Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house;
Having introduced the queen at the King’s right hand (v.9), the psalm now turns to exhortation. The bride is addressed directly and called to hear, consider, and respond. The scene remains matrimonial: she who is brought near must now be instructed how to live as one joined to so great a King. In the greater fulfillment, this speaks of the church, called out and brought unto Christ, then taught to cleave unto Him above all others.
“Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear.” The call begins with hearing. To hearken is to hear with attention and obedience. Consideration is thoughtful regard, weighing what is heard. To incline the ear is to bend the will toward the word given. This is how God deals with His people, calling them by His word. The psalmist elsewhere says, “Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee” (Psalm 81:8). Isaiah gives a very gracious call: “Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.” (Isaiah 55:3). Faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17), and those who belong to Christ are marked by this response: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).
The order is instructive. She must first hear before she can rightly leave. God ordinarily instructs before He commands, and reveals the worth of Christ before calling for sacrifice. When the soul sees who the King is, His beauty, His righteousness, His glory, and His grace, then the command to forsake lesser things becomes reasonable and sweet. Thus, hearing is the appointed means by which affection is stirred and obedience drawn forth.
“Forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house.” This is a call to separation. To forget does not mean loss of memory, but leaving behind former ties, former claims, and former loyalties. The bride must no longer be governed by the house from which she came, but by the King to whom she now belongs. This agrees with the law of marriage: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:24), which the apostle applies to Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:31-32).
This also agrees with the cost of discipleship. Christ said, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother… he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). He did not command sinful hatred, but such supreme allegiance to Himself that all other ties become secondary. The people of God are called out from the world, false worship, and fleshly identity to belong wholly unto Him: “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (2 Corinthians 6:17). What is forsaken is not gain compared with what is received.
This command should deeply affect the soul. The King who sits in glory and receives the queen at His right hand now desires her whole heart. He will not be content with divided affections. To be summoned away from old loyalties unto such a Husband is no loss, but highest honor. The soul should feel both humbled and drawn: humbled that such a King would call, and drawn to leave all for Him who is altogether lovely.
This command does not establish the eternal purpose of salvation, which is of God alone, but it sets forth the necessary response in time. Those brought to Christ are called to turn from former ways and cleave unto Him. Thus, the bride is prepared, not by her own merit, but by hearing and obeying the King’s call.
This verse sets forth the call of Christ to His people to hear His voice, consider His word, and leave all to follow Him. Therefore, let the heart loosen its hold on lesser things, the tongue confess Him above every earthly claim, and the ear receive His word with readiness. As the prophet answered, “Speak; for thy servant heareth” (1 Samuel 3:10), and Jesus declared, “He that is of God heareth God’s words” (John 8:47).
Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house;
Having introduced the queen at the King’s right hand (v.9), the psalm now turns to exhortation. The bride is addressed directly and called to hear, consider, and respond. The scene remains matrimonial: she who is brought near must now be instructed how to live as one joined to so great a King. In the greater fulfillment, this speaks of the church, called out and brought unto Christ, then taught to cleave unto Him above all others.
“Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear.” The call begins with hearing. To hearken is to hear with attention and obedience. Consideration is thoughtful regard, weighing what is heard. To incline the ear is to bend the will toward the word given. This is how God deals with His people, calling them by His word. The psalmist elsewhere says, “Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee” (Psalm 81:8). Isaiah gives a very gracious call: “Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.” (Isaiah 55:3). Faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17), and those who belong to Christ are marked by this response: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).
The order is instructive. She must first hear before she can rightly leave. God ordinarily instructs before He commands, and reveals the worth of Christ before calling for sacrifice. When the soul sees who the King is, His beauty, His righteousness, His glory, and His grace, then the command to forsake lesser things becomes reasonable and sweet. Thus, hearing is the appointed means by which affection is stirred and obedience drawn forth.
“Forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house.” This is a call to separation. To forget does not mean loss of memory, but leaving behind former ties, former claims, and former loyalties. The bride must no longer be governed by the house from which she came, but by the King to whom she now belongs. This agrees with the law of marriage: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:24), which the apostle applies to Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:31-32).
This also agrees with the cost of discipleship. Christ said, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother… he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). He did not command sinful hatred, but such supreme allegiance to Himself that all other ties become secondary. The people of God are called out from the world, false worship, and fleshly identity to belong wholly unto Him: “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (2 Corinthians 6:17). What is forsaken is not gain compared with what is received.
This command should deeply affect the soul. The King who sits in glory and receives the queen at His right hand now desires her whole heart. He will not be content with divided affections. To be summoned away from old loyalties unto such a Husband is no loss, but highest honor. The soul should feel both humbled and drawn: humbled that such a King would call, and drawn to leave all for Him who is altogether lovely.
This command does not establish the eternal purpose of salvation, which is of God alone, but it sets forth the necessary response in time. Those brought to Christ are called to turn from former ways and cleave unto Him. Thus, the bride is prepared, not by her own merit, but by hearing and obeying the King’s call.
This verse sets forth the call of Christ to His people to hear His voice, consider His word, and leave all to follow Him. Therefore, let the heart loosen its hold on lesser things, the tongue confess Him above every earthly claim, and the ear receive His word with readiness. As the prophet answered, “Speak; for thy servant heareth” (1 Samuel 3:10), and Jesus declared, “He that is of God heareth God’s words” (John 8:47).