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

PSALMS 45:14KJV
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Psalms 45:14 (KJV)

What does Psalms 45:14 mean?

Psalms 45:14 describes a royal bride being brought to the king, dressed in beautifully embroidered clothing, accompanied by her virgin companions who also come before the king. The verse paints a picture of a formal, joyful procession as the bride and her attendants are presented in honor and splendor.

The setting is a wedding scene, with the psalmist describing the arrival of the bride to the king’s palace. The language highlights the dignity and beauty of the occasion, focusing on the special garments and the group of young women (virgins) who accompany her. This verse is part of a larger psalm that celebrates a royal marriage, using imagery that would have been familiar in ancient Israelite royal courts.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 45:14

  • "brought" (יָבוּא, yavo): This word appears twice in the verse, emphasizing the act of being formally led or presented, not just arriving casually. It suggests an official, ceremonial introduction.
  • "king" (מֶלֶךְ, melekh): The reference is to the royal bridegroom, underlining the importance and authority of the one receiving the bride.
  • "needlework" (רִקְמָה, riqmah): This term refers to garments decorated with intricate embroidery, highlighting the wealth, care, and status involved in the wedding.
  • "virgins" (בְּתוּלוֹת, betulot): This word points to unmarried young women, likely bridesmaids or attendants, emphasizing purity and the traditional roles in ancient wedding processions.
  • "companions" (רֵעָה, re’ah): This word means friends or close associates, showing the bride is not alone but honored with a group of supportive attendants.
  • "follow" (אַחַר, achar): This word means to come after or accompany, describing the order and unity of the procession.

Why Psalms 45:14 matters

  • The verse clarifies that the scene is not just about the bride, but also about the community and honor surrounding her, showing the importance of relationships and ceremony in ancient weddings.
  • The detailed mention of "needlework" and companions highlights the wealth, preparation, and social status involved, which helps modern readers grasp the grandeur of royal weddings in the psalmist’s time.
  • This verse fits into the larger psalm, which uses the royal wedding as a poetic image, possibly pointing beyond the immediate event to themes of covenant, joy, and celebration in the relationship between God, the king, and the people.

Where else these words appear

“companions” Hebrew H7464 · used in 3 verses

  • Judges 11:37 And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows.
  • Judges 11:38 And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.

“needlework” Hebrew H7553 · used in 11 verses

  • Judges 5:30 Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?
  • Ezekiel 16:13 Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom.
  • Ezekiel 26:16 Then all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, and lay away their robes, and put off their broidered garments: they shall clothe themselves with trembling; they shall sit upon the ground, and shall tremble at every moment, and be astonished at thee.

“brought” Hebrew H2986 · used in 18 verses

  • Job 10:19 I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.
  • Psalms 68:29 Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents unto thee.
  • Isaiah 55:12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

“virgins” Hebrew H1330 · used in 50 verses

  • Genesis 24:16 And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.
  • Esther 2:2 Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:
  • Jeremiah 31:13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.