“I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the does of the field, do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases.” Song of Solomon 2:7 also 3:5
“I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases.” SoS 8:4
Loving Father God,
Now is a good time to read Song of Solomon. as we believe Solomon wrote it and he know all about love and relationships with all his wives! A love poem? I wonder which wife inspired it? But that was a different time in history though the difficulties of relationships have never changed. Same things break up or damage them. Money, selfishness or another person?
Three times in this song/poem You, God warm about awakening love till it is the right time. You were writing to the daughters of Jerusalem but in today’s world we would say it to everyone. Do not awaken love till it is right and pleases everyone. It is not a trivial pursuit. Or short term contract. You showed us Your love in Jesus. Love that gave His all. And has never stopped loving us, being there for us and putting us first. Help us to love as we should where we should and how we should. And not awaken love where we know we should not.
Thank you that You awakened love at the right time when the world needed a Saviour.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Monday 9th June 2025
How the extra verses were written below lyrics.
Here is love, vast as the ocean,
Loving-kindness as the flood;
When the Prince of Life, my ransom,
Shed for me his precious blood.
Who his love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing his praise?
He shall never be forgotten,
Through Heav’n’s everlasting days
On the mount of crucifixion,
Fountains opened deep and wide,
Through the flood-gates of God’s mercy,
Flowed the vast and gracious tide;
Grace and love, like mighty rivers
Poured incessant from above,
And God’s peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love.
On the morn of resurrection
Mercy filled the thirsty grave
Where the stone of death burst open
Springs of life flowed unrestrained
Love no heart could ever measure
Joy no sorrows will outrun
Rush upon the soul believing
In the risen, reigning Son
O this love, vast love of Jesus
Bids us come and drink and live
To this weary world of longing
What more could our Savior give
Now to Christ who fully loved us
And who freed us from our sin
Be all glory and dominion
Everlasting praise to Him
Lyrics: William Rees (1847)
Additional verses Matt Boswell, Keith and Kristyn Getty.
This hymn was written by a Welshman called William Rees in 1847. A poet and a minister in a part of the world with a beautiful coast land. Perhaps that inspire some of the poetry he used. In Welsh the hymn is called ‘Dyma gariad fel y moroed’.
Several decades later the hymn became known as the ‘love song of the Welsh revival’. Imagine a small church in the Welsh town of Abertillery in 1904. Every corner is packed and people are leaning over the balcony, just as in many other churches up and down the country at that time. The congregation had been together praying and singing for several hours when suddenly a voice sang out ‘Here is love vast as the ocean’.
The rich and moving way it tells the gospel story struck a deep chord. The song went all over the world and with it the story of the Welsh revival telling how thousands of people came to faith in Christ. The song traditionally has only two verses and so recently Matt Boswell worked with us to add two more verses. Using more of the water imagery we carried the story on to the resurrection and then to an invitation for all to come to know the Lord’s unfailing love.