I usually can’t smell things other people can smell. But sometimes a strong aroma will surprise me. I’ll find gardenias blooming nearby, or get a whiff of carnitas cooking in the oven, or—not as nice—I’ll pick up the scent of some dog’s business under my boot. Through our sense of smell, we can be warned of a gas leak or be drawn into love. Oh, God’s wonderful, odorous world!
Psalm 45 is all about the sweet smell of love. Here the mysterious marriage of Christ and His church is pictured in vivid and even aromatic detail. Jesus, the bridegroom of the church, is Prince Charming. He stands in an ivory palace, holds a sword at his side, and is clothed with splendor. The sound of music fills the halls. He is “the most excellent of men,” and as His bride draws close, she smells His fragrant robes.
Do you delight in the beauty of the Lord? Are you falling in love with Him? God’s gift of faith, like our sense of smell, can be like a spiritual sense (see 1 Corinthians 2:10-16). Through it He charms us and draws us into the grace of Jesus.