The Village Church in Greenwich Village

A Heavenly City in a Suburb of Hell: A Wedding Song

Given on July 18, 2004

Given By

Makoto Fujimura

Psalm 45; John 14:1-7

¹ My heart is stirred by a noble theme

as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.

² You are the most excellent of men

and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever.

³ Gird your sword upon your side, O mighty one;

clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.

⁴ In your majesty ride forth victoriously

in behalf of truth, humility and righteousness; let your right hand display awesome deeds.

⁵ Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies;

let the nations fall beneath your feet.

⁶ Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;

a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.

⁷ You love righteousness and hate wickedness;

therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.

⁸ All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;

from palaces adorned with ivory the music of the strings makes you glad.

⁹ Daughters of kings are among your honored women;

at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir.

¹⁰ Listen, O daughter, consider and give ear:

Forget your people and your father’s house.

¹¹ The king is enthralled by your beauty;

honor him, for he is your lord.

¹² The Daughter of Tyre will come with a gift,

men of wealth will seek your favor.

¹³ All glorious is the princess within her chamber ;

her gown is interwoven with gold.

¹⁴ In embroidered garments she is led to the king;

her virgin companions follow her and are brought to you.

¹⁵ They are led in with joy and gladness;

they enter the palace of the king.

¹⁶ Your sons will take the place of your fathers;

you will make them princes throughout the land.

¹⁷ I will perpetuate your memory through all generations;

therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.

¹“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. ²In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ⁴You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Jesus the Way to the Father
⁵Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

⁶Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.