My beloved to me, and I to him who feedeth among the lilies,
דּוֹדִ֥י לִי֙ וַאֲנִ֣י ל֔וֹ הָרֹעֶ֖ה בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּֽים׃
7 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The Jewish synagogue was led astray. However, the holy and immaculate virgin, untouched by any form of impurity or sin (Eph. 5:27), which represents the Church, vows to Christ to uphold the sincere and pure nature of marriage, declaring, "My brother is to me, and I am to him."
Passed away in kreneh: see Song of Songs 2:1.
She declares: "I am my Brother, and my Brother is mine, who tends the flock in the lilies, until dawn arrives and the grass stirs." In this, the bride expresses that she has encountered the Most High, through His essence, yet for my benefit through my sister, the synagogue, who manifests in human form, and within Him I find solace, I become His dwelling place. For He is the good Shepherd, who does not provide mere grass for His flock, but nourishes the sheep with pure lilies, not with grass, but with true sustenance; for grass is sustenance suited to those without reason, whereas humanity, being a creature of reason, thrives on the authentic word. If one is fed only grass, they risk becoming like it. It is written, "All flesh is grass" (Isaiah 40:6) as long as it remains flesh.
Upon hearing this, the bride discloses the mysteries of purity: my brother to me, and az to him, guided within the locks, that is, among the most virtuous assemblies of maidens.
Finding herself among the heavenly daughters, she seeks the Word and, through her longing for Him, instills love within her. She realizes where to discover the Word, having learned that He remains amidst the prayers of the saints, uniting with them. She understands that He dwells in His Church and among the souls of the righteous, as He grazes among the lilies. This mystery was revealed to you by the Lord in the Gospel when He guided His disciples through the fields of grain on the Sabbath. Just as Moses led the people of Judah through the desert, Christ leads us through these fruitful fields and among the lilies, for in His suffering, the wilderness flourished like a lily. Let us follow Him so that on the great Sabbath, the day of ultimate rest, we may gather the fruits.
Do not fear the accusations of the Pharisees regarding the gathering of what you have sown. Even if they bring charges, Christ will vindicate and draw the souls He wishes to lead, much like David did when he ate the loaves of the offerings, foreseeing with prophetic insight the mysteries of new grace.
To the daughters of this heavenly assembly, she will seek the Word; as she seeks Him, she will awaken love within herself and know where to find the Word. She will recognize that it resides within the utterances of the saints and that it dwells in His Church and the souls of the righteous.
Those who have grasped these truths and similar insights, who have been blessed with divine gifts, are devoted to the Lord, who abundantly grants these gifts, and who carry His cherished name upon their lips. They declare, as expressed in the Song of Songs: My beloved is mine, and I am his.
He is my brother, and I am his. Just as He has chosen me above all, I likewise choose Him above all, desiring no union with anyone else. I turn away from deceitful distractions. It would be unseemly for one so deeply loved and adorned by Him not to strive, to the best of my ability, to mirror His love.
“He is my brother, and I am his.” Who He is, what He does, when and how He acts, are revealed in the text: The beloved speaks of His virtues—“I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.” The Bride responds, “As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.” Here, the Bride even refers to the pasture as a lily—a place rich with spiritual fragrance provided for the sheep.
According to the understanding of the Seventy translators, the term also refers to the shepherds themselves. "Until the day breaks, and the shadows flee away," signals the transient nature of worldly goods—wealth, fame, glory, power, health, beauty, and other fleeting things. They are like mere shadows, lacking substance or permanence. The Bridegroom tends to us until the heat of the day is gone, the refreshing dew of salvation descends, shadows are dispelled, and the eternal realities emerge. “Until the day breaks, and the shadows move”—until the dawn shines forth, making known what is to come, until the present transitions from the shadow into reality. On that day, the Good Shepherd will lead His flock into everlasting dwellings.
“Turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag upon the mountains of spices.” The Bride, yearning for the beloved’s presence to bring joy to all, petitions Him to ascend like those creatures, rising above the ordinary. She refers to those elevated in spirit amidst the humble as mountains of joy. Thus, she requests Him to honor them with His visit. The Bridegroom, hearing her plea, responds, but left alone, she is filled with sorrow and confides her grief to the young women.
When You, O Most Holy Virgin, manifested to the world as a bright dawn and unveiled the Sun of righteousness, the daunting darkness was cast away, the strength of the oppressor was vanquished, death was defeated, and the gates of hell were toppled. All animosity faded, and harmful afflictions withdrew in the presence of the salvation that had come forth, filling the entire cosmos with the illumination of pure truth. In this context, Solomon expressed in the Song of Songs, 'My beloved is mine, and I am his; he pastures among the lilies as long as the day breathes freshness and the shadows retreat.'
The cherished one, upon hearing her beloved's voice, extols his speed and recounts how he visited her home, painting a picture of the beauty of springtime in Palestine. He invites her to the mountain valleys and vineyards to revel in his presence and melody (2:8-15). In turn, she beckons him to her, sharing her experience of searching for him through the city streets at night, inquiring with the watchmen of the city, and ultimately, having located him, leading him to her mother's abode (2:16-17; 3:4). The beloved once again implores the bride’s companions not to disrupt her tranquility (5).
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS