What is the lily of the valley (Song of Solomon 2:1)?

shushan, κρίνον. The well-known flower of graceful form, of which there are several species that grow in the fields and valleys of Palestine. One of great beauty grows near the Merom waters, and is called the Huleh-lily. In the Canticles the bride calls herself 'a lily of the valley,' to which the Bridegroom responds, "as the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters." Cant. 2:1-2. Israel is to grow up as a lily in a future day. Hosea 14:5. The pattern of the lily was among the ornamental work of the temple. The lily is extolled by the Lord as exceeding in beauty all the glory of Solomon. (1 Kings 7:19, 22, 26; Cant. 2:16; Cant. 4:5; Cant. 5:13; Cant. 6:2-3; Cant. 7:2; Matt. 6:28; Luke 12:27.) Some suppose the Lilium Chalcedonicum, the 'red Turk's-cap lily,' to have been the plant referred to by the Lord. Others think it was probably the Anemone coronaria, which they judge to have been included in the Greek κρινον. The term may be general, as the modern Arabic susan. LILY-WORK is ornamentation in resemblance to lilies. 1 Kings 7:19, 22. See SHOSHANNIM.

To know grace, is to know God, and His full salvation by Jesus Christ, through the teaching and power of the Holy Spirit. But a little while ago, and the bride was confessing, "I am black … black as the tents of Kedar," and now, through grace, she can say, and say in truth, nothing doubting, "I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys" — the very crown and ornament of Sharon — the very beauty and sweetness of the valleys. And mark, too, that she says, "The rose … the lily." She speaks not in general terms of her attractions to the Bridegroom, but in the most definite way. She is not vainly boasting to others of what she is, but addressing Himself directly, in the happy consciousness of her own place in His heart. There is full communion, for He immediately adds, "As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters." And further on in the book, He says plainly, "My dove, my undefiled, is but one, she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her." Such is the distinguishing love and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and such is the special place which the bride has in His sight. He always goes beyond her in the expression of affection. This is most blessed to the heart. How widely different is the beautiful, fragrant lily from the lacerating thorn!

There are many who say, when they hear such truth, "Oh, I am not worthy of such a place." Quite true if you speak of your own worthiness. But what place do you think you are worthy of? If not this one, an inferior one, I suppose. But is this humility? No, friend, it is pride of heart. We are worthy of no place at all in His presence. Consequently, any place there must be pure, sovereign grace. To be within the threshold, would be as pure grace as to be on the throne.

The joy and beauty of this relationship to Christ in which we stand is illustrated for us in the Song of Solomon. Every chapter is fragrant with love, and if we read it, and are taught by the Holy Spirit as we read it, we shall find that the language, though figurative, describes the Lord's delight in us and ours in Him, when we know Him in this sweet relationship. Take the second chapter. There the bride-to-be has discovered that she is beloved, and that the one who loves her delights in her. She is precious to him; this she has learnt, and she exclaims: "I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valley." These were not high thoughts of herself. The rose of Sharon was not the queen of summer as is the gorgeous flower that we call the rose; more likely than not it was the narcissus, a flower of the field, a fragrant flower no doubt, but not obtrusive and gay; and the lily of the valley grew in lowly places and out of sight, and had to be sought for by the one who valued it. BUT THESE WERE SPRING FLOWERS, and the fragrant hope of spring was in them. As they bloomed in the valleys they told of a time when the summer's glory would crown the hills. They figured forth the beginnings of love, but they were prophetic of the time when love would come to its fulness on the marriage day.

The joy and beauty of our relationship to Christ is illustrated for us in a wonderful way in the Song of Solomon. Every chapter is fragrant with love, and if we read it, and are taught by the Holy Spirit as we read it, we shall find that the language, though figurative, describes the Lord's delight in us and ours in Him, when we know Him in this sweet relationship. Take the 2nd chapter. There the bride-to-be has discovered that she is beloved, and that the one who loves her delights in her. She is precious to him; this she has learnt, and she exclaims: "I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.” These were not high thoughts of herself. The rose of Sharon was not the gorgeous flower that we call the rose; more likely than not it was the narcissus, a flower of the field, a fragrant flower no doubt, but not obtrusive and gay; and the lily of the valleys grew in lowly places and out of sight, and had to be sought for by the one who valued it. But these were Spring flowers, this must be noted first, and the fragrant hope of Spring was in them. As they bloomed in the valleys they told of a time when the summer's glory would crown the hills. They figured forth the beginnings of love, but they were prophetic of the time when love would come to its fullness on the marriage day.

The joy and beauty of our relationship to Christ is illustrated for us in a wonderful way in the Song of Solomon. Every chapter is fragrant with love, and if we read it, and are taught by the Holy Spirit as we read it, we shall find that the language, though figurative, describes the Lord's delight in us and ours in Him, when we know Him in this sweet relationship. Take the 2nd chapter. There the bride-to-be has discovered that she is beloved, and that the one who loves her delights in her. She is precious to him; this she has learnt, and she exclaims: "I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys." These were not high thoughts of herself. The rose of Sharon was not the gorgeous flower that we call the rose; more likely than not it was the narcissus, a flower of the field, a fragrant flower no doubt, but not obtrusive and gay; and the lily of the valleys grew in lowly places and out of sight, and had to be sought for by the one who valued it. But these were Spring flowers, this must be noted first, and the fragrant hope of Spring was in them. As they bloomed in the valleys they told of a time when the summer's glory would crown the hills. They figured forth the beginnings of love, but they were prophetic of the time when love would come to its fullness on the marriage day.

And in this next chapter — on which I may say a few words before I close this evening — we have, "I am the rose" — or narcissus, most probably — not exactly the rose. It occurs only in two passages of Scripture; and, although it would be rather a shock to some feelings to hear it, I suppose that in both places — in the present instance and also where it is said, "The desert shall blossom as the rose," — it seems to be rather the narcissus than the rose. However that may be, it is of no great consequence; but I think it is more appropriate, because it is what she says herself. Now, the rose being pre-eminently the flower of beauty and fragrance, I do not think that that is exactly the language which she would adopt. If He had called her so I could understand it; but the narcissus not being in any measure comparable to the rose, one can understand that she does not pretend to be more than she was: so she speaks of herself as 'a rose, or narcissus, of Sharon — a lily of the valley.' She takes a humble place. It is not in some conspicuous place as yet. She is going to be in the place of glory by and by: but she was only, as far as that went, a lily of the valleys. I think that this confirms the thought that it is not 'the rose of Sharon' — a very conspicuous object, but one of a more recluse or retired character.

In the next verse Christ answers, "As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters." This shows us beyond question that the lily is His loved one and as compared with the unsaved around her she is as a lily among thorns. What a contrast between a lily and thorns. But it is all the work of His grace that has taken poor thorny sinners and converted them into sweet lilies of the valley.

The lily of the valley is often taken to be Christ, but it only shows how careless many are when they read their Bibles, not taking pains to read the context and to weigh each verse in the connection with its setting.

Cant. 2:3. "As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste." Learned men have searched and written much, endeavouring to ascertain the particular kind of rose and lily that are referred to in the first verse, and the particular kind of tree in the third. Most say that what is here called, "The rose of Sharon," belongs to the lily family, and should be translated, "The Narcissus of Sharon." Many different opinions have also been given as to the particular flower here meant by the "lily." And many good and learned men have thought, that in the first verse we have the voice of the Bridegroom, not of the bride. And many, alas, who have written, and written much, have been more occupied with the flowers than the persons. But surely in the second verse the Bridegroom owns the speaker in the first verse to be His loved one. "As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters." All are agreed that this is the voice of the Beloved. In the first verse, we have no doubt, the bride is the speaker. She is acknowledging in joy of communion, what He in His grace has made her; that all her beauty in His sight, as well as the affections of her heart for Himself, are His own creation. And in comparing herself with these beautiful flowers, she is only repeating what He Himself has taught her.

But mark well, my soul, that she says, "I am the lily of the valleys" — not of the cities. In the quiet vale she finds her native soil, and breathes her native air. There she blooms, for the eye of her Beloved, and sheds her fragrance for His refreshment. "He feeds among the lilies." It was in the city she lost the joys of His presence; and there she was insulted and unveiled by the watchmen. These were her wandering, backsliding moments. Oh! how much better for her, had she never left her native valleys! My soul, here pause a little. Meditate on these things. At a distance — far from the stream and spirit of this world — in heart far from its attractions, study that which will be pleasing to the eye of Jesus, and refreshing to His heart. Oh! wondrous truth! that He who is seated on the throne of God in heaven, and surrounded with its glory, should yet think at all of such good-for-nothing ones as we are, and, most of all, to be pleased and delighted or grieved and wounded, by the character of our ways! Alas! that He should be so frequently wounded in the house of His friends! Oh! is there one thing under the sun, that should give thee such unfeigned pleasure, as to please Him? Canst thou think of anything more unworthy of a Christian, than his seeking to please himself, and to find pleasure in the things of the world? Especially when he knows, as men speak, that it is to grieve the heart of One whom only he should find his supreme delight in pleasing — the One who died for him on Calvary.

Let us get at the heart of this, and understand what it means for us in our relationship with the Lord. Dr. Thompson in his well-known book, The Land and the Book, says of this lily: "Our flower delights most in the valleys; but it is found also on the mountains. It grows among thorns, and I have sadly lacerated my hands in extricating it from them." Does the fact that the lily grew among the thorns need any interpretation? If we can say, "I am the lily of the valley," if we know that we are this to Christ, His answer is, "Yes, but the lily among thorns." He would have us remember that it cost Him something to secure us for Himself. How lacerated was He in extricating us from the tangled thorns in which we grew! He showed to His disciples His hands and side, when He came to them in resurrection. Nothing could drive the cold unbelief from the soul of Thomas, but a sight of His wounds. And He would not that we should forget them. It is as though He said to us: — "Behold with what labour I won thee, Behold in My hands and My feet, The tale of My measureless sorrow, The love that made suffering sweet."