Three Aspects of Romantic Love

Commentary

Here the maiden speaks of herself as a Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley, which were flowers that were commonly found in Israel (vv. 1-2). It seems that she is saying, “I am only one among a host of others. Why would you choose me?” No, the groom replies, you are not ordinary. You are as the beautiful lily among a bouquet of thorns. The groom had brought his maiden to the banquet house and had showered her with evidence of his loving favor. Her praise of her lover reveals three aspects of romantic love that are important to women.

1.     Protection by her lover – She had worked in the sun, but now she enjoyed resting in the protection of the shade (v. 3).

2.     Intimacy with him – He cultivated the kind of relationship that allowed them to know each other intimately as revealed in the word taste. (v. 3).

3.     His expressions of love are obvious – Solomon’s love for her was easily seen by anyone who observed, as a banner was seen by the troops in an army (v. 4).   

The scene now seems to shift to the country near the woman’s home. She probably lived in Lebanon, north of Israel. The intensity of the couples’ longing for each other has increased. Their sense of intimacy has grown, and a holy joy pervades the scene as the lover pursues his beloved. Next, she cautions her lover not to let the foxes spoil their relationship (v. 15). She wanted anything that could potentially cause problems between them to be removed. The lilies in the garden were the charms of the young woman herself (v. 16). The lover is compared to a gazelle (v. 17).

Application

I should never let a little fox of bitterness, rebellion, or unconfessed sin mar my relationship with the wonderful wife the Lord has given to me.