Song of Solomon 1:5 , Song of Solomon 1:15; Song of Solomon 5:16
I. Look first at the saint's "I am." It is a sad one. "I am black black as the tents of Kedar." Every saint is conscious of innumerable sins, blemishes, and imperfections. The more spiritually-minded the Christian is, the more conscious is he of his blackness; and the nearer a man lives to God, the more intense is his abhorrence of himself.
II. Listen next to Christ's response: "Behold, thou art fair, My love; behold, thou art fair." This is not the language of exaggeration. Although the Lord loves His Church intensely He does not love it unreasonably; His love does not blind His eyes to His people's defects. And yet He says, "Behold, thou art fair." Though He sees faults and failings in me,He does not see me inmy faults and failings, but views me as I am in Himself. When He looks upon us, He sees His own loveliness, and His own righteousness, and so He may well say, "Thou art fair."
III. Lastly, you have the Church's "He is." "Yea, he is altogether lovely." That Christ is altogether lovely is the united testimony of all saints in every age. In Him all the colours of beauty combine all the harmonies that can be conceived blend in one ravishing strain. There is no one drawback in Him. He is lovely to my mind's judgment; lovely to my heart's affection; lovely to my will's surrender; lovely in my memory's treasure-house. He is all beauty, and beauty all round, and the Church gives this as her united testimony concerning Him.
A. G. Brown, Penny Pulpit,No. 1090.
Reference: Song of Solomon 1:5. J. M. Neale, Sermons on the Song of Songs,p. 30.