4 “[a][b]How beautiful you are, my darling,
[c]How beautiful you are!
Your eyes are like doves behind your veil;
Your hair is like a flock of goats
That have descended from Mount Gilead.
2 “Your teeth are like a flock of newly shorn ewes
Which have come up from their washing,
All of which bear twins,
And not one among them has [d]lost her young.
3 “Your lips are like a scarlet thread,
And your mouth is lovely.
Your temples are like a slice of a pomegranate
Behind your veil.
4 “Your neck is like the tower of David,
Built [e]with rows of stones
On which are hung a thousand shields,
All the round shields of the mighty men.
5 “Your two breasts are like two fawns,
Twins of a gazelle
Which feed among the lilies.
6 “Until [f]the cool of the day
When the shadows flee away,
I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh
And to the hill of frankincense.7 “You are altogether beautiful, my darling,
And there is no blemish in you.
8 “Come with me from Lebanon, my bride,
May you come with me from Lebanon.
[g]Journey down from the summit of Amana,
From the summit of Senir and Hermon,
From the dens of lions,
From the mountains of leopards.
In this portion of the song, Solomon goes further and describes his bride’s beauty with great detail. While these things may seem strange to us, they would have been familiar to both Solomon and his bride. It may seem pretty superficial, but then we get to vv. 7-8 where Solomon sums things up, and then has this strange statement about mountains and lions and leopards.
In reading through what others said about this passage, it begins to make a lot more sense. Oh yes, he is definitely talking literally of his bride’s outward beauty, though some take the opportunity to make it an analogy to the church (which didn’t exist yet). If you go back to chapter 1, we see the bride showing doubt in her appearance, followed up by Solomon encouraging her with audacious examples using stallions and mares.
So it is again here, Solomon is not being self-centered or lustful in his description, but is reaffirming that he find his bride most beautiful. He goes to such detail to show her that his words are not shallow or trite, but he cares deeply for her. So what is this about lions and leopards?
He is inviting his bride to join him in this new life, and the lions and leopards represent the fear she has of leaving her family and embracing said life in marriage to Solomon. So once more (v. 7) he affirms her beauty, and the wording potentially speaks to both the outward and inward, as she is “altogether beautiful” and “there is no blemish in her”.
May we be as sensitive as Solomon to those around us, to their fears and anxieties. Don’t just brush them off, it’s too easy to do, and only causes more hurt. Instead, encourage and affirm those you love, especially your spouse, but also your children and others who need it. Don’t get so busy going about your day that you miss the opportunities to speak life and light into the lives of others.
And if that’s difficult for you, and I think it is for many of us, ask God to give you His heart, and listen for his whispers to lead and guide you in your speech. Build others up, and do not be guilty of tearing anyone down. Think of them first, and let God’s grace line your words and fill your heart.