Reading passage: Song of Solomon 7: 9- 8:4
There I will give you my love. Song 7:12 RSV
Song of Solomon has been interpreted in many different ways. Of course, it portrays the physical expression of the love of a husband and wife. However, its best expression is found when it is illustrated as the love relation between Christ and His Church.
In this book, we see a shepherd boy who is the lover and a Shulammite, his beloved. In addition, we see a king in the scene, who wants to mug the love of the Shulammite. The king brought her to his chamber and the city girls (daughters of Jerusalem) describe the majesty of the king and his love for her. Even the king describes how he loves her. However, the Shulammite reserves her love just for her beloved.
In Chapter Seven, the Shulamite is a captive in the king’s chamber. Either the city girls, or the king himself describes her beauty (VV 6-9). But many Bible translations make a division for verse 9, including NIV, NKJV and NASB. Half of it is spoken by the king and the rest by the Shulamite herself.
Song 7:9-10 NKJV:
The King says And the roof of your mouth like the best wine.
The Shulamite: The wine goes down smoothly for my beloved, Moving gently the lips of sleepers. 10 I am my beloved’s, And his desire is toward me.
The Shulamite hears the King’s description, but she said, “the wine goes to my beloved, not to the king. I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me!”
When the world tries to distort our love, remember, your beloved’s only desire is for you! “Come, my beloved,” says the Shulamite, “Let us go forth to the villages… There I will give you my love.”
She somehow wants to escape the vanity of the city. Her soul longs to be with her beloved in the serenity of the village! “There I will give my love,” she says.
We all should keep this kind of resentment towards the conceit of the modern world. Only in solitude, can we pour out our love to our beloved.
Prayer: Lord, help me to be discontent with the vain splendor of this world. Let me be alone with you, and I want to pour out my love towards you! Amen!
Further readings: Psalms 27: 1-6; Phil 3: 7-11
