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Song of Songs
(Lexical Notes/Comments)
Chapter 7
Verse 1. How beautiful are your feet in sandals, O prince’s daughter! The curves of your thighs are like jewels, The work of the hands of a skillful workman. Lex.Lit. The gaze now descends from her feet upward, celebrating her perfected beauty. The description begins from the feet upward, signifying the Bride’s complete sanctification, from her earthly walk to her innermost being. It is no longer the Bride’s longing, but the Bridegroom’s admiration — the divine appreciation of what grace has wrought.
Guyon. She has become like her beloved and her enemies fear her. He shapes you in the furnace of His love.
Bickle. The Bride is pictured as being vindicated by discerning saints (7:1-5) and by Jesus (7:6-9a). THE BRIDE IS VINDICATED BY SINCERE BELIEVERS (7:1-5) A. This passage answers the sarcastic question, “Who is the Shulamite?” The Bride is vindicated first by sincere believers (7:1-5), and then by the King (7:6-9). The Spirit raises up other sincere believers who will stand with and vindicate those who pursue the Lord in a wholehearted way. “How beautiful are your feet in sandals, O prince’s daughter! The curves of your thighs are like jewels…2our navel is a rounded goblet…Your waist is a heap of wheat set about with lilies. Your two breasts are like two fawns... Your neck is like an ivory tower, your eyes like the pools in Heshbon…Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon…Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel, and the hair of your head is like purple; a King is held captive by your tresses [hair]. (Song 7:1-5) B. The daughters highlighted ten characteristics of the Bride (7:1-5). C. Feet: Her feet in sandals symbolize evangelism (Isa. 52:7; Eph. 6:15). D. Thighs: Her thighs or legs can speak of the strength behind her walk in God. E. Navel: The navel speaks of the nourishment a child receives in their mother’s womb. This can refer to our formative years in the Lord as the time in which our inner life in God is developed. F. Waist: The daughters see the Bride as prepared for the coming harvest. G. Breasts: Breasts speak of the ability to nurture others. H. Neck: In Scripture, the neck speaks of the will that can be stiff-necked (resistant) or submissive. The Bride’s will is like an ivory tower, rare and costly, which also protects. I. Eyes: Eyes speak of our ability to receive understanding (Eph. 1:18). J. Nose: The nose can speak of discernment. Head: a thought life filled with royal thoughts—being crowned like Mount Carmel (Isa. 35:2). Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel, and the hair of your head is like purple; a King is held captive by your tresses [hair]. (7:5) L. Hair: In Scripture, hair spoke of one’s dedication to God. Her hair was like purple, symbolizing royalty. Her dedication was like the resolution of a king (NAS says “The King”). M. Held captive: This speaks of the heart of God being held captive by His Bride’s dedication. His love is so powerful that it binds Him to weak people who love Him. It is His glory to be captivated by love for His people. His unique ability is to love those so much lower than He.
Kale. Delighted with Her Beauty. His description of the maturing bride from toe to head. Chapter 4 is from head to toe. These are prophetic words about you. Eternity has been deposited in You. 10 Prophecies of the Bride/ Church before Jesus comes back. Good News Shoes -
“Your sandaled feet” (evangelism)- the good news; Sandals were worn by royalty. Swift evangelistic power to spread the good news. Graceful Walk - “Your graceful legs are like jewels” - speaks of how she dances and moves but also the movement of her life. The ways she moves in the ways of God our beautiful, graceful. Dignity (legs) and Grace (thighs); She walks in the ways of holiness. "Work of a craftsman's hand"
- Jesus is the craftsman who moves our heart to be in conformity with His will.
Nee. He titles v. 7:1-9A: “The Workmanship of God” V. 1. The answer of 6:13 appears. This description begins to touch upon her walk. O Princess’s daughter: high birth from the royal line; a descendant from nobility. Shoes pertains to the Gospel of Peace. Thighs represent the strength of her witness for Christ and harkens to her evangelistic work. For our thighs to be as jewels, they must be as Jacob’s thighs. The hallow of Jacob’s thigh was struck out of joint by the Lord when he wrestled at Peniel. Gen. 32:25. The strength for spiritual performance must come from God. God is the workman.
Verse 2. Your navel is a rounded goblet; It lacks no [a]blended beverage. Your waist is a heap of wheat Set about with lilies. Lex.Lit.
Guyon. His grace is poured out on you for the benefit of others. Your innermost parts are like a field of wheat, sprouting to feed the hungry.
Kale. Her Inward Life - “Your navel is a rounded goblet of blended wine”
- There is a goblet of wine sticking out of your belly button. Rivers of living water flow from your belly. Jesus turns water into wine. The glory of God is moving through her and out of her innermost being. Her innermost being is attached to the Spirit like an umbilical cord. She releases fullness of Spirit, blended wine, to others. Giving Birth to harvest - “Your waist is a mound of wheat” - "waist" should be "womb". She is pregnant with the harvest. She is giving birth to the last days awakening. She will harvest the nations. We need Shulamites for the harvest, not just prayer meetings. People who have become the equal-yoke, look-a-like partner to the
Son of God; these ones will give birth to a harvest. A nation will be born in a day. Power to Nurture Others - “Your breasts are two fawns”; She is nurturing a generation with the milk of the word of God. They are being fed by purity; no more fast-food church; 1 Thess 5:8 the breastplate of faith & love.
Nee. Nee believes that “blended wine” is the blood of Jesus and that the “heap of wheat” is Jesus’ body. She has partaken of the blood and body of the Lord. “Wheat set about with lilies” means that she received the wine and wheat with a pure faith.
Verse 3. Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle. Lex.Lit. Where the previous verse celebrated her inner fullness (wheat and wine), now we see the outward expression of that fullness — her power to nourish others. The two breasts are twin fawns: lively, gentle, and balanced, expressing tender strength and holy vitality.
Guyon. The Bride of Christ gives birth to children and must be able to nourish them. His grace flows out of you to feed many. You are completely united to Him and thus this is possible.
Nee. Here, there is no feeding of the roes among the lilies. She is now of such faith that she is able to feed others. Faith and love are the twins indicated and these she used in her ministry to encourage and bless others.
Verse 4. Your neck is like an ivory tower, Your eyes like the pools in Heshbon By the gate of Bath Rabbim. Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon Which looks toward Damascus.
The neck connects the head and body → faith uniting Christ (the Head) and the Church (His Body). The eyes represent spiritual insight — calm, reflective pools of understanding. The nose represents discernment — the power to perceive the fragrance of truth and reject corruption.
Nee. 7:4a. Here her neck is “an ivory tower.” In 4:4, her neck is like the Tower of David, built for an armory on which a thousand shields hang.” Here, the ivory indicates a suffering process. The Tower of Ivory, then, indicates that she is prepared to pay any price, any cost, to suffer anything even unto death so that Jesus’ purposes could be achieved in her life. 7:4b. Now, not as doves’ eyes, but as water in a pool. Well water is dark because the well is deep and there is little light. Nor is pool water bubbling up all the time as a fountain would. A pool is open to the light of heaven. Her heart was characterized by openness and purity. Her heart was free from the stirrings of cloudy content. It is perfectly at peace and reflects the Will of God. Heshbon means “clever,” “understanding,” and Bath Rabbim means “the daughter of a large company.” Thus, this Bride has a spiritual heart to understand in greater measure than many or most in the Body of Christ. 7:4c. The ability to smell spiritually comes only from inner discernment. One can discriminate between fragrance and bad odor. It knows immediately whether a thing has heavenly origin. She may not be able to explain theologically what is wrong, but she has an inner knowing that something is wrong. That is the nose. That it is “as the tower of Lebanon looking toward Damascus” indicates that the gift is highly developed.
Guyon. The nose is the symbol of sound judgement.
Kale. Her Determination - “Your neck is like an ivory tower.” In 4:4 he compared her neck to the tower of David; now it is "like an ivory tower.” An ivory tower speaks of protection, a place of rare and costly uprightness. Tall and beautiful in the sight of the nations. Like a lighthouse of ivory, she will shine the light of Jesus to the nations. The neck is a picture of the will. Her neck as an ivory tower is a word picture of her resolute determination that has become her refuge from evil. She has become a strong refuge against the enemy for others. Her Clear Revelation - “Your eyes are pools in Heshbon” - pools of refreshment; The pools of Heshbon were known as some of the cleanest pools in the land. The bride's vision and revelation are pure; her insight can be trusted. The words she speaks are timely and refreshing. Num 21:25-26. "By the gate of Bath Rabbim" or "the unique daughter among many.” Her Spiritual Discernment - “Your nose is like a tower of Lebanon.” Nose is always a picture of discernment. She can discern where the enemy comes from. She can smell out the enemy. Damascus is always where the enemy came from (the Syrian border, the Golan Heights, where the warfare began). This Shulamite is a tower. She is able to discern the movement of demonic forces against the people of God. She becomes a watchman; a revelatory gift to all around her.
Verse 5. Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel, And the hair of your head is like purple; A king is held captive by your tresses. Lex. Lit. The sequence (vv. 4–5) portrays the ascent of the Bride’s beauty from her neck (faithful unity) to her eyes (contemplation), and finally to her head (union of mind and love with Christ). In this mystical union, the soul’s love becomes so radiant that even the King is “bound” within her devotion.
Wesley. Which may denote that her mind was replenished with knowledge, and other excellent gifts of the Holy Ghost.
Guyon. Every gift you have from God belongs to God.
Kale. Her Pure Thoughts - “Your head crowns you like Carmel” The head speaks of thoughts and wisdom. The bride has purity of thought and excellent wisdom. "Mount Carmel" was considered one of the most excellent and beautiful peaks in the land. Carmel can mean "crimson" in Hebrew, the color of the blood of Christ. The Bride is a redhead! She is covered by the crimson blood of Jesus. The crown speaks of dominion and power over her foes. Mount Carmel is where God sent fire as an answer to Elijah's prayer. Her Dedication to Jesus - "Your hair is like royal tapestry” King is held captive by you; the royal "purple" tapestry. Hair is symbol of devotion. The king is held captive by the depth of devotion coming from her heart.
Wurmbrand. He treats 7:1-5 as a unit. His first word of praise to the Beloved is, 'How beautiful are your feet with shoes. ' She has shod her feet with the preparation of the
gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15). Hers are the shoes of messengers bringing good news, telling of peace and salvation. The joints of your thighs are like jewels, the work of the
hands of a cunning workman. ' Saint Paul says that the Body of Christ - the Church - gets its nourishment by the joints (Colossians 2:19). This is an image of those pastors who lead their flocks well and teach them. Such pastors are jewels in the eyes of God. The bride dances naked before the king or wrapped in flimsy veils. Fascinated by her dance and her body, he exclaims, 'Your navel is like a round goblet, which wants not liquor; your belly is like a heap of wheat set about with lilies. The belly is the organ from which food is distributed to the whole body. So, it is also the secret castle, that which gives the bride a choice wine mixed with spices, which animates all her spiritual life. (The word translated as 'liquor' means in Hebrew 'mixture', indicating the variety of blessings she receives.) Her two breasts are like 'two young roes that are twins'. This means that both Old and New Testaments are a delight to her. Her neck is like 'a tower of ivory'. The neck, uniting the head and the body, is a symbol of faith. This means that her faith cannot be strangled. Her nose is like the tower of Lebanon, one of the towers built by David in the north of Palestine to serve as an observation post against the Syrians. It is important that believers have a keen sense of smell. They must discern the spirits. As from the tower of Lebanon one could see enemy armies from afar, so the bride scents heresy which is far off. The tower looks towards Damascus, the capital of Syria, always Israel's enemy. To her enemies she is 'terrible as an army with banners'. Her head is 'like Carmel', a hill full of rich vegetation. She has a beautiful abundance of red hair. The Nazirites were a kind of monk living at that time. No razor ever passed over their heads. It was believed that the secret of their power lay in their hair. The bride's power of attraction also resides in the richness of her hair; those locks that bind the King of Kings. V. 5? The king has found himself a bride in the world's gutter. Publicans, crooks, loose women,
murderers, those of us with more 'respectable' sins - all of us are lost. When we are converted, he admires the beauties of our souls, described in detail in the preceding verses. His love for his bride binds him to her as if with fetters.
Nee. 7:5a. Carmel is the place where Elijah acted for God. She engages in spiritual warfare. His prayer was heard and answered by fire. The maiden’s mind and heart express superior knowledge of heavenly matters to give her the ability to lead wayward people back to God. 7:5b. Hair refers to extraordinary dedication. It holds the King in enthrallment. As such, her petitions cannot lack an answer. She is wholly delivered from SELF and can be trusted with this sort of authority. Purple Hair. Occurred when her devotion to Jesus was complete; her obedience was immediate and complete, she is wholly delivered from self-interest, and her mind is only concerned with her Bridegroom’s Glory. Purple represents Royal Authority. “Lord, perfect THY plan and purpose in me for all the moments of my life.”
Verse 6. “How beautiful, delightful, and pleasant you are, O Beloved, with all your delights. Lex. Lit. “How beautiful you are, and how pleasant—love, full of delights.”
After the long ascent of purification and understanding, the soul stands radiant in love, and Christ rejoices over her with divine tenderness—“O love, full of delights.”
Kale. Beautiful and pleasing to Him. O love, with all your delights - is how he thinks of you; how he sees you. Beautiful And Pleasing in His presence. He wants to be with us. How captivated He is with US! We are not rejected. Jesus loves us and sees us with Delight. He calls us love! He says I am delighted in you! He is unconditionally devoted to You! Your love moves ```````` Him!
Nee. Jesus heard the superlatives describing the Bride as given by the Holy Spirit though someone (BTB?), and Jesus Himself cries out of her beauty.
Verse 7. This stature of yours is like a palm tree, And your breasts like its clusters.
Lex. Lit. “Your stature is like a palm tree, and your breasts like clusters [of fruit or grapes].” Origen and Gregory of Nyssa both identify the palm tree as a symbol of spiritual victory and resilient uprightness:
Guyon. The Palm Tree is unique in that, the more fruit it bears, the straighter it becomes. Also, the Palm Tree will not bear fruit unless it falls under the shade of a male palm.
Wesley. Palm-tree — Tall and strait, or upright. And he seems to mention the palm-tree, rather than any other, because it is constantly green and flourishing, and grows upward in spite of all pressures.
Kale. Now her clusters of fruit are for blessing others with spiritual
maturity: discernment, anointing, grace. “Your stature is like that of the palm.” The palm tree is an emblem of victory and triumph. They waved palm branches when Jesus entered into Jerusalem. In Rev 15, they wave palm branches around the throne of God. It is the sign that the Bride of Victory is rising. "May your breasts be like clusters of the vine.” The nourishment that flows.
Bernard. “She who once leaned upon her Beloved now stands erect, tall as the palm tree, her growth complete, her beauty full.” Origin. “The Bride now stands as a palm, towering to heaven; her works hang like clusters, full and ready for the King’s delight.”
Nee. Before, there had been no spiritual stature. The Palm Tree is tall and straight. It represents Jesus Himself. Ep. 4:13. She is like Him. Roots of Palm Tree touch the deep fountains of Livig Water. Even in extreme heat, so connected to the water, its fruit and foliage grow. So, this maiden, even if severely tested in a hostile, desert world, is so connected to Jesus that she blossoms and bears fruit without being affected by the world. She has the ability to feed others. She nurses others.
Verse 8. I said, “I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of its branches.” Let now your breasts be like clusters of the vine, The fragrance of your [b]breath like apples. Lex. Lit. “I said, I will climb the palm tree, I will take hold of its branches; may your breasts be as clusters of the vine, and the fragrance of your breath like apples.” Origen and Gregory of Nyssa see this as Christ Himself speaking—the heavenly Bridegroom expressing His desire to ascend into the soul, now mature and fruitful. The ascent symbolizes divine indwelling—Christ enters the soul to partake of the fruits of her virtue. The “climbing” is not in conquest but in loving union, a voluntary approach of grace.
Wesley. Take hold — Partly to prune and dress them, and partly to gather the fruit.
Nee. Jesus still have work to do even though this maiden is of full stature. He seeks her for fellowship. There is something substantial there. Contrast to 2:3 when “I sat down under His shadow.” Jesus mentions three aspects of her mature life which He loves. Her capacity to feed others. Her fragrance which is His fragrance coming from Him. Her discriminating sense of taste. She has a taste for the world to come. He. 6:5. The best wine is the millennium to come. Jo. 2:10. Mt. 26:29. She could give the Lord a taste of what the Millenium would mean to Him.
Kale. The King will be united in Power with the Bride. “I will climb the palm tree.” To climb the palm tree is to reveal and to release the glory of Christ in a victorious Bride. Acts 2 – Jesus climbed the palm tree & took the church as His. He empowered the church. He gave it authority to conquer the nations. "Your breath is like apples" - apples represent promises of God. Whatever you have eaten is what is on your breath. She breathes promises of God, because that is what she has eaten. Proverbs 25:11 - the promise that is spoken at the right time in the right way is like an apple of Gold surrounded with silver. Breathe God’s promises onto others.
Verse 9. And the roof of your mouth like the best wine. The wine goes down smoothly for my beloved, Moving gently the lips of sleepers. Lex. Lit. “And your palate (mouth) is like the best wine—flowing smoothly to my beloved, gliding gently over the lips of sleepers.”
The verse reveals the final stage of mystical love: the soul, filled with divine wisdom and joy, becomes a living channel of grace. Her “wine” (love) flows freely toward Christ, and through her, even the “sleeping”—those untouched by divine fire—begin to awaken.
It is the moment of perfect communion and spiritual fecundity: the Bride’s joy becomes life for others.
Bickle. The Bride is pictured as being vindicated by discerning saints (7:1-5) and by Jesus (7:6-9a). THE BRIDE IS VINDICATED BY THE KING (7:6-9) A. The King vindicated the Bride by releasing a great measure of grace in and through her (7:6-9). The King gave her a threefold commissioning to ministry— to nurture others, to release the presence of the Spirit, and to maintain her intimacy with the King (7:8-9a). How fair [beautiful] and how pleasant you are, O love, with your delights! This stature of yours is like a palm tree, and your breasts like its clusters. I said, “I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of its branches.” Let now your breasts be like clusters of the vine, the fragrance of your breath like apples, and the roof of your mouth like the best wine. (7:6-9) B. How pleasant: The King’s heart is held captive by the Bride (7:5) as He says, “How beautiful and pleasant you are with your delights!” (7:6). Jesus delights in the love of His people. C. Take hold: The King promised to take hold of His people or to release a great manifestation of His presence through them. The King laid hold of His Bride and commissioned her in three ways—to nurture others, to release the Spirit, and to maintain her intimacy with the King (7:8-9). Let now your breasts be like clusters of the vine, the fragrance of your breath like apples, and the roof of your mouth like the best wine. (7:8-9) D. Breasts like clusters: The King commissioned her to nurture others in the power of the Spirit. Her breasts were to nurture the babes like a vine or with the dimension of the Spirit’s activity. E. Breath like apples: He called her to let the fragrance of her breath refresh others like apples. Her breath speaks of her inner life. Apples speak of refreshing (2:3). F. Mouth like wine: He commissioned her to let her mouth be like the best wine to God. The mouth through the Song speaks the intimacy of the kisses of the mouth (1:2, 4:3, 5:16). G. Like the best wine: The wine speaks of the influences of the Spirit (Eph. 5:18). Our love is the “best wine” or that which brings the greatest joy to the King’s heart (4:10). 10How fair is your love…how much better than wine is your love. (4:10)
Wesley. Thy mouth — Thy speech, the palate being one of the principal instruments of speech. Wine — Grateful and refreshing for thee my beloved, who reapest the comfort and benefit of that pleasure which I take in thee. Causing — The dullest, and stupid, and sleepy persons to speak.
Bickle. The Bride described four aspects of walking out her mature partnership with the King (7:9-8:4). V. 9B. The wine goes down smoothly: The Bride expressed her enthusiasm to obey the King saying, “The wine goes down smoothly.” In the poetic language of love, this refers to her living in instantaneous agreement with the Spirit’s leadership. The wine of the Spirit will go down smoothly because she receives it without resistance or without choking on it (Eph. 5:18).
Kale. Her breasts, her breath, her mouth; The revived church will nurture others, release the Power of the spirit, and impart sacred intimacy. "Your mouth like the best wine" - the mouth speaks of intimacy with Jesus. Our intimacy with Him will be like the best wine. She is full of the Holy Spirit. She is full of the promises of God. She responds, “may the wine go straight to my lover.” May all the work of Your Spirit in me go straight to You, my love! "Flowing gently over lips and teeth.” A better translation is "your kisses of love awaken even the lips of sleeping ones to kiss me as you have done.” May this wine awaken the sleeping ones to the Bridegroom. The awakened woman or man of God, passionate on-fire, burning with sacred desire has the grace to ignite a church or a region. Sleeping ones arise, awaken and pursue Him.
Bickle V. 9b: Lips of sleepers: The Spirit desires to awaken believers who are spiritually asleep (Eph. 5:14) and will minister through her to revive them. Moving: The proof that the Spirit has awakened the sleepers is that their speech comes under His leadership. He will move them so they will speak in purity and righteousness, with boldness. V. 9B continued: Gently: The Spirit gently woos us to speak on His behalf by giving us subtle or faint impressions. He calls us to voluntary love for Him, as He gently moves us without violating our free will.
Nee. Nee titles 9b-13 “Co-Worker with the Lord.” She and her Groom have tasked union. Nee translates the last part: “Causing the lips of those who are asleep to speak.”
Wurmbrand. V. 6-9 treated as one unit. The stature of the bride is like that of a palm
tree - straight, powerful, high and gracious. The palm tree was an emblem of Israel. The use of the palm tree as a symbol for a bride is emphasized by the Hebrew text in these passages, since the word used for 'palm tree' is not the usual tamar, but its female form, timmorah.
Verse 10. I am my beloved’s, And his desire is toward me. Lex. Lit. “I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me.” Origen and Gregory of Nyssa call this the climax of the entire Song—the moment when the soul, purified, illuminated, and transformed, claims perfect union with God.
Bickle. Her mature partnership with the King is demonstrated as She walked it out by her instant obedience (7:9b-10). My Beloved: She referred to the King as “my Beloved,” indicating that she obeyed the Spirit out of love for God. When obedience is difficult, we confess, “The wine goes down smoothly because You are my Beloved and because I love You, Jesus.” Her obedience is empowered by seeing herself as belonging to and desired by the King (7:10). “I am my Beloved’s, and His desire is toward me.” (7:10). His desire is for me: The most prominent theme in the Song is the King’s desire for His people. She grew strong by seeing His affection for and enjoyment of her (1 Jn. 4:19). I. I am my Beloved’s: She saw herself as belonging to the King or being under His leadership. She had insight into the King’s ownership of her (1 Cor. 6:20). She served God without concern for what happened to her. Her focus was on Him. What He desires is what she values most.
The Shulamite Bride now knows that she was created for her beloved, to complete Him. She is His soul mate. The He. Word for “beloved” (yadiyad) is formed from the word “yad,” which means “hand.” Yadiyad means “beloved” or “hand in hand.”
Kale. The purpose of her life, her existence, is to satisfy her Beloved. “I belong to my lover, and His desire is for me.” They flow together as Holy Partners. I am His desire. I am the one Jesus loves. In 5:16 - "He is all my desires." Come interrupt my day, I am not my own. I John 4:19 We love because He first loved us.
Nee. What is her beloved’s pleasure? She has rejected self-interest. Her heard is wholly given to Him. Laying hold of Him to get something from His is gone. No longer “My beloved is mine.” Now, only “I am my beloved’s.” Even as Christians we can pursue spiritual growth for personal gain or at least partial personal gain. We must live as to be desirable to the Lord. “His desire is toward me.” Now she is ready to be co-laborer.
Verse 11. Come, my beloved, Let us go forth to the field; Let us lodge in the villages. Lex.lit. The Bride, having attained full union, now invites the Beloved to go forth with her into the world. It is the turning point from contemplation to loving mission — the soul’s overflowing fruitfulness after divine union.
Kale. She says "Come my beloved, let us go to the countryside, to the villages"
Villages (local churches) - is the word "henna bushes.” Let us go out where the henna blossoms grow. These are the forgotten places. In chapter 1, she says, "Draw me and I will run." In Chapter 7, she says, "Come run with me." The day will come where you will take Jesus where you want Him to go; instead of Him taking you. This is the mark of a mature relationship with the Lord. Mark 16:15 "The apostles went everywhere doing signs and wonders and The Lord himself worked with them." GO and still BE intimate with Him. She has come to maturity and is ready to run with Him to the nations, where she can love Him out in the forgotten places.”
Bickle. The Bride’s partnership is expressed in prayer for effectiveness in working together (7:11-12). “Come, my Beloved, let us go forth to the field; let us lodge in the villages. Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine has budded, whether the grape blossoms are open, and the pomegranates are in bloom. There I will give You, my love.” (7:11-12) K. Come: The Bride committed to go to fields of the harvest and prayed that the King would come with her in the sense of releasing His presence through her labors (7:11-12). Spiritually speaking, going to the fields can speak of going to the fields of harvest (Jn. 4:35).
Wesley. Go forth — That being retired from the crowd, we may more freely and sweetly converse together.
Nee. Because she was so united with Him and lived for His purposes, she could say “Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field.” They moved together into the work. She is no longer interested in “my meetings, my church, my ministry.” What does Jesus desire? “Let us lodge in the villages.” Her life with Him is a pilgrim journey. Villages are plural. She follows Him in His quest for lost or lame sheep.
Verse 12. Let us get up early to the vineyards; Let us see if the vine has budded, Whether the grape blossoms are open, And the pomegranates are in bloom. There I will give you, my love.
Guyon. You now invite the Bridegroom to go out to the fields with you.
Budding vine: The budding vines, the grape blossoms, and the blooming pomegranates speak of different people and ministries that need diligent labor in ministry to grow (4:12, 13; 6:11). Let us go: Four times she prayed, “let us” (7:11-12) indicating that she worked in partnership with the King. She changed her language from “I went down” (Song 6:11) to “let us go.” See Mk. 16:20. Early: Getting up early speaks of her faithfulness and diligence in the assignment that the Lord gave her. The Bride followed through in her ministry and service with diligence as seen in getting up early to attend to the work long before the others. This is the attitude of one with a stewardship from God. Those who see their work as merely a job seeks to come in late and leave early. Bickle continued. THERE I WILL GIVE YOU MY LOVE (7:12) A. The Bride had known sessions of uninterrupted intimacy with Jesus in the midst of ministry. B. There: She learned to love Him in the place of selfless labor, disappointments, and mistreatment. It is easy to become bitter, disappointed, burned out, or preoccupied with how we are being treated while serving others in the field. We can drift away from our intimacy with Jesus in the midst of the rigors and disappointments of ministry. It is much easier to give Jesus our love at the banqueting table under the shade tree (2:3-4) without the pressures of serving others. C. Paul labored in ministry more than all the other apostles and suffered great difficulties. (1 Cor. 15:10)
Kale. 7:12 Pomegranates are equated to human passion and emotions. When opened,
they are a blushing fruit and speak powerfully of our hearts of passion opened to our
Lover. They go looking for where love is blossoming. Vineyards are the local churches. The vines budding picture the emerging of passion in the church. Where is the love revelation gripping the heart of His people? Pomegranates are the blushing heart of a Bride yielded to Son of God. Can you give Him the sweetness of love in the midst of the battle? There, while giving my life for others in sacrificial service or in the midst of trials. There I will give you, my love.
Wesley. Early — The church having lost her beloved by her former laziness, now doubles her diligence. Vineyards — To particular congregations. Let us see — Let us inquire into the success of our labors, what souls are brought in and built up, and how they prosper and grow in grace.
Nee. V. 12a. “Early to the vineyards.” Not her personal vineyard, but a plurality of vineyards. Many works of Christ. She has been released from all selfish ambition. She has come to a place of corporate responsibility for the Lord’s work worldwide. “Let us arise early.” She’s industrious. V. 12b. She searches for signs of fruit. She was concerned with the growth of life in every believer. V. 12c. Where is “there?” “There” is the entirety of the Lord’s work wherever it may be found.
Wurmbrand. Treats v. 11-12 as one unit.
Isaac went out into the field to meditate quietly (Genesis 24:63). Jesus advises us, 'When you pray, enter into your closet, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father' (Matthew 6:6). The bride does not seek amusement in noisy places. She desires solitude. In company with him, she will go early to the vineyard to see if the vines are flourishing and whether the tender grapes have appeared. They will examine souls, to see whether they have grown in grace and truthfulness.
Verse 13. The mandrakes give off a fragrance, And at our gates are pleasant fruits, manner, new and old, Which I have laid up for you, my beloved.
Guyon. You have shared possessions.
Royal love is in the air. Mandrakes - are the love apples. They are small, purple in color. Speak of royal love. Divine romance is in the air. They were believed to be an aid in bearing children, facilitating wedded love. (Gen 30:14-16); Fertility Herb. Mandrakes bloom during the wheat harvest. She wants to become the mother of the King's children. As the Body, we long to have Christ formed in us. (Gal 4:19).
Bickle. The Bride expresses deep partnership with the King in her intercession for more power (7:11-13). The Bride wanted the King to enjoy the fruit of her labor in partnership with Him (7:13). The beautiful fragrance of the mandrake flowed as they labored together in the harvest. The impact of her ministry was pleasant fruit. There is joy in knowing that the fruit of our ministry is pleasant to the King. Jesus’ spoke of drawing out of our treasury that which is old and new (Mt. 13:52).
Nee. 7:13a. Mandrake is a love plant. Gen. 30: 14-16. It signifies the most intimate union between husbands and wives. She has reached completion in love union with Christ.
