Thine head . . . the king is held in its galleries.(Song of Solomon 7:5 KJV).
A gallery is a hallway where artwork, such as paintings, busts, statuettes, and other treasured collectibles, are displayed. Our mind also has a gallery full of things we’ve collected over the years.
The Shulamite woman’s head is presented as a gallery occupied by King Solomon. He resides as a permanent resident in the mind of the one who supremely loves him. Because of her love for him, she chose to dwell on those thoughts that embraced him.
We all have this “gallery”. This hallway is filled with people we love and memories we cherish. We walk through this gallery as we go from thought to thought. Others know that the people and places we talk about the most have a special place in our gallery.
Old Testament saints held God in their gallery and spoke often about Him. “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name” (Mal. 3:16). The wicked, however, do not let God occupy any of their thoughts. “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts” (Psalm 10: 4). Their gallery is a cage full of abominable thoughts (Prov.15: 26).
In a gallery, there are many priceless treasures on display. But the most valuable one is given the place of prominence. As a gallery guide, we frequently speak about the most valued treasure in our gallery.
The Shulamite woman became King Solomon’s bride. She had only Solomon to occupy her mind. King Solomon, however, had many women that occupied his mind. There were multitudes of women in his gallery. This, ultimately, brought about his ruin (1 Kings 11).
As the New Testament Bride of Christ, we should have our gallery occupied by King Jesus. We occupy His thoughts (Ps. 40: 5). There are other treasures present, but He has the most prominent place, and we talk about Him more than anyone else.
What is in your gallery? Who occupies your thoughts? What do you meditate on? As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. (Prov. 23: 7).
