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Song of Songs 6:2-4
New Catholic Bible
Song of Songs 6:2-4
New Catholic Bible
Bride:
2 My beloved has gone down to his garden,
to the beds of spices,
to browse in his garden
and to gather lilies.
3 I belong to my beloved, and my beloved is mine;[a]
he browses among the lilies.
Fifth Poem
One Alone Is My Dove, My Perfect One
You Are Beautiful, My Beloved[b]
Bridegroom:
4 You are as beautiful as Tirzah,[c] my beloved,
as lovely as Jerusalem,
as majestic as an army with banners.
Footnotes
- Song of Songs 6:3 I . . . mine: see note on Song 2:16a.
- Song of Songs 6:4 The bridegroom allows himself to be led to his rendezvous and praises his beloved: he stresses above all her undivided love, which is much different from that of Solomon, which was comprised of numerous and imperfect loves. For this young man, all his delight is in his unique beloved. This is the song of true love.
Israel can no longer forget that God prefers his people among all nations. And finally, the Lord’s love is unique for everyone, as St. Paul so boldly declares: “The Son of God . . . loved me and gave himself up for me” (Gal 2:20). - Song of Songs 6:4 Tirzah: i.e., “the charming,” “the desired,” was the capital of the northern kingdom before Samaria was built (see 1 Ki 14:17). As majestic as an army with banners: the bridegroom is as struck by his beloved’s beauty as he is by watching an army majestically moving forward with its banners unfurled.
