Psalms 45:1

Introduction and dedication.

My heart&c. Better, My heart bubbleth over with goodly words. The nobility of his subject inspires him with an impulse which will not be restrained.

I speak of the things&c. Better, I speak the things which I have made (i. e. composed, cp. Old Eng. maker= poet) touching a king. The absence of the article (a king) lays stress upon the dignity rather than upon the personality of the subject of the Ps.; one who is a king and of no lower rank. The punctuation of the Massoretic Text points to a slightly different rendering: I am about to speak; my work is for(or, touching) a king.

the pen of a ready writer Prompt to express and record the thoughts with which the mind is overflowing. The words rendered ready writerare applied to Ezra (Psalms 7:6) the -ready scribe," but clearly they do not here bear this technical sense of -a learned student of the law," but the literal sense of -a skilful and rapid penman."