When the bride in the Song of Songs is asked by young women what her beloved has over other men, she describes in detail the beauty of her beloved bridegroom.

When we read these words, we think of the moral beauties of our Lord and Bridegroom, about whom we should have much to say (cf. Heb 5:11).

His special position

The bride emphasizes that her bridegroom stands out from others. He stands out not just from a few men, but from tens of thousands (Song 5:10).

In Psalm 45 it is said of the Lord Jesus that He is more beautiful than the sons of men and that God has anointed Him with the oil of gladness more than His fellows (v. 3.8). He far surpasses all others! He is the firstborn.

His Skin

The Beloved is white and red (Song 5:10). The bridegroom has white skin and has not been burnt by the sun while working in the vineyards like the bride (Song 1:5, 6). His skin is not pale, but red – fresh and healthy. In this way, the bridegroom is like the princes of Israel before the destruction of Jerusalem: “Their princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were redder than coral, their forms like sapphire. Now their appearance is darker than blackness, they are unrecognizable in the streets; their skin clings to their bones, they have become dry like wood” (Lam 4:7, 8).

The Lord Jesus walked through a world full of sin. Yet evil left no trace on Him and did not diminish His spiritual strength. When He, disfigured by sinful people, carried His cross to Golgotha, He still compared Himself to a “green tree” (Lk 23:31). This speaks of the spiritual vitality that characterized His path to the end.

His Head

The head of the bridegroom is like fine gold (Song 5:11): Everything about His head, which He wears with dignity, is noble, beautiful and precious.

Does this not speak of the authority of Christ and His lofty thoughts? When people heard His insightful words, many were deeply impressed. “And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Mark 1:22). “And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue; and many who were listening were amazed and said: Where did this man get all these things, and what kind of wisdom has been given to this man?” (Mark 6:2).

His Hair

The bridegroom’s hair is jet-black and flowing down (Song 5:11). He has neither gray hair nor the beginnings of baldness. The bridegroom shows no signs of ageing (Hos 7:10).

The Lord Jesus was always zealous for God in His ministry. He never let up. He cleansed the temple at the beginning of His ministry and did the same in the last days of His life on earth (Jn 2:13-22; Mk 11:15-19).

His Eyes

Solomon’s eyes are like doves by streams of water bathing in milk (Song 5:12). This means that the iris has a beautiful and interesting color that contrasts with the clear white of the sclera, with the tear fluid enhancing the shine. The eye, seen as a whole, is like a set gemstone (Song of Solomon 5:12).

In the imagery of the Bible, the dove speaks of faithfulness, purity and simplicity. We find this in full beauty in the One who has gone His way in constant devotion to His God and Father and has constantly sought blessing for those who belong to Him. How much faithfulness may have been in His gaze that met Peter after he had so shamefully denied Him (Luke 22:61)!

His Cheeks

His cheeks remind the bride of beds of aromatic herbs and mounds of fragrant plants (Song 5:13). She thinks of his beard, which is covered with perfume. She loves to caress these fragrant cheeks.

The Lord Jesus spread a fragrance for God on His way and through His behavior He made it easy for people to approach Him and “kiss the Son on the way” (cf. Ps 2:12). But the people despised Him and struck the judge of Israel on the cheek (Mic 4:14).

His Lips

The lips of the bridegroom are lilies dripping with flowing myrrh (Song 5:13). His lips are beautiful and red and pleasant, gentle and precious things flow from them.

The words of the Lord Jesus impressed the people, and all the people hung on His mouth (Lk 19:48). Some servants of the chief priests testified: “Never man spake like this man” (John 7:46).

His Hands

The bride describes the bridegroom’s hands as golden rolls set with topazes (Song 5:14). She thinks of his well-formed fingers with their handsome fingernails, which are reminiscent of gold-colored chrysolites.

The deeds of the Lord Jesus were characterized by divine glory. His hands healed, blessed and saved (Mk 1:34; 10:16; Mt 14:31). He drove out demons with the “finger of God”. Once He put His fingers into the ears of a deaf man to make him well again (Lk 11:20; Mk 7:33). He went around soothing and healing those who were overcome by the devil (Acts 10:38).

His Upper Body

The body of the bridegroom Solomon is a work of art made of ivory, covered with sapphires, a sky-blue precious stone (Song 5:14). This means: His upper body is beautiful, even and everything fits together well.

Christ did nothing unseemly in His entire life and all His words and works made it clear that He is the Son of Man, whose heart is in heaven (John 3:13).

His Legs

Solomon’s thighs are pillars of white marble and his feet are like fine gold (Song 5:15). He goes his way with a firm step.

Christ’s steps did not falter (cf. Ps 17:5). Undeterred, He walked the path of obedience. When people wanted to drive Him away, He remained on the path marked out by the Father in order to finally “be perfected” in Jerusalem (Lk 13:31-33).

His Form

The appearance of the Beloved is like Lebanon and exquisite like cedar (Song 5:15): His form is impressive and extraordinary (cf. Ps 92:13).

The Lord made a great impression on many people. When He came down from the Mount of Transfiguration and the whole crowd saw Him, “they were amazed; and they ran up and greeted Him” (Mark 9:15).

His Palate

At the end, Shulamith picks out another detail that is obviously very important to her: “His palate is all sweetness” (Song 5:16). The bride may also have thought of the words that the bridegroom lovingly spoke to her, revealing something of his inner self (cf. Prov 8:7).

The people marveled at the words of grace that came out of His mouth (Lk 4:22). The Lord was indeed what He spoke to people, that is, the words presented Him as who He was: the truth (Jn 8:25).

His whole Appearance

The bride ends with the words: “Everything about Him is lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem!” (Song 5:16). Even if she did not mention anything, one thing is certain: everything about him is beautiful.

We may admire details of the moral glory of our Lord Jesus and spread them out before our God. But we cannot know all the beauties of Christ, and so we also say: “Everything about Him is beautiful!”

Let us occupy ourselves much with His glory in faith and do so in the happy awareness that we will soon see all His glory (Jn 17:24)!