Anointed Lips
By Karen Holland ... 3-1-2008
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Psalm 45:2 You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you for ever.
Song 5:10,13,16 My lover is radiant and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand.
13 His cheeks are like beds of spice yielding perfume. His lips are like
lilies dripping with myrrh.
16 His mouth is sweetness itself; he is altogether lovely. This is my
lover, this my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.
Psalm 45 and the Song of Solomon have this image of anointed lips; the anointed lips of Jesus Christ, the lover, the Bridegroom, the Messiah King. His lips are anointed with grace; His words are full of grace and truth (Jn 1:14). No one ever spoke the way Jesus spoke (Jn 7:46). Many were amazed at the wisdom and grace of His speech (Lk 2:40, 2:47, 4:22). Scripture contains many examples of the grace and truth Jesus spoke.
It was Jesus who said to the adulteress, "Neither do I condemn thee: go and sin no more." (Jn 8:11)
When the multitude had sat all day listening to His teaching, it was Jesus who said, "I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat. . . ." (Mt 15:32)
It was Jesus who said to the woman with the issue of blood, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering." (Mk 5:34)
It was Jesus who said of the widow woman, "this poor widow hath cast in more than they all." (Lk 21:3)
It was Jesus who said to the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer your sins are forgiven." (Mt 9:2)
It was Jesus who said of the man born blind, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life." (Jn 9:3)
It was Jesus who said to the thief hanging on the cross, "Today you will be with me in paradise." (Lk 23:43)
The lips of Jesus are lilies dripping with myrrh; His mouth is sweetness itself. The words of Jesus are sweet to the taste (Ps 119:103). They are strong, satisfying like lilies - life giving/sustaining (Ps 119:175; Prov 4:4; Mt 4:4). The Bride longs for the 'kisses' of her lover; His lips, His words, His presence.
Song 1:2-4 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth� For your love is better than wine. Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, Your name is
ointment poured forth; Therefore the virgins love you. Draw me away!
Just as the Bride longs for the 'kisses' of her lover, the Groom longs for the 'kisses' of the Bride.
Song 4:6-7, 10-11 Until the day breaks and the shadows flee, I will go to the mountain of myrrh and to the
hill of incense. All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you.
How delightful is your
love, my sister, my bride! How much more pleasing is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your
perfume than any spice! Your lips drop sweetness as the honeycomb, my bride; milk and honey
are under your tongue. The fragrance of your garments is like that of Lebanon.
The Bride's lips, like the Groom's, 'drop sweetness as the honeycomb'. Again the comparison to the honeycomb point to the words of Jesus full of grace and truth, God's word, God's law. These words are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the comb (Ps 19:10). In several places scripture implies that eating honey, eating God's word is good (Prov 24:13, 25:16; 119:103; Song 5:1). Recently while I was pondering this image of the Bride eating God's word and her lips dripping the honey of His word, I came across the following.
Song 4:3 Your lips are like a scarlet thread, and your mouth is lovely. Your temples are like a slice of a pomegranate behind your veil.
The Bride has the scarlet thread upon her lips. The scarlet thread is Jesus, the blood sacrifice of Christ the Passover Lamb (Josh 2:18;Ex 12:11;1 Co 5:7)! The Bride has the proclamation of Jesus upon her lips, the aroma of Christ (2 Co 2:15). But what coud a slice of pomegranate have to do with the scarlet thread upon the Bride's lips?
From Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomegranate the name "pomegranate" derives from Latin pomum ("apple") and granatus ("seeded") -- the apple of many seeds. The pomegranate is a wonderful fruit to eat, sweet to the taste and is thought to provide many health benefits.
Exodus 28:33�34 directed that images of pomegranates be woven onto the borders of Hebrew priestly robes. 1 Kings 7:13�22 describes pomegranates depicted in the temple King Solomon built in Jerusalem. Jewish tradition teaches that the pomegranate is a symbol for righteousness, because it is said to have 613 seeds which corresponds with the 613 mitzvot or commandments of the Torah. This last symbol for the pomegranate linking its seeds to the commandments of the Torah is significant!
Your temples are like a slice of a pomegranate, the Bride's mind compared to a slice of pomegranate which contains many seeds, seeds of truth. God's word, God's law, in the Bride's mind -- ready to drip or drop forth from her anointed lips?! Pomegranate juice also stains many things it comes in contact with, it is used for natural dyeing. Is it a coincidence that eating a pomegranate or rubbing its juice on the lips leaves a scarlet looking stain?
A slice of pomegranate in the bride's mind producing the scarlet thread upon the Bride's lips. What a beautiful wonderful image of the anointed lips of the Bride! I love these images of the anointed lips and the longing/love between the Bride & Groom. The Bride and Groom exchanging words, grace and truth, tasting the sweetness of their love. What better way to express this love
than with a kiss? And a song? Notice that both Psalm 45 and the Song of Solomon are love songs between the Bride & Groom.
This idea really tickles my heart! This idea of the Bride and Groom sharing an anointed kiss by exchanging love songs is discussed in my articles 'Voices of the Bridegroom and the Bride' and 'Kiss the Son'. The Song of Solomon creates this beautiful image of the lovers singing love songs to one
another, exchanging kisses. It is the Groom who puts the new song in the Bride's mouth. This can happen privately as well as corporately.
Psalm 40:1-3 I waited patiently for the LORD; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.
Pondering this image it's easy to picture the Groom putting the new song in His Bride's mouth with a kiss. When the bride responds and sings what has been placed in her mouth, she is kissing him back (paying homage in purity)! How beautiful! What a beautiful expression of the love between the Bride & Groom.
What I didn't notice until recently is that this exchange of anointed lips when done corporately (Eph 5:18-21, Col 3:16, Heb 2:12) can touch unbelievers who are present. Can actually cause many to see and fear and put their trust in the LORD. Anointed lips can actually allow unbelievers to taste and see that the LORD is good (Ps 34:8).
Come wait patiently for the LORD, seek the king. Behold His beauty, concealed in His tabernacle, hidden in the secret place upon the Rock (Ps 27:4-5). Be glad, sing for joy in the shadow of His wings (Ps 5:11-12, 63:7, 91:4). Allow Him to stir your heart with a beautiful love song; an anointed kiss. Let this new song bubble up and burst forth from anointed lips; living water flowing. Praise the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song, His praise in the assembly of the saints. (Ps 149:1)!
