Song of Solomon 2:3
As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
As the apple tree stands out among the trees of the wood, so the beloved stands out among the sons as uniquely precious and distinguished. To sit beneath his shade with delight is to rest quietly in his love and trust his promises, finding shelter, refreshment and joy in personal companionship with him. Turning aside from worldly bustle to commune with him there brings peace, comfort and renewed strength for life's toils, struggles and conflicts, so that temptation, care, perplexity or darkness is met by looking to him in faith. His fruit is sweet to the taste of those who receive it and live under his loving care. When his people are filled with meekness and tenderness toward one another they taste that sweetness and make a heaven below, with heaven begun on earth in preparation for heaven above.
The Beloved Apple Tree
As the apple tree stands out among the trees of the wood, so the beloved stands out among the sons as uniquely precious and distinguished. He is fruitful where other trees are barren wood, and precious above all others to those who know him. He is the branch planted by the Lord.
To sit down under his shadow with great delight and to find his fruit sweet to the taste is to enter personal companionship with Christ and to receive what he gives. His shadow is a place of shelter and delight, and resting under his care brings joy and refreshment. The apple tree, its shade, and its sweet fruit also show how the beauty and gifts of nature teach spiritual lessons. They make the Word more precious, awaken gratitude for goodness, and draw the soul into communion with God.
Rest Under His Shadow
Sitting down under his shadow is quiet rest in his love and trust in his promises, learning quiet trust instead of hurried activity or hurried passage.
It means turning aside from worldly bustle to commune with him.
There the weary find peace, comfort, joy, delight, and renewed strength for life's toils, struggles, and conflicts.
There the weary learn to lessen toil and worry.
There they learn to speak in praise of God.
There they learn to sing in praise of God.
He is the outspreading shade under which believers find rest, peace, and pleasure.
When temptation and care come, looking to him in faith brings rest in his love and protection.
When perplexity and darkness come, looking to him in faith brings rest in his love and protection.
Sweet Fruit in Life
His fruit is sweet to the taste to those who receive it and live under his loving care. That sweetness is tasted when his people are filled with meekness and tenderness toward one another, for then they experience his fruit and his love. In that meek and tender fellowship they make a heaven below, with heaven begun on earth as preparation for heaven above. Living under his love in this way makes life on earth a foretaste and preparation for heaven.
In that meek and tender experience his love is their banner. That experience of his love and the sweetness of his fruit brings a different spirit into their work.