Read | Song of Songs 5:2–6:3
Woman
I was sleeping, but my heart was awake.
A sound! My love was knocking!
Man
Open to me, my sister, my darling,
my dove, my perfect one.
For my head is drenched with dew,
my hair with droplets of the night.
Woman
I have taken off my clothing.
How can I put it back on?
I have washed my feet.
How can I get them dirty?
My love thrust his hand through the opening,
and my feelings were stirred for him.
I rose to open for my love.
My hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with flowing myrrh
on the handles of the bolt.
I opened to my love,
but my love had turned and gone away.
My heart sank because he had left.
I sought him, but did not find him.
I called him, but he did not answer.
The guards who go about the city found me.
They beat and wounded me;
they took my cloak from me—
the guardians of the walls.
Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you,
if you find my love,
tell him that I am lovesick.
Young Women
What makes the one you love better than another,
most beautiful of women?
What makes him better than another,
that you would give us this charge?
Woman
My love is fit and strong,
notable among ten thousand.
His head is purest gold.
His hair is wavy
and black as a raven.
His eyes are like doves
beside flowing streams,
washed in milk
and set like jewels.
His cheeks are like beds of spice,
mounds of perfume.
His lips are lilies,
dripping with flowing myrrh.
His arms are rods of gold
set with beryl.
His body is an ivory panel
covered with lapis lazuli.
His legs are alabaster pillars
set on pedestals of pure gold.
His presence is like Lebanon,
as majestic as the cedars.
His mouth is sweetness.
He is absolutely desirable.
This is my love, and this is my friend,
young women of Jerusalem.
Young Women
Where has your love gone,
most beautiful of women?
Which way has he turned?
We will seek him with you.
Woman
My love has gone down to his garden,
to beds of spice,
to feed in the gardens
and gather lilies.
I am my love’s and my love is mine;
he feeds among the lilies.
Click here to listen to the Scripture in ESV.
Consider how this story of romantic unfulfilled longing can be seen as a picture of our longing for God’s love that we don’t experience to the fullest in this lifetime.
Focus
Listen to this song which takes the words, themes, and ideas from this passage and its broader book and makes them like a prayer put to music: Immanuel's Land
Pray
Craft your own prayer based on today’s Scripture passage, and what you’ve learned about praying Scripture this week and from the song today. Consider reading the passage out loud, then pause and pray, putting this Scripture into your own words.
Using Scripture to pray can vocalize what’s in our hearts when words are hard to find. It can help us pray about the experiences we often avoid talking about but the Bible doesn’t. Using the words of Scripture in prayer can align our minds, hearts, and wills with God.
Going Deeper
If you are also following the BibleProject’s One Story That Leads to Jesus reading plan, complete today’s reading.
