Song of Songs: A Spiritual Commentary - Hardcover

Let Your Deepest Soul Rejoice!

You are the Beloved of the Divine Lover. You are loved with a love beyond that which human words can express, which song and pen seek in some way to convey or at least hint at. Let go. Let the currents of love invade you. Let your deepest soul rejoice....
—from the Preface

In the tradition of Christian mysticism, including Bernard of Clairvaux, Gregory the Great, and Ambrose of Milan, M. Basil Pennington shares his reflections on the Bible's most challenging mystical text, the ancient love poem that is the Song of Songs. In this extraordinary volume, Pennington is joined by the profound Jewish artist Phillip Ratner, whose inspired works call forth from Pennington not only transcendent prayer and rich analogy but also the deepest sentiments that are common to every human mind and heart.

Pennington reflects on the ways you can use the Song of Songs to fulfill your own unutterable aspirations. Enriched by Jewish and Christian faith, the drawings and meditations speak to you and every person who desires to connect with their deepest, most human longings. Allow yourself to let go and delve into the poetry of Song of Songs, to find joy in the boundless love of God for you, the beloved child. Allow yourself to experience this story of love—human love yearning for the Divine.

M. Basil Pennington, OCSO, was a monk for more than fifty years. He lived at St. Joseph's Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts and was the author of many modern spiritual classics, including Lectio Divina and Centering Prayer.

Phillip Ratner is a multimedia artist who works in sculpture, painting, etched glass, tapestry, drawing, and the graphic arts. Twenty years ago he opened the Israel Bible Museum in Safad, Israel. Since then, Ratner has spent most of his time there developing over 250 works of art on the Bible in sculpture, painting, and graphics. He has completed many private commissions and public works, and has earned degrees from the Pratt Institute and American University. To learn more about his work, visit www.ratnermuseum.com.