The Bridegroom and the Bride (6) - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2024

His cheeks are as a bed of spices, raised beds of sweet plants; His lips lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.
Song of Songs 5:13 JND

The Bridegroom and the Bride (6)
What a difference between those who know the Lord Jesus and therefore love Him and honor Him, and those who do not know Him and, blinded by Satan, hate Him and despise Him. The former see His cheeks "as a bed of spices"; the latter see Him as despised and rejected of men, and as One to be smitten on His cheeks and spat upon. The unsaved say, "There is no beauty that we should desire Him" (Isa. 53:2), but the saved will say with the psalmist, "Thou art fairer than the sons of men" (Ps. 45:2). To us who know Him and believe in Him, He is preciousness itself.

His cheeks also are described as raised terraces of aromatic plants. What a pity for a child of God to be so busy that he deprives Himself of spending as much time as possible in the presence of his beloved Lord! Again we have lilies, whose white color speaks of the purity of His lips. Psalm 45 was sung upon Shoshannim, which means lilies, and it is there that we read in verse 2, "Grace is poured into Thy lips." Lilies speak also of lowliness and humility, but also of a glory surpassing Solomon's glory.

The Lord's words are worthy of our daily meditation, for no one ever spoke like He did. To the Samaritan woman at the well He offered the water of life. To the widow of Nain He said, "Fear not," and restored life to her only son. To His disciples He said, "I leave peace with you." To everyone He says, "Come to Me, all ye who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest." On the cross He asked the Father, "Forgive them, for they know not what they do." And to the repenting thief on the cross He said, "Verily I say to thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise." Truly there is none like Him.

-- A. M. Behnam