"They looked unto Him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed." (Psalm 34:5)
Continuing on in the same vein as part one, think about the concept of the "keynote". That first note sounded from which the rest of the song plays out, and rests. Now, as God cannot be seen with our eyes (at least not like you or I) we must resort to a system of metaphors and similes and analogies and parallels in order to "see" anything and in order to actually see Him as He has made Himself available for viewing, so to speak.
"And the Father Himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His shape." (John 5:37, emphasis mine)
Layers
"Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of Thy countenance." (Psalm 89:15)
People talk all the livelong day about "inner beauty". But what does inner beauty look like? And how does one wrest their attention—living in a physical body themselves—from the purely physical to something both invisible, and also spiritual? Because while the inner workings of the human body are indeed beautiful (The circulatory system is beautifully complex—and also exponentially more important than perfect hair or skin, I might add.) a glimpse, even a fleeting one of God, is necessary in order to prepare oneself for a life lived to the fullest. Seeing God, first, is also necessary in order to then see any kind of beauty correctly and in its proper context. It's not the inner beauty beneath the skin (blood and guts, you understand) to which people are referring and to which they are drawn. And along those same lines, holiness in any area will enable us to see God.
"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:8)
"Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: Thou hast the dew of Thy youth." (Psalm 110:3, emphasis mine)
David the psalmist continues to describe attributes befitting someone really special. "Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." (vs. 4b) I've read it refers to Jesus and I'm inclined to believe it. Leading up to David's declaration of "Thou hast the dew of Thy youth", he speaks of "strength" and "power" and then he says "the beauties of holiness". See that. What do you think of when you ponder holiness? Because it does require more than just a passing thought. Holiness is a way of life that, as it says in the verse above from Psalm 89, enables one to "walk...in the light of [God's] countenance." His face. There's a reason the bride is veiled during the wedding ceremony. A reason why some couples elect to practice certain rituals in the presence of one another without laying eyes on the other. Because the deeper the beauty, the more important and also beautiful said beauty really is. To where we can do something to see God, even as we speak of it in terms that are foreign to that which we use to "see". Everything in life, from the way you look, to anything you would deem beautiful—is intended to reflect upon Him. Otherwise, it's subjective to the point of irrationality and dilution. It's not "beauty". It just "is".
"Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's" (Psalm 103:5)
Elements
God is so good. He has this storehouse of blessing that's ours for the asking and the appropriation. Things you'd never expect and never even think to want. Things that are beautiful. In speaking to the question raised in the first part, the reason I might not think I'm beautiful at times has no bearing on what I sense on my insides nor on what I look at in the mirror. The truth is, God has made it possible to look just like Him on a spiritual level. We take after "Our Father in Heaven." And I don't mean to be blunt, but rising from that level to an outer one (whatever it may be) is really ours for the working-out. Based, of course, on the principles found from the heart (Word) of God. Not, as some might seek to legislate, based on what other people think or don't think.
You are beautiful. Not because I say so, but because God does.
