The Beloved Relapses Into Insecurity (SOS2:1)

SOS 2:1 I am the rose of Sharon (crocus), The lily of the valleys.

It is said that the rose of Sharon was a common flower that carpeted the fields during the rainy season. Here, it appears that the Beloved says that she is just one of many. And when the Lover showered her with his gifts and blessings, she bloomed as any common flower would. She was nothing special. She has a bit of a relapse into looking at herself and seeing herself in an inferior light.

But the Lover assures her that she is special to Him

SOS 2:2 Like a lily among thorns, so is my darling among the maidens (daughters).

She is not the self-assured bride with no inhibitions that MSJ wants to portray in the next verse. She still has a long way to go before she becomes the bold woman who says in SOS 8:1 ..."If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you; No one would despise me either". Boldness comes to her. But much later, after a considerable time receiving love, gifts and healing from her Lover. We see a hint of her blossoming confidence in chapter three. We see more of it in chapter five. But by chapter eight it is full blown boldness.

In fact, if you take SOS as a whole, you can see the progression of the abused, knocked down young lady into healing, wholeness and boldness. In chapter one, she is not Proverbs 31 woman material yet. She comes through a full healing before she is ready for that.

People who don't take SOS as a whole, but who cherry pick verses and put their spin on them don't recognized the chronological progression and make the mistake of flippantly saying that SOS is in not chronological. I understand that people can read the book several times and not see this. But knowing and seeing the chronology of it, myself, makes me want to cry out to the cherry pickers, "Have you ever actually read the book? All the way through? From start to finish? Or are you just leapfrogging from one 'good bit' to another?"

So, in chapter two, the first verse she shows her insecurity and need for reassurance. A need that the Lover adoringly bestows on her in verse two.

This inspires her in verse three and four to again praise him for what he has done for her so far.