In The Word
Read: Song of Solomon 5:2-6:3
The Bride
2 “I was asleep but my heart was awake.
A voice! My beloved was knocking:
‘Open to me, my sister, my darling,
My dove, my perfect one!
For my head is drenched with dew,
My locks with the dew drops of the night.’
3 I have taken off my dress,
How can I put it on again?
I have washed my feet,
How can I dirty them again?
4 My beloved extended his hand through the opening,
And my feelings were stirred for him.
5 I arose to open to my beloved;
And my hands dripped with myrrh,
And my fingers with drops of myrrh,
On the handles of the bolt.
6 I opened to my beloved,
But my beloved had turned away and had gone!
My heart went out to him as he spoke.
I searched for him but I did not find him;
I called him but he did not answer me.
7 The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me,
They struck me and wounded me;
The guards of the walls took my shawl away from me.
8 Swear to me, you daughters of Jerusalem,
If you find my beloved,
As to what you will tell him:
For I am lovesick.”
The Chorus
9 “What kind of beloved is your beloved,
O most beautiful among women?
What kind of beloved is your beloved,
That you make us swear in this way?”
Admiration by the Bride
The Bride
10 “My beloved is dazzling and reddish,
Outstanding among ten thousand.
11 His head is like gold, pure gold;
His locks are like clusters of dates
And black as a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves
Beside streams of water,
Bathed in milk,
And perched in their setting.
13 His cheeks are like a bed of balsam,
Banks of herbal spices;
His lips are lilies
Dripping with drops of myrrh.
14 His hands are rods of gold
Set with topaz;
His abdomen is panels of ivory
Covered with sapphires.
15 His thighs are pillars of alabaster
Set on pedestals of pure gold;
His appearance is like Lebanon,
Choice as the cedars.
16 His mouth is full of sweetness.
And he is wholly desirable.
This is my beloved and this is my friend,
You daughters of Jerusalem.”
Mutual Delight in Each Other
The Chorus
6 “Where has your beloved gone,
O most beautiful among women?
Where has your beloved turned,
That we may seek him with you?”
The Bride
2 “My beloved has gone down to his garden,
To the beds of balsam,
To pasture his flock in the gardens
And gather lilies.
3 I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine,
He who pastures his flock among the lilies.”
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
In today’s portion of Song of Solomon, we see a picture of the relationship that Jesus desires with every believer. The woman was asleep before she was awakened by her beloved’s voice and knock at the door. He wanted to share his love with her, but she protested and thought only about her comfort and not about their loving relationship. When she realized her mistake and went to the door, it was too late, and he was gone. She went out to find him but could not.
Her beloved did not force the door open, but waited for the door to be opened. Jesus will not force his way into our lives; rather, He asks and waits for our invitation to enter. He says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in” (Revelation 3:20). Jesus longs to have close fellowship with us, but how often do we not make time for Him or get consumed with other, far less important things? Or we may not allow Him in because He will see the mess we have made in our lives. He already knows about the mess and wants to help clean it up.
How much better our lives will be if we will always keep our hearts open to the stirrings of His love! Let us seek daily communion with Jesus and declare, “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine” (Song of Solomon 6:3).