Topical Encyclopedia
The term "lovely" in the Bible is often associated with that which is pleasing, beautiful, and admirable, both in physical appearance and in character. It is a quality that reflects the goodness and grace of God, and it is something that believers are encouraged to pursue and embody in their lives.
Biblical References:1.
Philippians 4:8 · One of the most direct references to the concept of "lovely" is found in
Philippians 4:8, where the Apostle Paul exhorts believers to focus their thoughts on things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable. The verse states: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things." Here, "lovely" is part of a list of virtues that Christians are encouraged to meditate upon, suggesting that what is lovely is aligned with God's will and character.
2.
Song of Solomon · The Song of Solomon, also known as the Song of Songs, is a poetic book that celebrates love and beauty. While the word "lovely" itself may not appear frequently, the themes of beauty and admiration are prevalent throughout the text. For example,
Song of Solomon 1:15 says, "How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how very beautiful! Your eyes are like doves." This expression of admiration highlights the loveliness of the beloved, both in physical appearance and in the depth of affection.
3.
Psalm 84:1 · The loveliness of God's dwelling place is celebrated in
Psalm 84:1: "How lovely is Your dwelling place, O LORD of Hosts!" This verse reflects the beauty and desirability of being in the presence of God, emphasizing that what is lovely is often associated with divine presence and holiness.
Theological Implications:In the biblical context, loveliness is not merely an aesthetic quality but is deeply connected to moral and spiritual virtues. It is a reflection of God's own beauty and goodness. The pursuit of what is lovely involves aligning one's thoughts and actions with the character of God, seeking to embody His love, grace, and truth in everyday life.
Practical Application:Believers are called to cultivate loveliness in their lives by focusing on what is good and admirable. This involves a conscious effort to reject what is base or corrupt and to embrace what is uplifting and pure. In relationships, this means showing kindness, compassion, and love, reflecting the loveliness of Christ to others.
Cultural and Historical Context:In the ancient Near Eastern context, beauty and loveliness were often associated with divine favor and blessing. The biblical writers used these concepts to convey the idea that what is truly lovely is rooted in God's creation and His redemptive work. The emphasis on loveliness in Scripture serves as a reminder of the ultimate beauty found in God's kingdom and His eternal purposes.
In summary, the concept of "lovely" in the Bible encompasses both physical beauty and moral excellence, encouraging believers to focus on and embody these qualities as a reflection of God's own nature.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
superl.) Having such an appearance as excites, or is fitted to excite, love; beautiful; charming; very pleasing in form, looks, tone, or manner.
2. (superl.) Lovable; amiable; having qualities of any kind which excite, or are fitted to excite, love or friendship.
3. (superl.) Loving; tender.
4. (superl.) Very pleasing; -- applied loosely to almost anything which is not grand or merely pretty; as, a lovely view; a lovely valley; a lovely melody.
5. (adv.) In a manner to please, or to excite love.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
LOVELYluv'-li ('ahabh, 'ahebh; prosphiles): "Lovely" occurs only 4 times. In2 Samuel 1:23 it is the translation of 'ahebh, "to be loved" ("Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant (the King James Version margin "sweet") in their lives"), where it seems to mean "loving" or "lovable." Two other words are so translated in the Old Testament: machmadch, "desire" a "desirable thing" (Songs 5:16, "He is altogether lovely," that is, "lovable," "to be desired," literally, "all of him lovableness," or "desirableness"); `aghabhim "loves," or "charms" (Ezekiel 33:32, "Thou art unto them as a very lovely song," the King James Version margin "a song of loves," the Revised Version margin "a love-song"; in 33:31 the same word is translated "much love," the King James Version margin "They make loves or jests"); inPhilippians 4:8 we have prosphiles, "very lovely," or "lovable," "whatsoever things are lovely."
W. L. Walker
Greek
4375. prosphiles -- pleasing, agreeable... Phil 4:8). Word Origin from pros and phileo Definition pleasing, agreeable
NASB Word Usage
lovely (1).
lovely. From a presumed compound
...791. asteios -- of the town, by impl. courteous, elegant
... Word Origin from astu (a city) Definition of the town, by impl. courteous, elegant
NASB Word Usage beautiful (1),lovely (1). handsome, fair....
2570. kalos -- beautiful, good
... 2570 -- ; () others to embrace what islovely (beautiful, praiseworthy);
ie done so as to be winsome (appealing). Word Origin a prim....
Strong's Hebrew
5276. naem -- to be pleasant, delightful, orlovely... naem. 5277 . to be pleasant, delightful, or
lovely. Transliteration: naem Phonetic
Spelling: (naw-ame') Short Definition: pleasant. Word Origin a prim.
...4261. machmad -- desire, desirable thing
... valuable (1). beloved, desire, goodly,lovely, pleasant thing. From chamad;
delightful; hence, a delight, ie Object of affection...
5000. naveh -- comely, seemly
... 4999, 5000. naveh. 5001 . comely, seemly. Transliteration: naveh Phonetic
Spelling: (naw-veh') Short Definition:lovely. Word Origin...
5690. agab -- (sensuous) love
... much love, verylovely. From agab; love (concretely), ie Amative words -- much love,
verylovely. see HEBREW agab. 5689, 5690. agab. 5691 . Strong's Numbers
4998. naah -- to be comely or befitting
... 4997, 4998. naah. 4999 . to be comely or befitting. Transliteration: naah Phonetic
Spelling: (naw-aw') Short Definition:lovely. Word Origin a prim....
5273a. naim -- pleasant, delightful
... Word Origin from naem Definition pleasant, delightful NASB Word Usage compliments*
(1),lovely (1), pleasant (7), pleasures (2). 5273, 5273a. naim. 5273b ....
5116. naveh -- abode of shepherd or flocks, habitation
... Or (feminine) navah {naw-vaw'}; from navah; (adjectively) at home; hence (by
implication of satisfaction)lovely; also (noun) a home, of God (temple), men...
3039. yadid -- beloved
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition beloved NASB Word Usage beloved (5),
lovely (1), well-beloved (2). amiable, well-beloved, loves....
Library
Christ AltogetherLovely
Christ AltogetherLovely. <. Christ AltogetherLovely John Flavel. Table of
Contents. Title Page. Christ is to be Loved. He is "AltogetherLovely"....
AltogetherLovely
... AltogetherLovely. A Sermon (No.1001).... CH SPURGEON,. At the Metropolitan Tabernacle,
Newington. "Yea, he is altogetherlovely.""Song of Solomon 5:16....
Lovely to a Poet or an Artist's Eye is the Unevenly-Built and...
... II.Lovely to a poet or an artist's eye is the unevenly-built and picturesque
square of?Lovely to a poet or an artist's eye is...
HowLovely God Is.
... HOWLOVELY GOD IS.... How false is everything that appearslovely in this world and
gives itself out to be something, as soon as one really begins to know it....
ALovely Carriage.
... [Supplement.] Alovely carriage. 1 O 'tis alovely thing to see A man of prudent
heart, Whose thoughts, and lips, and life agree To act a useful part....
ALovely Carriage. Matt. 10:16
... HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS IN THREE BOOKS. HYMN 36 Alovely carriage. Matt. 10:16.
CM Alovely carriage. Matt.10:16. O 'tis alovely thing to see....
What is Meant by "AltogetherLovely"
Christ AltogetherLovely. <.... What is Meant by "AltogetherLovely".
Let us consider this excellent expression, and particularly...
He is "AltogetherLovely"
Christ AltogetherLovely. <.... He is "AltogetherLovely". Here it is
said of Jesus Christ, which cannot be said of any mere...
How Christ is "AltogetherLovely"
Christ AltogetherLovely. <.... How Christ is "AltogetherLovely".
Secondly, Next I promised to show you in what respects...
He isLovely in his Offices
Christ AltogetherLovely. <.... He isLovely in His Offices. Secondly,
He is altogetherlovely in his offices: let us consider...
Thesaurus
Lovely (19 Occurrences)... 4. (superl.) Very pleasing; -- applied loosely to almost anything which is not grand
or merely pretty; as, a
lovely view; a
lovely valley; a
lovely melody.
...Amiable (2 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Lovable;lovely; pleasing.... "What made the tabernacle of Moseslovely was
not the outside, which was very mean, but what was within" (John Gill)....
Iddo (14 Occurrences)
... (1.) Timely (1 Chronicles 6:21). A Gershonite Levite. (2.)Lovely.... The father of
Ahinadab, who was one of Solomon's purveyors (1 Kings 4:14). (4.)Lovely....
Loveliness (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) The state or quality of beinglovely.
Multi-Version Concordance Loveliness (1 Occurrence). Isaiah...
Lover (55 Occurrences)
... ye tell him? that I am love-sick.' (See NIV). Song of Songs 5:16 His mouth
is most sweet; yea, he is altogetherlovely. This is my...
Gracious (106 Occurrences)
... to the rest, brethren, as many things as are true, as many as 'are' grave, as many
as 'are' righteous, as many as 'are' pure, as many as 'are'lovely, as many...
Instrument (45 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Psalms 84:1 For the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. A Psalm by
the sons of Korah. Howlovely are your dwellings, Yahweh of Armies! (WEB)....
Kedar (11 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Song of Songs 1:5 I am dark, but
lovely, you daughters of Jerusalem, like Kedar's tents, like Solomon's curtains....
Kedar's (1 Occurrence)
... Kedar's (1 Occurrence). Song of Songs 1:5 I am dark, butlovely, you daughters of
Jerusalem, like Kedar's tents, like Solomon's curtains. (WEB)....
Nain (1 Occurrence)
... (from Hebrews nain, "green pastures, " "lovely"), the name of a town near the
gate of which Jesus raised to life a widow's son (Luke 7:11-17)....
Resources
Does the Bible prophesy the coming of Muhammad? | GotQuestions.orgWho are the daughters of Jerusalem in Song of Solomon? | GotQuestions.orgWho was Hadassah in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgLovely: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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