to him as a Bridegroom espousing the church to himself, and as a King ruling in it, and for it. Verses 1-5 The psalmist's tongue was guided by the Spirit of God, as the pen is by the hand of a ready writer. This psalm is touching the King Jesus, his kingdom and government. It is a shame that this good matter is not more the subject of our discourse. There is…

Read the full comment on Psalms 45:1-5 →

Psalms 45:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַהֲדָ֬רְךָ֨\׀va.ha.Da.re.khaand majesty yourH1926
צְלַ֬חtze.LachprosperH6743
רְכַ֗בre.Khavride forthH7392
עַֽל\־'al-onH5921
דְּבַר\־de.var-a matter ofH1697
אֱ֭מֶת'E.mettruthH571
וְעַנְוָה\־ve.'an.vah-and humilityH6037
צֶ֑דֶקTze.dekrighteousnessH6664
וְתוֹרְךָ֖ve.tor.Khaand let it teach youH3384
נוֹרָא֣וֹתno.ra.'otawesome [deeds]H3372
יְמִינֶֽךָ\׃ye.mi.Ne.kharight [hand] yourH3225

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 45:4

  • Psalms 65:5

    By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea:

  • Revelation 19:11

    And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

  • Revelation 6:2

    And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

  • Isaiah 59:17-18

    For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke. According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence.

  • Zechariah 9:9

    Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

  • Matthew 11:29

    Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

  • Revelation 6:16-17

    And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

  • 2 Thessalonians 3:1

    Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

  • Psalms 21:8-9

    Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.

  • Matthew 12:19-20

    He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

  • Isaiah 63:1-6

    Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. …

  • John 1:17

    For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
ride, etc. Heb. prosper thou, ride thou.
Re 6:2; 19:11
prosperously.
110:2,3; 1Th 1:5; 2:13; 2Th 3:1
because.
60:4; Joh 1:17; 14:6
meekness.
Zec 9:9; Mt 11:29; 12:19,20; 2Co 10:1
right.
2:9; 21:8,9; 65:5; 110:5,6; Isa 59:17,18; 63:1-6; Lu 19:27
2Th 1:8,9; Re 6:16,17; 11:18; 19:17-21; 20:15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 45:3

    Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.

  • Psalms 45:4

    And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.

  • Psalms 45:5

    Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; whereby the people fall under thee.

Read all of Psalms 45

Psalms 45:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y en tu gloria sé prosperado: cabalga sobre palabra de verdad, y de humildad, y de justicia; y tu diestra te enseñará cosas terribles.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Ceins ton épée sur ton côté, homme vaillant, dans ta majesté et ta magnificence;
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und in deiner Majestät ziehe glücklich hin um der Wahrheit willen und der Sanftmut und der Gerechtigkeit; und Furchtbares wird dich lehren deine Rechte.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Sonuerunt, et turbatæ sunt aquæ eorum; conturbati sunt montes in fortitudine ejus.