Daily Devotional Saturday 8th June 2024
by William Moody
Song of Solomon 7
7:1 How beautiful are your feet in sandals,
O noble daughter!
Your rounded thighs are like jewels,
the work of a master hand.
2 Your navel is a rounded bowl
that never lacks mixed wine.
Your belly is a heap of wheat,
encircled with lilies.
3 Your two breasts are like two fawns,
twins of a gazelle.
4 Your neck is like an ivory tower.
Your eyes are pools in Heshbon,
by the gate of Bath-rabbim.
Your nose is like a tower of Lebanon,
which looks toward Damascus.
5 Your head crowns you like Carmel,
and your flowing locks are like purple;
a king is held captive in the tresses.
6 How beautiful and pleasant you are,
O loved one, with all your delights!1
7 Your stature is like a palm tree,
and your breasts are like its clusters.
8 I say I will climb the palm tree
and lay hold of its fruit.
Oh may your breasts be like clusters of the vine,
and the scent of your breath like apples,
9 and your mouth2 like the best wine.
She
It goes down smoothly for my beloved,
gliding over lips and teeth.3
10 I am my beloved’s,
and his desire is for me.
The Bride Gives Her Love
11 Come, my beloved,
let us go out into the fields
and lodge in the villages;4
12 let us go out early to the vineyards
and see whether the vines have budded,
whether the grape blossoms have opened
and the pomegranates are in bloom.
There I will give you my love.
13 The mandrakes give forth fragrance,
and beside our doors are all choice fruits,
new as well as old,
which I have laid up for you, O my beloved.Footnotes
[1] 7:6
Or among delights
[2] 7:9Hebrew palate
[3] 7:9Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew causing the lips of sleepers to speak, or gliding over the lips of those who sleep
[4] 7:11Or among the henna plants (ESV)
The groom once more gives a wonderful description of his beloved bride (v1-9). Some of the language may seem strange to us because of cultural differences, and also the subtle focus on the land. But this passage shows how a husband is to delight in his wife and in her body. The husband needs to express that love to his wife with loving and gracious words.
The passage also reminds us of the amazing love that Jesus has for His bride the church. Jesus’ love does the right thing for His people, but He delights in His people. Our lives should seek to give Him more to delight in.
The bride responds to the husband’s great expression of love (v10-13). She delights in his love and desire for her (v10). The love of the groom should be magnetic, drawing the bride closer. Likewise, Christ’s love for us should be magnetic drawing us closer and closer to Him in fellowship.
The description of the bride and grooms going out in the fields and vineyards, points to a time of intimate companionship. This is a time when they are enjoying each other’s company with a rich and devoted love. Do you long and seek such times with Christ?
copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.