Song of Songs 8:1-14
1 Oh, that you were like my brother,
Who nursed at my mother's breasts!
If I should find you outside,
I would kiss you;
I would not be despised.
2 I would lead you and bring you
Into the house of my mother,
She who used to instruct me.
I would cause you to drink of spiced wine,
Of the juice of my pomegranate.
(To the Daughters of Jerusalem)
3 His left hand is under my head,
And his right hand embraces me.
4 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
Do not stir up nor awaken love
Until it pleases.
A Relative
5 Who is this coming up from the wilderness,
Leaning upon her beloved?
I awakened you under the apple tree.
There your mother brought you forth;
There she who bore you brought you forth.
The Shulamite to Her Beloved
6 Set me as a seal upon your heart,
As a seal upon your arm;
For love is as strong as death,
Jealousy as cruel as the grave;
Its flames are flames of fire,
A most vehement flame.
7 Many waters cannot quench love,
Nor can the floods drown it.
If a man would give for love
All the wealth of his house,
It would be utterly despised.
The Shulamite's Brothers
8 We have a little sister,
And she has no breasts.
What shall we do for our sister
In the day when she is spoken for?
9 If she is a wall,
We will build upon her
A battlement of silver;
And if she is a door,
We will enclose her
With boards of cedar.
The Shulamite
10 I am a wall,
And my breasts like towers;
Then I became in his eyes
As one who found peace.
11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon;
He leased the vineyard to keepers;
Everyone was to bring for its fruit
A thousand silver coins.
(To Solomon)
12 My own vineyard is before me.
You, O Solomon, may have a thousand,
And those who tend its fruit two hundred.
The Beloved
13 You who dwell in the gardens,
The companions listen for your voice—
Let me hear it!
The Shulamite
14 Make haste, my beloved,
And be like a gazelle
Or a young stag
On the mountains of spices.
The seal of love is strong on the heart as the Shulamite’s with her beloved Solomon. She began by wishing he was her brother so she could openly kiss him without reproach as she awaited the day of their union as man and wife. Though she longed for his embrace and such intimacy, she knew wisely not to stir up and awaken such passion in love until it was right and pleasing to God as well. Things had to be done according to His word with self control and not led by raging passion of the moment. This is what she advised to others as well who were listening, which includes us because this is God’s word for us as listeners and hearers of that word. When she saw him approaching, the Shulamite begged to be set as a seal on his heart’s emotions and the strength of his arm in practice, knowing such love is as strong as death and that the flames of zeal and jealousy burn ever so hot if they could not have each other because another stepped in when given a chance if their love remained unrequited. They needed to seal the deal, so to speak. She knew that such love could not be quenched with the greatest flood and that such love could not be bought at any price. It was priceless and unquenchable. She knew also that their love was built on a solid and fruitful foundation and their marriage union’s vineyard would yield even more fruit to come. He responded that all might hear and she called for him to come quickly to her as we do to our Beloved (Revelation 22:20). This is a picture of earthly love applied to the spiritual, a call for our yearning of Christ as His bride and His love for us. It is a strong love sealing our hearts (Ephesians 1:13) with an unbreakable bond that we can express without reproach or fear of losing (John 10:28-29, 14:27). Oh, come quickly, our Beloved and our eternal Lord, the lover of our souls!
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