Friday 08 December 2023

Psalm 45

Background

How are these verses to be read? With the exception of verse 2 (spoken by an amorous young man, perhaps a bridegroom), the verses are spoken by a beautiful young woman, maybe the bride. They are expressing their love and longing for each other. 

Verse 1. The ‘rose’ is a wild rose that grows in Sharon, a region in north Palestine. The ‘lily’ is a wild flower, an autumn crocus or a flower like a wood anemone.The theme is modesty.

Verse 2. The male underscores the wondrous beauty of his beloved (compared to other young women) by insisting how much the small, apparently insignificant, ‘lily’ stands out when it grows in a thicket of thistles. (Jesus made a similar point: Luke 12:27.)

Verse 3. She now makes a parallel claim: her beloved is like an apple tree (full of colourful delicious fruit) among the less eye-catching trees in a wood. She delights in nothing more than, metaphorically, to sit in his shade and eat the fruit.

Verse 4. He has taken her to a banqueting house - perhaps the location for a marriage celebration, where the best wine will flow freely. (The final clause "and his intention toward me was love" may perhaps be translated to suggest that a banner is unfurled over the proceedings bearing the word LOVE!)

While historically Christians have used the Song of Solomon to celebrate the relation of Christ and the Church, the book should principally be taken at face value. It is a reminder that the most intimate of interpersonal relationships is a gift to be enjoyed as an end in itself. While there is no mention of God in the Song of Solomon, it is right for Christians to discern the hidden presence of God within sexual love, and in all relationships, to ground them in the divine love that is self-giving, humble and merciful.

To Ponder:

• What do you consider to be the greatest pressures on love and marriage in your life? Are there practical things you and your congregation could do to support those who are committed to love and marriage?
•  In contemporary Western society, sex and its relation to love and marriage are hotly contested. Have you found a forum in the church to help you clear your own mind on such matters, and to help you relate constructively to others who think very differently about such issues?

As well as 'Word in Time', the Methodist Church is running daily email Advent reflections as part of its 'Out of the Ordinary' campaign. If you would like  to sign up for them, click here.