The Lord's garden is full of precious plants and trees. Some are very beautiful in outward appearance while others are not so beautiful, but all are glorious within (Psa. 45:13). 

Song of Solomon 1:13 says, "A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts." 

Myrrh is one of the trees in the Lord's garden. It is a shrub like tree with thorny branches. It has a very bitter taste. 

Myrrh was an ingredient of the holy anointing oil (Ex. 30:23). It is typical of the Lord's graces. It grew in Arabia in a place called Hazramaut. The name means court or valley of death as does the name Hazarmaveth. Hazarmaveth was a descendant of Shem, Noah's son (Gen. 10:26). This was a place where the climate was deadly, and the land extremely barren, yet the myrrh and frankincense trees grew very well there. 

All the plants and trees in this garden speak of the beauty of life that has been brought into being by the preciousness of death. Nothing is truly useful to man, or God, unless it dies to itself (Jn.12:24-25). 

The gum resin of the myrrh tree oozes out naturally in drops which harden on the bark and look like tears. The flow is increased by incision into the tree and makes the gum resin even sweeter. It is well chosen as a type of Jesus Christ and His sufferings. It was very costly and used for preserving the dead, for healing and in perfumes, as it had a very fragrant odor. The eastern women had little perfume boxes filled with this which were suspended from the neck, and hung down on their breast. 

Dear Christian, hang this little box of perfume around your neck and let it sweeten the bitterness of all your trials. Until the day breaks (until Christ comes) go to this mountain of myrrh -- this mercy seat -- the place where Christ is revealed -- the throne of grace where you can find grace to help in time of need (S.O.S. 4:6, Heb.4:16). As you pray you will be offering up sweet incense to God as all is perfumed by the Lord (Rev. 8:3-4). 

Our prayers may sound, and may be many times, dead and lifeless, but unto God they shall be a sweet savor because we are hid in Christ (S.O.S. 2:14, 11 Cor. 2:15). Blessed be His holy name. 

May we be proved to be His trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.