Song of Songs 8:5-14

Who is this one? She arises out of her desert, clinging to her beloved. When I awakened you under the apple tree, as you were feasting upon me, I awakened your innermost being with the travail of birth as you longed for more of me. Fasten me upon your heart as a seal of fire forevermore. This living, consuming flame will seal you as my prisoner of love. My passion is stronger than the chains of death and the grave, all consuming as the very flashes of fire from the burning heart of God. Place this fierce, unrelenting fire over your entire being. Rivers of pain and persecution will never extinguish this flame. Endless floods will be unable to quench this raging fire that burns within you. Everything will be consumed. It will stop at nothing as you yield everything to this furious fire until it won’t even seem to you like a sacrifice anymore. My brothers said to me when I was young, “Our sister is so immature. What will we do to guard her for her wedding day?” We will build a tower of redemption to protect her. Since she is vulnerable, we will enclose her with a wall of cedar boards. But now I have grown and become a bride, and my love for him has made me a tower of passion and contentment for my beloved. I am now a firm wall of protection for others, guarding them from harm. This is how he sees me—I am the one who brings him bliss, finding favor in his eyes. My bridegroom-king has a vineyard of love made from a multitude of followers. His caretakers of this vineyard have given my beloved their best. But as for my own vineyard of love, I give all the glory to you. And I will give double honor to those who serve my beloved and have watched over my soul. My beloved, one with me in my garden, how marvelous that my friends, the brides-to-be, now hear your voice and song. Let me now hear it again. Arise, my darling! Come quickly, my beloved. Come and be the graceful gazelle with me. Come be like a young stag with me. We will dance in the high place of the sky, yes, on the mountains of fragrant spice. Forever we shall be united as one!