In The Word
Read: Song of Solomon 6:4-8:4
The Groom
4 “You are as beautiful as Tirzah, my darling,
As lovely as Jerusalem,
As awesome as an army with banners.
5 Turn your eyes away from me,
For they have confused me;
Your hair is like a flock of goats
That have descended from Gilead.
6 Your teeth are like a flock of ewes
That have come up from their watering place,
All of which bear twins,
And not one among them has lost her young.
7 Your temples are like a slice of a pomegranate
Behind your veil.
8 There are sixty queens and eighty concubines,
And young women without number;
9 But my dove, my perfect one, is unique:
She is her mother’s only daughter;
She is the pure child of the one who gave birth to her.
The young women saw her and called her blessed,
The queens and the concubines also, and they praised her, saying,
10 ‘Who is this who looks down like the dawn,
As beautiful as the full moon,
As pure as the sun,
As awesome as an army with banners?’
11 I went down to the orchard of nut trees
To see the plants of the valley,
To see whether the vine had grown
Or the pomegranates had bloomed.
12 Before I was aware, my soul set me
Over the chariots of my noble people.”
The Chorus
13 “Come back, come back, O Shulammite;
Come back, come back, so that we may look at you!”
The Groom
“Why should you look at the Shulammite,
As at the dance of the two armies?
Admiration by the Groom
7 “How beautiful are your feet in sandals,
Prince’s daughter!
The curves of your hips are like jewels,
The work of the hands of an artist.
2 Your navel is like a round goblet
That never lacks mixed wine;
Your belly is like a heap of wheat,
Surrounded with lilies.
3 Your two breasts are like two fawns,
Twins of a gazelle.
4 Your neck is like a tower of ivory,
Your eyes like the pools in Heshbon
By the gate of Bath-rabbim;
Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon,
Which looks toward Damascus.
5 Your head crowns you like Carmel,
And the flowing hair of your head is like purple threads;
The king is captivated by your tresses.
6 How beautiful and how delightful you are,
My love, with all your delights!
7 Your stature is like a palm tree,
And your breasts are like its clusters.
8 I said, ‘I will climb the palm tree,
I will grasp its fruit stalks.’
Oh, may your breasts be like clusters of the vine,
And the fragrance of your breath like apples,
9 And your mouth like the best wine!”
The Bride
“It goes down smoothly for my beloved,
Flowing gently through the lips of those who are asleep.
The Union of Love
10 “I am my beloved’s,
And his desire is for me.
11 Come, my beloved, let’s go out to the country,
Let’s spend the night in the villages.
12 Let’s rise early and go to the vineyards;
Let’s see whether the vine has grown
And its buds have opened,
And whether the pomegranates have bloomed.
There I will give you my love.
13 The mandrakes have given forth fragrance;
And over our doors are all delicious fruits,
New as well as old,
Which I have saved for you, my beloved.
The Lovers Speak
8 “Oh that you were like a brother to me
Who nursed at my mother’s breasts.
If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you;
No one would despise me, either.
2 I would lead you and bring you
Into the house of my mother, who used to instruct me;
I would give you spiced wine to drink from the juice of my pomegranates.
3 Let his left hand be under my head,
And his right hand embrace me.”
The Groom
4 “Swear to me, you daughters of Jerusalem:
Do not disturb or awaken my love
Until she pleases.”
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
In yesterday’s story, the Shulamite woman made a mistake with her beloved, and they became separated. In today’s account, they were reconciled, and their love was restored. Sometimes a difficult situation happens in a close relationship that causes offense, and the relationship becomes divided. God says we are not to be okay with division and we are to do everything possible to become reconciled. “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men” (Romans 12:18). Father God was dissatisfied that we were separated from Him by sin, so He took the first, extreme step toward reconciliation by sending Jesus to destroy the dividing wall of sin between us. We learn by God’s example that we are to take the first step, as uncomfortable as it may be, to be reconciled with the person we are separated from.
Jesus taught that we should not cause offenses, but that there will likely be disagreements and opportunities for offense with close relationships (Luke 17:1). If you have become offended by a person’s actions, then go to them directly to try and get the matter resolved (Luke 17:3 and Matthew 18:15). Even if you hold no offense against anyone, but know that someone may be offended with you, then you are to go and make it right (Matthew 5:23-24). In either case, the longer you wait the more you can convince yourself not to go and the deeper the offense can become.