Song 2:16 “My beloved is mine, and I am his;
He pastures his flock among the lilies.
The word “pasture” carries the idea of “resting, lingering, feeding, and shepherding.” There is even one place where this Hebrew word is translated “devour.” It’s among the Lilies that Jesus shepherds. Psalm 132 says that God is looking for a resting place.; a place where He no longer has to strive with resistant wills. Lilies are those who have chosen radical surrender as a way of life, and it is there where He, our Shepherd-King, can abide and feed His surrendered hearts with His presence, and sacred words.
Not only does He feed those who have chosen the surrendered life, but the language of verse 16 is that He, Our Beloved, feeds on the Lilies. The words “his flocks” are in italics, and therefore shouldn’t be there. The right translation is simply “He pastures among the Lilies.” Think about it; He feeds on our purity of heart. Set apart hearts fuel Him. They stir Him up to action, empowering Him to release His activity. Remember Lilies speak of the beauty of a pure (set apart) heart. Jesus said “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” He wants to devour us so that our life’s become one with His.
Speaking to Aslan the great Lion-King “Please,’ she said, ‘You’re so beautiful. You may eat me if you like. I’d rather be eaten by you than fed by anyone else.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Horse and His Boy