Song of Songs 7-8
-Devotion by Jerry Wierwille (NY) – today we cover Song of Songs 6-8
At the conclusion of chapter 5, which we looked at yesterday, the woman gave an elaborate description of her beloved and what she loves and admires about him to the daughters of Jerusalem (who are an unnamed group of women that are likely being used as a literary device in the poem). Now, chapter 6 opens with the daughters of Jerusalem asking where the woman’s beloved has gone. Whereas in chapter 5, she seems to not know where he went, now her answer is quite confident: “My beloved has gone down to his garden” (6:2). The tone of her response differs drastically from her frantic search in the previous chapter. And so, she apparently knows where he is now, and she knows where she stands in her relationship with him.
Verse 3 presents one of the most significant themes in the book, “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine” (6:3). Back in chapter 2, the woman said, “My beloved is mine, and I am his” (2:16). Interestingly, now the order is reversed. The emphasis falls on the fact that she has given herself to him before she speaks of him belonging to her. Whether or not the change is intended to mark some growth in their relationship, or her perspective, it nonetheless expresses how she sees their mutual commitment to each other. This major theme of the book can help us see how healthy love is not built merely on asking, “What am I going to get?” but more importantly, “How can I give myself faithfully to the person I love?”
In response, the man begins praising her again, “You are beautiful, my darling, as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, awesome as an army with banners.” (6:4). He compares her beauty to famous cities and a strong army proudly carrying banners. Something that we can note is that the man responds after the situation in chapter 5 when he went to see his beloved and was not greeted at the door with wonderful sentiments of praise and admiration.
It is important to remember, though, that healthy relationships are not free of problems, much less ignore problems. But it does remind us that conflict should not overwrite or erase our affection or desire. It is easy to reduce our opinion of someone to what has frustrated us about them most recently. But love resists that temptation and remembers the whole person and doesn’t neglect to speak what is true, beautiful, and worthy of gratitude, even when our present emotions may not drive us in that direction inherently.
In 6:10, the woman is described in this way: “Who is she who looks forth as the morning, beautiful as the moon, clear as the sun and awesome as an army with banners?” picking back up the militaristic imagery of verse 4. This imagery is striking. The woman is not presented as a fading light to the eyes of the man as something drifting into the background, but as someone whose presence is radiant, illuminating, and commands his full attention.
Lastly in chapter 6, the Hebrew in verse 13 is notoriously difficult, and it is hard to understand what the phrases are meant to conclude from preceding context. But what can be known is that they seem to bridge to chapter 7 where the man continues his elaborate description of his woman’s beauty.
Chapter 7 presents, yet again, several images and metaphors that may sound unusual to modern ears, but the point is as clear as it was previously: the man is delighted in his beloved and struggles to find the words to aptly describe the great love he has for her and how deep his affection is for her.
Then, in the middle of the chapter, the woman replies again with that familiar language from one of the main themes of the book, “I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me.” (7:10). This statement conveys that her confidence in their relationship is one of strength and security: she knows both that she belongs to him and that she is desired by him. The woman perceives how much she is desired and her beloved’s attitude and affection toward her is not passive but firmly vocalized—she knows that she is wanted by him.
This brings out something important in healthy loving relationships: the ability to rest in another’s faithful and abiding love. The relationship that is filled with tension and conflict, instable, uncertain, and constantly hanging in the balances is one that asks, “Do they still want me? Am I enough? Has something changed? Has their love grown cold?” But a committed, loving relationship seeks to create an environment where those questions never surface. The reassurance, the verbal and non-verbal communication, and the unwillingness to entertain the destructive thoughts or patterns of interacting fortifies the relationship so that it is beyond assault from such nagging questions and self-doubts.
At the end of the chapter, the woman takes initiative by asking her lover, “Come, my beloved, let’s go out into the field. Let’s lodge in the villages” (7:11). Earlier, the man invited her to rise up and come away with him. Now she extends the invitation back to him. Their relationship is reciprocal. She is not simply waiting to be pursued by him; she also pursues him back. It is customary in many cultures for the man to initiate and make the “first move,” but love is not bound by cultural conventions. When two people love each other, it can be a beautiful combination of mutual pursuit where each knows that they are wanted by the other.
And finally, chapter 8 brings the book to a fitting conclusion by emphasizing the strength, exclusivity, and enduring nature of love. The woman says, “Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm; for love is strong as death” (8:6). In the ancient world, a seal represented ownership, identity, and a pledge, and so the image of a seal in the context of a relationship communicates the woman’s belongingness, security in the relationship, and the enduring place that she will hold in the heart and life of the one she loves.
She goes on to say that “Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it” (8:7). After all the longing, delight, distance, searching, reunion, and mutual desire that has been described throughout the book, Song of Songs ends by reminding us that genuine love is not fragile or disposable. It cannot be reduced to momentary emotion or physical attraction. Real love is powerful, persistent, and immeasurably valuable—so valuable that “If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love, he would be utterly scorned.” (8:7).
Perhaps that is the best way to bring the message of Song of Songs together. Throughout the book, we have seen love celebrated as something beautiful, passionate, patient, protective, sought after, vulnerable, and committed. The book is a love poem of two people delighting in each other, speaking words of affirmation, enduring moments of disappointment and distance, pursuing reconciliation, and continually reaffirming that they belong to one another.
Although Song of Songs is primarily a celebration of human romantic love, its language can also remind us of the steadfast love God has shown us. His love is not something we earn or purchase, and it is not extinguished by changing circumstances or fluctuating emotions. We have a God of love who calls for us to respond to Him in love. He has committed Himself to us and is looking to see if we will commit ourselves to Him. Do we desire Him? And are we willing to show Him our true heart?
Reflection Questions
- Reread paragraph 4 in today’s devotion. Consider your beloved, or anyone you are close to, but sometimes find yourself in conflict with. What are his/her overall positive characteristics, personality, and actions that have drawn you to this person? It could be helpful to even write them down, print them out. How can you commit to remembering these, and speaking of them, in the next time of conflict.
- Particularly for the married: how well do you show committed love and desire to your spouse? What could you do to improve in this area? How might this concept apply (and not apply) to other relationships?
- “Do we desire God? And are we willing to show Him our true heart?”
Prayer
Dear God of love and faithfulness, I thank You for not seeing me and treating me as the product of all my failures and flaws. You know them, and You still love me. Help me to love others with the same committed love and mercy.
Seek Grow Love 