In complimenting her lips, the King says of his Bride in Song of Solomon 4:11, “Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb…”   Bees of course construct in their hives the hexagonal framework of the comb in which to raise their young and store their honey.   When harvested, honeycomb is sealed on both ends with each little pod containing a bit of honey.   Usually one end is shaved off and the honey is processed – but it is possible to chew on a bit of honeycomb.   Crushing in the mouth allows one to eat perfectly fresh, raw honey and the remaining waxy bits can be chewed like gum and even eaten.

Nine times the Bible refers to honeycomb.   Eating a piece of honeycomb enlightened Jonathan’s eyes after a long day of battle. (I Sam. 14:27) Honey in the comb along with some broiled fish was the meal Jesus ate after his resurrection in a glorified body! (Luke 24:42)   Solomon said that honeycomb is, “sweet to the soul, and health to the bones” in Proverbs 16:24.

The Bible itself and sweet words are both compared to honeycomb. (Psalm 19:10; Prov. 16:24)   This is the tack the King is taking in Song 4:11.   As a honeycomb would drop a long, slow string of honey as the wax slowly melts, the lips of the Bride offer nothing but a long, continual string of sweetness and beauty. Her words are always gentle, sweet and loving. As the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31, “She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.” (Prov. 31:26)

We live in a day and age of foul mouths. Sadly, television and the movie industry often portray tough women with gutter language, harshness and a sharpness that is the exact opposite of what God intended. “There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.” (Prov. 12:18) As Christ’s Bride, we need God’s word in our mouths – sweet words of kindness and truth should be continually dropping from our lips.   It is not enough to merely have a sweet word pass our lips occasionally – we need that reservoir of truth in our mouths that continually offers this world what they so desperately need. Like the honeycomb, we can offer the sweet words of truth and still have something substantial left behind for ourselves upon which to chew and meditate!

Is God’s word constantly upon your lips?