Meditations on the Song of Songs – bed of Solomon is surrounded2
Meditations on the Song of Songs
The spiritual people read this book and grow in love for God… But the carnal need a guide when reading it, lest they misunderstand it and turn its lofty meaning into worldly interpretations…
Let us continue our meditations on the verse from the Song: “Behold, the bed of Solomon; sixty mighty men are around it…” (Song 3:7).
Behold, the bed of Solomon is surrounded by sixty mighty men…
The Kingdom of Heaven is entered only by the mighty of spirit.
Yet, sadly, we are often mighty toward others, but not in dealing with ourselves! For, as Solomon the Wise said, “He who rules his spirit is better than he who takes a city.”
Saint Paul the Hermit was mighty in solitude—he spent eighty years without seeing a human face, nor was he comforted by the words of people; his comfort was in God alone.
There were others mighty in fasting: some lived thirty years without the sun ever seeing them eat; others never ate meat all their lives; and others went for days without eating or drinking…
Thus lived the mighty ones. But in our generation, how many churches have reduced or even canceled fasts, under the pretext of compassion for the people!
Our fathers were also mighty in memorizing the verses of the Holy Scripture.
The verses flowed on their tongues with great ease, to the point that one scholar said, “If the Bible were lost, we could reconstruct it from the writings of the Fathers!”
They were mighty in steadfastness—nothing could disturb them…
There are weak people who are easily provoked; any word they think hurts their feelings can upset them. Even words of praise and admiration stir in them the love of vain glory. Any lustful sight shakes them… the slightest thing becomes a stumbling block to them. Poor are these—they are not among the mighty who stand around the throne of the Lord, around the bed of Solomon!
I want you, my brethren, to be mighty in the war of the Lord.
When the angels describe the holy Church and the righteous within it, who were not shaken by the temptations of the world or the wars of the devil, Michael the Archangel stands with a golden harp in his hand, and with his angels sings: “Behold, the bed of Solomon; sixty mighty men are around it.”
And when the chief of demons wants to send one of his soldiers to fight one of these mighty ones, the demon cries out in terror:
“Do you want him to burn me with fire?! I cannot go to fight him! Do you want to destroy me?! Keep me away from him—he is mighty!”
These mighty ones are all holding swords and are trained for battle—each man has his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.
Saint Paul explained this battle in his Epistle to the Ephesians (6:10), saying: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers… against the spiritual hosts of wickedness. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day.”
These are the mighty ones—those who carry the swords of God’s armor.
When the devil fights you, strike him with the sword of humility, the sword of wisdom, a verse from Scripture, a saying of the Saints, the sword of prayer, the sword of spiritual struggle, the sword of self-discipline…
Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty one—draw it, prosper, and reign! Thus David calls to you in the Psalm.
Your sword must be on your thigh—in readiness—not hanging in the armory. Be always ready and alert. Let not sin come to you while you are careless or idle…
The children of God—each one has his sword on his thigh because of fear in the night…
The night is darkness, a symbol of sin, where there is no light nor warmth…
And “fear in the night” means the dread of sins, the terror of demonic wars, the danger of hidden sins that lurk in the dark, unseen by the soul whose spiritual vision is weak.
Do not trust the devil. Be always ready; gird your sword upon your thigh.
Neglect not your vigilance. Do not say, “I am strong now.” You never know when or how the devil will attack you. Keep your sword upon your thigh because of fear in the night. Let prayer be always in your heart, the Word of God in your mind, your spiritual practices firm and disciplined at all times. Never cast aside your weapon.
Let us be among those mighty ones, that God may lead us in the triumph of His victory, that we may not be defeated in the wars. And if we are defeated in one battle, we may win the next. The battle is the Lord’s, and the Lord is able to grant you victory.
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Article by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III – El-Keraza Magazine, Year 6 (Issue 3), January 17, 1975
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