Lo Fair Thou Art My Love – Hymn Lyric
Lo Fair Thou Art My Love: A Hymn Celebrating Beauty and Love This hymn beautifully describes the exquisite beauty of Christ and his love for us. Through vivid imagery, it portrays his eyes as gentle as doves, his teeth as pure and complete, his lips as graceful and powerful, and his presence as strong and protective. This hymn invites us to embrace the boundless love and beauty of our Savior.
Table of Contents
Lo Fair Thou Art My Love – Hymn Lyric
[Christ]
Lo fair thou art, lo fair my Love!
Doves-eyes in thy locks are;
Thy hair as flocks of goats that on
Mount Gilead high appear.
Thy teeth are like the whit’ned flock,
Which from the washing rose,
New shorn, and ev’ry one bear twins,
And none without them goes.
Thy lips are like a scarlet thread,
Whence graceful accents flow:
Within thy locks, thy temples like
Pomgranates in their blow.
Thy neck like to David’s tow’r appears
Built for an magazine;
Wherein a thousand bucklers hang,
All shields of mighty men.
Thy two fair breasts are like two fawns,
Twins of a roe, who feed
Among the lillies of the vale;
But thine in charms exceed.
Till morning’s fragrant breath shall rise,
And all the shades fly hence.
I’ll get me to the mount of myrrh,
And hill of frankincense.
All fair thou art, my lovely one,
There is no spot in thee!
My spouse, O come from Lebanon,
From Lebanon with Me!
Look from the top of Amana,
From Shenir’s summit high
From Hermon’s top; from lions dens,
From leopard’s mountains fly.
My sister, spouse! thou hast my heart
Quite ravished from Me,
With one of thy chaste eyes, with one
Chain of thy neck I see.
How fair thy loves my sister, spouse,
How far they wine excel!
How far above all spices is
Thy od’rous ointments smell!
Thy lips drop like the honey-comb:
My spouse, beneath thy tongue
Honey and milk: thy cloaths perfume
Like scents from Lebanon.
My sister, spouse, a garden is,
Fenc’d for security;
And as a precious spring enclos’d,
A fountain seal’d for Me.
Thy cions, of pomgranates, are
The sprouts of paradise,
With all the most delicious fruits,
Camphire and spikenard choice.
Where calamus and cinnamon,
With saffron, spikenard too,
All incense-trees, aloes and mirrh,
With all chief spices grow.
A fountain there, of gardens is
In thee, and springs that run,
Yea living springs that send their streams
All round from Lebanon
[The Church]
Awake, O north wind, come thou south,
And on my garden blow;
That all the spice and odours there
May forth abundant flow:
And then let my beloved one
Into his garden come,
Partake of his delicious fruit,
And of his choice perfume.
Meaning of Lo Fair Thou Art My Love
Lo Fair Thou Art My Love
Once upon a gentle sunrise or during the slow blossom of the evening, take a moment to pause and imagine a song of old, a song of love and adoration that transcends time and space. “Lo Fair Thou Art My Love” is not just a phrase tucked within the pages of an ancient hymn; it’s a timeless declaration of beauty and grace that echoes through the ages.
This song takes us on a journey to a world where the essence of love is woven into every aspect of creation. It paints a portrait of someone so stunning, their beauty cannot be contained in simple words. As we immerse ourselves in this hymn, we find the subject of our song likened to the most magnificent things in nature. From the doves found in one’s eyes to the hair compared with flocks of goats on Mount Gilead, this poetic language reveals a love for someone as radiant as the most exquisite features of the earth.
Imagine standing on a high hill, looking across the valleys to see goats leaping with life, their dark, shimmery coats flowing in the breeze like waves across the sea. This is the picture of vitality woven into the hymn to describe one’s hairvibrant and full of energy.
Then there are teeth as white as a freshly washed flock, with each one paired as perfectly as twins, symbolizing purity and balance. In shows of affection, we find a smile to be one of the most inviting and contagious expressions. It can be the gateway to a heart full of joy.
The words continue to illustrate with exquisite detail. Lips are likened to a scarlet thread, painting an image of elegance and words spoken with kindness and wisdom. Temples compared to the halves of a pomegranate peeking through locks of hair represent beauty hidden within, waiting to be discovered, much like the seeds of the fruit hidden by its tough exterior.
The hymn also pays homage to strength and defense through the mention of a neck compared to the tower of David, adorned with a thousand shields. Here we see a fusion of grace and resiliencequalities essential to endure the trials in life while doing so with dignity.
The scene then shifts to a more tender picture of two fawns, gentle and serene, comparable to one’s breasts suggesting nurturing and tenderness, surrounded by the lilies of the valley representing innocence and renewal.
Our song invites the beloved to come away from Lebanonand Lebanon here can be a metaphor for a place of safety and comfort, calling the loved one to embark on a journey of unity and shared experience. The mention of places like Amana, Shenir, and Hermon evokes a grandeur and majesty, beckoning the loved one to leave behind the lofty heights and come into a shared space.
Love, in this hymn, is an overpowering force, one that takes over the heart entirely, captivated by a single glance or the grace of a necklace around a neck. This is a passion that surpasses the finest wine and is more fragrant than the blend of the most aromatic of spices.
As the lips of the loved one are likened to a honeycomb, the sweetness of their words and their presence is emphasized. They exude a natural charm and allure, tantalizing to every sense, and within them flows honey and milk under their tongue, suggesting a purity and richness in communicationa feast for the soul.
Clothes that smell like Lebanon remind us of the crisp, fresh scent after a rain, the earthy aroma that refreshes and revives the spirit. Similarly, the loved one’s presence brings about a sense of revitalization and comfort.
The garden metaphor highlights an enclosed, private sanctuary, a secure place where beauty and bounty are preserved. This garden is not only pleasing to the eyes but is also full of varied delights, from pomegranates symbolizing prosperity to choice spices denoting variety and richness in character.
As we conclude, we hear a call to the north wind and the south, to blow upon this garden, awakening every hidden scent and beauty within. It’s an invitation to the beloved to come and partake in the fullness of this love, to savor each fruit and be enveloped in the fragrance of this harmonious, wondrous garden.
So, “Lo Fair Thou Art My Love,” is not just an expressionit’s a celebration of love’s beauty, strength, and tenderness, painted vividly with the imagery of nature’s grandest creations. It invites us to find that overwhelming beauty in one another and to cherish the love that encompasses all things.
I hope this hymn inspired image brings you hope and peace. Share it with someone who needs it today!
