Sharper Iron — God’s Gift of Marriage – Song of Solomon 2:1-17: His Banner Over Me Is Love

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Although the bride sees herself as one flower among many, Solomon views his beloved as the only one for him. He protects her from the dangers that their love faces as he sets a feast for her. The union that exists between the bride and the bridegroom is one in which they belong to each other and share all that they have. Through their relationship, we see a picture of the way Christ makes His Church lovely and bestows upon her all that is His.

Rev. Matt Ulmer, pastor at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church–Friedheim, just outside Decatur, IN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Song of Solomon 2:1-17.

To learn more about Zion Lutheran, visit zionfriedheim.org.

“God’s Gift of Marriage” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that studies the Song of Solomon and other key texts from the Bible concerning marriage. Although the world is terribly confused concerning what marriage is, God’s Word reveals how good a gift marriage truly is and points us to the relationship between Christ, the Bridegroom, and His Church, the Bride.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund. Together in faith, LCEF helps to start, sustain and strengthen LCMS ministries through financial and strategic partnerships. Visit lcef.org.

Song of Solomon 2:1-17

I am a rose[a] of Sharon,
a lily of the valleys.

He

2 As a lily among brambles,
so is my love among the young women.

She

3 As an apple tree among the trees of the forest,
so is my beloved among the young men.
With great delight I sat in his shadow,
and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
4 He brought me to the banqueting house,[b]
and his banner over me was love.
5 Sustain me with raisins;
refresh me with apples,
for I am sick with love.
6 His left hand is under my head,
and his right hand embraces me!
7 I adjure you,[c] O daughters of Jerusalem,
by the gazelles or the does of the field,
that you not stir up or awaken love
until it pleases.

The Bride Adores Her Beloved

8 The voice of my beloved!
Behold, he comes,
leaping over the mountains,
bounding over the hills.
9 My beloved is like a gazelle
or a young stag.
Behold, there he stands
behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
looking through the lattice.
10 My beloved speaks and says to me:
“Arise, my love, my beautiful one,
and come away,
11 for behold, the winter is past;
the rain is over and gone.
12 The flowers appear on the earth,
the time of singing[d] has come,
and the voice of the turtledove
is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree ripens its figs,
and the vines are in blossom;
they give forth fragrance.
Arise, my love, my beautiful one,
and come away.
14 O my dove, in the clefts of the rock,
in the crannies of the cliff,
let me see your face,
let me hear your voice,
for your voice is sweet,
and your face is lovely.
15 Catch the foxes[e] for us,
the little foxes
that spoil the vineyards,
for our vineyards are in blossom.”

16 My beloved is mine, and I am his;
he grazes[f] among the lilies.
17 Until the day breathes
and the shadows flee,
turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle
or a young stag on cleft mountains.[g]

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Footnotes

Song of Solomon 2:1 Probably a bulb, such as a crocus, asphodel, or narcissus

Song of Solomon 2:4 Hebrew the house of wine

Song of Solomon 2:7 That is, I put you on oath; so throughout the Song

Song of Solomon 2:12 Or pruning

Song of Solomon 2:15 Or jackals

Song of Solomon 2:16 Or he pastures his flock

Song of Solomon 2:17 Or mountains of Bether

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. esv.org