SEPTEMBER 7, 2025 PORTALS OF PRAYER READINGS

 

Song of Solomon 2

2 I am a rose^[a] of Sharon,
    a lily of the valleys.

He

² As a lily among brambles,
    so is my love among the young women.

She

³ As an apple tree among the trees of the forest,
    so is my beloved among the young men.
With great delight I sat in his shadow,
    and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
⁴ He brought me to the banqueting house,^[b]
    and his banner over me was love.
⁵ Sustain me with raisins;
    refresh me with apples,
    for I am sick with love.
⁶ His left hand is under my head,
    and his right hand embraces me!
⁷ I adjure you,^[c] O daughters of Jerusalem,
    by the gazelles or the does of the field,
that you not stir up or awaken love
    until it pleases.

The Bride Adores Her Beloved

⁸ The voice of my beloved!
    Behold, he comes,
leaping over the mountains,
    bounding over the hills.
⁹ My beloved is like a gazelle
    or a young stag.
Behold, there he stands
    behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
    looking through the lattice.
¹⁰ My beloved speaks and says to me:
“Arise, my love, my beautiful one,
    and come away,
¹¹ for behold, the winter is past;
    the rain is over and gone.
¹² The flowers appear on the earth,
    the time of singing^[d] has come,
and the voice of the turtledove
    is heard in our land.
¹³ The fig tree ripens its figs,
    and the vines are in blossom;
    they give forth fragrance.
Arise, my love, my beautiful one,
    and come away.
¹⁴ O my dove, in the clefts of the rock,
    in the crannies of the cliff,
let me see your face,
    let me hear your voice,
for your voice is sweet,
    and your face is lovely.
¹⁵ Catch the foxes^[e] for us,
    the little foxes
that spoil the vineyards,
    for our vineyards are in blossom.”

¹⁶ My beloved is mine, and I am his;
    he grazes^[f] among the lilies.
¹⁷ Until the day breathes
    and the shadows flee,
turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle
    or a young stag on cleft mountains.^[g]

Footnotes

1. Song of Solomon 2:1 Probably a bulb, such as a crocus, asphodel, or narcissus
2. Song of Solomon 2:4 Hebrew the house of wine
3. Song of Solomon 2:7 That is, I put you on oath; so throughout the Song
4. Song of Solomon 2:12 Or pruning
5. Song of Solomon 2:15 Or jackals
6. Song of Solomon 2:16 Or he pastures his flock
7. Song of Solomon 2:17 Or mountains of Bether

Psalm 45

Your Throne, O God, Is Forever

To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Maskil^[a] of the Sons of Korah; a love song.

45 My heart overflows with a pleasing theme;
    I address my verses to the king;
    my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.

² You are the most handsome of the sons of men;
    grace is poured upon your lips;
    therefore God has blessed you forever.
³ Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,
    in your splendor and majesty!

⁴ In your majesty ride out victoriously
    for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness;
    let your right hand teach you awesome deeds!
⁵ Your arrows are sharp
    in the heart of the king's enemies;
    the peoples fall under you.

⁶ Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
    The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;
⁷     you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
    with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
⁸     your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;
⁹     daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;
    at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

¹⁰ Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:
    forget your people and your father's house,
¹¹     and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him.
¹²     The people^[b] of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts,
    the richest of the people.^[c]

¹³ All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold.
¹⁴     In many-colored robes she is led to the king,
    with her virgin companions following behind her.
¹⁵ With joy and gladness they are led along
    as they enter the palace of the king.

¹⁶ In place of your fathers shall be your sons;
    you will make them princes in all the earth.
¹⁷ I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations;
    therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.

Footnotes

1. Psalm 45:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
2. Psalm 45:12 Hebrew daughter
3. Psalm 45:12 Or The daughter of Tyre is here with gifts, the richest of people seek your favor

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