St. Bernard's command of Scripture is amazingly displayed as he draws from a wide range of scriptural quotes to make the point of his sermon.
from Sermon 27.2-4 On the Song of Songs
His [Christ’s]
power and his wisdom were undoubtedly present at the establishing of the
heavens.[12] And do not imagine that he stood by idle, as merely a spectator,
because he said "I was there," and not "I was cooperating."
Search further on in this text and you will find that he clearly states he was
with him arranging all things.[13] Therefore he said: "Whatever the Father
does, the Son does too."[14] He it was who spread out the heavens like a
curtain, a curtain of superlative beauty that covers the whole face of the
earth like a huge tent,and charms our human eyes with the variegated spectacle
of sun and moon and stars. Is there anything more lovely than this curtain?
Anything more bejewelled than the heavens? Yet even this can in no way be
compared to the splendor and comeliness of the bride. It fails because it is a
physical thing, the object of our physical senses; its form will pass away.[15]
“For the things that are seen are transient, but 
the things that are unseen are
eternal."[16]
Il. 3. The bride's form must be understood in a spiritual sense, her beauty as something that is grasped by the intellect; it is eternal because it is an image of eternity. Her gracefulness consists of love, and you have read that "love never ends."[17] It consists of justice, for "her justice endures forever.”[18] It consists of patience, and Scripture tells you ' 'the patience of the poor shall not perish forever."[19] What shall I say of voluntary poverty? Of humility? To the former an eternal kingdom is promised,[20] to the latter an eternal exaltation.[21] To these must be added the holy fear of the Lord that endures for ever and ever;[22] prudence too, and temperance and fortitude and all other virtues; what are they but pearls in the jewelled raiment of the bride, shining with unceasing radiance? I say unceasing, because they are the basis, the very foundation of immortality. For there is no place for immortal and blissful life in the soul except by means and mediation of the virtues. Hence the Prophet, speaking to God who is eternal happiness, says: "Justice and judgment are the foundation of your throne.”[23] And the Apostle says that Christ dwells in our hearts, not in any and every way, but particularly by faith.24 When Christ, too, was about to ride on the ass, the disciples spread their cloaks underneath him,[25] to signify that our Savior, or his salvation, will not rest in the naked soul until it is clothed with the teaching and discipline of the apostles. [26] Therefore the Church, possessing the promise of happiness to come,[27] now prepares for it by adorning herself in cloth of gold, girding herself with a variety of graces and virtues,[28] in order to be found worthy and capable of the fulness of grace.
4. Though this visible, material heaven,
with its great 
variety of stars is
unsurpassingly beautiful within the bounds of the material creation, I should
not dare to compare its beauty with the spiritual and varied loveliness she
received with her first robe when being arrayed in the garments of holiness.
But there is a heaven of heavens to which the Prophet refers. "Sing to the
Lord who mounts above the heaven of heavens, to the east. "[29] This
heaven is in the world of the intellect and the spirit; and he who made the
heavens by his wisdom,[30] created it to be his eternal dwelling-place. 31
You must not suppose that the bride's 
affections can find rest outside
of this heaven, where she knows her Beloved dwells: for where her treasure is,
there her heart is too. 32 She so yearns for him that she is jealous
of those who live in his presence; and since she may not yet participate in the
vision that is theirs, she strives to resemble them in the way she lives. By
deeds rather than words she proclaims: “Lord, I love the beauty of your house, the
place where your glory dwells.[33]
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[12] 1 Cor 1:24 [13] Prov 8:30 [14] Jn 5:19 [15] 1 Cor 7:31 [16] 2 Cor 4:18 [17] 1Cor 13:8 [18] Ps 112:3 [19] Ps 10:19 [20] Mt 5:3 [21] Lk 14:11 [22] Ps19:10 [23] Ps 89:15 [24] Eph 3:17 [25] Mt 21:7 [26] 2 Cor 5:4 [27] 1 Tim 4:8 [28] Ps 45:10 [29] Ps 68:33-34 [30] Ps 136:5 [31] Is 40:22 [32] Mt 6:21 [33] Ps 26:8 One has been added to the references to Psalms in order to match the Psalms from the NAB. St. Bernard used the Vulgate.
text is from CISTERCIAN FATHERS SERIES: NUMBER SEVEN - BERNARD OF
CLAIRVAUX - Song of Songs II
