Endnote 6 – Is Psalm 45 an Erotic Poem?

To the Freudian fundamentalist, the tongue and the pen are phallic symbols, while cooking and eating symbolize sex. In some contexts, I would agree. But in Psalm 45, the focus is on the sexuality of bridegroom and bride, not the poet. (On some deeper level, admittedly, the psalmist might be competing with the king’s masculinity—but it is hard to be sure without putting the author on the couch.)