Song of Solomon 1
Outline
1 | Introduction
2-4a | Bride: Expresses love for the Bridegroom
4b | Chorus: Others rejoice with them in their love
5-7 | Bride: Gives the reason for her appearance; Asks where the Bridegroom pastures his flocks
8-10 | Bridegroom: Tells her to follow the trail of his flocks; Speaks of her beauty
11 | Chorus: Offers to make jewelry for the bride to adorn her
12-14 | Bride: Speaks of the fragrance of communing with the Bridegroom
15 | Bridegroom: Speaks of her beauty
16-17 | Bride: Luxuriates in their loving embrace
Reflections
As I read this chapter, I can’t help but consider the things the Bride and Bridegroom say to each other, words of affection and desire. Far too often we find this lacking in relationships as time passes. Sure when we first meet and begin courting someone, it is a common experience for us to express our attraction, appreciation, and desire for one another. But for whatever reason, as time passes, we begin to taper off in the frequency expressing our feelings, sometimes to the point where the words, “I love you,” are rarely heard. This seems to be especially true for men.
Consider the following verses from this chapter.
The Bride
Song of Solomon 1:2-3 NLT Kiss me and kiss me again, for your love is sweeter than wine. 3 How fragrant your cologne; your name is like its spreading fragrance. No wonder all the young women love you!
Song of Solomon 1:12-14 NLT The king is lying on his couch, enchanted by the fragrance of my perfume. 13 My lover is like a sachet of myrrh lying between my breasts. 14 He is like a bouquet of sweet henna blossoms from the vineyards of En-gedi.
Song of Solomon 1:16 NLT You are so handsome, my love, pleasing beyond words! The soft grass is our bed;
The Bridegroom
Song of Solomon 1:9-10 NLT You are as exciting, my darling, as a mare among Pharaoh’s stallions. 10 How lovely are your cheeks; your earrings set them afire! How lovely is your neck, enhanced by a string of jewels.
Song of Solomon 1:15 NLT How beautiful you are, my darling, how beautiful! Your eyes are like doves.
Shaunti Feldhahn, shaunti.com, in her article “Husbands, get in the habit of telling your wife she is beautiful” offers some great advice on the need for men to remind their wives that they are beautiful. What we say does make an impact on others. We can recite the old adage “Stick and stone may break my bones but words can never hurt me” all we want, but the reality is that over time and repeated often enough, words do affect a person. How will you let the people you love know how you feel about them today.
Heavenly Father, You created men and women to be together as husband and wife and it is Your desire that they express their love for each other to their spouses. Help us to tell those whom we love of our love and desire for them on a regular basis. May Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
SongOfSolomon_1_RL_BrideAndBridegroomExpressTheirLove.pdf
