Song 7:9 | KingComments | STEP | The groom sees the bride in her full stature like “a palm tree” ( ). The palm tree is the symbol of victory ( ; ). The victory is achieved by the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. Jerusalem stands as a result of this in the victorious power of salvation. All enemies have been defeated. He, the Messiah, has accepted Jerusalem again in His love and declares His love to her. This also applies to us. Christ sees us as victors and so may we see ourselves. Through Him “we overwhelmingly conquer” or, as another translation renders, “we are more than victors” ( ). The Lord says this to encourage us. It will not make us proud, but it will make us humble and grateful at the same time. We may share in the victory He has achieved. If we stand in it ( ), it is a joy to Him. The result will be that we will grow in our faith trust in Him ( ). Her “breasts”, which transmit food, are a great, abundant joy for the groom (cf. ). This is referred to as “clusters” of grapes. In the kingdom of peace Jerusalem will also pass on food and joy to others, the nations. They may “suck and be delighted with her bountiful bosom” ( ). This proves that Jerusalem has reached spiritual maturity. We too are meant to grow spiritually and become spiritually mature. The stadium of our spiritual growth can be seen in the food we eat. If we have long been converted and are still drinking milk and not eating solid food, that is an unsound development. This lack of spiritual growth is blamed on the believing Hebrews ( ). If we grow spiritually and eat solid food, we can pass on to others what we have enjoyed ourselves. That will bring great joy to them. The groom has placed the bride in the victory, but he wants to share in the blessed consequences that this has for her. For that he wants to “climb the palm tree” ( ). Thus the Messiah of Jerusalem wants to hear what He means to her as the Conqueror in Whose power she has defeated all enemies. To “take hold of its fruit stalks” can be seen as an expression of His desire to taste the fruit of what she did, that is to hear from her what individual victories she has achieved in His power. A believer who does not gain victories or grow spiritually is not a joy to the Lord’s heart. The Messiah wants to share in the joy of Jerusalem’s spiritual growth, which is indicated by the “breasts … like clusters of the vine”. The emphasis here is on the joy of the Bridegroom. Her breasts are there for Him in the first place. When Israel is about to take possession of the promised land, twelve men go to explore the land. When they return from their journey, they take from the fruit of the land as proof of the fertility of the land. A startling fruit of this is “a branch with a single cluster of grapes; and they carried it on a pole between two [men]” ( ). The cluster of grapes is a picture of joy. Happiness is the result of fellowship with the Father and the Son and with each other ( ). Happiness and fellowship belong together. The new testament believer does not possess earthly, material blessings, but heavenly, spiritual blessings ( ). Anyone who, together with others – two men are needed to carry the cluster – occupies himself with the heavenly blessings, will have joy. The “fragrance” of her “breath” shows that she has eaten from the apple tree. The apple tree is the groom ( ). The groom appreciates that she has done that. The apples represent the good words the groom has spoken ( ). The way we speak and the topics we talk about betray what we have ‘eaten’. When we have eaten ‘apples’, our words and attitudes will be filled with the fragrance of fellowship with the Lord Jesus. We look like Him then. When we have eaten of the ‘fruits of Egypt’ ( ), another fragrance will hang around us. What fragrance is around us? What we occupy ourselves with in the hidden and in our free time will be perceived by others. The fragrance we spread is determined by the things we absorb in our minds. Are we reading God’s Word, the words of the Lord Jesus, or do we feed on what the world offers in entertainment? Both fragrances are noticed by the people around us and especially by the Lord Jesus. In the groom speaks about her “mouth” or “palate”. The palate has to do with the taste, it tastes food. The groom is very enthusiastic about her taste, because what she eats tastes “like the best wine”. Jerusalem has tasted the “gracious words”, the “comforting words” ( ) of the Messiah and has tasted therein that He is “good” ( ). This is “for a joy and the delight” of her heart ( ). In the bride begins to speak. It is as if she is interrupting him. Her answer is that the joy she has found in his words “goes [down] smoothly” back to him, her “beloved”. She owes her joy to none but him. Joy flows back to its origin, that is he himself. Similarly, the good, comforting words we speak are in reality the words of the Lord Jesus we pass on. But she also mentions a group of people to whom the wine goes, not as a rich stream, but “flowing gently”. She thinks of “those who fall asleep”. She wants the lips of those who sleep to be touched by the wine. Even if it is gently, drop by drop, the effect cannot fail to be noticed. If the wine touches their lips, they will arise from their sleep and will also bear witness to that love. Life is present in those asleep, but it is not seen. Those who sleep look like dead. When they are awakened, it becomes visible that they are alive. Prophetically, by the sleepers may be meant the ten tribes that have disappeared, that is, the tribes in the scattering. They are said to sleep in the dust, which means they are hidden therein ( ). The application to us we see in the words Paul writes to the believers in Ephesus. He says to them: “Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you” ( ). The Christian who sleeps is disabled to testify of the glorified Lord. He needs to be awakened and get up. Then he will be happy again in Christ because the Holy Spirit can fill him with that joy ( ). This will be evident from his speaking, thanking and submission ( ), aspects which we also saw with the bride.

‏ Song of Solomon 7:9

Stature, Breasts, Breath, Mouth and Lips

The groom sees the bride in her full stature like “a palm tree” (Song 7:7). The palm tree is the symbol of victory (Rev 7:9; Jn 12:13). The victory is achieved by the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. Jerusalem stands as a result of this in the victorious power of salvation. All enemies have been defeated. He, the Messiah, has accepted Jerusalem again in His love and declares His love to her.

This also applies to us. Christ sees us as victors and so may we see ourselves. Through Him “we overwhelmingly conquer” or, as another translation renders, “we are more than victors” (Rom 8:37). The Lord says this to encourage us. It will not make us proud, but it will make us humble and grateful at the same time. We may share in the victory He has achieved. If we stand in it (Rom 5:2), it is a joy to Him. The result will be that we will grow in our faith trust in Him (Psa 92:12).

Her “breasts”, which transmit food, are a great, abundant joy for the groom (cf. Pro 5:19b). This is referred to as “clusters” of grapes. In the kingdom of peace Jerusalem will also pass on food and joy to others, the nations. They may “suck and be delighted with her bountiful bosom” (Isa 66:10-11). This proves that Jerusalem has reached spiritual maturity.

We too are meant to grow spiritually and become spiritually mature. The stadium of our spiritual growth can be seen in the food we eat. If we have long been converted and are still drinking milk and not eating solid food, that is an unsound development. This lack of spiritual growth is blamed on the believing Hebrews (Heb 5:11-14). If we grow spiritually and eat solid food, we can pass on to others what we have enjoyed ourselves. That will bring great joy to them.

The groom has placed the bride in the victory, but he wants to share in the blessed consequences that this has for her. For that he wants to “climb the palm tree” (Song 7:8). Thus the Messiah of Jerusalem wants to hear what He means to her as the Conqueror in Whose power she has defeated all enemies. To “take hold of its fruit stalks” can be seen as an expression of His desire to taste the fruit of what she did, that is to hear from her what individual victories she has achieved in His power.

A believer who does not gain victories or grow spiritually is not a joy to the Lord’s heart. The Messiah wants to share in the joy of Jerusalem’s spiritual growth, which is indicated by the “breasts … like clusters of the vine”. The emphasis here is on the joy of the Bridegroom. Her breasts are there for Him in the first place.

When Israel is about to take possession of the promised land, twelve men go to explore the land. When they return from their journey, they take from the fruit of the land as proof of the fertility of the land. A startling fruit of this is “a branch with a single cluster of grapes; and they carried it on a pole between two [men]” (Num 13:23).

The cluster of grapes is a picture of joy. Happiness is the result of fellowship with the Father and the Son and with each other (1Jn 1:3-4). Happiness and fellowship belong together. The new testament believer does not possess earthly, material blessings, but heavenly, spiritual blessings (Eph 1:3). Anyone who, together with others – two men are needed to carry the cluster – occupies himself with the heavenly blessings, will have joy.

The “fragrance” of her “breath” shows that she has eaten from the apple tree. The apple tree is the groom (Song 2:3). The groom appreciates that she has done that. The apples represent the good words the groom has spoken (Pro 25:11). The way we speak and the topics we talk about betray what we have ‘eaten’. When we have eaten ‘apples’, our words and attitudes will be filled with the fragrance of fellowship with the Lord Jesus. We look like Him then. When we have eaten of the ‘fruits of Egypt’ (Num 11:5), another fragrance will hang around us.

What fragrance is around us? What we occupy ourselves with in the hidden and in our free time will be perceived by others. The fragrance we spread is determined by the things we absorb in our minds. Are we reading God’s Word, the words of the Lord Jesus, or do we feed on what the world offers in entertainment? Both fragrances are noticed by the people around us and especially by the Lord Jesus.

In Song 7:9a the groom speaks about her “mouth” or “palate”. The palate has to do with the taste, it tastes food. The groom is very enthusiastic about her taste, because what she eats tastes “like the best wine”. Jerusalem has tasted the “gracious words”, the “comforting words” (Zec 1:13) of the Messiah and has tasted therein that He is “good” (Psa 34:8). This is “for a joy and the delight” of her heart (Jer 15:16).

In Song 7:9b the bride begins to speak. It is as if she is interrupting him. Her answer is that the joy she has found in his words “goes [down] smoothly” back to him, her “beloved”. She owes her joy to none but him. Joy flows back to its origin, that is he himself. Similarly, the good, comforting words we speak are in reality the words of the Lord Jesus we pass on.

But she also mentions a group of people to whom the wine goes, not as a rich stream, but “flowing gently”. She thinks of “those who fall asleep”. She wants the lips of those who sleep to be touched by the wine. Even if it is gently, drop by drop, the effect cannot fail to be noticed. If the wine touches their lips, they will arise from their sleep and will also bear witness to that love.

Life is present in those asleep, but it is not seen. Those who sleep look like dead. When they are awakened, it becomes visible that they are alive. Prophetically, by the sleepers may be meant the ten tribes that have disappeared, that is, the tribes in the scattering. They are said to sleep in the dust, which means they are hidden therein (Dan 12:2).

The application to us we see in the words Paul writes to the believers in Ephesus. He says to them: “Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you” (Eph 5:14). The Christian who sleeps is disabled to testify of the glorified Lord. He needs to be awakened and get up. Then he will be happy again in Christ because the Holy Spirit can fill him with that joy (Eph 5:18). This will be evident from his speaking, thanking and submission (Eph 5:19-21), aspects which we also saw with the bride.