You are fairer than the sons of men;
Grace is poured upon Your lips;
Therefore God has blessed You forever.

  - Psalm 45.2

Be it Thine, I beg, most loving Saviour, to reveal Thyself to us who beseech Thee, so that knowing Thee, we may love Thee only, love Thee alone, desire Thee alone, contemplate Thee alone by day and by night, and ever hold Thee in our thoughts...

  - Columbanus, Sermon XII, Irish, 7th century[1]

“Fairest Lord Jesus” ranks high on my list of favorite hymns; but you have to be careful with that hymn, lest the impression you get of Jesus be something less than complete.

As we sing “Fairest Lord Jesus” we doubtless imagine a caring and compassionate face, looking down upon us with great sympathy and love. Those tender eyes. That gentle smile. Those open arms, reaching out to receive and comfort us.

And so it is.

But the Jesus of the loving face and ready embrace is only half the story.

For He is also Jesus of the flashing eyes, set jaw, and steely visage – Jesus, the Warrior/King (cf. Rev. 1). This is Jesus, under Whose feet every enemy is being trampled (Ps. 110), and Whose Kingdom progress not even the gates of hell can withstand (Matt. 16.18).

Read on in Psalm 45, which the writer of Hebrews applies directly to our exalted Savior (Heb. 1.8, 9). See there the other half of our fairest Lord Jesus:

He has a sword strapped on His thigh (Ps. 45.3), the mighty and living Word of God. Sharp arrows are slung over His shoulder (v. 5), the people He deploys for the progress of His Kingdom (cf. Zech. 9.13). He brandishes a fearsome scepter across His lap, the holy and righteous and good Law of God, by which He declares the upright character of His Kingdom (v. 6).

He rides out in splendor and majesty, conquering and to conquer (v. 4; cf. Rev. 6.2). He is our compassionate Shepherd, to be true, but He is also a powerful Warrior Who goes forth day by day to increase righteousness, peace, and joy and to advance His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven (v. 4; cf. Is. 9.6, 7; Rom. 14.17, 18).

When you meditate on the Savior Who came as a Babe in a manger, died in scorn and pain, rose in power, and reigns in compassionate love, bear in mind the words of Milton’s “Ode on the Morning of Christ’s Nativity.” Here the poet, reflecting on Jesus’ birth, considered Christ’s power over demons, false deities, bogus worldviews, and the devil himself, and wrote:

Our Babe to show His Godhead true,
Can in His swaddling bands control the damned crew.

This “Beautiful Savior” is also “Lord of all nations.”

Look Him in the face, and see the glory of the Conquering One (2 Cor. 4.6). Then, settled into His bow, go forth to seek and advance His righteous, peaceable, and joyous reign.

Psalm 45.1-4 (Manoah: “When All Your Mercies, O My God”)
O my heart, let now a pleasing theme overflow to praise the Lord;
My song I pledge to You, my King, and dedicate my words.

You of all men are the fairest, Lord, and Your lips are flush with grace;
Thus God has blessed You evermore before His holy face.

Your sword gird on Your thigh, O Lord, in splendid majesty;
Ride out, resplendent in Your Word, to glorious victory.

Show me Your glory, Lord Jesus! Fill me with zeal to follow wherever You lead, and take me with You, conquering and to conquer!

Look into Jesus’ face – today
Why would you not want to do this? Today, and every day? Yes, this requires engaging your mind to imagine things only God can reveal to you. And yes, it means disciplining your heart for a new desire and focus on Jesus. And the will to do it, day after day. Here’s a challenge: Give yourself to this effort for one month, and see if your view of and your relationship with Jesus don’t change dramatically. We have two tools to help you in this effort. Glorious Vision: 28 Days in the Throne Room of the Lord is a month-long meditation on Psalm 45, incorporating “Fairest Lord Jesus” throughout. It’s free by clicking here. Enlist some friends to join you in this effort during the month of August. Meet weekly to discuss your experiences before the face of Jesus, and to pray for one another, to know Him better.

Or order a copy of Be Thou My Vision, 28 days of meditations using resources from our Crosfigell archive to draw you closer into the presence of our fairest Lord and glorious King. Order several copies and share them with friends. Use them throughout the month of August, and watch how your vision of and relationship with Jesus can grow. To order your copy, click right here.

This is where a growing faith begins, and where it grows: face to face with Jesus.

Psalms to Pray for Today, Saturday, and Sunday
Today
Morning: Psalm 119.105-112; Psalm 110
Evening: Psalm 36

Tuesday
Morning: Psalm 119.113-120; Psalm 111
Evening: Psalm 35

Sunday: Morning: Psalm 119.121-128; Psalm 112
Evening: Psalm 37

T. M. Moore, Principal
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All Psalms for singing from The Ailbe Psalter. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.