From Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines in glorious radiance.
Psalm 50:2
The Lord dropped this scripture on my heart this morning, just as my alarm sounded at the top of the hour. It was literally my first thought for the day, seemingly coming out of nowhere!
Immediately, I was like hahaha – that’s definitely not me.
“Perfection of beauty? Funny, Lord but nope, not me.”
“So what then are you trying to say, Lord? I asked. I mean I knew this verse, but honestly, hadn’t heard it or thought about it in years.
I decided to check a few other Bible versions quickly. What is it with this ‘perfection’ business, so early in the morning? Here’s what I found:
Perfection of beauty – say what?!
NLT – “From Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines in glorious radiance.”
CJB – ” Out of Tziyon, the perfection of beauty, God is shining forth.”
TPT – ‘God’s glory shines out of the Zion realm with the radiance of perfect beauty.”
The Message – “From the dazzle of Zion, God blazes into view”
CEV – “God shines brightly from Zion, the most beautiful city.”
What does this all mean, Lord? I wonder.
I go to look for bible commentaries – because this perfect beauty business is about to fly right over my head.
Benson Commentary: ” The perfection of beauty – the most amiable place in the whole world because of the presence and worship and blessing of God. God has shined – has manifested Himself in a glorious manner, has illustriously displayed his infinite and glorious perfections. hmmmm.
Barnes’ Notes on the bible: “Out of Zion – The place where God was worshipped and where he dwelt.
This Christianity Today article said it so beautifully: “God shines not only in Zion (me!) but out of her. She is made perfect in beauty by his indwelling, and that beauty is seen by all observers when the Lord shines forth from her”.
It’s all coming together – finally
I know I can be a little thick-headed, but I finally got it!
So I’m the perfection of beauty, not because of my exquisitely chiseled nose, chubby cheeks, or my hourglass figure with the protruding tummy (I tell you, I’m a rare find, lol) – I’m the perfection of beauty because God dwells within. I host His presence. I have made Him comfortable and welcome in my heart, in my life – and thus He shines. He reveals His glory. His magnificence. Because that is really who is He is. This glorious God who dwells in unapproachable light. The more of Him I allow to dwell in me, the more of His radiance, His gloriousness He brings.
And the more beautiful he makes me. He shines and radiates within me more and more, as I am yielded until I alone cannot contain this glory. This radiance. This light. Then I become like a lamp, a bulb, a living, breathing, human light source. God shines through me and makes me a carrier of His brilliance and radiance, everywhere I go. All because he dwells within me through and through.
Wow! This right here calls for a real big SELAH!
