The Hebrew word for lily occurs 8 times in the Song of Solomon (Song 2:1; 2:2; 2:16; 4:5; 5:13; 6:2; 6:3; 7:2)

2:2 Like a lily among the thorns - Solomon compliments her appearance as standing out among all other maidens even as a lily would stand out in a background of thorns.

2:3 Like an apple tree - (apple is a frequent word in this Song 2:3, 2:5, 7:8, 8:5) She returns the compliment picturing Solomon as standing out from other men, even as an apple tree from the trees of the forest. It would be unusual to find an apple tree in a common forest, so she is saying that he is "one in a million."

In his shade - Pictures his protection as shadow is a well-known biblical metaphor for protection (Judges 9.15; Ps 17.8; 121.5).

Sweet to my taste - The picture is that of intimate personal experience, even as the psalmist wrote...

Taste and see that the LORD is good (Ps 34:8).

2:4 His banquet hall - In some Christian contexts (such as a popular chorus) this is one of the most frequently quoted verses from the Song. This phrase does not refer to a place of eating but is more literally a "house of wine", referring to a boot where wine was drunk. The exact meaning is uncertain. Unfortunately, because the meaning is uncertain, some invoke their imagination in an attempt to explain the picture. For example, the normally solid commentator J Vernon McGee postulates that this picture...

probably looks forward to that day of the final banquet which is called the “marriage supper of the Lamb.” You and I as believers will be there by the grace of God. That is when full satisfaction will be made. But already He has brought me to the table of salvation, and He has brought me to the table of fellowship with Him. He prepares the table before me, the table of the Word of God, and He tells me to eat and be full. He brings me to a table of good things. How good and gracious He is!

Now McGee's comments are a beautiful truth and sure hope of believers but in context that is not what the Shulammite woman is referring to. In our attempts to draw practical application from the Song we need to resist the temptation of being drawn too far afield of the normal, literal meaning of the text.

2:4 His banner over me is love - Banner is used elsewhere for a flag or standard. And so just as a military flag indicates location of a battalion or possession of ground by a battalion, so Solomon’s love flew over his beloved one (cf. Nu. 1:52; Ps. 20:5). In other words, everyone could see that Solomon loved her. Husbands, could this be said of your love for your beloved?

The BKC concludes that...

These three things—protection by her lover, intimacy with him, and obvious displays and expressions of love from him—are crucial factors that enable a woman to develop a sense of security and self-worth and thereby to enjoy a stable marriage.

2:5 I am lovesick - She desired physical sustenance with raisin cakes for she was faint with love, a lovesick lover being a common picture in ancient Near Eastern love poetry. And so she expressed her desire for his strengthening and his embrace in the next verse. 

2:6 Embrace - She began with a desire for his kisses and now longs for his embrace. Embraced does have sexual connotations in Solomon's usage in Proverbs 5.20, and could convey the sense of  “caress.”

Ogden observes that...

In many cultures there is an important distinction between the functions of the right and the left hands. The right hand is used for eating, shaking hands, touching, and caressing, while the left hand is reserved for “unclean” tasks. This probably applied in biblical times, so it is only logical that the young man’s left hand is under the woman’s head, while his right hand caresses her. (Ogden, G. S., & Zogbo, L.  A Handbook on the Song of songs. UBS handbook series. New York: United Bible Societies)

2:7 I adjure you - This phrase translates the Hebrew verb normally associated with making an oath and here calls upon the maidens to make a solemn promise. In the Old Testament the person swearing an oath does so by calling on a divine being or power, or even some part of the body (cf  Amos 8.14; Mt 5.36) in this way the oath-takers indicating how serious they are about fulfilling what has been promised. In this verse the Shulammite mentions two animals by which the daughters should swear. Why a gazelle and hind are chosen is not clear.

This charge is given three times (repeated before the wedding in Song  3:5 and after the wedding in Song 8:4) to the daughters of Jerusalem and is phrased in such a way as to most likely be an urging to them to pursue premarital chastity. The word my is not in the original, so the charge is really to "not arouse or awaken love until (it) pleases". There is right time for love but it should not be aroused by carnal means. True love isn't something one works up is a gift the Lord sends within us when we meet the right person at the right time. (cf James 1:17).

NLT translates it...

Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, by the swift gazelles and the deer of the wild, not to awaken love until the time is right.
 

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TODAY IN THE WORD: The British mathematician Charles Babbage wrote to Alfred Tennyson complaining that two lines from his poem “The Vision of Sin” were inaccurate. The lines went,

Every moment dies a man
Every moment one is born

Babbage argued that if this were true, world population would never change. Instead, he wrote, the lines ought to read:

Every moment dies a man
Every moment one and one-sixteenth is born

Babbage missed the point, though. He tried to analyze the poetic words of Tennyson in a way that missed their true meaning. Poets throughout the ages have used figurative language to make a point.

The lovers in the Song of Solomon use poetic comparisons to express their love for one another. The bride compares herself to two flowers. The rose of Sharon was not a rose like we usually know it but a wildflower much like a crocus. The crocus was a common sight on the plain of Sharon, a region known for fertility (cf. Isa. 35:1–2). In the same way, the lily of the valley was not the white lily. The Hebrew word referred to a variety of flowers, including the blue lotus, the water lily, or almost any brightly colored flower.

By employing such metaphors, the bride indicates that she sees nothing unique about her own beauty. Like the wildflowers in the field, she is just one among many. The groom, however, sees her differently. Compared to her, all the other flowers are thorns. She is like a beautiful flower growing in the midst of a bramble patch.

The expressions of love in today’s passage occur on several levels. Both bride and groom use words to express how they feel. The groom also broadcasts his love by placing a banner over the bride. They express love to each other through private intimacy.

Although the Shulammite is still speaking, she expresses a differnet tone and is no longer in Jerusalem, but perhaps in their country palace, and her beloved is away. But her eyes and ears remained always open as she anticipated his coming.

Kinlaw has a reasonable summary of this section...

We have seen in the text thus far the beginnings of a very free expression of love between a maiden and a man. The courtship has begun, and the desire for each other is intense. She is weak with passion. It is at that point that the protagonist, the maiden, has appealed to the daughters of Jerusalem. She is concerned that the emotions of her and her lover not take them beyond the proper pace of pure love. So we now see them separated but longing for each other. Two poems (Song 2:8-17; 3:1-5) make up this section. Again we find at the close of this division a plea for restraint. (Gaebelein, F, Editor: Expositor's Bible Commentary OT 7 Volume Set: Books: Zondervan Publishing)

Again one must guard from adding to the meaning as does one commentator who speculates that...

This perhaps speaks, in type, of the signs of the imminent return of Christ, after His long absence (compare Matthew 25:6; 24:33). (Morris. Defender's Bible) (Comment: This is a true statement but is not what the Shulammite woman was looking forward to if one holds firmly to the context to guide one's interpretation!)

Climbing...leaping -  She knows Solomon is on his way to her, and uses exaggerated metaphor here to emphasize the desire she knows he has to see her.

2:9 Gazelle...stag - She sees Solomon as like a gazelle or a young stag in his energy and in his passionate desire to be with her. The picture is clear - No obstacle could keep him from his love. How does this picture of Solomon contrast with that of many husbands who barely drag home after an exhausting day at work and just want to be left alone!

Peering through the lattice - In the ancient Near East the windows of the houses were made of latticework closely set together so that a person outside could not see what was taking place within,  and yet those inside could see what went on outside.

Smith's Bible Dictionary has this note on lattice...

The latticed window is much used in warm eastern countries. It frequently projects from the wall (like our bay windows), and is formed of reticulated work, often highly ornamental, portions of which are hinged so that they may be opened or shut at pleasure. The object is to keep the apartments cool by intercepting the direct rays of the sun, while the air is permitted to circulate freely.

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TODAY IN THE WORD -According to an old saying, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” But another saying warns that separation can have the opposite effect: “Out of sight, out of mind.” Which of these is true? It often depends on the situation. Sometimes being with those we love causes us to take them for granted. Once we are apart, we realize how much their presence means to us. On the other hand, sometimes being separated may cause us to become distracted with other things to the point that we scarcely think of our loved one at all.

'Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, And come along.
11 'For behold, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone.
12 'The flowers have already appeared in the land; The time has arrived for pruning the vines, And the voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land.
13 'The fig tree has ripened its figs, And the vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance. Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, And come along!'"

2:11 The winter is past - Here Solomon begins a beautiful description of the glories of Springtime, a perfect time for lovers. And thus his repetition to her "Come along!" Although he is describing a literal Spring, there is the sense that whenever a couple falls in love, the season is like the new growth of spring to them as they begin to experience this fresh, new relationship, irregardless of the actual season of the year. When lovers are truly in love, the world is seen from a different perspective, which is how Solomon felt when he was with his beloved.

Note that some commentaries suggest a double meaning, with the coming of spring picturing the young woman also as  “ripe” and ready for marriage.

2:12 Turtledove - This represents a small bird of the pigeon family whose appearance in Israel was a sign of spring and which figuratively speaks of that which is soft and gentle.

Notice Solomon's description of sights (flowers), sounds (voice of the turtledove) and smells (blossoms have given forth their fragrance) of spring, all natural phenomena that stimulate one's senses, in a manner not dissimilar from what occurs when a couple is basking in the "springtime" of their love. How wonderful and therapeutic would it be for all marriages to hold fast and dear the memory of that time when the love was fresh and new.

The rain is over and gone - Solomon  stresses that there is no reason why she cannot join him in the natural beauty of Spring.

2:13 Fig tree has ripened - The fig tree was one an important fruit tree in the Near East as it produced two crops per year, the first being the best and sweetest. Solomon describes spring as just beginning, which presumably is a reference to the first crop of sweet figs which normally occurs in June.

2:14 In the clefts of the rock, in the secret place - This expresses Solomon's desire to be alone with his love, a desire which is natural and legitimate but which far too often seems to disappear once couples are married!

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TODAY IN THE WORD - In “Morning Hymn,” author Thomas Ken issues an invitation to himself: “Awake, my soul, and with the sun/Thy daily stage of duty run; Shake off dull sloth, and joyful rise/To pay thy morning sacrifice. Awake, lift up thyself, my heart, And with the angels bear thy part, Who all night long unwearied sing/High praises to the eternal King.”

The hymnwriter’s words are a reminder that, when it comes to experiencing fellowship with God, complacency may be one of the greatest obstacles we face. At times we are reluctant to seek God because we are too distracted by the cares of the day. At other times we are unwilling because it requires too much effort. During such moments we need more than a reminder of our duty. We also need a reminder of the joy that comes when we experience intimacy with God.

The bride in today’s passage needed a similar reminder. The lover calls to the bride as he gazes through the lattice and invites her to arise and come with him. Some commentators suggest that the Hebrew words emphasize the significance of the invitation for the bride. Like the hymn writer, the lover calls upon the bride to “shake off dull sloth” and enjoy the delights of spending time together with him.

The season alone is reason enough! Winter, the rainy season in Palestine, has ended. In fact, the Hebrew phrase that is translated “is past” literally means “is over and gone.” It is as if the lover meant to imply that it was high time for the two of them to be together.

The groom also declares that the time had come for flowers to appear, an event that marked the arrival of spring and occurred almost overnight. The early blossoming of the fig tree provided another sign of spring’s arrival.

Thomas Ken writes: “Glory to Thee, who safe hast kept, And hast refreshed me while I slept; Grant, Lord, when I from death shall wake, I may of endless life partake. Lord, I my vows to Thee renew: Scatter my sins as morning dew; Guard my first springs of thought and will, And with Thyself my spirit fill. Direct, control, suggest this day, All I design, or do, or say; That all my powers, with all their might, In Thy sole glory may unite.” Why not write your own morning prayer and read it aloud to the Lord? Or simply read this hymn aloud.

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Say It! - All too often we take for granted the ones we love. Perhaps we get caught up in the day-to-day process of living and working, and we neglect to share our true inner feelings. "She knows I love her," we tell ourselves. But we never tell our spouse.

Maybe you grew up in a family where positive, loving feelings were never expressed in words, so you don't know what to say. Perhaps you're afraid you'll say the wrong thing, or that if you try to express your feelings you won't be able to control them. That's okay, even if you cry.

An advertisement reads, "Say it with flowers!" Maybe that's how you tell that special someone of your love. Or perhaps you say it with a well-chosen card. My wife loves dark chocolates, so I often give her candy and a card on special occasions. She appreciates these tokens of love, but I've learned over the years not to let the card or the gift do all the work of saying what I really feel inside. I also need to say the words, "I love you."

Everyone needs to hear words of love. In the Song of Solomon, the lovers frequently used endearing terms when speaking to each other.

Today, tell that special person "I love you," not just with candy or flowers but with words. — David C. Egner (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

THINKING IT OVER
When was the last time you said "I love you" to a special person in your life? Think of a quality you appreciate in that person and tell him or her about it.

A word of love can make a world of difference.

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Eyes Only For Her - READ: Revelation 19:6-10

O my dove, . . . let me see your face, let me hear your voice. --Song of Solomon 2:14

I was privileged to officiate at Steve's marriage to Karen. God had brought this couple together, and it was obvious that they were deeply in love.

When the wedding day finally arrived, all preparations had been made. The bridesmaids' dresses were ready, the flowers were in place, the rehearsal was complete. As the ceremony began, Steve and I walked in first. We stood at the front as the bridesmaids came down the aisle and took their places. The flower girls came next, dropping petals as they walked. They were cute as could be, and all eyes were on them—all except Steve's. Then I heard him sigh. Karen had stepped into his vision. He hadn't been concerned about the bridesmaids, or even the flower girls. He was watching for his bride. He had eyes only for her.

The church is Jesus Christ's fiancée—His betrothed. He loves her with a sacrificial, unending love. He died to redeem her. And the day is nearing when Christ will return to earth to take His bride unto Himself. The joyous marriage supper of the Lamb will follow (Re 19:7, Re 19:8, Re 19:9).

As part of the church, we are the bride of Christ. He loves us. He has eyes only for us.

Do we have eyes only for Him? — David C. Egner (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

It is unclear who is speaking in this verse. The fact that the invitation in the previous verses contains a loving challenge for the bride to stir herself in response to the lover’s call suggests that the groom is speaking here. The Jewish Targum, an oral translation of the Hebrew Scriptures in Aramaic, interpreted the foxes as an allusion to the Amalakites (Ed comment: This is pure speculation as is the comment from the Midrashim). Hebrew commentaries known as Midrashim interpreted the foxes as a reference to other enemies of Israel, such as the Assyrians, the Amorites, and the Edomites.

Christian interpreters have interpreted the foxes as a picture of those things that hinder the believer’s fellowship with Christ. H. A. Ironside commented on this verse,

“What are the little foxes that spoil the vine? I can tell you a good many. There are the little foxes of vanity, of pride, of envy, of evil speaking, of impurity (I think this though is a wolf instead of a little fox). Then there are the foxes of carelessness, of neglect of the Bible, of neglect of prayer, of neglect of fellowship with the people of God. These are the things that spoil the vine, that hinder spiritual growth.”

Neglect is also a problem in human relationships. A little neglect can cause a once-thriving relationship to go into decline. They are often “little foxes,” choices and actions that seem insignificant at the time, but whose cumulative effect destroys the relationships we cherish most. They may take the form of allowing our jobs to consume our attention so that we neglect those we love, or allowing a passing attraction to someone else to go unchecked.

Remember, a fox may seem cute and harmless when viewed from a distance, but if left unchecked it will eventually destroy the vineyard. Can you identify the “little foxes” that cause problems in your spiritual life? What about in your friendships and family relationships? If you have trouble identifying them, ask someone you trust for a candid opinion. Talk together about a practical strategy to help you to “catch” the foxes. You may also want to agree to meet later for accountability on following through with your strategy.

Morris offers an applicational comment on "little foxes"...

Evidently both bride and bridegroom here realize there is a need to "take"--that is, "capture"--the little foxes infesting the vineyards before the grapes have ripened. There are "little" things that can come in and destroy even the happiest marriage if they are allowed to remain, just as "little" sins (ingratitude, impatience, etc.) may hurt our relationship with the Lord. Sadly, Solomon himself soon allowed the little sins of political expedience, preoccupation with business affairs and, finally, the greater sins of lust and idolatry, to ruin his idyllic relation with his first love.

W A Criswell adds that...

The "foxes" represent the problems which would beset and the destroyers who would attack the "vines," i.e., the covenant of love between Solomon and the Shulamite. In Palestine the keepers of the vineyards continually sought to withstand the destruction of the foxes. Likewise, the task of working through problems and differences within a marriage requires determination and responsibility.

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Tiny Evils, Big Fall

READ: Ecclesiastes 9:16-10:10

Dead flies putrefy the perfumer's ointment, . . . so does a little folly o one respected for wisdom and honor. --Ecclesiastes 10:1

It started as a seedling on the slopes of the Colorado Rockies some 500 years ago. For centuries it had stood tall, enduring violent winds, lightning strikes, blizzards, even avalanches. Now, however, the once-towering tree is just a mound of decaying wood.

What caused its demise? A horde of beetles had attacked it, gnawing away until that skyscraper of nature surrendered to those tiny pests and toppled over.

That's also the tragic story of many Christians. For long years they stood tall for God. They resisted temptations, weathered crises, and were bold in the strength divinely provided. But little sins began to eat away at their lives--little lies, little compromises with greed or lust, sins that gradually eroded their character. And suddenly they fell.

Song of Solomon 2:15 states,

"Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines."

This colorful Old Testament verse should sound a loud alarm in our consciences. We must not tolerate the little evils that eat away at the roots of our lives. Otherwise, our once-strong witness for Christ will become a silenced casualty of sin. Let's confess those "tiny" evils to God now, before they lead to a big fall. — Vernon C. Grounds (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

Commenting on Until the cool of the day when the shadows flee away, the twentieth century commentator, A W Pink (see a brief critique) gives us an example of a grossly non-literal (and thus grossly inaccurate) interpretation of this passage writing...

Who can fail to perceive both the aptness and the sublimity of the parallel between that allusion from the natural realm and its antitypical realization: “Until the day break, and the shadows flee away” (Song of Sol. 2:17), where the reference is to both the first (John 8:56) and second appearing of God’s Son in the flesh (Phil. 1:6, 10)? (Pink, A. W. Interpretation of the Scriptures)

The point is emphasized once again that although one may be for the most part a respected commentator, that does not warrant carte blanche acceptance of all of his comments. Clearly Pink is applying allegorical methods to his so-called typological (he uses the word "antitypical" interpretation of Song 2:17 - see discussion of Typology). The discerning student will also observe that although one of the dictums assuring accurate interpretation is to utilize other Scripture, Pink appeals to cross references that have no bearing on the parent passage in Song 2:17. It follows that just because one gives Scriptural cross references to buttress their interpretation, this does not necessarily validate the accuracy of their interpretation. Be a Berean! As an aside Pink is occasionally quoted on this website as he has some excellent comments on passages. The old adage applies "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water!" Just make sure the bath water is clean!

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TODAY IN THE WORD - One of the most beloved characters in J. R. R. Tolkien’s trilogy The Lord of the Rings is Treebeard, an ancient creature known as an Ent, a shepherd of the trees. Treebeard tells how in their wandering the Ents forgot where the Entwives had settled. “The Ents,” Tolkien writes, “gave their love to things they met in the world, and Entwives gave their thought to other things.” Eventually the wandering Ents forgot where the Entwives lived.