Short prayers based on the book of Song of Songs
<aside> 🙏🏻 “The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s.” (Song of Songs 1:1)
Father in heaven, of the 1,005 songs which Solomon wrote, this song, the Song of Songs, is the best. It is the best because it is all about your Son and His love for your children, His church. We thank that His love for us is truly wonderful. We thank you that He has shown His love by giving His life to reclaim ruined sinners. We thank you that He is saving a bride who He will one day marry, and on that day we will be presented to Himself in splendour, without spot or wrinkle or any blemish, but holy and blameless. Lord, there is no better subject to sing about and to remind ourselves about than this. As we do, would this stir up our love for the one who has first loved us. Amen.
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<aside> 🙏🏻 “Tell me, you whom I love: Where do you pasture your sheep? Where do you let them rest at noon? Why should I be like one who veils herself beside the flocks of your companions?” (Song of Songs 1:7)
Lord Jesus, your desire is that we should be with you and that is our desire too. We want to be with you where you are. While we wait for that glorious day when we see you face to face and become like you, we thank you for those wonderful promises you have made to us. Help us by faith to hear your voice say to us, “Fear not I am with you always to the very end of the age and will never leave you or forsake us.” We praise you that in this life you do meet with us, by your Spirit, when we gather together to worship you, to hear your Word and to participate in the Lord’s Supper. May we not neglect the opportunities we have to be with you, our good Shepherd, and hear your voice. Amen.
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<aside> 🙏🏻 “How beautiful you are, my darling. How very beautiful! Your eyes are doves.” (Song of Songs 1:15)
It is astonishing Lord God, that you can look upon us and say that we are beautiful in your sight, because there is nothing about us that is lovely. By nature, by choice, and by practice, we are sinners. We thank you that you have not just made us acceptable to you, but delightful by dealing with our sins and clothing us in your righteousness and perfection. To know, Christ, that you feel this way about us is so comforting. Assure us today that your loveliness has become our loveliness, and may this cause our hearts to burst forth with praise to you. Amen.
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<aside> 🙏🏻 “Like a lily among thorns, so is my darling among the young women.” (Song of Songs 2:2)
We thank you, Lord Jesus, that you loved the church and gave yourself up for her. We thank you that by your death, you have made her a beautiful bride, that is radiant and without blemish in your sight. We thank you that we were included in your bride, when we turned from our sins and put our faith in you. And we thank you that you see us as being like a lily among thorns, as standing out as beautiful in a world that is opposed to you. But, Christ, the presence of thorns, the presence of those who don’t love you or the truth of your Word, is distressing and makes it hard to be a distinctive people. Uphold us by your grace, we pray, so that we flourish and show ourselves to be yours. Amen.
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<aside> 🙏🏻 “He brought me to the banquet hall, and he looked on me with love.” (Song of Songs 2:4)
Gracious God, you have demonstrated your love for us in a way that everyone can see. Like a banner is used to declare things to other people, so there is a banner over us with a most wonderful declaration, that God has demonstrated his own love for us in this way, that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Thank you that when we shelter under this banner, Christ’s look of love, there is a feast of blessings for us to experience and enjoy. May we receive fresh encouragement from these spiritual blessings; from knowing that in Him, we are chosen, redeemed, reconciled, justified, sanctified, saved from the wrath to come, adopted as children, accepted, forgiven, provided for, having the hope of an inheritance that will never perish, spoil, or fade, and His presence with us wherever we go. It is right that we adore you, so we rejoice and are glad in you. Amen.
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<aside> 🙏🏻 “Listen! My love is approaching. Look! Here he comes, leaping over the mountains, bounding over the hills. My love is like a gazelle or a young stag. See, he is standing behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice.” (Song of Songs 2:8-9)
Thank you Lord Jesus that you are not a reluctant Saviour. When you came to seek and save us, you did so with enthusiasm, eagerness, and excitement, like a gazelle bounding over the hills. You willingly came to earth and became flesh for us. You willingly went to the cross and was punished for our sins so that we never have to be. Now risen and ascended into heaven, you delight to come to each one of us, through your Word, inviting us to come to you and experience forgiveness and eternal life by trusting in you. Even after we have responded to your love, you keep coming to us, calling us, and comforting us with words that speak of your delight for us. Increase our love for you as we see the joy you have in saving us, and the pleasure you take in us as your people. Amen.
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<aside> 🙏🏻 “Catch the foxes for us—the little foxes that ruin the vineyards—for our vineyards are in bloom.” (Song of Songs 2:15)
We know Lord Jesus that there are lots of little foxes about that can ruin our relationship with you. Those ‘little’ sins which if left unchecked will lead us away from you. By your Spirit, help us to catch when we are making little compromises with the world, when we are going against our conscience, and when we are indulging our sinful nature and neglecting our duty to you. Help us to catch these little foxes quickly before any serious damage is done, and to be aggressive in resisting the temptation to give into them so that nothing spoils our communion with you. Amen.
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<aside> 🙏🏻 “Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and the wild does of the field, do not stir up or awaken love until the appropriate time.” (Song of Songs 3:5)
Help us, Lord, to encourage one another to stay faithful to you while we wait for your return. Lord, we long for and look forward to the day you come to take us to be with you, and experiencing the eternal security and satisfaction you have promised in its fullness. Give us ears to hear the warning about not stirring up or awakening love until the appropriate time, because the danger of not patiently waiting for you to come again is real. We confess that we are tempted to seek in created things now that which you will give to us in the future, so keep our eyes fixed on you, and would the times we gather with your people encourage us to patiently wait for your appearing. Amen.
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<aside> 🙏🏻 “Go out, young women of Zion, and gaze at King Solomon, wearing the crown his mother placed on him on the day of his wedding—the day of his heart’s rejoicing.” (Song of Songs 3:11)
What a sight it will be when you return for your church King Jesus. When every eye will see you, and will bow down and confess that you are Lord. What a day it will be when you appear in all your glory and goodness, your power and purity, and what we see now by faith will be replaced by sight. We praise you that what should be a fearful day for us, has become one we eagerly await because you have made us the objects of your love and care. We pray, gracious Saviour, that many more would have this assurance too, so bring in those who have been appointed for eternal life, as we call people to look to you and be saved. Amen.
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