Now we come to one of the most exciting passages in the Song of Solomon, even though it doesn’t seem that way on the surface. A young woman longing for love has just asked the shepherd she loves where to find him when he’s resting in the shade at midday. This is the same shepherd who had whispered that she was beautiful. Now, when answering her, he declares his thoughts boldly.
If you do not know, most beautiful of women,
follow the tracks of the sheep
and graze your young goats
by the tents of the shepherds.
I liken you, my darling, to a mare
among Pharaoh’s chariot horses.Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings,
your neck with strings of jewels.
We will make you earrings of gold,
studded with silver.
(Song of Solomon 1:8-11)
Let’s unfold each of these images, and while we’re unfolding them, allow the Lord to speak to you in the secret place.
Every time the Shepherd opens conversation with you, He’s come to tell you first and foremost how beautiful you are. You are beautiful because that’s how the Lord designed you. Your soul is beautiful to Him, as you will see below.
We’re called by Him to graze our goats by the tents of the shepherds. This is a call to be in fellowship with others, even if that’s difficult.
Then, our Shepherd begins to speak the most remarkable words over us: He likens me to one of the mares on the chariots of Pharaoh. As king of Egypt, the Pharaoh owned the very best horses in the ancient Middle East, and the horses harnessed to his chariot were the best of all his horses. These were the ones trained for battle. I may not be a warhorse yet, but sometimes God speaks over me the things that are not as though they are. Here is how God describes the warhorse:
“Do you give the horse its strength
or clothe its neck with a flowing mane?
Do you make it leap like a locust,
striking terror with its proud snorting?
It paws fiercely, rejoicing in its strength,
and charges into the fray.
It laughs at fear, afraid of nothing;
it does not shy away from the sword.
The quiver rattles against its side,
along with the flashing spear and lance.
In frenzied excitement it eats up the ground;
it cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.
At the blast of the trumpet it snorts, ‘Aha!’
It catches the scent of battle from afar,
the shout of commanders and the battle cry.” (Job 39:19-25)
This speaks of our mind sharpened and attuned to the Lord’s voice and the ways He has trained us. Whenever I think of these verses, I always think of Kevin Prosch’s lyric:
Like horses that are yoked to the chariots of kings
Hook me up to your heart, to your heart, O God,
Never to be free!
Then He speaks of our cheeks. Our cheeks show our emotions, and earrings speak of being a bond servant. Our emotions become beautiful through our unswerving devotion to the Lord.
Our neck speaks of our will. The more we live “Thy will be done,” the more our neck will glitter with jewels. There are many ways in which jewels are spoken of throughout the Bible, but a major way to consider here is this: the walls of the heavenly Jerusalem are layers of jewels. “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.”
Gold speaks of the godly character He is working in you by His Holy Spirit. He who began a good work in you WILL carry it on to completion.
Silver speaks of redemption. He’s redeemed so much of our lives! God works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His plan.
He will make us into those whose minds, wills and emotions show His character and demonstrate His redemption.
I liken you, my darling, to a mare
among Pharaoh’s chariot horses.
Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings,
your neck with strings of jewels.
We will make you earrings of gold,
studded with silver.
And, in case you were wondering, and in case you have been lied to, He loves your soul. He may not like the current state that my soul is in, but He loves my soul.
I’m going to close lyrics from one of my favorite songs. I wanted to find a video for you, but I couldn’t. If anyone has the music, please share. But I do have the lyrics. These echo words in my own heart:
COME DOWN
(c) Kevin Prosch
Into my hands have come many things
You should be disappointed
For I have wasted most of these
My innocence and youth, I poured them out like water
And to think to you that I am
Still worth saving from the fire, God
Come down and meet with me
You make my day so sweet
Inflame my soul oh God, with a cry for purity
Like horses that are yoked, to the chariots of kings
Hook me up to Your heart, never to be free
Too many compromises to get me through the day
Help me make the choices, sometimes I am afraid
When I’m deaf to everything but the cry of my own pain
Give me the grace to trust You, I cannot walk away
Don’t disappoint me God, not while I am
Not while I am trusting You again
If I fall down in darkness and this weakness comes to me
Hold the scepter out to come banging on Your door
I’m banging on Your door
Come down from the top of that mountain
Rise up from the bottom of the sea
I empty out the pockets of my life
With nothing to bring but my iniquities
I can’t wait to lay my head down on Your breast
I want to see your face, kiss the nail marks in Your hands
People think you’re just an image from a time so long ago
Not the God who I believe in whom re-aranged my world
Because the death and resurrection of Your beloved Son
And the mystery of the cross, and the power of His blood
You changed the things about me I could not change myself
And You loved me in my sin, You’re the God of all my help
And in my darkest hour, if weakness comes to me
Hold the scepter out to come banging on Your door
I’m banging on Your door
Come down from the top of that mountain
Rise up from the bottom of the sea
I empty out the pockets of my life
With nothing to bring but my iniquities
Come down oh Heavenly Father
Rise up on the inside of me
I empty out the pockets of my life
With nothing to bring but my iniquities
