‘I am the spring crocus blooming on the Sharon Plain, the lily of the valley.
Young Man
Like a lily among thistles is my darling among young women.
Young Woman
Like the finest apple tree in the orchard is my lover among other young men. I sit in his delightful shade and taste his delicious fruit. He escorts me to the banquet hall; it’s obvious how much he loves me. Strengthen me with raisin cakes, refresh me with apples, for I am weak with love. His left arm is under my head, and his right arm embraces me. Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and wild deer, not to awaken love until the time is right. Ah, I hear my lover coming! He is leaping over the mountains, bounding over the hills. My lover is like a swift gazelle or a young stag. Look, there he is behind the wall, looking through the window, peering into the room. My lover said to me, “Rise up, my darling! Come away with me, my fair one! Look, the winter is past, and the rains are over and gone. The flowers are springing up, the season of singing birds has come, and the cooing of turtledoves fills the air. The fig trees are forming young fruit, and the fragrant grapevines are blossoming. Rise up, my darling! Come away with me, my fair one!”
Young Man
My dove is hiding behind the rocks, behind an outcrop on the cliff. Let me see your face; let me hear your voice. For your voice is pleasant, and your face is lovely.
Young Women of Jerusalem
Catch all the foxes, those little foxes, before they ruin the vineyard of love, for the grapevines are blossoming!
Young Woman
My lover is mine, and I am his. He browses among the lilies. Before the dawn breezes blow and the night shadows flee, return to me, my love, like a gazelle or a young stag on the rugged mountains.’ Song of Songs 2:1-17(NLT)
‘The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.’ Proverbs 18:21(NLT)
‘Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies.’ Proverbs 31:10(NLT)
In a growing relationship it’s so important that a woman not only receive compliments but also gives them. That’s true when we’re dating as well as when we’re married. The giving and receiving of compliments shouldn’t end until we hear the words “May he/she rest in peace.” Did you know that your husband questions his manhood on a regular basis? Guys often feel a need to prove themselves in their work, in their play, and in their marriage. Watch guys at the gym (I mean that in the most innocent way), and you may notice how they compare themselves with each other. That is just a glimpse of how they compare themselves in other arenas of life. Men operate under the burden of performance that leads them to question their ability and impact constantly. From boyhood to manhood they hold themselves to a self-imposed measuring stick that rarely says they’re enough.
I don’t want my husband to have to go somewhere other than home to be affirmed. I bet you don’t either. Let your husband know that, among all the ordinary trees in the forest, he is an apple tree that produces extraordinary fruit. Give him the gift of being preferred. Tell him often that you love tasting his delicious juicy fruit and sitting under the protective branches of his strong hunky arms. I bet you’ll see a yummy smile come on his face.
Solomon and the Shulammite almost seem like they were making a game out of giving compliments, or maybe they just couldn’t contain their excitement. Either way, they were doing more than simply pouring out admiration; they were wooing with words. This makes me stop and think, When was the last time I complimented my husband or let him know that I desired him physically? When was the last time I told him that his love was security and protection itself? That he is the handsomest, wisest, most exciting man alive? That I love kissing him? That I enjoy being near him? I wonder, when was the last time you let your man know that, even though you’ve been married for quite some time, he’s still everything you ever longed for?
from Lovestruck