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

Song of Solomon is one of the more mysterious books in the Bible. Some wonder why it is even in the Bible. But God in His wisdom has included it, so there is surely much that can be learned from it. One theme is married love. Parts of the book relate conversation between the husband and wife, while other parts are things they said about each other. She called him her beloved. Every time the word “beloved” is used in this book, the woman is speaking of her husband.

The Bible teaches that the church is the bride of Christ. In his teaching about marriage in Ephesians 5:32, Paul said, “This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” The marriage relationship is a picture of the relationship between Christ and the church. So, the verse above provides things that the church, the bride, should say about her husband, who is Christ.

First, she said that his mouth is most sweet. That is to say, the things that come out of His mouth are sweet. For His bride, the Husband has nothing but kind and sweet words. He is not against her in what He says, but for her. And, His mouth is full of praise for His bride. This is how the Lord Jesus Christ speaks about His bride. As the bride perceived that her husband’s mouth is sweet, so the church can say the same about Jesus. He has paid the price of His life to win her. His love for her is unending. Not only are His words sweet towards her, they are sweet, or good, for her. Quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3, Jesus said in Luke 4:4, “…It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” His mouth is sweet and kind, and what He says is good for us. It is life to us.

The bride said that her Husband is altogether lovely. It could also be translated that she saw him as all delights. What a wonderful view she had of her husband. How much she adored him and loved him. Song of Solomon reveals her devotion to him, even searching for him in the city in which they lived. So it should be with the church for her Husband. His unparalleled sacrifice for the church puts Him at the pinnacle of loveliness. His love and care in that one event is glorious. He also promises to never leave us nor forsake us. The great occupation of the church ought to be in seeking out her Husband, desiring to be with Him at all times. He never leaves us, but our hearts often stray to other attractions. He is the only thing that really is altogether lovely.

In the verse above, the bride said that her beloved is her friend. In John 15:14, 15 Jesus said, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” As Proverbs 18:24 says, “…there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Again, Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loveth at all times…” And, Jesus said in John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” As the song goes, Jesus is the friend of sinners. And what greater friend could anyone have?

Consider what it is Jesus has done for His people. Philippians 2:6-11 tells us, “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” God has and will again exalt the Lord Jesus Christ, above all.

Isn’t the LORD Jesus Christ altogether lovely? Is His mouth sweet to us? Are we His friend?

Altogether lovely,
He is altogether lovely,
And the fairest of ten thousand,
This wonderful Friend divine;
He gave Himself to save me,
Now He lives in heav’n to keep me,
He is altogether lovely,
Is this wonderful Savior of mine. (Wendell P. Loveless)