Psalm 45 – Shoshannim

The Song of the Lily

“I am the rose of Sharon,
and the lily of the valleys”
Song of Songs 2:1

The literal translation of the term Shoshannim sets before us one of the subtitles of this precious Psalm: “The Song of the Lily”. We would do well to pause and consider our hearts as we read and meditate upon the wonder of this Psalm. We live in a day of information overload not only in worldly data but also within the context of the Christian community. Data and information offer us little in terms of communicating the power and effect of His person and presence.

I have come to evaluate truth as being that which brings me to actual change and repentance; an infusion of life and substance brought about by an encounter with the living Christ. There are plenty of “good” teachings and doctrines in our day but if there is no impact, if the things I hear do not cause my heart to burn, if they do not motivate me to desire more of Him, then either my heart is amiss or it is mere information that does not profit the hearer.

In the Song of the Lily, if we touch the same Spirit which penned it, we cannot help but be impacted by its living ministration. Throughout the Word, we are affected by the various facets of His being. In the course of time, His magnificence grows and we come to realize our concept of Him needs continual enlargement in order to comprehend His majesty.

In my early days as a believer, I struggled with the various aspects of His “attributes” as though they were distinct from each other. I was conflicted and troubled in my heart as I struggled with the incompatibility between love and judgment, grace and truth, meekness and righteous anger. These struggles remained until I read:

“Mercy and truth are met together”
Psalm 85:10

“grace and truth came by Jesus Christ”
John 1:17

The Hebrew root translated “met” in the KJV is best translated as “concur, meet face to face” (as in the Cherubim on the Mercy Seat of the Ark). In other words, true mercy never violates truth nor does truth violate mercy. These two priceless expressions of God are harmonious. He is mercy and He is truth always. When Jesus purged the temple, He never violated mercy. When Peter confronted Ananias and Sapphira mercy was not compromised. It is only when our human reasoning ascribes to one or the other that God’s true image is tainted.

Apostasy is usually the result of His people departing from the “fear of the Lord”. The people of God become desensitized to His Holiness. Families are decimated by little or no discipline. Parents do not feel the solemn obligation to raise their children in the fear and the nurture of the Lord. There are many considered “elders” all across the land whose lives are far from the requirements of the Word because we declare we are now under grace! Because of these things the light of the church becomes dimmed, and the world sees little difference between unbelievers and those who call themselves by His name. We must take these things to heart. It is imperative for us to remember that “blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God”. In our exposure to the Psalm of the Lily the purer our hearts, the deeper will be our apprehension of Him.

This Psalm is about Him. As we grow into Him we realize that His heart, His entire priestly ministry is set upon His own; those who yield themselves to His dealings, and His corrections, and live to honor and obey His Word.

“to this man will I look,
even to him, that is poor and of a contrite spirit,
and trembleth at my word”
Isaiah 66:2

It takes little discernment to recognize those who honor His Word. They do not exempt themselves from obedience with a false grace. Their love for God is evident in their manner of life, their families, and their interaction with the people of God. All of these fragrances of Him express a humility and obedience to God. Righteousness is not some legal term with God, righteousness is the manner in which we conduct our daily lives.

There is a sense of the fragrance and beauty of Christ in the sweet stanzas of this Psalm; something that hushes and brings a Holy Awe. May we touch the essence of His loveliness so that we may see Him more clearly and honor Him more in every aspect of our lives.