Song of Solomon 7:5The Message
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See God on parade to the sanctuary, my God, my King on the march! Singers out front, the band behind, maidens in the middle with castanets. The whole choir blesses God. Like a fountain of praise, Israel blesses God. Look—little Benjamin’s out front and leading Princes of Judah in their royal robes, princes of Zebulun, princes of Naphtali. Parade your power, O God, the power, O God, that made us what we are. Your temple, High God, is Jerusalem; kings bring gifts to you. Rebuke that old crocodile, Egypt, with her herd of wild bulls and calves, Rapacious in her lust for silver, crushing peoples, spoiling for a fight. Let Egyptian traders bring blue cloth and Cush come running to God, her hands outstretched.
You’re so beautiful, my darling, so beautiful, and your dove eyes are veiled By your hair as it flows and shimmers, like a flock of goats in the distance streaming down a hillside in the sunshine. Your smile is generous and full— expressive and strong and clean. Your lips are jewel red, your mouth elegant and inviting, your veiled cheeks soft and radiant. The smooth, lithe lines of your neck command notice—all heads turn in awe and admiration! Your breasts are like fawns, twins of a gazelle, grazing among the first spring flowers.
Shepherd, O God, your people with your staff, your dear and precious flock. Uniquely yours in a grove of trees, centered in lotus land. Let them graze in lush Bashan as in the old days in green Gilead. Reproduce the miracle-wonders of our exodus from Egypt. And the godless nations: Put them in their place— humiliated in their arrogance, speechless and clueless. Make them slink like snakes, crawl like cockroaches, come out of their holes from under their rocks And face our God. Fill them with holy fear and trembling. * * *