Song of Solomon 2:2 Meaning: A Lily Among Thorns
As a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.
As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.
As a lily among thorns, So is my love among the daughters.
So is my friend among the daughters!
As the lily among thorns, So is my love among the daughters.
Meaning in one sentence
What does it mean to be a lily among thorns? Explore the original Hebrew, Christian readings, and the meaning for your life today.
Context
The verse is part of a love poem, a dialogue between a bride and her groom. In the line just before this one, the bride describes herself as a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. She speaks of herself as a simple flower from the countryside. Now the groom answers her. He takes her self-image and turns it into a higher praise. Where she saw herself as one lily among many, he says she is like a lily surrounded by thorns. The other women, the court ladies of Jerusalem, fade in comparison. He sees her as utterly distinctive, beautiful beyond measure. This is not a warning about danger but an exclamation of delight.
Key Words
The word behind lily is the Hebrew shushan. It likely does not refer to the cultivated Easter lily we know today. It probably means a wild flower, perhaps the red anemone that grows freely in fields. It is common, yet beautiful. The groom sees this ordinary wildflower as something precious.
The word for thorns is choach. Commentators note this may be a specific noxious thistle, the kind that scratches and chokes. It is the opposite of the lily: painful, useless, ugly. The contrast is sharp.
And the word translated my love is ra'yah, a feminine term meaning companion, friend, darling. It is a warm, intimate word. The groom calls her his friend as much as his beloved. The repetition of among (bein) underlines how she stands out in the middle of everything else.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians read this verse in two main ways. Many in the allegorical tradition, going back to the early church, see it as Christ speaking to his bride, the church. For them, the lily is the faithful soul or the church community, and the thorns are the unbelieving world. The church is beautiful and pure even when surrounded by hostility. Other Christians read the Song of Songs as a celebration of human marriage, given by God. They see the verse as a husband's heartfelt compliment to his wife, exalting her above all other women. Both readings find a message of love and value. Across traditions, readers agree that the verse points to a love that sees the beloved as precious and set apart, whether between husband and wife or Christ and his people.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers assume the lily is a specific flower like the Easter lily, cultivated in gardens. In fact, the Hebrew word shushan likely referred to a wild flower common in fields, such as an anemone or lotus. This makes the contrast with thorns more natural: both grow wild, yet one is strikingly beautiful while the other is only prickly and painful. The groom is praising his bride's natural, unforced beauty, not a flower bred in a palace garden.
Living This Out
This week, you might feel plain or out of place. Maybe you are the one who does not seem to fit in at work, in your family, or even at church. The groom in this verse does not say, 'You are a lily despite the thorns.' He sees her as a lily among thorns. The thorns are still there, but they do not define her. You are defined by the love that calls you beautiful. Let that sink in. You do not have to prove your worth. Someone sees you as a lily. If you are married, consider speaking that kind of specific, heartfelt praise to your spouse this week. Let your words cause them to bloom.
Main takeaway: One clear voice calls you a lily, even when everything around you seems thorny. That is the truth that matters.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
A lily is a pretty flower. Imagine a beautiful white flower growing in a patch of prickly thorns. That is how the man in this poem talks about the woman he loves. He says she is the most beautiful one around.
For ages 9, 12
In this verse a husband tells his wife that she stands out from everyone else like a beautiful flower among thorns. It is a way of saying, 'You are special to me, and nobody else compares.' If you follow Jesus, this verse can also remind you that God sees you as precious. You do not have to try to be someone else. You are already loved just as you are.
Questions People Ask
What does 'lily among thorns' mean in Song of Solomon 2:2?
The groom is praising his bride by saying she stands out among other women like a beautiful wildflower growing in a patch of prickly thorns. It is a compliment about her surpassing beauty and worth. The emphasis is on contrast and distinctiveness, not on danger or persecution.
Who is speaking in Song of Solomon 2:2?
The groom, traditionally understood as King Solomon, is speaking to his bride. He is responding to her self-description in verse 1, where she calls herself a lily of the valleys. He takes her humble image and raises it into a declaration of her excellence.
Do Christians read this verse as about Jesus and the church?
Many Christians across the centuries have read this verse as an allegory of Christ's love for the church. In this reading, Christ is the groom and the church or the individual believer is the bride. The lily represents the church's beauty and purity, while the thorns symbolize the unbelieving world. Other Christians read the verse as literally about human marriage, and both views are respected within different traditions.
What does the Hebrew word for 'thorns' suggest?
The Hebrew word is choach, which likely refers to a strong, noxious thistle or brier, not just any thorny plant. Commentators note it can also mean a hook or fetter. This reinforces that the contrast between the lily and the thorns is not just a mild difference but a sharp one. The bride is not merely different; she is radiantly set apart.
How does Song of Solomon 2:2 connect to the verse before it?
In verse 1 the bride says, 'I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.' She sees herself as a common wildflower. The groom in verse 2 takes her image and says, 'As a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.' He affirms that she is indeed a lily, but she is not ordinary. Among all other women she is a lily surrounded by thorns. It is a beautiful example of a lover lifting up his beloved's self-image.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study