September 7th - Day 250

Song of Solomon 5-8:14

Song of Solomon 5

Lover

1 I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride;

I have gathered my myrrh with my spice.

I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey;

I have drunk my wine and my milk.

Friends

Eat, O friends, and drink;

drink your fill, O lovers.

Beloved

2 I slept but my heart was awake.

Listen! My lover is knocking:

"Open to me, my sister, my darling,

my dove, my flawless one.

My head is drenched with dew,

my hair with the dampness of the night."

3 I have taken off my robe—

must I put it on again?

I have washed my feet—

must I soil them again?

4 My lover thrust his hand through the latch-opening;

my heart began to pound for him.

5 I arose to open for my lover,

and my hands dripped with myrrh,

my fingers with flowing myrrh,

on the handles of the lock.

6 I opened for my lover,

but my lover had left; he was gone.

My heart sank at his departure. [a]

I looked for him but did not find him.

I called him but he did not answer.

7 The watchmen found me

as they made their rounds in the city.

They beat me, they bruised me;

they took away my cloak,

those watchmen of the walls!

8 O daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you—

if you find my lover,

what will you tell him?

Tell him I am faint with love.

Friends

9 How is your beloved better than others,

most beautiful of women?

How is your beloved better than others,

that you charge us so?

Beloved

10 My lover is radiant and ruddy,

outstanding among ten thousand.

11 His head is purest gold;

his hair is wavy

and black as a raven.

12 His eyes are like doves

by the water streams,

washed in milk,

mounted like jewels.

13 His cheeks are like beds of spice

yielding perfume.

His lips are like lilies

dripping with myrrh.

14 His arms are rods of gold

set with chrysolite.

His body is like polished ivory

decorated with sapphires. [b]

15 His legs are pillars of marble

set on bases of pure gold.

His appearance is like Lebanon,

choice as its cedars.

16 His mouth is sweetness itself;

he is altogether lovely.

This is my lover, this my friend,

O daughters of Jerusalem.

Song of Solomon 6

Friends

1Where has your lover gone,

most beautiful of women?

Which way did your lover turn,

that we may look for him with you?

Beloved

2 My lover has gone down to his garden,

to the beds of spices,

to browse in the gardens

and to gather lilies.

3 I am my lover's and my lover is mine;

he browses among the lilies.

Lover

4 You are beautiful, my darling, as Tirzah,

lovely as Jerusalem,

majestic as troops with banners.

5 Turn your eyes from me;

they overwhelm me.

Your hair is like a flock of goats

descending from Gilead.

6 Your teeth are like a flock of sheep

coming up from the washing.

Each has its twin,

not one of them is alone.

7 Your temples behind your veil

are like the halves of a pomegranate.

8 Sixty queens there may be,

and eighty concubines,

and virgins beyond number;

9 but my dove, my perfect one, is unique,

the only daughter of her mother,

the favorite of the one who bore her.

The maidens saw her and called her blessed;

the queens and concubines praised her.

Friends

10 Who is this that appears like the dawn,

fair as the moon, bright as the sun,

majestic as the stars in procession?

Lover

11 I went down to the grove of nut trees

to look at the new growth in the valley,

to see if the vines had budded

or the pomegranates were in bloom.

12 Before I realized it,

my desire set me among the royal chariots of my people. [c]

Friends

13 Come back, come back, O Shulammite;

come back, come back, that we may gaze on you!

Lover

Why would you gaze on the Shulammite

as on the dance of Mahanaim?

Song of Solomon 7

1 How beautiful your sandaled feet,

O prince's daughter!

Your graceful legs are like jewels,

the work of a craftsman's hands.

2 Your navel is a rounded goblet

that never lacks blended wine.

Your waist is a mound of wheat

encircled by lilies.

3 Your breasts are like two fawns,

twins of a gazelle.

4 Your neck is like an ivory tower.

Your eyes are the pools of Heshbon

by the gate of Bath Rabbim.

Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon

looking toward Damascus.

5 Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel.

Your hair is like royal tapestry;

the king is held captive by its tresses.

6 How beautiful you are and how pleasing,

O love, with your delights!

7 Your stature is like that of the palm,

and your breasts like clusters of fruit.

8 I said, "I will climb the palm tree;

I will take hold of its fruit."

May your breasts be like the clusters of the vine,

the fragrance of your breath like apples,

9 and your mouth like the best wine.

Beloved

May the wine go straight to my lover,

flowing gently over lips and teeth. [d]

10 I belong to my lover,

and his desire is for me.

11 Come, my lover, let us go to the countryside,

let us spend the night in the villages. [e]

12 Let us go early to the vineyards

to see if the vines have budded,

if their blossoms have opened,

and if the pomegranates are in bloom—

there I will give you my love.

13 The mandrakes send out their fragrance,

and at our door is every delicacy,

both new and old,

that I have stored up for you, my lover.

Song of Solomon 8

1 If only you were to me like a brother,

who was nursed at my mother's breasts!

Then, if I found you outside,

I would kiss you,

and no one would despise me.

2 I would lead you

and bring you to my mother's house—

she who has taught me.

I would give you spiced wine to drink,

the nectar of my pomegranates.

3 His left arm is under my head

and his right arm embraces me.

4 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:

Do not arouse or awaken love

until it so desires.

Friends

5 Who is this coming up from the desert

leaning on her lover?

Beloved

Under the apple tree I roused you;

there your mother conceived you,

there she who was in labor gave you birth.

6 Place me like a seal over your heart,

like a seal on your arm;

for love is as strong as death,

its jealousy [f] unyielding as the grave. [g]

It burns like blazing fire,

like a mighty flame. [h]

7 Many waters cannot quench love;

rivers cannot wash it away.

If one were to give

all the wealth of his house for love,

it [i] would be utterly scorned.

Friends

8 We have a young sister,

and her breasts are not yet grown.

What shall we do for our sister

for the day she is spoken for?

9 If she is a wall,

we will build towers of silver on her.

If she is a door,

we will enclose her with panels of cedar.

Beloved

10 I am a wall,

and my breasts are like towers.

Thus I have become in his eyes

like one bringing contentment.

11 Solomon had a vineyard in Baal Hamon;

he let out his vineyard to tenants.

Each was to bring for its fruit

a thousand shekels [j] of silver.

12 But my own vineyard is mine to give;

the thousand shekels are for you, O Solomon,

and two hundred [k] are for those who tend its fruit.

Lover

13 You who dwell in the gardens

with friends in attendance,

let me hear your voice!

Beloved

14 Come away, my lover,

and be like a gazelle

or like a young stag

on the spice-laden mountains.

Footnotes:

1. Song of Solomon 5:6 Or heart had gone out to him when he spoke
   
2. Song of Solomon 5:14 Or lapis lazuli
   
3. Song of Solomon 6:12 Or among the chariots of Amminadab ; or among the chariots of the people of the prince
   
4. Song of Solomon 7:9 Septuagint, Aquila, Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew lips of sleepers
   
5. Song of Solomon 7:11 Or henna bushes
   
6. Song of Solomon 8:6 Or ardor
   
7. Song of Solomon 8:6 Hebrew Sheol
   
8. Song of Solomon 8:6 Or / like the very flame of the LORD
   
9. Song of Solomon 8:7 Or he
   
10. Song of Solomon 8:11 That is, about 25 pounds (about 11.5 kilograms also in verse 12
    
11. Song of Solomon 8:12 That is, about 5 pounds (about 2.3 kilograms)

2 Corinthians 9:1-15



2 Corinthians 9

1There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the saints. 2For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. 3But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be. 4For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so confident. 5So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.

Sowing Generously

6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9As it is written:

"He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor;

his righteousness endures forever."[a] 10Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

12This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Footnotes:

1. 2 Corinthians 9:9 Psalm 112:9

Psalm 51:1-19



Psalm 51

For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

1 Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your unfailing love;

according to your great compassion

blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash away all my iniquity

and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions,

and my sin is always before me.

4 Against you, you only, have I sinned

and done what is evil in your sight,

so that you are proved right when you speak

and justified when you judge.

5 Surely I was sinful at birth,

sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts [a] ;

you teach [b] me wisdom in the inmost place.

7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;

wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8 Let me hear joy and gladness;

let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

9 Hide your face from my sins

and blot out all my iniquity.

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,

and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11 Do not cast me from your presence

or take your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation

and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,

and sinners will turn back to you.

14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God,

the God who saves me,

and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.

15 O Lord, open my lips,

and my mouth will declare your praise.

16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;

you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

17 The sacrifices of God are [c] a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart,

O God, you will not despise.

18 In your good pleasure make Zion prosper;

build up the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then there will be righteous sacrifices,

whole burnt offerings to delight you;

then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 51:6 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
   
2. Psalm 51:6 Or you desired?; / you taught
   
3. Psalm 51:17 Or My sacrifice, O God, is

Proverbs 22:24-25



24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man,

do not associate with one easily angered,

25 or you may learn his ways

and get yourself ensnared.