What is the meaning of Song of Solomon 4:11?

Your lips, my bride, drip sweetness like the honeycomb

• The groom delights in words that are pure, gracious, and life-giving, much like Proverbs 16:24, “Pleasant words are a honeycomb.”

• Physically, the imagery points to the tender intimacy of kissing; spiritually, it celebrates speech that refreshes and builds up (Colossians 4:6; Ephesians 4:29).

• Honeycomb sweetness also recalls Psalm 19:10, where God’s commands are “sweeter than honey,” hinting that a godly spouse’s words reflect the sweetness of Scripture itself.

---

Honey and milk are under your tongue

• Honey speaks of delight; milk of nourishment. Together they evoke the abundance of the Promised Land (Exodus 3:17) and remind believers that intimacy within marriage is both pleasurable and sustaining.

• What lies “under the tongue” suggests depth—words and affections that flow from the heart (Luke 6:45).

• Spiritually, the picture invites believers to keep the gospel—“pure spiritual milk” (1 Peter 2:2)—ready to share, bringing both sweetness and strength to others (Hebrews 5:12; Isaiah 55:1).

---

The fragrance of your garments is like the aroma of Lebanon

• Lebanon’s cedars carried a clean, woody scent that lingered. Garments holding that aroma represent a reputation that precedes and blesses (Genesis 27:27).

• Psalm 45:8 portrays the king’s robes perfumed with myrrh and aloes; similarly, the bride’s presence is pleasing, wholesome, and distinct.

• In Christ, believers become “the aroma of Christ to God” (2 Corinthians 2:15), clothed in righteous acts (Revelation 19:8). A godly life, like cedar-scented clothing, spreads a witness that cannot be hidden (Hosea 14:6; Ephesians 5:2).

---

summary

Song of Solomon 4:11 celebrates marital intimacy with language that is affectionate, faithful, and fragrant. Sweet lips show loving communication; honey and milk under the tongue reveal satisfying, nourishing affection; and cedar-scented garments portray a life whose very presence delights. The verse honors the beauty of covenant love while pointing beyond to the believer’s call to speak graciously, nourish others with gospel truth, and carry the pleasing aroma of Christ into every place.