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.
The words belong to the bride, and they are her answer to the King who has just praised her. She looks over a whole forest of trees and picks out one. Everything that follows turns on that choice. Shade, fruit, rest and sweetness all come from one Person.
Whose Voice Speaks Here
One writer identifies both the speaker and the tree:
J. N. DarbyThe first six verses (leaving out the second) of Canticles 2 seem to me to be the voice of the bride. Notice here that Christ is the apple-tree. In theory she understands her relationship, and speaks mainly of herself; but there is real affection.
Which Tree She Names
The tree may not be the orchard apple at all. One writer names it as the finest of them all:
William Kelly"As the apple tree" — or citron tree, rather, the finest of all these trees, which the apple tree might not be.
The point of the comparison is not size or grandeur but usefulness:
Hamilton SmithThe King sees excellence in the bride above all the daughters of women. The bride, in return, sees in her beloved the only one among the sons of men in whom she can find rest, and shade, and fruit. So she compares him to the citron tree with its thick shade and rich golden fruit. Many trees of the wood may look grander to the eye of man. In the same way, men value their fellow men above the despised and lowly Jesus. Other trees of the forest may give shelter but yield no fruit. Some may yield fruit but give no shade. This tree alone meets every need. Christ is the true citron tree. Christ is the tree of life. As He passed through this world, to man's eye He was only a root out of dry ground, with no form or beauty. But to the believer that lowly Man is the only one among the sons of men who can give shelter, refreshment and rest in this dry and weary world.
Sitting Down: Rest for the Conscience
Sitting in his shadow is the posture of someone who has stopped striving. One writer connects it to the moment a troubled conscience finds a settled answer:
H H SnellThe Christian not only knows that Christ crucified is the way of salvation, but he makes use of it. He comes to Him, he enters in, he sits down in peace, because God provides rest for his sin-burdened conscience. The awakened soul has proved that human remedies are not enough. In the cross of the Son of God he finds everything to remove his guilt, quiet his fears, and fill him with the brightest hope.
Many look for that rest and never find it. One writer says why:
William J HockingBut many fail to find this blessed shadow. They search in vain. Day after day they plod on, weary and in pain. They are crushed under the burden of their daily cares. "Seek and you will find," said our Lord. But these fail to find rest because they seek a place, and not a Person. Christ Himself is "the apple-tree." At His feet there is both rest and rapture.
Five Things in One Verse
Take the verse phrase by phrase. Each part adds something:
Emmaus Correspondence SchoolNote, there are five things here. "I sat down" — there you have rest. "Under His shadow" — here is shelter. "With great delight" — this is true joy. "And His fruit" — see how it refreshes and nourishes the soul. "Was sweet to my taste" — not only food to nourish but sweet to the taste, bringing delight as we partake of it.
This writer follows an older translation, which reads: "I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste."
The Fruit Is His, Not Hers
She does not bring anything to the tree; she receives. One writer draws out what that removes:
The Christian's Friend"His fruit," she adds, "is sweet to my taste." Yes, "His fruit," for she receives from Him; she is not occupied with herself. There is no working under law to make herself fit. The very fact of being where she is — under His shadow — implies her fitness. How could there be "great delight" otherwise? That would be impossible. There would be fear and distrust, and none of that "perfect love" which casts out fear.
Beyond Relief
Shade and fruit meet a need. One writer points past need altogether:
Hamilton SmithGreat as these blessings are, they carry in them a measure of relief. Beyond the blessings that bring relief there are others that carry richer, deeper experiences. No thought of relief can enter these — only the infinite enjoyment of His fulness.
Summary
- Choice — Out of a whole forest she picks one tree; the beloved is Christ, valued above every rival the world offers.
- Sufficiency — Some trees give shade but no fruit. Others give fruit but no shade. This one meets every need.
- Rest — Sitting down is the end of striving. Those who never find rest are looking for a place instead of a Person.
- Receiving — The fruit is His, not hers. Being under His shadow is itself the qualification. She works up no effort to earn it.
- More — Shade and fruit relieve need. Beyond relief lies the enjoyment of His fulness, where no thought of relief can enter.