 I am a rose of Sharon,
a lily of the valleys. He 2 As a lily among brambles, so is my love among the young women. She 3 As an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved among the young men. With great delight I sat in his shadow, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. 4 He brought me to the banqueting house and his banner over me was love. 5 Sustain me with raisins; refresh me with apples, for I am sick with love. 6 His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me! 7 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or the does of the field, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases. The Bride Adores Her Beloved 8 The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes, leaping over the mountains, bounding over the hills. 9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold, there he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, looking through the lattice. 10 My beloved speaks and says to me: “Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away, 11 for behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. 12 The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. 13 The fig tree ripens its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away. 14 O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the crannies of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. 15 Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom.” 16 My beloved is mine, and I am his; he grazes[f] among the lilies. 17 Until the day breathes and the shadows flee, turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle or a young stag on cleft mountains. Meditation God’s love fights to the death for His beloved Bride. Believers are secure in the covenant care of God’s steadfast love. Poetic imagery celebrates love through pictures of flowers, trees, animals and spring. At the core of these songs is an image of protective love portraying a groom who will fight to the death for his beloved. God wants you to know His love will fight for you. Establishing a baseline, other places in scripture portray Divine love as protective through military means (see Psalm 45, especially 3-5). So too here, when the bride describes the love of her beloved with a banner over her being love (4). “Banner” is a word used in the Old Testament exclusively referring to emblems or flags an army carried over encampments or into battle. As the military banner celebrated loyalty to the country defended or the god served, so too the groom is a soldier who publicly celebrates a love he is willing to fight for. The love of our Groom will defend us, committed to the death. The banner of belonging is hoisted at a banqueting table, a celebratory feast in times of peace. The love of the groom is safe and secure. Grace invites us to feast on the banquet of God’s steadfast love. Jesus is the Groom who invites us to the banquet of His kingdom. The banner of God’s love was displayed by Jesus’ fight for us to the death, giving His own life so that we might know the secure and safe love of the Lord. Richly Dwelling -Which imagery of love stands out to you from these two love poems? -Do you trust the protective love of the Lord for you? Are you at peace enough to participate in the banquet of His grace? Why or why not? -Christ showed His love in fighting for us to His death! This is amazing love. How does this love soften your heart to respond by loving Him will all your heart, mind, and spirit? Key Verse 4 He brought me to the banqueting house and his banner over me was love. Comments are closed.
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