Artist: David Bowman
Let me tell you a story.
It begins with a heart that is lonely and seeking for his very own love.
He has the greatest integrity. He’s the wealthiest, the most compassionate; loving man ever to exist.
He’s suffered many trials. He’s given everything to pursue the bride he seeks. He’s written love songs and letters to woo his lady-fair. He’s traveled through the portals of time, given up everything and endured the most excruciating pain imaginable. Even death could not stop him from finding his greatest love.
He’s seen her in the distance skipping over hills and bathing in the river of still waters. He’s watched as she drank from the wells of Jacob and gazed at her beauty as she danced in fields of light. He sees her napping in the mid-afternoon sun. Glowing with the radiance of pure delight. Her fragrance is of spikenard (light) and cinnamon (odor of holiness to the Lord). Her hair, is her crown of glory. It shines and sparkles like the north star. She throws back her head and laughs, music fills the air. He scans the night stars, when the moon is hidden from sight hoping to see just one glimpse of her beauty. When he scans the oceans, they remind him of the blue in her eyes. It calms his soul and gives him rest. When a tempest rises, they flash with strength and valor. She is a formidable warrior. He keeps searching for a sign that it’s time to go to her. No, not yet.
Enemies have tried to subdue her and take her will. But she is steadfast and immovable. Waiting for her Bridegroom to come. She laughs in the face of defeat, for she knows victory will be sweet. Her heart is ever ready as she runs the race without fear. She’s found peace in the valley and on the mountaintop. She waits patiently, knowing he only tarries to make her strong. She knows who her heart belongs to and will not take anyone less than Him. Her heart is pure. She’s without spot or wrinkle and when the time is ready, He will come for her.
Oh, how his heart burns within him. His love grows deeper and deeper seeing her faithful. It will be all the sweeter when they are united. They will soar as the eagles, high above their wounds. And celebrate, new life!
Dare he approach her now? Is she ready? What will her answer be?
He seeks her out. “Listen my dearest darling it is you I have chosen. I have loved you and waited for you a very long time. I’ve seen your faithfulness. I’ve seen your longing. I have come for you; will you be mine?”
Her chest rises and falls with great joy and her smile answers him even before she utters the words. “Oh, my sweetest love, “Yes! I will be your bride!”
~Marla Shaw O’Neill September 8, 2020
Song of Songs 4
The Passion Translation
4 Listen, my dearest darling,
you are so beautiful—you are beauty itself to me! Your eyes glisten with love, like gentle doves behind your veil. What devotion I see each time I gaze upon you. You are like a sacrifice ready to be offered.[a] 2 When I look at you, I see how you have taken my fruit and tasted my word. Your life has become clean and pure, like a lamb washed and newly shorn. You now show grace and balance with truth on display. 3 Your lips are as lovely as Rahab’s scarlet ribbon,[b] speaking mercy, speaking grace. The words of your mouth are as refreshing as an oasis. What pleasure you bring to me! I see your blushing cheeks opened like the halves of a pomegranate,[c] showing through your veil of tender meekness. 4 When I look at you, I see your inner strength, so stately and strong. You are as secure as David’s fortress. Your virtues and grace cause a thousand famous soldiers to surrender to your beauty. 5 Your pure faith and love rest over your heart as you nurture those who are yet infants.
The Shulamite
6 I’ve made up my mind. Until the darkness disappears and the dawn has fully come, in spite of shadows and fears, I will go to the mountaintop with you— the mountain of suffering love[d] and the hill of burning incense. Yes, I will be your bride.[e]
The Bridegroom-King
7 Every part of you is so beautiful, my darling. Perfect is your beauty, without flaw within. 8 Now you are ready, my bride, to come with me as we climb the highest peaks together. Come with me through the archway of trust.[f] We will look down[g] from the crest of the glistening mounts and from the summit of our sublime sanctuary. Together we will wage war
in the lion’s den and the leopard’s lair as they watch nightly for their prey. 9 For you reach into my heart. With one flash of your eyes I am undone by your love, my beloved, my equal, my bride. You leave me breathless— I am overcome by merely a glance from your worshiping eyes, for you have stolen my heart.[h] I am held hostage by your love and by the graces of righteousness shining upon you.[i] 10 How satisfying to me, my equal, my bride. Your love is my finest wine—intoxicating and thrilling. And your sweet, perfumed praises—so exotic, so pleasing. 11Your loving words are like the honeycomb to me; your tongue releases milk and honey, for I find the Promised Land flowing within you.[j] The fragrance of your worshiping love surrounds you with scented robes of white.[k] 12 My darling bride, my private paradise, fastened to my heart. A secret spring are you that no one else can have— my bubbling fountain hidden from public view. What a perfect partner to me now that I have you.
13–14 Your inward life is now sprouting, bringing forth fruit. What a beautiful paradise unfolds within you.[l] When I’m near you, I smell aromas of the finest spice, for many clusters of my exquisite fruit now grow within your inner garden. Here are the nine: pomegranates of passion,[m] henna from heaven,[n] spikenard so sweet,[o] saffron shining,[p] fragrant calamus from the cross,[q] sacred cinnamon,[r] branches of scented woods,[s] myrrh, like tears from a tree,[t] and aloe as eagles ascending.[u] 15 Your life flows into mine, pure as a garden spring. A well of living water springs up from within you, like a mountain brook flowing into my heart![v]
The Shulamite Bride
4:16–5:1 Then may your awakening breath blow upon my life until I am fully yours. Breathe upon me with your Spirit wind. Stir up the sweet spice of your life within me. Spare nothing as you make me your fruitful garden. Hold nothing back until I release your fragrance. Come walk with me as you walked with Adam in your paradise garden.[w] Come taste the fruits of your life in me.
The Bridegroom-King
I have come to you, my darling bride, for you are my paradise garden!
The Shulamite Bride
Come walk with me until I am fully yours. Come taste the fruits of your life in me.
Footnotes
-
Song of Songs 4:1 The Hebrew text literally means “Your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down Mount Gilead.” There is great symbolism in this verse. Hair is a symbol of our devotion to Christ. Mount Gilead (“hill of testimony”) is where the sacrificial animals were kept in preparation for temple sacrifices. So, a goat coming down Mount Gilead was a sacrifice ready to be offered.
-
Song of Songs 4:3 The “scarlet ribbon” in the text is a comparison to the ribbon Rahab placed at her dwelling to show the place where mercy would spare her life. The color scarlet points us to the blood of mercy, Christ’s sacrifice that has spared us. See Josh. 2.
-
Song of Songs 4:3 Pomegranates were engraved on the tops of the pillars of Solomon’s temple and were also sewn into the hem of the robes of the high priest. They speak of our open hearts of love, filled with passion for him. The Hebrew word for “pomegranate” is ramam, a homonym that means “to rise up.” Pomegranates were also placed on the hem of the robe of the high priest, interspersed with golden bells.
-
Song of Songs 4:6 Literally “the mountain of myrrh”—the emblem of suffering love. To become the bride, she must experience Calvary, as did her Lord. We must be his co-crucified partner who will embrace the fellowship of his sufferings. See Gal. 2:20 and Phil. 3:10.
-
Song of Songs 4:6 Implied in the context, affirmed by the bridegroom in v. 8. This is the first mention of the Shulamite as the bride.
-
Song of Songs 4:8 Translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is “the crest of Amana.” Amana comes from a Hebrew root word from which we get the English word amen. This is also one of the Hebrew words for “faith.” The crest of Amana is the realm where all God’s promises are kept and realized. Amana can also be translated “a place of settled security.” Dictionary of Scripture Proper Names by J. B. Jackson.
-
Song of Songs 4:8 The word for “look” is “survey, inspect, look all around, observe.” The bride of Christ is seated on high with Jesus and is encouraged to survey all the blessings heaven contains in our co-exaltation with Christ.
-
Song of Songs 4:9 Or “You have ravished my heart.” This is the Hebrew word libabthini, which is taken from a Semitic root word that means “to tear bark off of a tree.” He is saying that your loving eyes of worship have uncovered his heart and laid it bare, making him vulnerable to you. What a description of what happens to Jesus when he looks into your eyes. Your worship brings to him such an ecstasy and delight that it becomes hard to even imagine. Yet God has placed inside of you the ability to ravish the heart of your King—not someday in heaven, but now, even when you feel incomplete and weak.
-
Song of Songs 4:9 Or “the jewels of your neck [necklace].” These divine jewels are the beautifying graces that the Holy Spirit gives to us. They are the graces of righteousness given to the redeemed bride of Christ.
-
Song of Songs 4:11 Both the Promised Land and your heart flow with milk and honey. You have become the Promised Land of Jesus Christ.
-
Song of Songs 4:11 Or “like the scent of Lebanon.”
-
Song of Songs 4:13 Or “Your shoots are a paradise of pomegranates.”
-
Song of Songs 4:13 “Pomegranate” is taken from a word that means “exalted.” The temple pillars were adorned with pomegranates.
-
Song of Songs 4:13 “Henna” comes from a root word for “ransom price” or “redemption.” The fruit of mercy is seen in his maturing bride.
-
Song of Songs 4:13 The Hebrew root word for “spikenard” means “light.” She is walking in the light as he is the Light.
-
Song of Songs 4:13 Saffron is the crocus, the lover’s perfume, costly and fragrant.
-
Song of Songs 4:13 Calamus is taken from a marsh plant known as “sweet flag,” which produces fragrant oil. The Hebrew word for this spice means “purchased” or “redeemed.”
-
Song of Songs 4:13 Cinnamon emits a fragrance that is representative of an odor of holiness to the Lord. It was used in the sacred anointing oil of the priests and the tabernacle.
-
Song of Songs 4:13 This is the incense that would be burned on the golden altar in the Holy Place.
-
Song of Songs 4:13 Known as “tears from a tree,” myrrh was a resin spice formed by cutting a tree. It is a picture of the suffering love of Christ dripping down from Calvary’s tree.
-
Song of Songs 4:13 Aloe is considered by many as a healing balm. The presence of the Lord within her is released as a healing balm to those she touches. Jesus’ robes smelled of aloe (Ps. 45:8). One of the names used by some for aloe is “eagle wood.” Like eagles, we fly above our wounds, free from the past as we walk in intimacy with him.
-
Song of Songs 4:15 Or “like the flowing streams of Lebanon.”
-
Song of Songs 4:15 The scene of a garden and the breath of God point us back to Eden. Now this paradise is found in his bride. This is the reason the reference of Adam is given: to help the reader connect with the mystery of this scene. See also Jer. 31:12 and John 15:1-2.
