Altogether lovely

Song of Solomon 5:16

His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

It is a beautiful thing when a husband and a wife can speak of one another in such glowing and exquisite terms as Solomon and the Shulamite did for one another. Very few would speak of another as being “altogether lovely.” It is a thing most rare, but not impossible. It is most unique, but not unheard of. There are many beautiful relationships, where this mutual feeling is present. This is the way in which this bride speaks of her husband. And this is certainly, by allegory, the way in which the church speaks of Christ. Every Christian can say of Christ that He is “altogether lovely.”

For, you see, there are serval descriptions here that are characteristic of our Savior. His mouth is most sweet. Was it not said of Christ, that the people “wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth?” There is none more gracious than Him, none more sweet in demeanor, and gentle in character. He is most sweet, kind, gentle, and loving. He is altogether lovely. He is our beloved. There is none that we love more than Him, none that invokes more of our worship and adoration than the precious Savior. He is our beloved, and we are His beloved. “My beloved is mine, and I am His,” as the Shulamite said previously of her love. He has counted us as His beloved. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.” See 1 John 3:1. This is my friend, says the bride of her husband. The greatest thing, perhaps, that we can say of our Savior, is that He is our friend. What a friend we have in Jesus! We can be called a friend of God. No greater privilege exists in this world, no greater honor can be found in this temporal realm than the honor of being friends with our beloved-the Lord Jesus. Make Him your dearest friend today. He will never fail you, forsake you, misunderstand you, or discourage you. He will always love you, care for you, encourage you, and bring you into the confidence and shelter of His love. Earthly friends are wonderful. God-given relationships are one of the sweetest gifts of our loving God. But there is truly no friendship, no beloved companionship, greater than what is available in our Savior today.

Dear friend, may you draw on your beloved today. Make Him your all in all. He will be with you, and will not withdraw from you as you fellowship with Him. He is your beloved, and He is your friend. There is no spot in Him, no imperfection, no causes for unloveliness. For He is, as the Scriptures affirm, altogether lovely.

“Father, we thank you that you have given us mortals the privilege of knowing the Savior, the privilege of belonging to Him, and the privilege of owning Him. Thank you for the Friend you have given us. May this be the greatest encouragement to us this day, the fullest joy, and the sweetest relationship of all. Thank you for your loveliness. And thank you for the steadfast love and care of our Friend. We ask that our companionship, fellowship, communion, and friendship with our Lord would be greater today than it has ever been. In Jesus’ lovely and wonderful name we pray, Amen.”