Mother’s Crown

“Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.” Song of Solomon 3:11

I have asked several scholars I have known about this beautiful passage. This passage appears to reveal a detail of the crowning of Solomon that was not captured by the pen of the royal scribe. The anointing of Zadok the priest, the blessing of Nathan the prophet, and the salute of Benaiah the captain, all bowed in reverence as the royal crown of David was placed on the new sovereign’s brow by none other than Bathsheba, mother of King Solomon.

“Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king. And the king sware, and said, As the LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress, Even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day. Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live forever.” 1 Kings 1:28-31

It was the promise made to her by David that secured the throne for her son, and it was her inaugural touch that crowned him on that day.

Beautiful privilege for a mother’s desire upon her children! Beautiful also is the picture for a child of God.

In Proverbs 4:9, Solomon tells of a crowning that every Christian may obtain. Speaking of Wisdom, he says, “She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.”

The wisdom of God is similar to a good mother in many ways. The first likeness is in their source. Good mothers are a gift from God, there can be no doubt. James 1:5, 17 state that wisdom is a good gift that only comes from God above. Now, I was born to my mother, but I asked for wisdom. I had a good mother by the blessing of God. You say, I do not have a good mother; I say, ask God to give you a good mother, and He is liable to transform the one you have.

My grandmother was a worldly woman by the testimony of all who knew her. She was loose-living, sin-embracing, poor excuse for a mother. But all that changed when God saved her soul. That same ‘Pizzi-gramma’ who lusted according to the flesh was gloriously changed, and led her daughter, my mother, back to the Lord Jesus Christ. God gave us a new ‘Pizzi-gramma’!

The second likeness follows accordingly, that is, their tendencies. They will both bring you to the Lord if you will let them.

You and I have seen this to be true- that there are good mothers, and that there are some mothers not fit to raise a cat. Just because you have had a child does not qualify you to be a mother. I see how some mothers act and it scares me! How on earth is a child going to know how to survive, let alone BEHAVE, when mother sets such a poor example?

The claims of earthly wisdom and natural mothers is: ‘they do their best to make their children’s lives better’. But good intentions are no substitute for good directions, and the advice and maternal love that will last forever are those that teach of God above.

Lastly, a likeness I see are their bestowments. Crowns in this world for the son, Solomon, and crowns promised for the world to come for the studious Solomon. The crowns my mother gave me are such:

They will never fade in their luster
- 1 Peter 5:4 “And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”
They will never make me ashamed of their love
- Proverb 4:8 “Exalt her, and she shall promote thee”
They will endure until the last day
- Proverb 16:31 “The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness”

May you be blessed with a mother after God’s heart, and with true wisdom only Christ can give!