How does Song of Solomon 7:2 celebrate the beauty of marital intimacy? The Setting: One Flesh Delight • Song of Solomon presents an actual husband exalting his bride’s body, not an allegory detached from real marriage. • Verse 2 sits in the middle of his bodily “love-song tour,” underscoring that physical desire has a God-given place within covenant love (cf. Genesis 2:24-25). A Sensuous yet Sacred Line “Your navel is a rounded bowl; may it never lack blended wine. Your belly is a heap of wheat encircled by lilies.” (Songs 7:2) • The language is explicit, yet Scripture treats it without shame, inviting spouses to do likewise (Proverbs 5:18-19). • By describing the mid-section—normally hidden—the groom affirms that every part of the spouse’s body is welcomed, honored, and desired inside marriage. Wine and Wheat: Images of Plenty • Blended wine: a costly, fragrant libation; suggests richness, celebration, and continual enjoyment. – Marriage intimacy is portrayed not as rationed duty but as generous pleasure (1 Corinthians 7:3-5). • Heap of wheat: harvest abundance; points to nourishment and satisfaction. – Sexual union is designed to refresh husband and wife, just as grain sustains physical life. Encircled by Lilies: Purity Meets Passion • Lilies signify beauty and fragrance elsewhere in the Song; here they “encircle” the bride’s belly. • The picture paints desire wrapped in purity—a holy environment where passion thrives without defilement (Hebrews 13:4). Reclaiming Physical Desire within God’s Design • The verse corrects cultural extremes: prudish embarrassment on one side, lustful exploitation on the other. • It anchors sensual celebration firmly in marriage, affirming: – God created bodies good. – Spousal desire is not merely permissible; it is encouraged as worshipful delight. – Mutual enjoyment fosters deeper emotional and spiritual unity. Living the Text Today • Verbally affirm your spouse’s body; specific praise mirrors the groom’s example. • Cultivate abundance—schedule unhurried time where intimacy isn’t rushed, symbolically keeping the “bowl” full. • Protect purity so passion flourishes: guard eyes, conversations, and media choices. • Remember the imagery of wine and wheat when routine threatens joy; ask God to renew marital pleasure as His gracious gift. |
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