Chapter 1

Solomon’s Song of Song’s 1:1. The superlative title.  This God breathed love poem stand above all the others.  No other love Song illustrates the Love of God, His “Flame” 8:6 better than any other.  This Love Song has two of the most excellent lovers.  A husband above all other husbands.  A wife that is the most beautiful woman and the greatest difficulties like mountains are overcome to prove their love to God and each other.

Song 1:1

“Solomon’s Song of Songs”

The title of the greatest Love Song ever written by the wisest husband who ever lived is called Solomon’s Song of Songs.  Solomon wrote over 1,000 Songs, 1 Kings 4:32
“He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005.” and Moses wrote some songs and David wrote many as well.  But this Song, is superlative in nature.

The relative clause refers to “the whole idea of the song of songs.”  K And D

The whole idea of the love Song is to know what love is Song 8:6.  Of all the love songs Solomon wrote this one illustrates love the best.

A Cinderella story above all other 10,000 Cinderella love stories yet true.

The Song of Songs illustrates how the Flame of the Lord (Song 8:6) operates in a marriage union between a king of peace and a Gentile enemy slave girl.   The king of peace lives up to his name.  She lives up to her name princess of peace 6:13. 1 Kings 9:20-23 with Song 1:5-6.   Line up all the other loves Songs and this Songs stands above them all!  You have the greatest husband Song 5:9 and the “most beautiful woman” Song 1:8 overcoming the greatest obstacles in marriage till their union of souls reached practical oneness Song 8:5-6.   Like the holy of holies was the holiest place on earth so this Love Song has within it the most excellent lovers, she has no flaw in her and he is chief among ten thousand.

The inscription Solomon’s Song of Songs can be understood “The Song of songs, which is by, or to, or of, or about Solomon.

Solomon and the Holy Spirit are its author/Author.  Solomon was gifted with unmeasurable wisdom 1 Kings 4:23.   Solomon was the wisest king of kings.   Solomon wrote the greatest collection of wisdom literature.  Solomon was a prophet.  Solomon also was a faithful high priest until he was “old”.  Solomon was a shepherd of sheep.  Song 1:8 with Ecc. 2:7  and beloved and friend Song 5:16, son of David, a messiah of Israel, sat on the “throne of God”  2 Chronicles 9:8 in Jerusalem.  Built a house where God came to dwell with man.   As far as I can tell Solomon was the greatest type of Christ to have ever lived!   Of course Solomon sinned and so did all the other messiahs.   Solomon sinned at the end of his life 1 Kings 11:4.  The Solomon in the Song does not sin.  So either this is Solomons first wife or he wrote the Song illustrating a perfect Solomon or it is excerpts of the times he was perfect.  The Song doesn’t have the whole life of Solomon in it.  Only portions of his courtship and marriage are written and there for us.   Either reason you choose the point is that Solomon loved his wife as Christ loves the Church in the Song of Songs.   Solomon was the greatest type of Christ to have ever lived and the greatest Love Song ever written illustrates for us how the greatest husband who ever lived loved his wife.

So how do we go from Solomon to Christ?

Solomon is not Christ, Solomon was a Christ, a Messiah, but not The Messiah.  Solomon was a type of Jesus Christ.

Solomon possessed unmeasurable wisdom yet when Christ appeared He said “a greater than Solomon is here”  Matt. 12:42   We get to Christ not by taking Solomons name out and putting Jesus there, but by arguing from the lesser to the greater.  Solomon loved his wife but Christ’s love to His bride, is greater.   How much more so is Christ.  Solomon loved his bride.  Christ loved His bride.  But how much more so does Christ love his bride.  If we can see how much wisdom and love is on display in Solomon’s love to his bride then we can more easily get a clearer idea of our Bridegrooms wisdom and love for us when we argue from the lesser to the greater Lover.   Or something like.   The bride fearlessly and swiftly pursued a closer more intimate relationship with Solomon because his “name” was like perfume.   How much more so ought we to pursue Christ!  He has a Name above all Names!  LORD of lords.  We do have fears of punishment when we sin and sin again, but this is due to learning the Christian life and what to do when feeling guilty, look to the cross and think of Jesus suffer the Wrath of God you deserve.  If you believe this when feeling guilty then you will have no fear of punishment.  Believer will not be fast and fearless when fearing punishment from God.  1 John 4

“We never could have any notion what understanding or volition, love or hatred are, either in created spirits or in God, if we had never experienced what understanding and volition, love and hatred, are in our own minds. Knowing what they are by consciousness, we can add degrees, and deny limits, and remove changeableness and other imperfections, and ascribe them to God. Which is the only way we come to be capable of conceiving of any thing in the Deity.” JE

Every believing husband is a type of Christ.  No matter what time frame you were born from Adam to the end of time all husbands were, are and will be a type of Christ.  You want to see the Love of Jesus to His bride, look to the most godly husband you know and you will see a husband loving his wife as Christ loved the church.  Man is the authority in the marriage and woman is cursed to usurp that role, the born again woman will get better and better at her submission to her husband and her husband will also grow better at love, forgiveness, communication, leadership, friend, etc.  So do we usurp Christ’s reign in our hearts when we get selfish, yet Christ forgives and never stops loving us because He paid the penalty for our sin and He is our Bridegroom.

Often times as I write I will capitalize Husband, King, Shepherd etc.  This is when both ideas are true, rather than rewrite the same sentence.  Both ideas are true.  One true idea taught directly from the Song and another taught somewhere else.  For example.   It is true that the bride desired to experience her kings love in marriage over and over again because his love was better than wine.  Song 1:2-4.   Now the same is true for our relationship with God through Christ.   We are the bride of Christ.   We desired to experience our Kings Love in a Spiritual Union over and over again because His love is more delightful than any other delightful experience/wine.  My latter example of Christ’s love to the Church being more delightful than any other experience doesn’t come directly in the Song.  We have to argue from the lesser messiah to the greater Messiah.  Matt. 12:42  Rather than go through the whole process of explaining how Im not reading into the text Christ where he is not.   Yes Christ is not in the Song of Songs but the greatest type of Christ is, Solomon.  So we argue that if she desired Solomon so much because of his character, how much more so ought we to desire Christ because of His Greater Character.  We can say how much more so.   Christ is Greater.  Solomon is in the Song, but Christ said a Greater than Solomon is here.   A Greater King, Greater Shepherd, Greater Priest, Greater Beloved, Greater Friend, Greater Husband of our souls!  So I might say the bride desired to experience her husbands/Husbands love because it was more delightful than wine.  Both statements are true wether you are talking about husband Solomon or Husband Christ, both are true.  The Song teaches of Solomon little h for husband so that we can learn more about the Greater Husband Christ and his love to His Bride, the Church.

I Peter 2:2–3, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby; if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” Canticles 1:3, “Because of the savor of thy good ointment, thy name is as ointment poured forth; therefore do the virgins love thee”; compared with, I John 2:20, “But ye have an unction from the holy One, and ye know all things.”

The comparative superlative refers to an individual or object that surpasses all the others in the group in some way. The group can sometimes be omitted or assumed. This is expressed by:

a. A definite article with the adjective

הִנֵּה בִתִּי הַגְּדוֹלָה

Here is my eldest [largest] daughter (1 Sam. 18:17).

 

b. An adjective made definite by a suffix or construct relationship

מִקְּטַנָּם וְעַד־גְּדוֹלָם

from the least to the greatest [lit. from their small to their large] (Jer. 6:13)

 

c. A definite adjective preceding a prepositional phrase with בְּ (rare)

הַיָּפָה בַּנָּשִׁים

the fairest among women (Song 1:8)

 

d. A singular noun in the status constructus followed by a definite plural form of the same word

שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים

the most beautiful song (Song of Songs) [lit. the song of the songs] (Song 1:1)

 Van der Merwe, C., Naudé, J., Kroeze, J., Van der Merwe, C., Naudé, J., & Kroeze, J. (1999). A Biblical Hebrew Reference Grammar (electronic ed., pp. 236–237). Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press.

From more my bigger and lower case writing click Here.

For more on Solomon’s Song of Songs as a superlative title, I give 10 reasons just click here.

First section 1:2-2:6

Arousal phase of getting closer.   From arousal to conception of the union in love.

Chamber 1, under the apple tree she aroused him,  from being an enemy to the king to being his friend.  Once his enemy but now at the banquet hall resting in love, joy and peace in his arms.  From an unsatisfied life to the satisfied in God’s kingdom.

1:2-4

First I will Give overall statements then possible definition for better understanding, then an exposition of the text word by word or phrase by phrase.  Then the principle truths observed will be stated.  From these principles of Love in marriage will come application for the husband or wife to learn and understand God’s will for them in marriage, correct them if they are on the wrong path, rebuke those who know better and train both to love each other better and better for a holy marriage full of the greatest loves, joys and delights.  And then an application for the believer encouraging them to a closer more intimate relationship with Christ with proper application of the principal truth understood by arguing from the lesser Christ in the Song to the Greater Christ Jesus who is our LORD of lords and King of Kings.

1.  Overall Statements of Song 1:2-4

The bride to be has the greatest type of Christ on her mind, the king, she had heard of Israel’s coming messiah’s, Solomon and Christ.   He would be the promised son of David who sat on “God’s throne” in Jerusalem  2 Chronicles.9:8.  As a little child, king Solomon was gifted with unmeasurable wisdom 1 Kings 4:23 after Solomon’s selfless prayer for young king Solomon loved Israel more than riches.

She desires the nearest relationship and most intimate union.

Delightful thoughts of the king/King were in her mind and heart.   She had on her mind the king/King to whom peace belongs.  Solomon was a type of Christ.   Solomon, the greatest type of Christ living was on the bride to be’s mind and heart.   Solomon’s “name” was like perfume poured out.  This is no evil person she delights in.  Solomon’s name, who he was, promised messiah, prophet, priest and “king of kings” Solomon’s name was so pleasing to hear, no wonder all the other single girls desired him.  But she wants him so she says.

“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his lips, for your love is more delightful than wine.  Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfume, your name is like perfume poured out, no wonder the maidens love you.  Take me away with you.  Let us hurry.  Let the king take me into his chambers.”  Solomon’s Song of Songs 1:2-4

The bride to be has subjective feelings.  Are they holy and right?  Yes 1:4.  “How right they are to adore you” says everyone else but the Solomon, the unwed virgins and the bride to be, which leaves the married people, single men and young kids.

1:2 and 8:6  From God, is something of God, and to God.  Love of God, Gods love like a flame.  A love to divine things for the beauty of their moral excellency, is the beginning and spring of all holy affections. When love flashes a beholding the moral beauty of God and a delight therein , delight yourself in the LORD that is the spring of the flame.  A taste is given and then the holy emotion of love will manifest itself in Song 1:2-4 differently than 1:7 or any other passage.

Here the bride desires the closest most intimate relationship with the king in marriage. Her actions later prove this love to be true, but for now she earnestly desires oneness with him.

The question that keeps jumping out at you is, “What is it about this guy that makes him so desirable?”

2.  Definitions

Love=  Her love to God and Solomon.  Love is the souls relish of the supreme excellency or holiness of the Divine Nature inclining the heart toward God as its chief good.

Benevolent love

Beneficence

Love of complacency

Heshed

Eros

PHileo

Agape

3.  Exposition

Solomon’s Song of Songs 1:2

“Let him kiss me with the kisses..”

“Let”=  This is a request from her King and the One her heart loves.  A prayer request and also her desire.  She is asking for more of what she already has.  She has tasted and experienced His love so she asks for more of it from her King.

“him” Let “him/Him“= We ask God to show us His love through Christ.  Or Jesus to show us love over and over again due to our union with Him.  Let King Jesus, my Savior, show me His love by Solomon kissing me over and over again because “his” love, the love of an unmeasurable wise king is more delightful than any other experience.  God would be showing the bride affection if Solomon were to kiss her.  God would be showing His love to the bride through her husband/Husband.

Its a sense of the value and beauty of “him” that inclines her heart to him.  The excellency of his name and nature are the foundations of all this is valuable in him making “him” the most desirable lover and king.

“him”

She invites us to enter their relationship through her eyes by saying “let him” in the 3rd person.  This draws us into her thoughts and feelings, viewing the song from her perspective.  Most of the song is from her perspective and in order to understand what she is thinking and feeling we must enter her mind and heart and know what she is thinking and feeling and why in order to know the love she has for the king with a name that is pleasing to her like perfume poured out.  Does your heart resinate with hers?  Would you desire and long for Solomon to be your king because of who he is and the sweetness of his character.  If you were a woman would you also desire to have the closest most intimate relation with him?

“him”  He is in her.  He is in her heart.  He is on her mind when the light and heat of love flashes.  When love flashes a lively idea of the one we love comes to mind.  She loved “him”.  Conversely she is in him.  She is on his mind.  He is in her and she is in him.  The Father is in the Son and the Son is in the Father John 10:38.  The Two are One.  Separate but one.  The two become one.

“him”  Her delight is in him, who he is and his love is delightful.  Ps. 22:8

Let Him “kiss“=  A kiss is a way in which we express love to someone.  A kiss is a show of affection toward to one we love.  Love delights in the happiness of the object of its affection.  The one we love delight to be shown love.  They are happy when they get a kiss from the One they love.  When an affectionate Kiss is shown or experienced by us from God it is more delightful than any other experience.  Holy kiss.  A gentile enemy sunburnt slave getting a kiss of love from the king of peace.

“kiss”   a sign of friendship and not enmity between enemies of the king.  2 Sam 14:³³ So Joab went to the king and told him this. Then the king summoned Absalom, and he came in and bowed down with his face to the ground before the king. And the king kissed Absalom.”

Let Him kiss “me“=  I the sinner, let him kiss “me” the unworthy one, I need forgiveness, I need cleansing.   I desire holy communion with the king.  A kiss showing he has a love of complacency in “her”.   She wants to be the special one chosen.  Kiss “me”.   Kiss “me” I was an enemy slave girl.

With the “kisses“=  Plural, she wants multiple kisses.  Not just one but many.  Her soul hungers for His love to be experienced by her over and over again.  The expression of the kings love is manifested by him giving her multiple kisses.

The multiple shows of affection will happen because love is “unquenchable”.  it is “unquenchable”.  Nothing can stop the Love of God from revealing itself to the believer over and over again in greater degree’s.

The heat will continue to intensify, the light will continue to intensify, the capacity of beholding will continue to grow as humility is cultivated by beholding Beauty or the holiness that consists in Love To God.   The Beauty of the fact is that there is now mixture of evil in God’s Love.

“Kisses”  Just as the “eye is not satisfied with seeing” neither would one kiss or one show of affection satisfy this woman.

“your lips”  She wants him to choose to connect his lips with “hers”.   I want Him to show me affection.  This is her desire.  Her prayer request.  She is the one hungering and thirsting for affection from Him.

The king is not present physically.  “Let” is a request and the king is not present.  Let “Him”  suggests she has a certain person on her mind, in the forefront of her thinking.  He is so close to her heart that its as if he were there, so he she uses the words “your lips” in the second person rather than in the 3rd person “Let him”.  I do not doubt that the girl in love has the Love the flame of God in her flashing at the moment 8:6.  She wants special kisses on the lips from the himHim on her mind, the thought of which is more delightful than the delightfulness that comes from the wine drunk at a wedding feast.

why?

“for your love is more delightful than wine”

Canticles 1:3, “Because of the savor of thy good ointments, thy name is as ointment poured forth; therefore do the virgins love thee.”

“for”  the basis for which she wants further multiple display of affection in marriage is because experiencing his love as king of peace was more delightful than wine.  Or “because” of the superlative delightfulness of the kings love to God’s people she desires to experience his love in a more intimate way in marriage.

“your love”  Rather your loves, plural.  All the different ways in which his love to her will be manifested in union with him.  The king of kings love is more delightful than wine.  His love.  She specifically wants God to show her love through the king for a specific reason.

“you love is more delightful than wine”  Her delight in in His love because it is a holy love and since holiness consists in love, her delight is in his holiness and holy name.  Therefore the love here on display in her word is a love of complacency.  For the “love of benevolence is a delight in beholding the prosperity of another, as complacency is delighting in the beauty of another.” JE

“your love” 1:2 and 1:4.  The love of the king.  Experiencing God’s love through His son the king of peace.  the love of God is the most suitable entertainment of the soul of man, which naturally desires the happiness of society, or of the strictest union with the One/ones we love.  Love of a wise king, messiah, shepherd etc.  Height, Depth, width, length.  Look and Taste, praiseworthiness of it.  High valuation of ‘him”  expressed in her words,  “How right they are to adore him” the king of kings.  As his subjects they rejoiced and delighted in experiencing God’s love through his son, the king of peace. For they said “we will rejoice and delight.” in our Messiah and king, “We will praise his love more than wine.”  A delight in the manifestation of God’s love is a delight in God.  A rejoicing in the experience of God’s love through a mediator is a rejoicing and delighting in God.

“Love”

When we call to mind Christ’s love, it should be with the exercise of mutual love .

“The Spirit is the mutual love of the Father and the Son.”

the hearts of the saints do often Burn within them when divine things are held forth to them for Love is an ardent Principle tis as it were the warmth or heat of the soul. no wonder that the Presenting of things before the soul that & has a Principle of divine Love to stirs up the principle.  JE

“love” “loves”  Tokens of love.  Plural.  All the various ways he expresses love.  King, shepherd, friend, husband, lover etc.  God being an infinite fountain of good is as it were infinitely communicative, or infinitely overflowing, and therefore the communication of how great abundance soever. “God is love” (1 John 4:16). His essence being love, he is as it were an infinite ocean of love without shores and bottom, yea, and without a surface.

“is”  the word is bring certainty and absoluteness to the facts.  You can have no doubt about it for his love is more delightful than wine.  “is” also let us know that her experience of his love as king is in the present tense.  Yet she desires closer and more intimate shows of affection for this is what love desires.   Love desires the closest and strictest union in every way with the one it loves.

“Covenantal Love”  A king to his people.  A king has a role to fulfill.  Be king.  Be God’s best representative here on earth.

How can two enemies live at peace with one another?  Through their love to and union with husband/Husband the king of peace, the king to whom peace belongs, the king that will make true peace with his enemies by their proving their love by submitting to the Law of Moses.   The king would rule using the “Law of Moses”.   Anyone wanting to experience God’s peace through their union in love with Israel’s Messiah would prove it by their love or submission to God.  Peace with God and man is best seen in the person and work of Israel’s third Messiah, Solomon, God’s beloved son, Jedidiah.  Solomon’s love to his enemies couldn’t be bought, they had to give it to him freely.  For if all the money in the world were given for the Messiah’s gracious love/Love it would be utterly scorned.

“more delightful”  The bride to be wants to experience God’s love through Israels king and messiah because his love is more delightful than wine.  The wisest kings love was of a superlative nature.  The delightfulness of it was better than wine.  When both felt and understood love is the souls relish of the supreme excellency of the divine nature (wether it be seen in God, Through the Son and felt in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit in meditation or experienced by a husband, king, pastor shepherd, father or friend.) inclining the heart to God as it’s chief good for his/His love is more delightful than wine.

More pleasant more refreshing.

Wine and anointing oils are good but love is better.

Their love of God, holiness and moral beauty draws them together,

A love to God for the beauty and sweetness of his moral excellency or holiness is the first beginning and spring of all holy emotions.

Jesus Christ is not only the legal head of the saints. As their head, he is their representative, and their head of government, but also their vital head, their head of influence and communication, and that both of holiness and happiness. He is as it were their head of enjoyment, so that they enjoy all things in him, and as communicating and partaking with him; as when many streams issue from [a] fountain, they all are united to the fountain, and partake of its fullness, every canal has its mouth inserted and immersed into that full fountain. And as the members of the body all partake of the life, and health, and welfare of the head by the nerves, those from every limb of the body are terminated in the head; so the saints, being in Christ as members of his body, or branches on a vine, all partake according to the measure of their capacity of his fullness. John 1:16, “And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.” So that as we may be sure God begrutches nothing to the head or fountain, so nothing is too much for the members according to their capacity {of his fullness}. For they are happy by partaking of Christ’s glory and joy. John 17:13, “That my joy may be fulfilled in themselves.”

“More Delightful”  better than or of a higher quality or ability to delight the soul and body rather than wine that only delights the body but has no transforming power of its own to truly and fully satisfy the holy ardent desirous heart.

Her soul has tasted what it is like to be loved by the king of peace with a love that is Spiritual in Nature.  Of the soul satisfying Nature.  The communication of who He is and His Gracious Love for us understood by understanding who the coming Messiah is and Through knowing what He does motivated by Love helps us in the OT know what true love is.  True Love to God is reflected in the person and work of the coming Messiah.  It is the coming Messiah who also has a part in drawing himself closer to Himself.

The one that makes her the happiest is who she wants.

She has a sense and tastes with her soul the delightfulness of Israel’s king love.  His Character or name is excellent, king of kings with unmeasurable wisdom and love to God, which is his beauty and she has a sense of its sweetness and beauty.

She is sensible that his character is excellent.

“more delightful”  Any manifestation of the love of God delighted in, is a rejoicing in the glory of God.  She proclaims the superlative excellency of the nature of the kings love by stating that it is more delightful than wine.  To experience God’s flame of Love through union and communion with Israel’s greatest messiah was better than wine and she wanted more of it, yet in a more intimate way than just King to servant, but King to Queen.  And she desired the kiss of a friend as well.  She was a sunburnt enemy to the throne of God’s son the king of peace who ruled the nations from Jerusalem and now she desires to be treated as a friend and in the family of God by union and communion with him in marriage.

“more delightful than wine” or “better than wine”More delightful than an other earthly pleasure.   In drinking wine you can have excess.  But in the experience of the love of God through a mediator there is no excess!  Drink you fill and desire all the more! as that which is more pleasant and refreshing than wine.  Tis a sweet flame,  it is delightful.  His love is sweet and delightful.  The sweetness of his love is due to his “name” being holy and not evil.

They are those who have freely chosen that happiness which is to be had in the exercise and enjoyment of such love as is in heaven above all other conceivable happiness. They see and understand so much of this as to know that this is the best good. They do not merely assent that it is so from rational arguments which may be offered for it, but they have seen that it is so; they know it is so from what little they have tasted. It is the happiness of love, and the happiness of a life of such love, heavenly love, holy and humble and divine love; love to God, and love to Christ, and love to saints for God’s and Christ’s sake, and the enjoyment of the fruits of God’s love, holy communion with God and Christ and with holy persons. This is what they have a relish for.

“more delightful”

Oxytocin is a hormone secreted by the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland, a pea-sized structure at the base of the brain. It’s sometimes known as the “cuddle hormone” or the “love hormone,” because it is released when people snuggle up or bond socially.

“delightful”  Their mutual joy in each other is answerable to the nearness of their relation and strictness of their union.  With him as her king and her one of God’s people under Solomon’s theocratic Monarchy makes their union stricter than if she were an enemy of God.  As a personal good shepherd of her heart they get even closer, as Friend even closer and closer still is the intimacy she would get with him as her husband.

The knowledge she has of his love is sensible.

She doesn’t only speculate and behold his holy person and work as Israel’s Messiah and anointed king but also relishes and feels what its like to be loved by him for his love is more more “delightful than wine”.  The immediate object of her mind was the supreme beauty and excellency of his name that carried with it a sense and taste in her heart that was more delightful than wine.

Makes glad  Ps. 104:15

Song 1:3a

“Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfume, your name is like perfume poured out.”

“pleasing”

When the heart is sensible of the beauty and amiableness of a thing, it necessarily feels pleasure in the apprehension. It is implied in a person’s being heartily sensible of the loveliness of a thing, that the idea of it is sweet and pleasant to his soul; which is a far different thing from having a rational opinion that it is excellent. Wherein the soul approves of something present, there is a degree of pleasedness; and that pleasedness, if it be in a considerable degree, is the very same with the affection of joy or delight. And if the will disapproves of what is present, the soul is in some degree displeased, and if that displeasedness be great, ’tis the very same with the affection of grief or sorrow.  JE

“is”

Solomon had the most pleasing name, for it was above all other names 1 kings 3:13

“the fragrance of your ointments”

Solomon wore perfume or ointments as a high priest and also to smell nice.  Since the context is not known then I take perfumes to be every all of Solomon’s perfumes.  Solomon was a type of Christ in the office of high priest.  Solomon was like Jesus in his work as high priest, in the things pertaining to God.  The aroma of specific ointments were unique only to be used in the temple, where the Beauty of the LORD was beheld by David in Psalm 27:4  Like if you smelled that perfume that was so pleasing you knew you were near a great type of Christ.  What a blessing to be near Solomon 1 Kings 10:8

“your name is like perfume poured out”

His excellency and her holy love of complacence in him/Him are bountifully and lively set forth in this expression.  Such was her sense of his loveliness and so great was her delight in him that she loved his very name.  It was pleasing and precious to her.  “His name was like perfume poured out,”  lesson click here.

“name“

What is in a name?   Jedidiah mean “beloved of God”.  Solomon means peace, bringer of peace, king to whom peace belongs.  A name is known by 4 things: Titles, character, things done or about him, prophecies and relations.

Whatever makes Solomon qualify as the most desirable man alive at the time of his crowning and wedding that happened at the same time, I put here for all that qualifies that she knew.  She could have known more or less but it was enough for her to know that he was the most desirable man she knew.

Her mind is fit for the sweet contemplation of holy character and name.

Titles

Israel’s promised Messiah, Anointed king, Christ, Wisest Prophet, Priest and king of kings 2 Chronicles 9:26+,

Beloved son of God  2 Sam. 12:24-25 with

Names

Solomon, King to whom peace belongs.  Jedidiah, loved by God. 2 Sam. 12:24-25

A Messiah of Israel and Gentile nations.   Anointed king, knew God was with him. 1 Chronicles 28:20

Relational Aspects

Son of David, Beloved above all other beloved’s Song 5:9, Friend above all other friends, Brother,

Key Truths

He was born king of the Jews 1 Chronicles 22:9

Of the Tribe of Judah.    Ultimately, the most important Judahite is King David. The tribe of Judah was the first to raise him to the kingship in Hebron (2Sam 2:1-4) and the first to call him back to his throne after his son Absalom’s revolt (2Sam 19:11-15). Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal when the northern tribes seceded (1Kgs 12:16-17), and the psalmist marks secession as treason and grounds for God’s rejection of the northern tribes (Ps 78:68-72). In the exile, Daniel of the tribe of Judah becomes a model for correct behavior and faithfulness (Dan 1:6). As the fortunes of the Theocratic Israelite monarchy declined, the messianic vision held that the future was in the hands of a Davidic descendant within the tribe of of Judah who would restore the nation and its relationship with God (Isa 11:1, Mic 5:2).

Chosen by God to sit on the throne in the kingdom of God or God’s kingdom.  1 Chronicles 28:5

Physical Possession

“Royal Splendor”

“Royal Splendor such as no king over Israel ever had before”

David had a great name 1 Sam. 18:30, Solomon had a greater name, being king of kings and unmeasurably wise, yet Jesus Christ has a Greater Name above all other names for He is LORD of lords.  Solomon was to be a type of Christ.  Just the mention of his name, Solomon, people who loved Him were pleased, to hear the name of the greatest type of Christ alive was like perfume poured out.

“name” She has a divine sense and relish of the heart, of the holy beauty and excellency of the person and work of God’s son the king of peace for his “name” was like perfume poured out.  The Holy Spirit of Love dwelling in her mind and heart gives her this sense. 8:6

The people had a high view of their new Messiah, Solomon, the king of peace gifted with unmeasurable wisdom and we to also ought to have that high view of Solomon before he “grew old” 1 Kings 11:4 in order to a right view of Solomon.

Our highest and greatest affections or love must be exercised to those who are most worthy of them.

The sufficiency of Israel’s Messiah character to fulfill God’s purposes was greater than any other king before or after.  2 Chronicles 1:12 therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.

“name”  Title Messiah, anointed one,  or Christ.  Purpose was to be a type of Jesus Christ.  The Song illustrates for us how the greatest type of Christ alive loved his bride and she reciprocates.  How a Messiah of Israel who was immeasurably one with God’s Son loved his bride.  Solomon possessed unmeasurable wisdom.  The Wisdom that guides Israel’s Messiah and king is on display in his union with his bride 2:15, 17.

Love desires the strictest union with the object of its affection.  Especially since his name was worth more than gold and silver for “name is like perfume poured out.” Solomon was most desirable to have as a husband due to the supreme excellency of his character and reputation.

Doctrine?  1 Kings 4:34 The proclamation of the excellencies of the king of peace and his love good will toward men drew men unto himself.  “his name was like perfume poured out no wonder the maidens loved him.”

Love to God consists in a delightful and affectionate sense of the divine perfections were ever they may find them.  She saw them in Solomon to the highest degree and loved him for who he was, what he did and stood for.  His “name” was like perfume poured out.

She desires this love from Solomon without fear because of who he was,  Solomon was one of Israel greatest promised messiah and there was no other greater husband to be desired,  he was “chief among ten thousand” Song 5:10 and was a “beloved above all others” Song 5:9  No waiting around here,  she says “Let us hurry..  Let the king take me into his chambers”  Swiftly she expresses her desire of union with the king of Israel who’s name is like perfume poured out, in marriage.   She intensely desires to be married to a type of Christ with a good name a sweet and pleasing name, like perfume poured out pleases us.

From the name of the king of peace to the Name of God, “His name was in the city Jerusalem.” 1 Kings 11:36

I Kings 4:31, 5:11

The Greatness and Holiness of God’s name made it praiseworthy.  Ps. 99:2

“Name”  The Queen of Sheba recognized Solomon’s great “wisdom” and God’s “Eternal love” for Israel is why God gave them Solomon to be their king.  1 Kings 10:8-9

“is like”  There is something similar about her knowledge of the king and his love to her that is similar to that of the king’s ointments being poured forth.  Thinking of the person and work of Israel’s current king and Messiah and sensing and knowing his love to her is like sensing or smelling the fragrance of the best perfume.  Do you know the smell of the ointments the king would be anointed with?   Just as you don’t know that smell a non believer does not know God’s love for they have not experienced God’s love of forgiveness through Jesus Christ.  They don’t know what it feels like to have a love relationship with God for they aren’t in one.

No king would ever bring about more peace in Israel and the surrounding Jewish Nations than the king to whom peace belongs would bring by his love to God guided by his unmeasurable wisdom.

“ointments poured out”

ointments of an anointed king.  The anointed king, Solomon was the messiah of Israel.  The thought of an anointed unmeasurably wise messiah, God’s beloved son, the king of peace was pleasing to her,

“Anointing oil”  Wikipedia To express a divine influence or presence.

“fragrance”  Rarely smelled.  Rarely used.  Special occasions.  The smell, for the true Jew in the promised land, would carry with it the idea of peace with God and rest for His people for a Messiah of Israel’s was here and you were close enough to Him to smell the ointments.

Though the context specifically talks of an anointed king, Solomon was also a priest and the anointing of the priest meant a time of love, joy, peace and unity Psalm 133:1-3   ointments, love, peace, unity, anointing

The incense appointed in the law had a sweet smell and was acceptable to the senses, and so had a shadow of that which was acceptable to God and a sweet savor to him. And seeing that it is expressly declared by God in the law that he appoints this incense for a sweet savor to him [Leviticus 2:2], this demonstrates that God in the appointment has respect to that resemblance, that ’tis appointed to be a standing representation of a true, sweet savor to him. A sweet smell is appointed rather than [a] stinking smell, because it better resembles what is truly acceptable to God. When external whiteness and purity, that is a shadow of true purity in the sight of God, is called by the name of true purity, and is declared to be appointed that it might be for purity in the sight of God, this demonstrates that ’tis appointed to be a standing representation of true purity.  Jonathan Edwards

Song 1:3b

“Therefore”  Based on the information previously said the virgins love the anointed king” and rightly adore and desire to be one with him in love.

“the virgins love thee”

The king of peace had the most amiable and desirable character,  He was also desirable to have as a king and husband due to his place in the plans and purposes of God.  She would be either wife to the messiah if she thought Solomon was the messiah or give birth to the messiah.

The basis for which all the single virgins desiring Solomon in marriage was because of his Christ like character ( in our language).  Though Solomon was a type of Christ, Solomon didn’t love his wife to the degree that Christ loved the Church, though Solomon in the Song of Songs is a superlative lover, a beloved above 10,000 other belevod’s 5:9 “chief among ten thousand” other husbands. His name.  The mention of his name was pleasing due to his holy love to God.  What single girl would not want to marry a good man of godly character.

The word “therefore”  is there because to the preceding information.  Solomon has a good name, therefore the virgins love him.  They love him as a king, brother, shepherd, leader etc. but they do not have lets say an “eros” love for him.  Erotic Biblical love is reserved for marriage.

Love of complacency and benevolence for their king of kings, due to his name and expressions of his love to them in his kingdom as his subjects is better than any other experience.

4.  Principle truths

Holy Love desires the strictest union with the object of its holy affection.

What is positional the soul wants practically.

Due to being united by God’s love the strictest union is earnestly desired.

Love desires to stand in the nearest relation to the being loved.

A flash of love, a strong and lively exercise of love excites a lively idea of the one we love.  Let “him” kiss me…

Love naturally inclines to a conformity to the beloved.  Well placed affection advances and improves the spirit into a conformity with the perfections which it loves.

Religious affections don’t lay satisfied at some level. Those who have tasted the Love of God through the greatest type of Christ alive will earnestly desire more and more of it.

Experiencing God love and Grace in Christ toward us in the worst of times is better than enjoying sin in the best of times for his/His for their love for each other is better than wine compare 1:2-3 with 4:10.  They have a mutual superlative delight in each other’s holy and beautiful love that has no mixture of evil in it.

5.  Application in marriage

Husbands

“Love your wives as Christ loves the Church”  Christ first loves the church and the church reciprocates.  He gives himself to her.  He is faithful in His duties as our Husband so be faithful in yours.  The lover/Lover of our souls gives himself for the bride.

Husbands have you ever tried to fix something or put it together without the instruction manual and you couldn’t do it, then in despair you finally open the manual and start from the beginning and you find where you are lost and then figure out from the manual how to move forward.  Then you wished you would have went to the manual that is good for teaching, correcting and rebuking you in your work or labor of love.

The Song of Songs is a manual helping you to love your wife.  Imitate the wise loving king of peace and experience the love of God in your marriage that is better than any other experience and it only gets better.

Husbands out to seek a good name for it is more precious than diamonds, gold and silver.  Proverbs 22:1 “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.”  Since a good name is desirable more than great riches then every husband ought to seek a good name above great riches.  A husband with a good name like perfume poured out can be trusted to keep his promises.

And if you have been failing in keeping your marital promises to your wife then repent and look to Jesus Christ who has kept all His promises to you and be like Christ and love your wives as Christ loves the Church.  Forgive her as Christ has forgiven you.  Love her as Christ loves the Church.  Wash her soul with the Word of God.  Illustrated in Jesus washing the disciples feet is our need for daily washing.

Daily reading, Cross believing, love meditating on and delightful quick obeying of the Word of God no matter what difficulty we see in front of us.  Husband daily read your Bible with your wife.  Daily!!  It is her food.  It will refresh her soul, it will enlighten her eyes to see Jesus, who she loves above all.  In the Word at the Cross she gets a better understanding of God’s love for her so feed it to her soul daily to enflame her heart toward the Living God, her peace and rest.  Oh husband, seek to have your wife explain you like the bride did in Song 5:10-16

Almighty God pleads with you to have a good name for how could His glory be reflected in your marriage when your name stinks to the holy heavens rather than being like perfume poured out.  Repent and show greater love to your wife than before and never stop getting better at expressing your great love toward her.  And when you have a good name then go further, shine brighter, keep going, stay humble more than before, obey even quicker no matter what keeping your holy doves eyes on the one/One your heart loves.

Proverbs 3:3-5 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.⁴ Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding

6.  Application to the believer

Never stop asking Jesus Christ to reveal all the different ways He loved and continues to love you and will forever to your whole heart so that you reciprocate that love in greater delight in God, greater relishing of the Divine Nature inclining my heart more steadfast His direction as my Chief Good.  “Let Him show me his love over and over again because Your love is more delightful than wine.”  Never stop asking for this.  As soon as you see yourself stop asking then start begging again.  God show me your Glory!  Reveal your Son to me greater than before!  Let your goodness pass before me!  Show me your Face!  Let the light of the gospel of the glory of God shine in my heart!   May the love of Christ be shed abroad in my mind and heart over and over again because experiencing God love and Grace in Christ in the worst of times is better than enjoying sin in the best of times.  His love is better than wine.

Have you sensed and understood the love of God from your husband/Husband.  Ask God for more and more everyday and never stop desiring him/Him.  Think of Christ in His high priestly office for you.

“Let us hurry.  Let the king take me into his chambers.”

“Let the king take” vs.  “The king has taken”  either she wants him to take her to his chambers or the king in answer to her request to draw her to himself has taken her to his chambers, to a more private location where people are there praising his love and the daughters of Jerusalem are there as well.  Or they are still at the anointing and she wants him to take her to a more private location.  Where the most intimate of thoughts and feelings could be shared.

“Let the king take”  is quite similar to “Draw me after you”  for taking her into his chambers would be an act of drawing her closer.

Religious affections don’t lay satisfied at some level.  Once you taste God”s Love, you will desire more of it because experiencing God’s love through the most sufficient mediator is more delightful than getting it anywhere else.  He was the chief husband among ten thousand.  She desired to experience God’s love through Solomon.

I love you. Draw me after you.  Let us hurry!

“Let us”

?She is inviting us to go along side her in the relationship.  Be there with her as she tells us her thinking and feelings.?  “Listen my beloved..” Song 2:8  By being drawn into her character we imagine what it would be like to be her and experiencing God’s love through her suitor.

Here she invites anyone out there that would love to be one with Israel’s Messiah to join her to have union and communion with the king and shepherd of Israel with the hopes of the fullest most intimate union in love.

You can easily join her in her pursuit by imagining your the bride and meditating on the text from her perspective and therefore you can run with her as she desires to be as close to her king as possible.  Before marriage the closest she and all the other daughters of Jerusalem could get would be in proportion to how close they could get to God through His Word, the Law of Moses.   As shepherd he would guide them by his/His wisdom that he had as measureless as the sands of sea.  She gets to court Solomon and the other’s never get to overhear the most intimate conversations she had with Israel’s Messiah, but we know what they said and what she was thinking and feeling as he spoke sweetly to her in private.

“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his lips, for your love is more delightful than wine.  Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfume, your name is like perfume poured out, no wonder the maidens love you.  Take me away with you….”Let us hurry.  Let the king take me into his chambers.”  Solomon’s Song of Songs 1:2-4

“Let us hurry”  other translations “We will run after thee.”

“We will”  “Suppose that this has happened,”  Supposing the king has answered her request to “Draw her after him by his love”  Suppose the king did draw her after Himself by his irresistible holy love.  She both desires it to be and imagine what it would be like if it were true.  Let/He has brought me into his/His chambers.

The idea of suppose that her desire has been fulfilled.  Ponder the idea.  This gets us to meditate on the thought.  Sort of like an intentional pause to think about it or a “Selah”

The bride to be desires to experience God’s Love, His “Flame” through the king over and over again in marriage.  His name drew her to himself.  The mention of Solomon’s name drew her to him.  His godly “name” drew her to him.  She knew he was king of kings.  He would make a perfect husband, his rule over her would be most wise telling her only God’s will for her in life and marriage anytime she wanted it he was there for her and this love will be more delightful than wine.

What is their responsibility in the running after him?

The bride has the king on her heart and desires 4 things,  4 requests are born out her knowledge of who he was, his “name” and the experience of his love, it was “more delightful than wine”  She had tasted of God’s love for it was written on her heart.  Song 8:6 and she wanted more of it.  Now she deeply desires to experience God’s love through her king as she delightfully submits.

1. She desire multiple kisses from the king on the lips (multiple shows of close affection) “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his lips”
2. She desires to to taken away with the king.   She also say “Draw me after you.”  Let his name and the growing knowledge of it draw her closer to “him” the one her heart loved, the king of kings.  With urgency she says  “Take me away with you.”
3. She desires to be taken away with the king in a hurry!  “Let us hurry”  No waiting around.  They are a perfect match.  Another way of saying it is “Draw me after you.”  Draw me to yourself by your love.
4. She desires time alone and close intimacy with the king in his chambers! “Let the king bring me into his chambers” or some translation have her brought to his chambers (The king has brought my thoughts and heart onto desiring union with him)  All are true.  She desires intimacy with the king of peace, He desires intimacy with her.  The feelings are mutual.

Your name is like perfume poured out.  God was drawing all people, shulamite, maidens, Israel and all the other nations to Himself through the person and work of His son.

In order to enflame our souls with the love of Gd, let us consider the excellency of His Nature, His Holiness consisting in love to Himself first and His love and kindness towards us.  We know little of the divine perfection, and yet that little may suffice to fill our souls with admiration and love, to ravish our affections as well as to raise our wonder.  Works of Henry Scougal pg 62-63

The bride to be has a king on her mind.   “let the king” take me into his chambers.  The kings name is like perfume poured out.  The people rejoiced and delighted in the kings love.  They will remember it more than any other experience.  for they say of Solomon’s and his love,

“We will rejoice and delight in you, we will praise/remember your love more than wine.”

The character that the king sustained and his relation to God’s people recommend his excellencies to our esteem and love.

“We”  Collectively.  Together they proclaim what they will do.  The body promises to rejoice, praise and delight in it’s head/leader/king.  This is a semi theme of the song.  Unity of the Israelites under their Messiah and king.

Solomon would have more wealth, possessions, and “honor” than any other king before or after him.  2 Chronicles 1:12 Here Solomon is getting honor due to his love to God and His people.  The Lord made him “exceedingly great“. 2 Chronicles 1:1  And “royal splendor” beyond any other king.

Solomon’s reign was a time a great spiritual and physical blessings and peace was everywhere.  For all intense and purposes, there probably where quite of few people who thought Solomon was The messiah/Messiah.  He was a messiah, a very great one with unmeasurable wisdom.  Israel and all the ladies or daughters of Jerusalem benefited greatly.  They were getting their promised rest.  Solomon was their king, he loved them more than riches 1 Kings 4.   Solomon loved the people in his kingdom more than riches. God would give anything to Solomon and Solomon chose wisdom over gold.  God gave Solomon an unmeasurable amount of wisdom (Christ, the Wisdom of God).

Definition  “praise your love”  praise is a high esteem and the expression of it in words and actions.

Jer. 13:11  God bound Israel to himself in love for his “praise”   Praise Implies both 1. the high esteem and 2.  love of the heart.  1.  A high esteem in the mind manifested in exalting thoughts of God  2.  and complacence (satisfaction, delight) in his excellence and perfection or manifestations and effects thereof.

“How priceless is your unfailing love, O God” Psalm 36:7

“How right they are to adore you”

Still with the king on her mind.  The bride is in her thoughts and emotions.  Thinking about the king and expressing her feelings from her point of view.  King Solomon is not actually there in front of her when she says, “Let him kiss me…”  The king is out there.  They are separated, yet she desires a stricter union. in Song 1-4  and it ends with her making  a statement about those who are adoring Solomon and praising his love more than wine.  It is right that they adore the king.   It is not sinful for them to adore king Solomon, it is right!! Praise and adoration of the kings love is consistent with the situation.  Meaning that Solomons love is praiseworthy and fit to be delighted in more than wine.

“How right they are to adore you”

The bride has not this deformity, that is more odious than mere dissent from being.  For a being to dessert from, or not to consent with, a being who consents with being is not beautiful but a deformity of being.  A rewording of Edwards.

“King”  2 Chronicles 9:8  “because of the love of God for Israel” God chose Solomon to be king over his/His bride to maintain justice and righteousness.

Kingship the blessing in the kingdom of God was expected.  They were expecting a king who would bring peace to all the nations.  Solomon’s name means king of peace.  Here he was, sound the trumpets, sing praises to the king of peace!!  Israels promised king to whom peace belongs.

The bride, the virgin maidens, all Israel and other gentile nations would be submitting to God when they submit to Solomon as king for Solomon ruled using the Torah, the first 5 books of the Bible

1 John 4:12

Song 1:2 other translations, and cross references.

Song 1:2-3

The Song starts off with the bride to be expressing her love to the king she says:

“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his lips, for you love is more delightful than wine.  Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfume, your name is like perfume poured out.  Therefore, the virgins love thee.”

That is, he was so excellent a person that the very mentioning of his name, or the knowledge of his attributes, beholding the beauties he maketh of himself, filled the heart with delight as the pouring out of a sweet ointment.

“His name”

His name is understood in the mind and delighted in by the heart and the will inclined to choose him.

There was going to be “no one like him”  before him nor after!!  1 Kings 3:12, Song 5:10  “No equal among kings”  The context of Song 1:2-4 is Solomon as a young child loving selfless king in Jerusalem.

“Name”  Jedidiah.  Beloved son of God.

The union of the heart of a believer to Christ is begun when his heart is drawn to Christ, by the first discovery of divine excellency.

True love is immediate in the sense of being determined by the intrinsic nature of its object alone

the constitution of the body, and the motion of its fluids, may promote the exercise of the affections. But yet, it is not the body, but the mind only, that is the proper seat of the affections. The body of man is no more capable of being really the subject of love or hatred, joy or sorrow, fear or hope, than the body of a tree, or than the same body of man is capable of thinking and understanding. As ’tis the soul only that has ideas, so ’tis the soul only that is pleased or displeased with its ideas. As ’tis the soul only that thinks, so ’tis the soul only that loves or hates, rejoices or is grieved at what it thinks of

This Love Song starts off with a request, a deep desire expressed in words.  She desires multiple shows of affection from God, through Solomon.   Kisses are shows of affection.  Solomon’s love is more delightful than wine.  Meaning more delightful than what most people consider to be delightful.  Most considered wine to be delightful around a wedding.  What is more delightful than the wine is being the bride experiencing God’s love in marriage to the greatest type of Christ alive and single.

Now to stir up your love for Christ, and this book will do it like no other.  Argue from Solomon to the Greater Christ.

The bride desired multiple show of intimate affection from Solomon because experiencing God’s love through Solomon was more delightful than wine.  Wine is physical and love is of the Spirit.  Spiritual delights are better than physical delights.  Experience more love from God through a mediator or experience more wine?  His/his love was more delightful than wine.

The sweeter the name the more powerful the attraction and desirability.

Application for the husband, wife or believer.

God’s idea of Himself or Name is manifested in and through Solomon’s roles, as king, priest, prophet, husband, friend.  Get an idea of the greatest type of Christ in Solomon then you get reflected and true idea’s of God.  Solomon was God’s representative on earth.

“like perfume” “like ointments”

“of all ointments that were amongst them, the holy anointing oil was the sweetest and had the most excellent fragrancy. This was compounded by God’s art, and not man’s. ‘Tis to this oil that the grace of charity is compared in the Psalms 133; with this oil there was none to be anointed but sacred officers that were eminent types of Jesus Christ. We read of the composition of it [in] Exodus 30:23–25″

“No wonder the maidens love you.”

These are other single virgin women who desire to be married to the king who’s name was like perfume poured out.   He was rightly desired by all of them for she says,  “how right they are to adore you.”  speaking of the king who was on her mind and desired in her heart.  He was irresistible.   His calling everyone to union and communion with himself was irresistible and effectual because of the excellent qualities of his nature and works which comprehended his “name”.

These maidens were everyone else but the bride.  They were servants or subjects in the Kingdom of God on earth.  God came to dwell with the king of peace who had unmeasurable wisdom and there was peace on earth and good will to many nations.  Through union and communion with one man blessing came to both Jew and Gentile.  Here the context still is the king of peace as “king” 1:4 sitting on God’s throne in Jerusalem as their messiah.  They had opportunity to be chosen for a more intimate relationship a closer uniting of both body and soul in marriage.  They were subjects or slaves and he was the king to whom peace belongs, God’s beloved son, Jedidiah.  Israel had the greatest king as far as wisdom, honor, riches and glory goes.

Song 1:4a

“Take me away with you—let us hurry!”  “Draw me after you.”

The bride continues with her second request of the king of Israel sitting on the throne of God.  She desires him to take her away with him, quickly.  She doesn’t want to waist anytime in drawing near.  She not only wants him to take her away with him but to hurry in doing so.   Note the word “us”.   What she desires is for the two of them together to hurry and waist no time due to his godly character and  experience off his love that is more delightful than any other experience.

“as all things are from God as their first cause and fountain; so all things tend to him, and in their progress come nearer and nearer to him through all eternity”

The loveliness of the king draws out the affections of the bride to be.

So the proper evidence of gracious desires and longings, and that which distinguishes them from those that are false and vain, is that they are not idle wishes and wouldings, like Balaam’s; but effectual in practice, to stir up persons earnestly and thoroughly to seek the things they long for.  “Draw me, we will run after thee.”  Psalms 27:4, “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after.” Psalms 63:1–2, “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee; my flesh longeth for thee, in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is, to see thy power and thy glory.” V. 8, “My soul followeth hard after thee.” Canticles 1:4, “Draw me, we will run after thee.” Practice is the proper evidence of a gracious hope. I John 3:3, “Every man that hath this hope in him, purifies himself..

“We will run after you“: The idea is that the Daughters of Jerusalem – this on-looking chorus, who observe and celebrate the love between the maiden and the young man – they want to see what will happen as this wonderful love builds and takes its course. It is a good thing, and from their respectful distance they want to be part of it.

“Let us hurry”  True love doesn’t want to wait around getting closer with someone of a good character.  The hotter the true fire of love the more earnest the desire to be closer.

Ezekiel 40:31. “And the going up to it had eight steps.”] See also Ezekiel 40:34 and Ezekiel 40:37. The ascent into the outer court at each gate was by seven steps. (See Ezekiel 40:17, Ezekiel 40:22, and Ezekiel 40:26.) But the ascent into the inner court at each gate was by eight steps, to signify that the nearer God’s people approach, the more swift are the advances by which they make progress in holiness, get above the world, and approach to the heavenly state.

Later the shepherd/king compliments her swift pursuit of him by likening her to a mare in battle.

1:4

“Draw me” by your most delightful and unquenchable love and name, let us run off together as one.  Draw me closer to yourself by your love.  He is on her mind and in her heart, both light of the knowledge of his name and experience of his love is the flame in her heart that is flashing like never before and is unquenchable and even the devils tempations to get her to fear death and doubt the love of God in the coming messiah and sense His Wrath, nothing couldn’t stop her love 8:6-7.

“Draw me”   Similar to how God brought or drew Israel to himself.  Ex. 19:4  ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.”

Willing heart.  Not forced labor.

God is drawing His Son’s Bride closer to Himself by the same love they share for her.  Jer. 31:3

In every act of the will for, or towards something not present, the soul is in some degree inclined to that thing.  3:1-2  Love is inclined to the object of its affection.

Bride says, “Draw me after you.”

“the virgin companions eagerly follow her”  and then “the King has brought her into his chambers”  has may often times mean ” suppose it to be so”  which leaves your mind wondering what’s going on in the chambers or halls.  1:4, 2:4, 1:17

Another way of saying it is awaken my love for you.  Draw me closer by your love.  Reveal yourself to me by me experiencing your love over and over again and I will be drawn closer to you.  As if she were to say to her type of Christ “Be like the coming Christ and I will be drawn closer to you.”

Song 1:4b 

“Let the king bring me into his chambers.”

She loves with a love of complacency and benevolence yet still desiring all form of love including an erotic love in the future.  Yet know she loves him with a love of complacency and benevolence as her new king.  She loved the king and wanted him to be in authority of her because of his unmeasurable wisdom and unquenchable love for God verses her family members or mother’s sons whom she wasn’t really related to.

She desired intimacy soon. “Take me away with you let us hurry!”  She also desired the closest of intimacy or union in marriage.  “into his chambers.”  He is perfect.  She is already concluded she wants the king to take her into his chambers, but it must be his desire as well.  This is why the word “Let” is used.  Also he is the king in Jerusalem.  Let his name and love draw her closer to him.  Let the knowledge of who he is and his love for me draw me closer.  For I desire the strictest union with the object of my holy affections.  Love, “The flame of the LORD”  Song 8:6  No one was more suitable to draw her to God then the unmeasurably wise king to whom peace belonged, who’s love was more delightful than any other experience and who’s name was like perfume poured out.  She desires the closest intimacy with the greatest type of Christ alive.  No wonder his love would be better than 10,000 other husbands.  Song 5:9-10

“May”  The privilege of being able to enter the kings inner chambers was only by invitation like Esther, she couldn’t just walk in.

“king”  She would become co-hier to the Kingdom of God that had His son the king of peace ruling on His Throne in Jerusalem.  2 Chronicles 9:8

“King”

“He don’t force them, but sweetly inclines their wills to the most excellent things and to their own happiness. He overcomes them by his love; he governs them by infusing his love into them, and so inclining them to obedience. His dominion over his people is by mutual love and esteem.”

“Chambers”  or Halls  “Banquet Hall” 2:4,  Entrance hall 1 Kings 7:19  Place where the king is being anointed and she can smell the sweet aroma of the anointing oil.

Joel 2:16

“Chambers”  She clearly says that either she wants to be taken there or that she is there.  She doesn’t say what she wants in there except for him to kiss her there over and over again.  This is her desire.  Fulfillment of that desire is not in the text.  Even if he did bring her into his chambers there is no telling by the text this far what he is doing with her in his chambers.

“chambers”  Moses Isserles (1520–1572) notes that the portable marriage canopy was widely adopted by Ashkenazi Jews (as a symbol of the chamber within which marriages originally took place) in the generation before he composed his commentary to the Shulchan Aruch

***2 Kings 9:1-3 The chamber is where Elisha told a prophet to go anoint Jehu in.  The prophet is told to take Jehu to a private place and he takes him to a house where no one else was but the prophet and Jehu.  Psalm 105:30

1 Kings 11:2 and 2 Kings 6:11  both have a context of being in a place that only God knows.  She desires to be kissed by him over and over again in a place where only they and God know.   “secret places”  Places where only the two meet.   Secret intimate time alone.

Ben–Hadad hid in a chamber.  1 Kings 20:32.

7 Solomon took 13 years to finish building his palace. ² He built a hall named the Forest of Lebanon. It was 150 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. It had four rows of cedar pillars supporting cedar beams. ³ The hall was covered with cedar above the side rooms, which were supported by 45 pillars (15 per row).  ⁴ The windows were in three rows facing each other on opposite sides of the palace. ⁵ All the doors and doorframes were square. There were three doors facing each other on opposite sides of the palace.

⁶ Solomon made the Hall of Pillars 75 feet long and 45 feet wide. In front of the hall was an entrance hall with pillars.

⁷ He made the Hall of Justice, where he sat on his throne and served as judge. The hall was covered with cedar from floor to ceiling.

⁸ His own private chambers were in a different location than the Hall of Justice, but they were similar in design. Solomon also built private quarters like this for his wife, Pharaoh’s daughter.

Smart woman.  All the women would have desired him because of who he was.  Because either Solomon is “The Messiah of Israel” and she would be marrying him.  Or she may be the mother of the coming Messiah, or at least he would be from her seed.  Gen. 3:15

Song 1:4c

“We rejoice and delight in you we will praise your love more than wine.”

“We”

1. Everyone but Solomon and his bride could be included in the “we”.
2. The we could also be the any or all the virgins, maidens, unwed women, young women who were in 1:3b who desired to be married to the king of kings, Solomon as the daughters of Zion and daughters of Jerusalem
3. Either way you look at it wether the “we” could easily be all of Israel, or the virgins only or the the angels in heaven.  I like to say the “we”  are all those who promise to praise the love of Solomon the king.  Seeing the “Flame of the LORD” at work in his role as king and God’s representative here on earth was delightful to experience.  God’s people were greatly loved therefore God gave them a great king.  2 Chronicles. 9:8.  God’s love in marriage is most delightful to behold and praiseworthy more than wine.  To have the love of God written on the heart and always existing there in a constant growing fashion.  Burning hotter, ever growing brighter.  Unquenchable and not even death could stop it.  8:6  So where we see love in a Godly marriage we are to delight in seeing a husband love his wife as Christ loves the church and praise their love more than wine!

Worthiness of regard or praise consists in two things, greatness and moral goodness.  Solomon was worthy of honor more than any other king due to the greatness of his unmeasurable wisdom.

He receives value in our Eyes in proportion as we prove the Person that does it.

Beautifully do they love him.  Their love is fitting, right and proper.

The point still remains the same no matter how you look at it.  Holy love, love from the Lord doing its work in marriage is praiseworthy.  Love doing it work in marriage is of great value to both husband and Christ.  So valuable, delightful and praiseworthy is it that all who see it and delight in the holiness of it more than wine will resolve to praise it and remember it more than wine.

“we”  all those who’s share in the partaking of the nature of God.  The love of God bonds them.  “We” as apposed to God’s enemies.  The enemy slaves did not rejoice and delight in the king of peace for they were not united to him in love.  They sinfully hated the king of kings sitting on God’s throne in Jerusalem and he and the Shulammite’s mother’s son’s were righteously angry with the enemies of the Kingdom of God.  Fellowship of the Spirit of God,  Communion of His Spirit of Love, common partaking of the Holy Ghost with other’s in the Kingdom of God.

Had the woman been sinful in her pursuit then her love would not be praiseworthy.  Her desire to be married to a Godly Man as soon as he is made known to her is praiseworthy and her desire to experience his love, which is God’s love through Solomon.  God used Solomon as an illustration of Christ’s love to His bride.  Love “the flame of the LORD”  is experienced through a mediator in marriage.  The husband is the mediator of God’s love to Christ’s bride which is also the husbands bride.  Seeing a husband love his wife as Christ loved the church is delightful to see and more praiseworthy than wine.

This love is something they have seen before.  God their King had set his love on Israel when they were His enemies.  By all outward appearance in the Song the woman is a natural born enemy of God yet get “the flame of the LORD” in her heart and desires to be married to Solomon, king of kings, sitting on the Throne of God in Jerusalem.   How is it possible for two enemies to be at peace with one another.  Solomon’s father was fighting to kill all God’s enemies.  Now Solomon was going to marry an enemy and give her himself and the promised land through their union.

“We”  they are united in the same hand & are nearly Related one to another & have Communion one with another or the same spiritual Benefits and are one society & family Act. 10:34-35

“praise”  God also is fearful or terrible in praises, the wrath of God on his enemies through Solomon 1 Kings 9:20-23 and  His wrath is the substitutionary death of the lamb of God.  His holiness seen like never before in the temple in the holy of holies.  Ex. 15:11  Out of a Love to God Solomon punished the wicked by enslaving them.

Praise=The high esteem and love of the heart, exalting thoughts of the king, and complacence (satisfaction and delight) in his excellence and perfection, mainly his holiness consisting in love to God.  The king’s holy love to the LORD was praiseworthy.

God is Love. a propensity in God to manifest His Nature.  A husband loving his wife and she reciprocates.

Song 1:4d

“How right they are to adore you.”

The holiness of the maidens praise is the delight of the bride.  It was right for the holy maidens to adore, rejoice, delight, highly esteem and praise the Love of God’s son their king.

Praiseworthy.  A praise to the Godly person for the outward manifestation of their love to God is right and proper.

On account of his loveliness, she wishes well of him and delights in anyone else who rejoices and delight in the king who is worthy of praise because of the delightfulness of his love.  They delight in his holy love therefore they will remember, rejoice and delight in it more than wine.  His prayer for wisdom. His love to God in building the temple.  His love to God in bringing peace to all nations.  The kings love to God’s people in giving them rest and the enemies justly labored in the scorching sun.

If we highly value the virtues and excellencies of a friend, in proportion as we do so, we shall approve of and like others’ esteem of them; and shall disapprove and dislike the contempt of them. If these virtues are truly valuable, they are worthy that we should thus approve others’ esteem, and disapprove their contempt of them.

If he highly esteems them, and greatly delights in them, he will naturally and necessarily love to see esteem of them in others, and dislike their disesteem. And if the attributes are worthy to be highly esteemed by the being who hath them, so is the esteem of them in others worthy to be proportionably approved and regarded there is the same reason that he should be pleased with the proper love, esteem and honor of himself.

The bride witnesses the virgins or Israel delighting in Solomon’s love for her.   And see’s them praising his love, which is the “flame of the LORD” in him.  The bride to be then proclaims this truth about their adoration of Solomon.    “How right they are to adore you.”  The daughters of Jerusalem, virgins, Davids fighting men, all the officials, all Israel and surrounding nations that knew of Solomon adore him this is true.  But I believe in the context the virgins are the ones adoring Solomon.  It is right for a single godly woman to adore a single Godly man.  Their love or feelings for him were appropriate.  Holy affections in courtship arise from knowing the character of the husband.  Most ungodly women would run from a Godly man wanting to do marriage the way God intents.  Unsaved women have other plans other priorities.  But Godly women, women of virtue, thus called Virgins in Song 1:3b to have feelings for a man of godly character is right.  This should happen.  How right they were to adore Solomon.  Unmeasurable wisdom, loved Israel and not riches, king of peace 40 years, priest, prophet and on and on.  Solomon was the greatest type of Christ to have lived thus far and was single.  Rightly do they love him.  It is a good and holy feeling if the main reason for a woman desire for union with a man is because of his character.

Psalm 133:1

Their complacency was in each other’s holiness.

In christ, in Solomon they have a union and communion with him in love.

1:5-6

Song 1:5-6

Speaker is the sunburnt slave girl.

Based on who she is, we then ask what is her darkness,  She says “I am dark..”  Physically from the sun because she was only spiritually dark before.  And she is obviously beautiful on the outside yet more beautiful on the inside with the Love of God on her heart.  Balanced thoughts and emotions keep the union strict. After a right view of the king she gives her testimony of a right view of herself and where the sunburn came from because she didn’t guard her vineyard like God wanted.

Now the Song changes context.  The fire of Love is still burning and keeps growing brighter all the way to 2:7.  Her love to God gives her reason to no fear His Wrath.  1 John 4:18.  She could say keep staring keep judging and treating me like a prostitute continuing in sin, but no she says “Do not stare at me…”  therefore she is worthy of the mare compliment in 1:9.  Meaning Solomon compliments her in 1:9 based on her fearless swift character illustrated in her pursuit of the king of peace and good shepherd who’s name was like perfume poured out.  She doesn’t fear the wrath of the king of peace because she has a loveliness about herself 8:6, thus making her beautiful not the inside 1:9 and out 1:10, so long as the king of peace can not judge her based on outward appearances all pointing to the fact that she is at enmity with God and his son who sits on His throne.  The bride to be starts talking to the daughters of Jerusalem.  She doesn’t want them to judge her an enemy of Solomon based only on appearances.  Her dark appearance carries with it the stigma that she was an enemy slave girl in the vineyards.  1 Kings 5:16; 9:20-23 with Song 1:5-7 and 2 Chronicles 8:7.  Not that she was just of low class but she was enslaved by Solomon himself when he became king after David died.  David was to destroy all the enemies of God, and Solomon but them to harsh slave labor.

Here she speaks to the daughters of Jerusalem.  The daughters of Jerusalem where women who grew up in Jerusalem during the 40 year reign of Solomon.  They did no work and were experiencing the rest God promised them.  The workers in the vineyards where the ones left over from David reign as king.   David was to destroy all God”s enemies in the promised land, but when Solomon, the king to whom peace belongs took over, instead of killing them he put them to hard labor.  So Solomon had his future wife in slave labor, she gets the flame of God in her heart 8:6 and desires to marry Solomon, king of Israel in Jerusalem, sitting on God’s throne 2 Chronicles 9:8.   The bride knows she is sunburnt, and was outside a covenant relationship with God but now is born again and there is no justification to “stare” at her anymore, speaks to the daughters of Jerusalem and says..

Song 1:5-6

“I am dark but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem,
Like the tents of Kedar, Like the curtains of Solomon.

“lovely”

1:5 of herself, 2:14 of her face or form, 4:3 of her mouth, and finally in 6:14 Tirzah had it going on as well.  Beautiful, comely, fitting, suitable, lovely are all the same word in Hebrew.  She is also saying that she is “suitable“.  She is a suitable helper both physically and spiritually.  Suitable to reflect the beauty and glory of God like the holy tent curtains of Solomon were wonderfully set apart for the reflection of God’s moral beauty and holiness in the temple.  Contrasted to her sunburn that carries with it a stigma that she has a part of her that is like a dwelling place of evil.

We ask the question, “What is the point of comparison”  Her outer sunburn is being compared to tents of kedar.   What is similar about her sunburn and a dark dwelling place of evil people.

Her loveliness, suitableness or fitness for her purpose is beautiful like Solomon’s holy tent curtains.  Then we ask what is it about her that is lovely, suitable and fit for purpose?  Both her inner and outer beauty is lovey, suitable in all its relations and fit for its purpose.

Even if her loveliness is only external and she is the most beautiful woman then the external beauty of her body would reflect the moral beauty of God better than any other woman’s body.

Also carries the idea of being fit for her purpose.  Prov. 17:7  “is not fitting” NASB. “fitting”  See also Prov. 19:10 and 26:1

Dark am I, yet fit for my purpose both inside and out.  Fit to serve God’s purposes in His kingdom.  Therefore don’t judge me an enemy, for I come in peace having the Same Spirit and the same Love, same affection for the king, we ( the daughters of Jerusalem and I are one in purpose and she is fit for that purpose of Loving God with all her heart.)
⁶ “Do not stare at me because I am swarthy ,
For the sun has burned me.
My mother’s sons were angry with me;
They made me caretaker of the vineyards,
But I have not taken care of my own vineyard.

Clearly

1.  She is dark due to her sunburn.  She is not black by ethnicity.
2. The imperative “Do not stare”  is plural and masculine therefore the king is implied as well as the daughters. (Song of Songs Hamilton page 45)
3. Her mothers sons were angry with her
   1. Righteous anger due to her rebellious behavior before God, she was a GENTILE enemy of God.
4. The enemies of God did the slave labor under the scorching sun in the vineyards while the Israelites rested. 1 Kings 9:20-23  The bride also compares her darkness to the “tents of kedar” which were also dwelling places of God’s enemies representing remnants of her past life that may keep them apart.
5. She is in forced, or slave labor.  They made me.  This is forceful not willful labor in the hot sun.
6. Having a sunburn in the time of Solomon’s reign carried with it a stigma that you were an enemy of God and the Israelites had a righteous hatred toward them.
7. She is making a contrast between what is dark about her and what is lovely.
   1. The dark sunburn is an outward remnant of her old sinful life.
   2. She compares her darkness to an evil dwelling place and her loveliness to the holy beautiful curtains of Solomon.
   3. Her flesh, body of death, unredeemed sinful part of her soul is not lovely but what is also a remnant of her old sinful life.  She is positionally in the coming Christ, morally excellent, holy and lovely but practically there is much remaining sin, unbelief, selfishness and pride left in the heart.
8. She is not all darkness, she does have a beautiful heart of love Song 8:6.  This is lovely about her as well and is what Solomon delight in about her more than wine. Song 4:10.
9. She compares her darkness to “tents of kedar”  dark tents that had evil people dwelling in them.  She compares her loveliness to that of the holy beautiful curtains that Solomon had.  One tent used for evil another curtain for holy use.  There is a moral contrast being made.
10. She deserved no “pity” as an enemy of God.   Deut. 7:2
11. Even if she were not an enemy of God in literal slavery, her heart is to some degree. This we can’t deny,  we know that the woman in the Song is cursed and So is the man.  They have they roles all mixed up, that is part of the curse.  The greatest happiness in marriage is cursed.  The woman is cursed to lead and usurp her head/Head.  If she is saved she will do this less and less.  She will learn to show her love to God and husband by submitting without fear, and with ever increasing joyful celerity.  In her heart are remnants of sin, evil, pride, selfishness and unbelief.  Her flesh, the world and Satan are God’s, her husbands/Husbands and her enemies.  So even if she was not an enemy of God working in slavery in the vineyards, in her heart she still has some enmity against God and her husband until she earns her name, Shulamite, princess of peace by destroying in battle her flesh, the world and Satan, comes back, comes back from war and does a victory dance then she has high and wonderful thoughts of her husbands/Husbands love for her as he praises her from foot to head and then they enjoy the fruits of her self denial.  a purer heart and mutual holy communion in love. Song 6:12-7:9
12. The sun “starred” down on her and she is asking the daughters to not “stare” at her.
13. She is only spiritually dark by way of illustration.  She is darkened by the sun due to her sinful neglect of her duties before God, for she “neglected her vineyard” and also was outside and not in fellowship with the shepherd kings friends.  She was being treated like someone continuing in sin or like a “veiled woman”.  Therefore if we were to ask “What is it about her that is dark?”  The direct meaning of the text is that she is dark with a sunburn, “darkened by the sun”.  So in this courtship we have a dark, sunburnt, Gentile, enemy of God and His kingdom, slave girl, hated by those who aren’t her true relatives.  Her current family because she is born again with the love of God in her are the Daughters of Jerusalem and King Solomon Song 4 “My sister, my bride”  Clearly he means same spiritual family because Solomon wouldn’t marry a blood sister unless her husband died.  Therefore she wants to go from being in a cursed home to a blessed one. Proverbs 3:33
14. “Dark am I, yet lovely”  serves as a good illustration of the doctrinal truths about who we are in Christ.  In our love relationship with Jesus Christ we are dark with remnants of a past sinful life, yet infinitely lovely in Christ.
15. She was yoked to those who hated her and not wants to be yoked to those who love.  The king/King and his/His people.

“Lovely”

She is lovely on the outside.  Yet if we ask the question “Is she lovely inside as well?”.  Yes, due to her love to God in heart.  The image of God in her is lovely due to her love to God. “because he infinitely values his own glory, consisting in the knowledge of himself, love to himself, and complacence and joy in himself; he therefore valued the image, communication or participation of these, in the creature.”

“Dark am I, yet lovely”

Dark or the left over sunburn is a representation of the remnants of her past life that may keep her apart from the one she loves.

“by having a reflex or contemplative idea of what passes in our own minds I don’t mean consciousness only. There is a great difference between a man’s having a view of himself, reflex or contemplative idea of himself so as to delight in his own beauty or excellency, and a mere direct consciousness. Or if we mean by consciousness of what is in our own minds anything besides the mere simple existence in our minds of what is there, it is nothing but a power by reflection to view or contemplate what passes.”

LIGHT implies every essential excellence, especially wisdom, holiness, and happiness. DARKNESS implies all imperfection, and principally ignorance, sinfulness, and misery.

If so much of the beauty and excellency of Spirits consists in Love, then the deformity of evil spirits consists as much in hatred, malice and enmity.  Love in the heart.

TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL.

‘Tis the tree of knowledge of good and evil, not only because thereby we came to know the difference between good and evil—for that properly is only the knowledge of evil to Adam, seeing he knew good before—but without doubt it was a tree of the knowledge of good properly, as much as evil. And the lively perception of good so much depends on the knowledge of its contrary***, evil, that there was as much attained of new knowledge of good, as there was knowledge of evil; and this was the end of it principally, the knowledge of good. And by this means is our happiness advanced highly above what it was before the fall, and the promise of the devil, “Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” Genesis 3:5, is fulfilled in another sense and manner than he intended it should.

1:5 “Dark am I, yet lovely”

Reasons this darkness or loveliness of hers is not just physical or external but internal.

1.  Her darkness is compared to an unholy dwelling place and her lovliness is compared to holy beautiful curtains in the temple.  Though there is something about her darkness that reminds her of evil and unholiness there is also something about her that reminds her of holiness, beauty and moral loveliness.

“Dark am I,”    Love flashed in her heart and the light went on.  Knowledge of God in the face of His son illuminates her mind and she gets a clearer view of herself.  Light shone in the darkness as she drew near the light and her deeds were exposed.  The good and the bad.

Dark am I,   “tents of Kedar”

“Yet lovely”

I do not doubt that the bride is externally beautiful, but the context of the first 9 verses of the Song clearly indicate that she is talking about her inner loveliness her holiness of heart, love, the “Flame of the LORD” Song 8:6 in her.   Her love to God or holiness of heart is what is lovely in contrast to and the reason why the Daughters of Jerusalem should not stare at her in judgement because of her sunburn, but accept her as a holy sister despite outward physical appearances to the contrary.  If her dark sunburnt skin didn’t have a moral stigma attached to it then the bride would be only talking about her dark skin and outward beauty despite the working in the vineyards in hard slave labor.

“Yet Lovely”

‘Tis through the vital communications and indwelling of the Spirit, that the saints have all their light, life, holiness, beauty and joy in heaven…

She see’s and senses the love of God on her heart and knows she is lovely, valuable, worthy, beautiful, and morally excellent in the coming messiah.

She is dark and explains why she is dark.  Her darkness is the sunburn and everything that goes with it.  There was a stigma at the time that all sunburnt people were enemies of God.  You wouldn’t find a sunburnt Israelite because they were experiencing their peace and rest.  And she wanted to join them.

The whole reason she says “Do not stare at me..” is because of the fact that all sunburnt people during Solomon’s reign were enemies of God.  The Israelites where to not have any pity or mercy on them Dt. 7:2.  Her parents were righteously and utmost hated by Solomon’s father,David because they were enemies of God. Psalm 139:21-22  No holy complacency in them to delight in.  The enemies of God have no love to God in their heart.

The text seems to suggest that she had the same mother but not the same father as her mothers sons.

“yet lovely”  tis the moral image of God in them, which is their beauty; and that is their holiness. Herein consists the beauty and brightness of the angels of heaven, that they are holy angels, and so not devils.

that knowledge which is the proper foundation of love, is the knowledge of loveliness. What that beauty or loveliness of divine things is, which is the proper and immediate object of a spiritual sense of mind, was showed under the last head insisted on, viz. that it is the beauty of their moral perfection. Therefore it is in the view or sense of this, that Spiritual understanding does more immediately

“Yet lovely”  We must have high right thoughts of ourselves in Christ.  We are loveliest washed in his blood not lovely by our own good deeds.  We are lovely and highly exalted in Christ.  United to Him and because of Him and His Gracious Eternal Love to us.  Low thoughts of self are right in relation to our sin and darkness, but that’s not only us, for we are of the blood of the Highest Royalty.  There is such a union between God and man in Christ that due to that strict union, Christ who was
God in flesh and blood is united to us in the strictest sense physically as well as spiritually.  For we are flesh and blood.  He was King of kings and we are now kings of the highest rank, and co heirs to His Kingdom.  This is who we are in Christ, that if properly understood would promote godliness and more love to Christ and a stricter union and happier communion.  This lovely thought and thinking can lead to spiritual pride therefore the two must be balanced.

Lovely “Like tent curtains of Solomon”

“of Solomon”  Holy, Beautiful, no enmity with God dwells there but peace and reconciliation.

“Daughters of Jerusalem”

These are non sunburnt women who grew up in Jerusalem during the time of peace.  They did no work outside and were experiencing their peace and rest.

“do not stare”

Better translated “Fear me not, because I am very dark, Because the sun hath scorched me, The sons of my mother were angry with me, They made me keeper of the vineyards, My vineyard — my own — I have not kept.”

“Fear me not”

How is it possible for them to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace and at the same time think she is an enemy of God?  She must be accepted as a sister in the coming Christ in order for there to be peace and not enmity between them.  By all outward appearances she looks like a Gentile enemy due to her sunburn and past enslavement.

How is it possible for them to accept her into God’s kingdom?  What right does she have to be accepted?  Song 8:6 gives us the answer.  She had love, a vehement holy jealous love in her heart.  And love comes from God and is something of God.  She had God and His love dwelling in her putting her heart on fire for Him, Israel’s Messiah and His people!

Essentially she is saying,  Accept me into your fellowship.  Don’t judge me by outward appearances of looking like an enemy.  May I be one with you as I love you as myself.  Like Jonathan loved David but woman to woman.  “Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.”

“my Mothers sons”

She is in slavery by her mothers sons and not her original father.  Her spiritual husband is Satan.   Her enslavement is just.  The children of Zion righteously hate her because she is an enemy to the throne of God and His kingdom 2 Chronicles 9:8 here on earth.

The point being made is that of ownership and her miserable condition and non desirable union with her mother’s sons, she wants out of it.

They are to not stare at her even though she deserved staring but now she is starting to do her God given duties or outward manifestations of her love to God by taking care of her vineyard.  She will have a blossoming one, and then a full garden later.

“Mother” can be used in the sense of birthing.  Her mother at the time of Song 1:6 would be Jerusalem.  She would be a daughter of Jerusalem because it was their witness of the coming messiah that she believed in and therefore had a right to enter into the Kingdom of God.

In a physical sense it is her mother’s sons who had her in slavery.  People not directly blood related, ?children of a different father had her in slavery.?   The Israelites put her to slave labor.

No true familial relationship between with the ones who put her into slave labor in the hot sun.

(Im wondering in what sense she could be a daughter of Zion?)  at this time she is probably a daughter of Jerusalem but not an original, she is like an adopted daughter therefore a sister into the family of God beside the flocks of God’s good shepherd and not being treated like someone who continues in sin.

They are righteously angry at her.  They have no love of complacency in her.  She was not holy and beautiful she was an enemy of God until she was born again.  8:6 and Ez. 36:26

The bride to be doesn’t want the smooth skinned not sunburnt daughters of Jerusalem to  stare at her dark sunburn that gave them the impression that she was an enemy of God.  She did not want to be judged by outward appearances, but by an inward reality that she had a new heart Ez. 36:26 and that now though dark with remnants of an old sinful life still around, she is also lovely.  Holiness of heart and her love to God is what is most lovely about her.  Her inner beauty of a renewed image of God upon the heart.  The image of God is Christ.  The greater the brides knowledge of Solomon grew the greater idea she had of Christ.  Solomon was a lesser Christ but the greatest type of Christ living at the time.   Dark was she but lovely.   Certainly she was talking about the bad stigma that having a sunburn had during Solomons reign when she said she was dark for the following verses is her testimony as to how she got the scorched skin.  She was a slave in the vineyard by her mothers sons.  By brothers of a different father.

She didn’t take care of her vineyard.   Had she taken care of it or guarded it properly then she would not be in slavery.  She knew she was supposed to be a good steward of what God has for her in her life.  It was her duty to take care of the vineyards.  God would want her to take care of the things she had in her possession.

Is she in slave labor by Solomon?  Was she an Israelite that neglected her vineyard got put in slave labor cuz she couldn’t catch the foxes that ruined the vineyard.

She was enslaved by those who hated her. To not stare at her would be to look at her without hatred in their heart.  David hated those who hated God and who worshiped idols.  Ps. 31:6

“made me”

Gal. 4:31.  Her mother’s sons enslaved her.  She was not a child of the promise.  She gets rebirthed by her new mother Jerusalem.

slavery and forced labor.

“Dark”  2 Chronicles 8:8

For more on the daughters of Jerusalem. Go here.

Song 1:6

“Do not stare at me because I am swarthy, For the sun has burned me.”

“Do not stare”  and lily among thorns

She is asking for their enmity against her to end.  She is starting to live out her name as princess of peace.

A steady intent look with despise or contempt due to her evil nature evident by her sunburn and vocation as a slave.

She is not the princess of peace until 7:13.  Meaning that their is still enmity in the hearts of those just born again.  This remnant of enmity in the hearts of new believers causes disunity and not unity, disharmony and not harmony and peace within a society or kingdom.

“the sun”  *Isaiah 49:8-10 And Rev. 7:16

“sunburnt”  “burned”  By all outward appearance of a sunburn and her enslavement she was an enemy of God, under the wrath of God, others had a righteous anger toward her, no love of complacency, she was not a sister but an enemy.  But there was a moral loveliness about her that made her a sister and morally excellent, it is the love of God in her 8:6.

“Darkened under the sun“.     This is a good outward illustration of the inward reality of a heart apart from God (under the sun) that only gets darker and more hardened.

“sun has burned me”  “scorched”

What might a daughter of Jerusalem have in her mind and heart when looking upon a sunscorched enemy of God, give her testimony?

They rightly had a righteous anger for she was an enemy of God but now she is not just dark only but she says “Dark am I, yet lovely” judgmental thoughts

She was a daughter without a father.  Or her father was not there yoked to her.  She was yoked to her mothers sons.   Sons of a different father.   Yoked in slavery.

She has clear and right ideas about herself and who she is asking to “not stare at her” “look down upon her“.  “I am dark, yet lovely” she says in 1:5  she is talking to the daughters of Jerusalem who never had anyone judge them.  They were daughter of the holiest city, Jerusalem, on earth with God dwelling with man.   So you have the holy daughters of Jerusalem listening to a sunburnt dark enemy of God give her testimony as to why they should not treat her as an enemy.  She had Love to God, the “very flame of the LORD” in her heart  Song 8:6.  Yes dark and swarthy on the outside, and yes I look like an enemy by all outward appearances but I am lovely on the inside.  So ““Do not stare at me because I am swarthy , For the sun has burned me.

Young’s Literal Translation
“Fear me not, because I am very dark, Because the sun hath scorched me, The sons of my mother were angry with me, They made me keeper of the vineyards, My vineyard — my own — I have not kept.”

No need for righteous hatred, no need to look down upon me, and have anger towards me

It is so, I am beside your flock of friends, but I want to be where you shepherd your flock and have rest there.  She desperately doesn’t want to be in slavery and desires freedom and rest where the good shepherd feeds his flock.

There is a contrast being made that is important.  I don’t think her point is to explain how or if neglecting her own vineyard led to slavery but the contrast of being in slavery to not is being made and that of being hated now and not before had she kept her vineyard from foxes.  I doubt she was a rebellious daughter of Jerusalem because “everyone was under their own fig tree”  plus all the enemies did all the labor outside in the sun.  1 Kings 9:20-23

Song 1:6  Jewish Translation

“Do not view me with contempt despite my swarthiness, for it is but the sun, which has glared upon me.  The alien children of my mother were incensed with me and made me keeper of the vineyard idols, but the vineyard of my own God I did not keep.”

Though I disagree with most of the translation the idea that the starring here is a type of contempt.  Moral contempt.  Yes, I am sunburn and I know it, please don’t treat me that way, for I am lovely.  She has the love of God written on her heart Ez. 36:26 There fore look not down upon me with Contempt, I am not your enemy anymore, but we are friends, “companions”  but now Im being treated like an enemy of God, continuing in sin like a prostitute who has to cover herself with a veil in shame

“Made me”

She is being treated as a pagan not guarding what God wanted her to guard.  “treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”  Matt. 18:17

What is true is that they have her laboring in the hot sun for them.  It ought not to be and she doesn’t want to be judged.  The slavery is no longer justified.  Due to her love to the king, agreement and fellowship of heart she has with those who love the holy king because his character, name and reputation is pleasing to them.  And her testimony of being “dark, yet lovely” due to the Love of God in her heart is evidence enough that they ought not to stare at her and accept her into their fellowship, peace and rest as their friend and not enemy.

?Blood Jew being treated like a Gentile enemy due to her lack of guarding her heart, thus she doesn’t guard her vineyard and is in slavery sunburnt working for someone else’s benefit.?  Love breaks the bond of slavery to another’s vineyard and restores union with God through his son and king thus her vineyard will bloom.  The cultivation of love and humility in her heart will blossom.

“Made me take care of the vineyards”   Slavery.  She is enslaved not experiencing rest.

The point is the contrast between who’s vineyard has she been working in.  And who’s vineyard is/was she in?  She was doing nothing in regards to anything her duties and responsibilities before God.  Her vineyard.  Her own vineyard.  The one God gave her and she was supposed to take care or guard it.  God gave her a vineyard and she had obligation to guard her own vineyard, but she did not guard it.  She was continually in sin, not guarding her vineyard, but working slave labor for another.

Who would be righteously angry with her for not obeying God?  Who would be sinfully angry with her for not taking care of her own vineyard?

Vineyards could be used for a garden of herbs.  End of Song 4 with 1:6 with 1 Kings 21:2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house.

Jerm. 2:14   A servant born into the family had rights and honors next to the sons.  Gen. 15:3

Exodus 22:5  “If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man’s field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution.”  Could she now owe restitution by a form of stealing from the fruitful vineyards of another.

Romans 7:4  “you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.”  Under the law she deserved to be in slavery.

?Is she a slave girl born into the family of Pharaoh who was supposed to take care of Gezer but it was put aflame and since she neglected her vineyard she is now enslaved by her mother’s sons.

?Her mothers sons weren’t her current spiritual relatives?   Her mother’s sons weren’t her desired family members.  The idea is that of slavery and ownership.   She is owned and enslaved by a family relation.

For more on “Do not stare..”

1:5-6  with Isaiah 54:1

“my own vineyard I have neglected”  “not guarded”

She has committed Spiritual Adultery over and over again.

Admission of guilt.  Confession.  Where she went wrong revealing inner heart darkness, yet she is lovely 1:5.

1:7 to 2:6  is unbroken holy sweet communion between the lovers that ends with the strictest union thus far when she is passed out, overwhelmed by the kiss or expressions of  his/His love to her.

1:7-2:7  or 2:3-6 or just 2:3 Is a scene under the apple tree.  Were she arouses him. (?This may or may not be the full scene if somehow they are literally under firs and under an apple tree at the same time,  it seems more likely that she is just referring back to a time when she roused him by saying “take me to the banquet hall” unless under the apple tree is where God’s love roused Solomon and ravished his heart.?

1:7-8

Song of Songs 1:7

“Tell me, O you whom my soul loves,
Where do you pasture your flock,
Where do you make it lie down at noon?
For why should I be like one who veils herself
Beside the flocks of your companions?”

From living a metaphoric hell on earth to literally living in love, joy and peace in God’s kingdom on earth.

She is his side, she properly belongs there, here she is most happy.  By his/His side and in his/His presence is where she is most holy, happy and beautiful.  By his/His side is where she finds her peace and rest.  By his side and in his/His shade 2:3.

“Tell me”

In order to know what she is thinking and feeling you must know who she is and think that that is who you are.   Imagine you are a woman desiring to be married to Israel’s Messiah, king and shepherd of God’s people.  You are sunburnt, tired and desire rest.  Your current being in control over you hates you and there is absolutely not real satisfaction in your life, mostly misery and life is meaningless.  You here of someone who, because of his name, who he is, who he represents and what he will do you are drawn to him. Your heart desires the closest most intimate relationship with him as possible, yet by all outward appearances you are an enemy of God, deserving His Wrath and not His Love, Grace like the Israelites as they are blessed with closer and closer levels of intimacy with God through union and communion in love with the coming Messiah and he is God’s son on His throne in Jerusalem, He is about 12 years old and gifted with unmeasurable wisdom.  While still not accepted into his/His kingdom and being treated like a prostitute who continues in sin, you desire to be shepherded by the king and therefore experience the peace with God and man and keep the bond of peace through love, you look to the one you have the most affection for and eagerly ask,

“tell me”

This is a request.  She asks and then he answers.  She doesn’t know something.  She doesn’t know where to find rest from the noon day sun that was scorching her darkening her skin.  She was sunburnt in slave labor because she was an enemy of God and now she desperately desires to be set free, but is ignorant as to where to go to find rest for she was laboring and heavy burdened.

“Tell me you whom my soul loves”  Clearly she loved the king in 1:2-4  but the words the “one whom my soul loves” are used so that we get it in our minds that she is talking to the one she loves.  Israel’s Messiah, king Solomon.

She urgently desires to be in the same pasture that the Messiah pastures his flock during the hottest part of the day.  And she looks like a Gentile!  What business does a Gentile have being able to experience God’s peace and rest in His kingdom.  They should only rightly receive justice in the form of righteous anger and wrath toward God’s enemies.

“Where” and “Where”  Clearly she is wanting to be somewhere.  Where the Messiah pastures his sheep.  She wants to be out of the sun feeding her goats in peace and rest like the Israelites were.

It does seem like she is chasing him, yet in reality it is who he is and the experience of his love that irresistibly calls her closer.  Song 1:2-4  Her faith and trust in him is precious and praiseworthy!

She followed the tracks of the sheep and would up at their dwelling place in 1:17, she was enemy, bound in miserable slavery, both physical and spiritual, getting scorched in the hot sun and now she has the love of God in her heart and is changed and desires to be where the one her heart loves is and gets rest during the hottest part of the day.  She was outside a covenant relationship with God and It was so but she didn’t want it to be.  She ought not to be treated like a prostitute continuing in sin, but desire to be experiencing the promised rest with God’s people for she was not jus dark on the outside and inside but she was dark on the outside yet lovely with the love of God on her heart 8:6 and lovely on the outside if only he could overlook the stigma of being an enemy of God, that came with being a sunburnt slave during Solomon’s reign. 1 Kings 9:20-23 with Song 1:6

***She desires to join his fellowship,

She is to prove her love to and union with him/Him by holding holy communion with him.  Which means he is king with a sweet name above all other names and in order to hold holy communion with him in love you must

1.  Obey him/Him.  Learn his will for you and obey without hesitation for he is your “king”.  The thoughts and feelings must be mutual.

She desires peace and rest at “his” side the one her heart loves.  Again her husband the one she loves is on her mind.  See the repeat “you”and “your”.

“you” whom…”you” pasture…” your” flock “you” make….”Your” companions

She desires to be in union with him as the shepherd of her heart, indicated by her asking the one her soul loves a question.  Love desires the strictest union with the object of its affection and here she delights to have him give her truth and she delights to receive it from the one her heart loves.

Everything she wants pertaining to peace and rest from slave labor is tied to the one her heart loves.  Note the emphasis on “you” and “your” in the above verses.

A wife is to get advice from her husband.   Especially  when the one her heart loves has unmeasurable wisdom, who else would she go to?

“oh you whom my soul loves”

This is a request spoken to the one her heart loves, king Solomon.  Solomon responds in 1:8.  Notice the context change, this is very important in order to understand the text.   In Song 1:5-6 the bride was talking to the daughters of Jerusalem.  Now in 1:7 she speaks to the one her heart loves.  The king is the one her heart loves 1:2-4  who is also a shepherd 1:8 and 6:3.  Love desires the strictest union with the object of its affection.  She is uniting herself to Solomon as a shepherd.  She is asking him for advice and he is giving it like a good shepherd.  Solomon had unmeasured wisdom 1 kings 4:23 and his answers were sweet to her taste Song 5:13.

These are words expressing her deep desire to be at peace and rest near Solomon, out of the sun.  Out of slavery. v6   where she won’t be looked down upon or treated like someone continuing in sin like a prostitute outside the blessings of a covenantal relationship with God walking around veiled so as to not get stared at.  She is born again Song 8:6 because Gods Love is in her heart Ez. 36:26.

Ever felt something and knew it but couldn’t but it to words.  Like have you felt distant from God, desired to be near, but didn’t know where to go but had reason to believe that it is only because Jesus is God’s Son and Christ’s work on the cross that I can draw near?

“Where you graze your flock..”  Who has a flock?  Solomon was the greatest shepherd ever he had “more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before him.”  Ecclesiastes 2:7

“you whom she loves” is the anointed king who is also a shepherd.  The text here says that the one she loves is a shepherd who has flocks.  Solomon is the king whom she loves and he has flocks of sheep more than anyone in Jerusalem before him.  Solomon was the greatest shepherd of animal sheep.

Application of her God

She desires information from her good shepherd and calls him the one she loves.  Her husband is the one she loves.  The one in authority over she calls “the one she loves”.  He is her beloved, the one she loves.  Isaiah also uses the same language similar to the bride here when singing when he sang a song to God.  Isaiah 5:1  “the One I love”  “my Loved One”

This is the context the bride is in.

Now the bride is talking to the one she loves and asks him a question in Song 1:7 and Solomon answers in Song 1:8  Solomon was represented as king in Song 1:4 and now he takes the role of a shepherd Ecc. 2:7 with Song 1:8 clearly revealing that the one she loves is not only the wisest king of kings but a good shepherd leading to peace and rest.

She wants to know

1.  “Where”  Where the one she loves pastures his flock.  Where does king Solomon pasture his flocks? Ecclesiastes 2:7
2. She wants to be in fellowship with him and his friends.  Well she has got to be at peace with God.

“Where”  She wants to be where the one her heart loves shepherds his flock.

She also believes she has some right to be within the flocks of the good shepherd’s companions, for what right does a slave girl have to be resting when the promised rest was only for God’s people/sheep.  She was a slave girl and ought to be in slave labor not enjoying peace and rest in God’s kingdom.  Yes, she was an enemy slave girl at one point of her life but by now with her holy love to Solomon and desire for him to be her king illustrates that she is no enemy to the throne of God but submissive to His king, Solomon.  No true enemy of Solomon would sincerely swear faithfulness loyalty to him, unless they knew who he was and what his love could do for their spiritual good and God’s glory.   Solomon was the king of peace.  He made peace with his enemies.  Surely he could make peace with his wife once she has the “Flame of God” Song 8:6 in her heart.

Where do you lead and provide rest for your flocks during the scorching noonday sun?  Not only did she have duties to guard her mother’s sons vineyards, but also she was a shepherdess, she had “young goats” that the good shepherd said could find peace with God and rest from her forced labor by the shepherd tents.  Here you  have 3 new duties of the wife or bride to be.

1. She is to be submissive to her wise king and good shepherd.
2. She has duties of her own that must be taken care of.  She is the caretaker of her own vineyard.  She listens to no other husband but her own.
3. She is also a shepherdess,  she has “young goats”

1:7-8***  “Where you graze your flock“

At this point we know that Solomon was king and that the bride desired union and communion with the king whom she loved and now she is asking the one she loves a for a location where he may be at a certain time.  At this point we would conclude that the king of peace had a flock and he grazed it in a shady, not sun scorching place.  The one she loves who is the king 1:2-4 is also a shepherd who knows where to find peace and rest from experiencing the wrath of God under the sun.  Close to him and following his advice would bring her peace and rest.  She wants to be near him and he desires for her to be near him so he lets her know.  The king of peace was the greatest shepherd in Jerusalem thus far.  Eccl. 2:7

She is committing herself to him to have him shepherd her heart.

“your flock”  clearly she has “young goats” or kids and he has a flock and he is giving her advice therefore he is a shepherd of her hearts and a shepherd of physical sheep.  This verse makes makes it clear that Solomon was a king of kings and a shepherd of the hearts of those that loved him and desired to be near him.  Solomon was the best shepherd of hearts and also a shepherd and in his later years he was the greatest shepherd so far of

He is answering her request in Song 1:4  “Draw me after you.”  King Solomon is being a shepherd of her heart by giving her advice wise advice and she follows him wherever he goes.  She found the shepherd she loves with a love of complacency and benevolence yet still desiring an erotic love in the future.

“Why”

“why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions”

Why? She knows it is true but she doesn’t want it to be so and it ought not to be that she is being treated like someone continuing in sin.

Ephesians 3:12
“In Him and through faith in Him we may enter God’s presence with boldness and confidence.”    A “mare” is bold in battle and so is the woman.  She see’s no legitimate reason for her to be separated from him and is bold in her request to be near him and out of slavery.

She clearly has spiritual understanding, wisdom, hatred for sin and desire for a holy life.

Job 28:28
“And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.”

Proverbs 9:10
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”

“why”  It is true, but it  shouldn’t be because she has the love of God in her heart.  Also the promises of peace and rest where only for “God’s people.” “God’s people will be established in the land and not disturbed.  No more traveling or fighting. No more affliction from the wicked.”  2 Sam 7:10

She was no longer an enemy of God’s kingdom, continuing in sin like a veiled shameful woman, she was a born again child of God.

“veil”

She veils herself so that others don’t stare at her sunburn or remaining remnants of a past evil life in slave labor for she was an enemy of God and was being treated like a prostitute Gen. 38:14-15***

“beside” not in fellowship.  Eph. 2:12.   She was “alienated” from a life of peace and rest in the kingdom of God.

She hides her face in shame like a prostitute would be outside kingdom blessings.  She was not in Solomon’s circle of companions. But desired it to be so.  By all outward appearances, her sunburn and all it would look as if she was being treated like a prostitute but wasn’t one.   “For why should I be like..” be like a veiled woman outside God’s covenantal blessings to Israel.  It is so, she was in slave labor because she was an enemy to God’s kingdom and king.

“companions” or “friends”

Same word used in 8:13

Once she had friendship with the world but now she desires friendship and a common bond with the shepherds companions showing also that she desires friendship with God

But there is an inclination in the creature, not only to the  adoration of a lord and sovereign, but to complacence in someone as a friend, to love and delight in someone that may be conversed with as a companion.

Birds of a feather flock together.

Psalm 119:63 “I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts.“

1:7-1:8

She wants to be near him and he answers her most sweetly acknowledging he wants her to be near him.  She drew near to him and he drew near to her.

The proper evidence of having a heart actually to forsake all, is indeed actually to forsake all, so far as called to it. If a prince makes suit to a woman in a far country, that she would forsake her own people, and father’s house, and come to him, to be his bride; the proper evidence of the compliance of her heart with the king’s suit, is her actually forsaking her own people, and father’s house, and coming to him. By this, her compliance with the king’s suit, is made perfect. JE

1:8

Song 1:8  

“If you yourself do not know, Most beautiful among women,
Go forth on the trail of the flock And pasture your young goats
By the tents of the shepherds.“

She was desperate for the information and had a deep desire to be near him and experience peace with God and man and rest for her soul.  But did not know where.  He is answering her question.  This is the first time the king of peace, the one her heart loves speaks sweetness to her ears and her precious ears take it all in and it is like refreshing shade on a hot day, sweet to her taste 2:3.  Surely Solomon noticed her earnest desire for she fearlessly obeyed and proved her love to him and he praises her in 1:9.  He was casting pearls and her listening ears were also precious to the wise king of peace for he said,   “As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise counsel to an obedient ear.”  Proverbs 25:12

Wisdom has a goal in mind.  Oneness.  Her good because he loves her.  What shall I say that would bring about a closer union between shepherd and follower?  What would I say that would help move the relationship closer?

Clearly they don’t rest their flocks in the same place in the hottest time of the day.

“If you do not know,”  Some people think that the couple is married from Song 1:4 yet here she doesn’t even know where he rests his sheep in the heat of the day.  If they are married at this time you would think that she would know were he fed his flock.

“Hear it and know it for yourself” Job 5:27

Her lover is the king and a physical shepherd and a spiritual shepherd.  He is her spiritual shepherd because he gives her mind advice.   He shepherds her heart and she shepherds her young goats.

Here is his first sweet words to her.

Now the one her heart loves is shepherding her heart.  Her mind.  By giving her mind information.  Much needed information.  The sweetest information to her ears 5:16.  She is ready to leave father and mother and be one with the king of peace.  Its almost as if she is obeying  Psalm 45:10-11 Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention: Forget your people and your father’s house. ¹¹ Let the king be enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.”  She honored him by obeying.  She followed and as they go together side by side he praises her inner beauty in 1:9 and outer beauty in 1:10 and their isn’t any other woman in the world more beautiful for she is the “most beautiful of woman”

The king, shepherd, the one her heart loves answers the bride’s inquiry about where to go and what to do to find peace and rest from her hard labor under the sun.  All along the bride is pursing Solomon swiftly as she desired in Song 1:4 “let us hurry”.  She is not waisting time because his “name” was pleasing to her,  “like perfume poured out” Song 1:3 plus she is not fearful of the wrath of Solomon due to him being the king of peace, for by Solomon’s undying love to his enemy bride become one due to Love the “flame of God” Song 8:6 being in and on their hearts.

1:8-9  It looks they went together following the tracks of the sheep.  Here is her first lesson on leaning to lean on her beloved.  Particularly in a heart shepherding context.

**Is. 40:11, Jer. 31:10

“If you do not know”

The shepherdess is clueless, she does not know how to get what she wants.  But she does know who to ask.  She asks the one her heart loves.  She desired to know where to find rest and peace from her slavery in the hot sun.  He answered her with sweet words reminder her that even though she did not know she was still the “most beautiful among women”.   In truth and in his eyes she was the “most beautiful among women”.  The love Song that stands above all other loves Songs has as its bride, “the most beautiful among women.”  This is superlative language.  This superlative love Song has for its bride “the most beautiful woman”.   As far as beauty went, she was “the most beautiful.”  Her own ignorance of what to do as shepherdess did not keep him from her.  He helps her out by reminding her of what He thinks of her.

“Most”

He beauty is compared to things that are out of this world in 6:10.

?It seems that Solomon has respect to her love being greater than the other maidens due to the lack of fear of punishment.  She has more reason to fear punishment to to her sunburn and the stigma of being an enemy of God that goes with it.?  most certainly there is a pure, ardent, even inconceivably vehement mutual love “between the glorified saints; and this love is in proportion to the perfection and amiableness of the object loved.”

“He who has been forgiven little loves little.”  Luke 7:47  She has been forgiven much and loves much and has the greatest “enlargement” of heart to love. Ps. 119:32

“most beautiful”

Inside and out.  Like a mare in battle or sandaled feet of a queen of queens.

Beauty is the ultimate qualification or excellency of the bride.

He gave her an honest answer which is like a kiss from his lips. Proverbs 24:26 with Song 1:2

He see’s her and notices her unparalleled moral and natural beauty.

His attraction to her has nothing to do with her sunburn.  She is the most beautiful woman despite her sunburn.  He accepts her as she is and doesn’t hold into account the remnants of a past sinful life.  He sunburn was a remnant of her past sinful life.

She is literally “the most beautiful woman” outside physically.  She is also infinitely beautiful in the eyes of God due to her union with the Son of God before the world began.

Get an idea of either the moral or external beauty of the bride and you get an idea of God.   Beauty is that “wherein the truest idea of divinity does consist.” (Religious Affections) God Himself is distinguished most from His creation by virtue of His beauty: “God is God, and distinguished from all other beings, and exalted above them, chiefly by his divine beauty.”

Gen. 12:13Please say that you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake, and on account of you my life will be spared.” 14So when Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.”     “Very”  is the same word used of Abishag, who was very beautiful.  Yet Abishag unlike Sarah was unsurpassed in beauty in all of Israel.  If Abishag is not Solomon’s wife, then the woman in the Song was not living in Israel or the search only included Israelites and not foreign women within Israel.

Solomon is not just saying she is the most beautiful because he loves her but because she actually is the most beautiful woman.  The way he describes her in chapter 4 is that she is “flawless” and also “altogether lovely”.   Superlative beauty is common in Scripture

Prov. 11:22  You can’t call a woman truly beautiful unless she has discretion.  Intellectual discernment.  Intellectual judgement.  Answer based on sound judgment.

He mentions her matchless beauty and the first words of Solomon to his bride to be are that she is “the most beautiful woman of all”.   I take Solomon at his word and if he says she is the most beautiful then she was.   So line up all the beautiful women and Solomon uses his shepherding skills to lead her closer to him by letting her know who she was in his eyes.  She was the most beautiful!!  Not just a nice compliment but a statement of actual fact.

HAPPINESS. How soon do earthly lovers come to an end of their discoveries of each other’s beauty; how soon do they see all that is to be seen! Are they united as near as ’tis possible, and have communion as intimate as possible? how soon do they come to the most endearing expressions of love that ’tis possible to give, so that no new ways can be invented, given or received. And how happy is that love, in which there is an eternal progress in all these things; wherein new beauties are continually discovered, and more and more loveliness, and in which we shall forever increase in beauty ourselves; where we shall be made capable of finding out and giving, and shall receive, more and more endearing expressions of love forever: our union will become more close, and communion more intimate.

“Beautiful”

Beauty is that wherein the truest idea of divinity does consist.  We get an idea of God by understanding and delighting in the beauty of the Bride by beholding God’s beauty reflected in her outward appearance and actions.

“My darling” in 1:9, 1:15, 2:2, 2:10, 2:13, 4:1, 4:7, 5:2, 6:4.  “Friend or companion”

Fairest among women.

She has no reason to be ashamed of the remnants of her dark past because he is completely attracter to her because she is “the most beautiful woman”  Her beauty draws him closer to him.  Overall he is adoring and delighting to behold her form and character in action, like a mare in battle.

“most beautiful of women”  What she has that attracts him to her is her beauty her matchless beauty.

“follow”  or go forth.

Here we see a spiritual and physical shepherd of goats in love with and asking for advice from a Spiritual and physical shepherd of sheep.  She was one of God’s people and he is now shepherding her and she shows her desire to be near him both physically and spiritually by the fact that she “loved” him from the vehement “flame of love” she had in her heart.  The Love of the LORD causes her to desire to be shepherded and get advice from one of Israels Greatest physical and spiritual shepherd/Shepherd.  Ecc. 2:7, Psalm 23,

The good shepherd of her heart tells he to “follow”.  Follow were he has lead his sheep before and where and when the sun can’t scorch her.  Here we have an example of the bride submitting to her christ, good shepherd and king, as is her role in the union.  The pattern the wife in the marriage is to follow is that of how the bride of Christ submits to Christ.  Ephesian 5:24

Peace and harmony among past enemies.  How is it possible that the king whom she loves commands and she delights to eagerly follow.  Where it not for the Love of God that was in her heart she would not take advice from her shepherd.  By her asking and him answering he is being her shepherd.

She expresses her hearts desire in 1:7, He tells her how to get it in 1:8 and She gets her hearts desire in 1:17  for they clearly she went from being treated like a gentile sinner to being treated like a virgin queen united to Israel’s Messiah in Love.  She desired to be out of the scorching sun and now she has luxurious rafters over her head and she is dwelling there with the good shepherd king of her thoughts and dreams.

“Follow”  He tells her what to do rather than saying “Your a sunburnt slave you don’t deserve rest from forced labor, get back to work or I whip you with scorpions.”

She asks out of love so he knows she is sincere in her desire to know where he shepherds his flock  so that she can find rest there beside him rather than far from him in slavery under the scorching noon day sun.  She is to follow in the tracks of the sheep that follow the good shepherd and she will find rest in the shade of good shepherds.

“Follow… and rest..”  Wether she followed immediately or not is not known, what we do know is that she earnestly desired to be near him and find peace with God and others and rest.  So her flame was a fire.  Unquenchable, Strong Jealousy, can’t buy it.  Oneness will happen, a stricter union will be achieved one way or another.  We do know that she did find her resting place dwelling with him under a sure luxurious foundation for the “The place they lie down on is green and the beams of their house were cedars and it’s rafters were furs.”  Solomon’s Song of Songs 1:17    She went from being sunburnt and being treated like a prostitute outside a covenant relationship with God to delightfully sharing a sure and luxurious dwelling place where she was at perfect peace and rest.

Joy or delight in God is compared to beautiful adornments worn by Israel.  God compared the joy of the return of the Children of Israel to Zion after its restoration, to the beauty of a bride’s wearing of ornaments of jewels (Isaiah 49:18)

This would mean that his eyes would always be on her.  She was the most beautiful, why would his eyes wonder off a woman that was more beautiful than all the rest.

She desired to be within the flocks of his companions Song 1:7  and here in 1:8 the flock of companions left a trail.  She desired to be with them and he gave her command and leadership and she listened and obeyed quickly and fearlessly.  Not under law but under grace.  The first most important thing she needs to know in this courtship is that she is “the most beautiful woman of all”  She probably knew it, but Solomon proclaimed her “the most beautiful woman”  Nothing is more beautiful than a repentant bride a continually humbled bride.

Definition= peace= that peace with God that is sensible is that inward, holy calm and quietness.

“Follow” All his commands are agreeable and acceptable. He accounts Christ’s yoke easy, and his burden light, and his commands not grievous.  we esteem the ways of his commands “ways of pleasantness.”

She knew she had a loveliness about herself in Song 1:5  “Dark am I, yet lovely”  though there was an evil moral stigma attached to her outward appearance that was her darkness and was not lovely, but the was a loveliness about her.  Solomon is not an ignorant unwise shepherd of Israel and sheep but he was fully equipped to fulfill or do his role as shepherd and she saw it due to her confession of love to Israel’s king and shepherd.

She desires to be near the one she loves and cries out t

She already has spiritual peace and rest due to her love to God 8:6, what she desires now is the physical slavery to end and for her to be excepted into his friendship by the flocks of his companions or friends.

Application

Admire the wisdom and skill he has to calm her fears and draw her closer by letting him know how he see’s her as “the most beautiful woman”.  She didn’t doubt him judging her by the outward appearance of being an enemy because his “love was delightful” and his “name” was pleasing to her.  He drew her closer by His love and good reputation, name and faithfulness.  Due to his love and faithfulness to her her life of sin is denied for a closer more intimate relationship with Israel’s shepherd/Shepherd.

She proved her words “you whom I love”  by her desire to be Shepherded by him and desire to be near him.  Love here being that of a sheep to her shepherd/Shepherd.

Numb. 27:16-18  Saul, leader, “shepherd of Israel”

Behold the beauty of God in both the physical and spiritual aspects of your wife.  “It is with regard to His image or resemblance , which secondary beauty has of true spiritual beauty, that God has so constituted nature, that the presenting of this inferior beauty, especially in those kinds of it which have the greatest resemblance of the primary beauty, as the harmony of sounds, the beauties of nature and of a woman, have a tendency to assist those whose hearts are under the influence of a virtuous temper, to dispose them to the exercise of divine love, and enliven in them a sense of spiritual beauty!!”

“Get thee forth”  “Follow”  “Follow the tracks of the sheep”

“shepherd” was a metaphor for the king in ancient middle east. (Curtis page 122)

“follow”  The tracks may be fresh.  Sheep go back and forth.  If only tracks were they then they would lead from open pasture to a shady, cooler place out the sun at noon.

These word of wisdom her gives her are “by one shepherd.” Ecc. 12:11

Following the lead of her shepherd she finds rest.  A husband is to shepherd the heart of his wife as the shepherd guided the one who loved him closer to himself/Himself.

Application

Israel was to obey and thus follow the “voice” of a pre incarnate form of Christ so that they could have rest from “adversaries” Ex. 23:20 .    They were to obey His voice!!   God’s Name was in The Angel.   God’s Character was in The Angel therefore Israel was to obey His voice or no pardon for sin.   Meaning the proof that your sins have been pardoned is the fact that you obey the voice of God in The Angel who would guard them.  Which obedience came with a conditional promise.  “then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries”

The Israelites should have loved The Angel.  Obeying His Voice would be an act of love on the part of Israel.  The principle idea is that Love desires to be close to the one you love.  If Israel loved God then they should desire to be near God more than the shepherd girl wanted to be near her spiritual shepherd by way of learning and obeying “the law of Moses” 1 Kings 2:3, and physical shepherd.

Exodus 23:20–24, “Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, and provoke him not; for my name is in him. But if thou wilt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. For mine Angel shall go before thee, to bring thee unto the Amorites,” etc. Here God reveals that he would commit the care of that congregation to a person that he calls his “angel” or “messenger,” in whom was his name or nature; his name, JEHOVAH, by which name God had a little before so solemnly revealed himself to that people by. JE

Moses was also a shepherd leader and Israel was to follow.  “They were all baptized into Moses.” That is a simple concept. They were immersed into his leadership. They were identified with him. It was Moses’ people, it was Moses crowd. They were one with their leader, that’s what that is saying. They were united as a community with one leader.  JM

The shepherd/Shepherd is her Noah.  Genesis 5:29 Now he called his name Noah, saying, “This one will give us rest from our work and from the toil of our hands arising from the ground which the Lord has cursed.”

we could say the manna and the water were evidence of the presence of Christ who accompanied them.

“kids”  Young female goats. If she were to have a flock of these coming down the mountain.  The glorious site is the same as the glorious beautiful site of her hair. 4:1, 6:5

Young goats were used by God when he made a covenant with Abraham Gen. 15:9, 18

The union of the shepherd kings heart to his people exhibits his love, his readiness to receive her into that near relation.

“Follow”  do shine with the same sort of brightness, the same mild, sweet and pleasant beams. These lamps of the spiritual temple, that are enkindled by fire from heaven, burn with the same sort of flame. The branch is of the same nature with the stock and root, has the same sap, and bears the same sort of fruit. The members have the same kind of life with the head. It would be strange if Christians should not be of the same temper and spirit that Christ is of; when they are his flesh and his bone, yea are one spirit (I Corinthians 6:17), and live so, that it is not they that live, but Christ that lives in them. A Christian spirit is Christ’s mark, that he sets upon the souls of his people; his seal in their foreheads, bearing his image and superscription. Christians are the followers of Christ: and they are so, as they are obedient to that call of Christ, Matthew 11:28–29, “Come to me, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart.” They follow him as the Lamb; Revelation 14:14, “These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.” JE

A bride is to “follow” Jeremiah 2:2  “as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness,”

The shepherd king also wants the one who loves her to be where he is like Jesus did in John 17:24  “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am”

The shepherd invites the sunburnt Gentile into the fellowship of the Israelites, similar to how another enemy of God, Rahab, was a friend of the spies and was a true Jew at heart.

“follow”  “Though the path is before you, and you may walk in it if you really choose it, yet it is a way which is strait, and there are many difficulties in the way; the whole way is ascending. That glorious city of light and love is , as it were, on the top of an high hill, an elevation which is exalted above the hill, and there is no arriving there without traveling uphill. Though this be wearisome, yet it is worth your while to come and dwell in such a glorious city at last. Be willing therefore to comply with this labor.” JE

“Follow”   He tells her how to get what she wants.  She asked and he answered.  When her fear of drawing near is overcome by her understanding his love to her then she willingly desires for him to shepherd her closer to him.  When the time is right in dating the woman can ask the man to sharpen her as “iron sharpens iron”.   Leading her spiritually will be his job and here she gets a taste of it before marriage.

“Follow”  She asked a question to the one she loves, the king, who is also a physical shepherd.  The fact that she asks a question and he answer her and tells her where to find rest, he is then leading her to physical rest out of the noonday sun.  A shepherd of humans gives advice and his followers listen and then obey.  He is now her king and a kings job is to shepherd his people.  He leads her to finding rest.  The king is fulfilling his role as a physical shepherd helping his servant find physical rest as a shepherd of sheep gives physical rest to animal sheep.  To love and care for the sheep.

Physical rest for the slave girl that she never had before.  Solomon is all three, the shepherd of her physical body, thus giving her body rest from the sun.   He is her spiritual shepherd for it is her soul that that will get what it desires.  He is also a physical shepherd of animal sheep for he has a flock.  Jealous for her physical good and happiness of soul, so he lets her know what to do and where to go to find rest.

She gets drawn closer 1:4, since his mouth is “sweetness itself” all his words where delightful to hear. 5:16.  They are just getting to know one another on a personal level for the first time.  She acknowledges her affection for him and he acknowledges how he feels about her.

Her doing so would be a partial fulfillment of  the “peace and rest”  Solomon would bring in 1 Chronicles 22:9.

1:9

Transition  From 1:8 to 1:9

Knowing she wants to be “drawn by him closer to him in a hurry” Song 1:4 and she just asked where he rests his sheep at noon away from the hot sun, what do you think she will do if it was getting close to the hottest part of the day?

She would be swift and fearless in her pursuit of him due to her “love” 1:7 and to be there where he would be resting in the shade when she normally was normally being scorched by the noon day sun.

Wether or not she immediately follows him or waits until it is noon to be there resting beside him and his flock it doesn’t matter,  she is still worthy of the compliment because her swift eagerness and ardent affections were clear in 1:4 and in her desire to be near him expressed in 1:7.  So he gives her the answer she wanted and then praises her inner beauty in 1:9 and her outer beauty in 1:10.

Solomon’s Song of Songs 1:9-10

Song 1:9

“My friend” “He addresses her, “my love:” she is not yet his bride. ‏רַעְיָה‎ (female friend), from ‏רָעַי‎ (‏רָעָה), to guard, care for, tend, ethically: to delight in something particularly, to take pleasure in intercourse or conversation with one,” KD

“Friend” 1:9,15, 2:2,10,13, 4:1,7, 5:2, 6:4, Judges 11:37

“friend”  King Jesus didn’t call His disciples just servants but friends John 15:15.  So also king Solomon didn’t call her a servant but a friend.  A more intimate relationship was being formed, closer than that of a servant to a king but that also of a friend to a friend.  No slander or repeating of a sinful matter in this relationship for those would “separate friends” Prov. 16:28, 17:9.

Speaking of Song 4:1 KD translates “my darling” to be “my friend”

John 15:14, “You are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you.”  Meaning that  they were not enemies.  They would be his friend and fellow companions if they did what he said.  Her love to the king and shepherd is proven by her obedience to the king, Israel’s Messiah and Shepherd.  He told her to “follow” and “rest” 1:8/

“This scene contains a conversation between Solomon and his beloved, whom he at first calls friend, and then, drawing always nearer to her, bride.”

“my darling”  means “companion or friend”  no need to change it to being something sweet.  She wants to be by his companions.  and here he calls her friend or companion and then in 5:16 he is her friend.  She is one he “guards, cares for, and tends with an emphasis on the delight and pleasure which attends that responsibility.”  (G.L. Carr 1984) and almost always used in the first half of the book.

Friendship on fire!

Friend, no fear, Mare in battle.  She would have to keep and believe who he was, what he was like and the promises about him in her mind always, along with who she was and is now in order for her to not fear and draw close to him/Him.  (Israel would have peace from their enemies during his reign.  They would get rest in the promised land.) He would live out his name, peace.  She wants this rest in the promised land and he told her what to do in order to have it and be near him at the same time.  She waisted no time because she was in a “hurry” 1:4 and he compliments her character for it.  Due to the extreme value of such a mare possessed of both an excellent character and appearance the mare would be adorned with precious and valuable gems and metals.  He is saying that she is worthy to be adorned due to her character and so he says, “We will make you earrings of gold, studded with silver.”

No Fear.  I John 4:18, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” These two opposite principles of lust and holy love, bring hope and fear into the hearts of God’s children, in proportion as they prevail; that is, when left to their own natural influence, without something adventitious, or accidental intervening; as the distemper of melancholy, doctrinal ignorance, prejudices of education, wrong instruction, false principles, peculiar temptations, etc. Fear is cast out.” JE

“friend”  must be illustrated in a way that they are now on the same side.  Friends and not enemies.

“you are like My mare among the chariots of Pharaoh.”

The beauty and excellency of the bride and her spirit consists in Love.

“the man does not compare the woman to a mare “among the chariots of pharaoh” but “to a mare belonging to [the horses that are with] the chariots of pharaoh” (לְסֻסָתִי בְּרִכְבֵי פַרְעֹה). Put another way, the mare is a member of the class of horses that are with the chariots of pharaoh. As such, the mare cannot be an alien horse released by an enemy among the stallions.” WBC

The point is not that she looks like a horse. Instead, she is likened to a horse among pharaoh’s chariots in that she, like the horse, is magnificent to look upon. The only point of actual visual similarity is that both she and the mare attached to pharaoh’s chariot are adorned in splendid ornamentation.” WBC

What is of value is adorned with ornaments.  She is adorned because being “lovely and/or suitable” 1:5 she is worth more than diamonds and rubies.

Since the character of the bride to be is being compared to a mare and she loves the shepherd king.  The quality and nature of her love is revealed to us in 8:6-7,  therefore we can ascribe “strength” to her character for love is strong as the death.  You can add jealousy to her love, unquenchability, inextinguishable and can’t be bought to her character qualities.  This woman is on fire for the greatest type of Christ alive at the time.

Holiness is the highest sort of excellency or perfection that ever the creature attains unto; ’tis the highest beauty that shines in the creation.

Love manifested in no fear of being put back into slavery and sin under Gods wrath.  She has no fear of the wrath of God through the king of peace for love was made complete in her 1 John 4:18

We all are commanded to think of those things that are praiseworthy Phil. 4:8 for it is God in your wife, Love dwelling in your wife making her worthy of praise Song 8:6 with Prov. 31:28-30  So think back.  What has the bride done and what does that reveal to us about her heart.  Love to God and his son and king is manifested and worthy of praise.

She had to destroy the fox of enmity against a holy God by understand His Love to her in the person and work of the coming Messiah.  His love to His enemies.  Believing the promises she gets credited righteousness Gen. 15:6

“Virtue”  1 Pt. 1 5:-10.  Phil. 4:8  root meaning “warlike valor”  “Add to your faith virtue..”  Faith believes our husband/Husband to be the Messiah of Israel, God’s son, the king of peace otherwise we fear his wrath or punishment like being back in slavery and sin under the sun getting burnt.

1. Fearless of the Wrath of God.  Not fearing an intimate relationship with the king of peace even though she had the stigma of being an enemy due to her sunburn.
2. Her swift pursuit of him.  1:4.  “Take me away with you, let us hurry!”
3. Courageous or fearless in her proclamation of her testimony.  Courage to share her faith.  Now that she had the beautiful love of God in her heart she wasn’t afraid to say something about it.  Boldness
4. “Tell me you whom I love, where”  Obedient.  All her acts thus far are all expression of love 8:6.  She does what God would want her to do, she goes to her shepherd king when needing advice.
5. Powerful.  The mare harnessed to Paraoh’s chariot would be the most powerful.
   Psalm 33:17
   “A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.”
6. Pharaoh’s mare was the most unstoppable force.  Unquenchable and not even death could stop her love. 8:6
7. Knowledgable and experienced in battle.  Tried and tested.  Skilled to do her duty well.  Fully equipped with the Love of God written on her heart and united to her perfect husband she has nothing to fear and every reason to keep moving forward.

This high esteem the one she loves has for her is expressed after he see’s her praiseworthy character.  One of the highest compliments is proper for “”the most beautiful woman”  had she not been beautiful both inside and out then the compliment would be invalid, yet she has the Love of God, his Flame in her heart therefore she trusted that the king of peace would not harm her, even though by all outward appearance of her skin she looked like an enemy but he treated her like a friend 5:16.  She had no fear of Wrath from God for she had love to God on her heart.  Song 8:6 and 1 John 4

“God, who delights in the exercise of his perfection, delights in all kinds of its exercise.”

Solomon see’s her in her pursuit of him and compliments it.   He likens her to a mare.   a mare in battle.  The fastest most fearless and most obedient to the one/One in authority over her.  The best horse in all Egypt was attached to Pharaohs chariot.   She is the most beautiful woman and here in 1:9 we see 4 clear reason why her inner soul is beautiful and then in 1:10 he compliments her external beauty.  She is beautiful both inside and out.

Celerity. “let us hurry..” in 1:4 gives us a lively illustration of urgency or speed in the relationship.  She is not waiting around.  Celerity is an ever increasing swiftness of movement about her pursuit.  She gets better and better at it, in order to be harnessed to the great pharaoh.  The relationship increases with sweet celerity.  Like a mare in battle moving forward swiftly and powerfully.

Faithful and Fearless.  The bride is fearless.  She is bold and does not fear harm.  She is faith filled and fearless.   No anxieties, nothing holding her back from her pursuit of him. She knows “his desire is for her”  his ardent affection was for her.  Song 7:10   She obeyed her wise king and good shepherd without fear in 1:8 so Solomon compliments her fearless behavior in 1:9.  She has no fear of punishment or wrath from God through Solomon to her.  Song 8:6 and 1 John

Obedience.  If you love your king/king, you will obey him/Him.  God would want the bride to be to pursue Solomon.  She was obedient to God in her pursuit of Solomon.  Indicated by her being “harnessed to pharaoh’s chariot.”

Experienced in battle.  If you want intimacy with your king/King, the one you love, your good shepherd then you must be humble and experienced in battle in order to be worthy of praise.  Pharaoh mare would have been the most experienced horse on the field.  Able to crush her enemies with hooves like flint. Isaiah 5:28

All of which makes her precious and valuable to him.  More precious than rubies.  What adorns her is precious and valuable to him.  Her virtues, her faith, her love her behavior and experience in battle are all desirable qualities of a wife.  Marriage is a battle and so is our relationship with Christ.  We must but our amor on and fight with celerity, faithfulness, courage, obedience and get experienced at it.

A mare that helps to make peace between mutual enemies, proving she was on his side.

“a mare” is fearless.  A friend is fearless.   “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”  The princess of peace has not fear of experiencing “whipping” from Solomon because she looked like an enemy of God because she had “love” in her heart 8:6.  Love to God, man, the king, his people, the angels, the coming Messiah.

In battle.  The specific purpose of Pharaoh’s mare was to serve the will of the king specifically in battle.  I believe all lively similarities in context can be used.  What spiritual battle was she in and could the shepherd/king observe her behavior in it as that of a mare harnessed to Pharaoh’s chariot.  Clearly any spiritual battle is done for God our  King, for his glory and name.   Love was her motive, “Tell me you whom I love…”  Her words express her love and desire to be near him “where you” and eagerness to listen to his advice “Tell me“, 1:7.

“mare”  “horse”  The horse Solomon bought was worth 2-3 years wages.  150 Shekels of siver.  And A chariot worth 5x that.

His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
    nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;
¹¹ the Lord delights in those who fear him,
    who put their hope in his unfailing love.  Ps. 147:10-11

The joy of the Lord is our strength Neh. 8:10

With ever increasing celerity or swiftness of movement.

A mare would be adorned for its value and to add to its beauty.  The mare is valuable for being swift, fearless and obedience to the pharaoh which ever way he wants her to go in battle.

This is not a woman pining for a man that doesn’t notice her but a king who adores her every move.  Not only does he notice her but there is much thought in making the comparison.  A wise man chooses his words.

She moved his affections to praise her.  She roused him at a time when love manifests itself in praise of the brides manifestation of her inner beauty.  Her swift and fearless pursuit of him is admirable and praiseworthy.  Prov. 31:28

He praises her.  She gains before the work for this is one main cause, why those weighty joys, sweet embracements, and ravishing consolations are given her,  that she may cheerfully run the race, and perform the service set before her.

1 John 4:18  “There is no fear in love”

1 Peter 3:5-7 “Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands.”

Titus 2:1-15  “But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.”

⁷ Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

Solomon the good shepherd knew she was the most beautiful of all women.  Knowing this should help calm her fears.  Why would a husband reject the most beautiful bride?  Nothing would hold him back from loving the most holy, blameless and morally beautiful on the inside and out.  She had it all except that sunburn stigma that made people think she was an enemy of God.  She didn’t fear punishment from Solomon and to Solomon this was beautiful about her, that though she was an enemy of God she did not fear the wrath of God because she had love “the very flame of the LORD” in her heart and not enmity like before.

“mare” “horse”  “For the LORD of hosts has visited His flock, the house of Judah, And will make them like His majestic horse in battle” Zech 10:3

“my darling” can be translated “my love or my friend, companion”.   Even though it is courtship he is the one her hearts loves 1:7 and he returns the sweetness back by giving her advice she desperately desired with the words “If you do not know most beautiful of women,”   follow and rest.  She listens without haste and he compliments her pursuit of him and compare it to a mare harnessed to pharaohs chariot at the same time letting her know that she is “his love”  she is the one his heart loves.  The feelings are mutual.  The oneness is beginning, but there are still many “foxes” to be caught.

Here we see that Solomon’s compliment is to the character of the bride.  A mare harnessed to pharaoh’s chariot would have to have been the best of the best.  Obviously it would have to be fast or swift in battle,  Obedient to the Pharaoh, also experienced and fearless on the battlefield.  This type of mare would be praiseworthy.  She was a woman who was previously an enemy of God but now doesn’t fear his wrath, desires union with the greatest type of Christ alive.  Has tasted his love and desired more and waisted no time pursing him.  So she was swift, fearless and obedient to God because God would want her to pursue a man who’s name is pleasing to her.

This type of character makes her wise and worth more than rubies.

“My Darling”  Companion.  Used nearly overtime Solomon speaks to his bride to be and bride.  Reminiscent of Adam and Eve.

“My friend”

“In the account of the original Creation, God created Eve from Adam’s rib, shaping her, like Adam, in God’s own image to be a suitable companion for Adam.”

Richards, L., & Richards, L. O. (1987). The teacher’s commentary (p. 356). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Watch this video and imagine that Solomon would be comparing his bride to the best one.  Imagine pursuing Christ this as much intensity as those horse have in battle!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQZGvxM_Dq0

Application

God likened Israel to a “horse in open country”  “that did not stumble”  in their pursuit of a closer more intimate relationship with God.

1:10

Clearly she is adorned in a way that is beautiful for he says her cheeks are beautiful.  Her cheeks themselves weren’t what he complimented he compliments her the combination. The fact that her cheeks had precious jewelry made her praiseworthy.  She knew how to adorn herself for his pleasure and delight.

10Comely have been thy cheeks with garlands, Thy neck with chains.

“Comely”  same word describes the feet of those who bring good news.  Is. 52:7  Desirable, befitting, lovely and beautiful.  She is desirable and what adorns her befits her, wether it be her “curly” hair or “turned” jewelry.

She had not the jewelry before but does now.  The man she accepts his favor and high honor toward her.

The point is that there is something of value and beauty that she has that compliments her cheeks and her neck and he is pleased and delighted with her and her adornments, illustrating the wisdom of a husband who see’s and delights in the beauty of his wife and lets her know it with sweet words of “praise” Prov. 31:28, like drops of honey and myrrh from his mouth.

She is happy and drawn closer to him when he gives sweet verbal affirmation of her loveliness.  Her desire was for him to “draw her to himself” 1:4, closer, woo her to himself.  Here he is doing so.

Abraham gave Sarah jewelry when they met.  Gen. 24:22,30

God’s people had royal value.  Isaiah 62:3, “Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.” Zechariah 9:16, “And they shall be as the stones of a crown”.

He saw her as she was positionally and practically.  Practically because she was worthy of the comparison.

“Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments,
Your neck with strings of beads.”

Your cheeks are lovely with that which beautifies them.

or

“Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings,
    your neck with strings of jewels.“

or

Douay-Rheims Bible  “Thy cheeks are beautiful as the turtledove’s, thy neck as jewels.”

Quite the difference in translations.  HHHmmm.  Either way the point is that her “neck” and “cheeks” are attractive and precious to him and worthy of adoration.  God made her beautiful to reflect His Beauty and Glory.  Her neck and cheeks are beautifully adorned therefore her beauty has value.  The value is increased when her beauty increases.  The greater her beauty the more delightfully set are his eyes upon her for her moral and natural beauty that captivates him and ravishes his eye.

“Your”  He is sweetly speaking in front of and direct to her as he looks into her doves eyes.   He says “Your cheeks”  Yes, a woman cheeks are a beautiful feature of their face.  But also they are the cheeks of a woman that has caught his eye.  She has aroused his affection towards her by her loving character and outer beauty.  When love flashes it is “her” cheeks, the cheeks of the one he loves that are beautiful, not  some other woman.  He is bond to her in love and her cheeks are lovely.

“cheeks”  ?it seems that the compliments and praises get more and more intimate.  First her cheeks, (possibly behind a veil) , then her eyes 1:15, then removed when she shows her face and lets him hear her voice. 2:13-14.  Then her hair, eyes, teeth, temples and breasts.  or her tope half 4:1-5,  Then again her top half,  Then foot to head 7:1-6

Her neck is not haughty and “outstretched” like a shameless prostitute Is. 3:16

Notice the beauty that Solomon adores before the marriage is much less than afterward. The body parts adored are just her cheeks and neck with precious jewelry.  Whereas later he adores just about everything. 6:4-10 and 7:1-7

This is either a continuation of verse 9 or it stands alone as another aspect about the bride that makes her beautiful to him.  Either way it is still a praise of her beauty, letting the bride know what the one she loves loves about her.

“and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another.” 1 Cor. 15:40  God fit her body to her soul.

The good shepherd and king praised her beauty, She was beautiful with ornaments on her cheeks and chains of gold on her neck.  Assuming her cheeks and neck would be of lesser luster without the ornaments and jewelry.  If ornaments and jewelry beautified the physical aspects of the bride how much more so does her praiseworthy character make her more desirable, valuable and precious.  Its and argument from the lesser outward beauty to the greater inner beauty and adornment of the heart.

Solomon is adoring the beauty of his bride to be.  She is “the most beautiful of women” in 1:8 and now after complimenting her mare like character in battle obedient to the one in authority over her v9.   Solomon then moves on in v. 10 to adore two other features of his bride to be that are both beautiful and valuable.   Her adornments added to her external beauty.  Pharaoh would adorn his mare with the most precious jewels and necklaces.

The idea is that her adornments make her beautiful.  See the word “with”.   Her cheeks are beautiful with earrings.  As if you take the earrings away and she is not beautiful.  Here beauty has value.   Preciousness and value adorn his bride.  Precious adornment are fitting for a bride of noble character.

You must know that communion with God is not a legal dispensation ; and therefore, every person that is duly under the Law cannot enjoy communion with God because they remain under the law until God moves them into is infinite ocean of grace.

He values her, he praises her, she has a worthy character and he desires her more than earrings of gold.

She has value, she is worth more than rubies due to her union with the coming Messiah, she has value due to who she is.  She is valued not only for her love but also for who she is in the coming Messiah.  Is. 43:4 “Since you are precious in My sight,
Since you are honored and I love you,”

Husband are to value their wives for who they are in Christ.  Christ has made them valuable and precious.

She wore expensive, valuable, desirable jewelry making her more beautiful, particularly her cheeks and neck were beautiful and attractive.

Since the comparison is to that of a mare in battle.   The real true value of the mare is in its speed or how fast and long it can run, it’s fearlessness and quality of obedience.

Theses are the inner qualities of a mare harnessed to pharaohs chariot would have to the utmost.  He would also have the best of the best and most experienced in battle.  Perfectly obedient to (Pharaoh) the one in authority over her.  Pharaohs mare would have to be absolutely obedient.  Solomon see’s her doing the will of God in her pursuit of him.   Harnessed to pharaohs chariot.  If you love him you will obey.  If you love and trust him you will joyfully obey.

These qualities are praiseworthy in the bride.  As a good husband does Prov. 31:28-30, Solomon praises his wife.  Her love to Solomon, the flame of the LORD in her made her swift and fearless character in her pursuit/drawing near to Solomon.  A stricter union both physically and spiritually was desired by the Bride and she didn’t waist any time and was not fearful of punishment from Solomon though by every outward look of her she deserved nothing but the wrath of God.  So the compliment goes on of her true inner adornments that were precious,  and valuable, honorable, praiseworthy to him.  Husbands are to honor their wives.  One way to honor your wife is to praise her for being fearless of any harm, swift in her pursuit of the closest intimacy out of her love to God and husband.  Like pharaoh mare harnessed to his chariot in battle is praiseworthy so is the brides character at this point in the courtship.

Certainly her inner character is beautiful to Solomon.  Her love is beautiful.  A mare harnessed to Pharaoh chariot would have to be extremely obedient.  Obedience to pharoah  is being compared to love.   The mare loved Pharaoh so to speak.  She is likened to the mare and her adornments beautify her.  He is praising her and what makes her beautiful to him at this juncture of the relationship.

A properly adorned bride is compared to a “Holy” city.  Holiness adorns the bride’s innermost being like jewelry adorns the physical body making her more beautiful, lovely, valuable and desirable to him.   How much more so would holiness in her heart enflame His love to her. 4:9

•  “I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her groom.” (Revelation 21:2)

“We will”  a promise

A spiritual application of the Word of God consists in applying it to the heart, in spiritually enlightening, sanctifying influences. A spiritual application of an invitation or offer of the gospel consists in giving the soul a spiritual sense or relish of the holy and divine blessings offered, and also the sweet and wonderful grace of the offerer, in making so gracious an offer, and of his holy excellency and faithfulness to fulfill what he offers, and his glorious sufficiency for it; so leading and drawing forth the heart to embrace the offer; and thus giving the man evidence of his title to the thing offered. And so a spiritual application of the promises of Scripture, for the comfort of the saints, consists in enlightening their minds to see the holy excellency and sweetness of the blessings promised, and also the holy excellency of the promiser, and his faithfulness and sufficiency; thus drawing forth their hearts to embrace the promiser, and thing promised; and by this means, giving the sensible actings of grace, enabling them to see their grace, and so their title to the promise. An application not consisting in this divine sense and enlightening of the mind, but consisting only in the words being borne into the thoughts, as if immediately then spoken, so making persons believe, on no other foundation, that the promise is theirs; is a blind application, and belongs to the spirit of darkness, and not of light.

1:11

“We will make you earring of gold studded with silver.”

The bride is “the most beautiful of women” v. 8 and all involved in making her more beautiful promise to do so here.

Later in the Song the bride gives advice to adorn with silver a virgin girl when she is spoken for.  The fact that they are going to make her adornments studded with silver indicates that s

Solomon, the king speaking, for a servant wouldn’t speak for the king but the king has the right and authority to say “we”  meaning to  include all who have a hand in making her garlands of gold studded with silver.

If a virgin then a bride price must be paid.   EX. 22:17

We.  Not only gives us an idea that all who will make her the earrings and adorn her now have bond themselves by promise to the bride for her benefit.  Love.

The bride gets honored.

To be adorned is synonymous with being “ready”.

Woman of virtue were adorned with silver.

8:9 “If she is a wall, we will build towers of silver on her.”  All who adorn her are honoring her virtue.  Having the love of God in her heart 8:6 she is part of the called and beloved “virgin Israel” Jer. 31:3-4

Here again it is difficult to know who the “we” is therefore I explain who the we is by their actions. What are the “we” doing?  They are promising to make the bride more beautiful, therefore the speakers are either all who are involved in the beautification of the bride or Solomon speaking on behalf of himself, all of Israel ( and God is implied in the process as well )

They will

It may be easy to get caught up in the exact words rather than getting the idea.  The idea is that he saw his future bride and she was the most beautiful woman and he tells her in 1:8, 1:9 is him praising her inner beauty manifested in her fearless and swift pursuit of a closer more intimate relationship with Israel’s Messiah. 1:10 lets us know what adds value to her beauty thus making her precious to him, then all who are involved in making her more beautiful and precious to him promise to do so in 1:11.

The point is

1. This is a promise  “we will”
2. A promise to beautify her.  The Beautifier promise to make her more beautiful.  Beauty is that by virtue of which being is creative, for it is the beautifying rather than the beautified that is most truly Beautiful. (Delattre Beauty)
3. All who are involved in her beautification promise to make her more beautiful for the wedding.  “We”   This includes Solomon, God in the Son, Angels, brides maids etc.
4. The jewelry added to her beauty.  Her cheeks were beautiful with ornaments.  How she was adorned pleased Solomon, yet more beauty and value could be added for they promised to make her earrings of gold studded with silver.
5. Why are they making her more beautiful?  For the wedding day.
   1. To make her more attractive or desirable.
      1. They desire for the bride to be as attractive as possible, as beautiful and full of value for her beloved.  Solomon just got done adoring her internal and external beauty and they say they will make her more beautiful.  Like this is just the start of your beauty, we will adorn you will more.
   2. To make her more valuable
      1.  If she thought she was worthless in and of herself but beautiful and valuable only due to the Love of God written on her heart Song 8:6 and she was starring faithfully with her doves eyes v12 focused on God alone who had given her Solomon due to His great love to His Bride 1 Kings 9:8, and since the bride was a believer now she would be also the bride of God. Is. 54:5  “For your Maker is your husband– the LORD Almighty is his name– the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.”  So as a faithful husband adorns his bride externally, God her heavenly husband promises to beautify her heart as well.  God her Husband will make her holier by revealing Himself to her whole heart.  As she beholds the beauty of the Lord in the temple Ps. 27:4 and 2 Cor. 3:18   The Song is divided into 4 phases of the beautification of the soul once united to God through a sufficient mediator.  He makes her more beautiful and valuable all the way to the end!  How much value do you put on the Holy Spirit in your heart? It is a promise to make her more beautiful, valuable, precious and desirable on her wedding day.  To add greatness to her beauty or a higher degree of it thus adding value to the bride herself.  A godly wife is worth more than rubies.

If the chorus sings this verse and if the implied image is of a bride decked out in the elaborate ornamentation her culture prescribes, then this verse expresses the general desire of people—and especially of women—to see a bride dressed as elaborately and as gorgeously as possible. The verse may allude to the young women at a wedding helping to dress up the bride.  WBC

All who are involved in helping the bride to become more beautiful promise to make her so by adding precious and valuable adornments that her lover delights in more than wine.

If she was feeling the least bit like she might not be adorned with enough value then promise to beautify her as iron sharpens iron.  Israel’s greatest Messiah promised to make her more desirable by adorning her with things that made her more precious and valuable to him.  More beauty.  He said she was beautiful in 1:9, more adornments on her face added value to her in his eyes therefore making her more precious to him. Then the king and all who are involved with making her more beautiful promise to make her “earrings of gold studded with silver”  Why?  Because she was a locked garden deserving adornment

What makes her so special that the good shepherd of her heart would promise to make her more beautiful?  It is the role of the king to sanctify God’s people as it is the king of peace who will adorn his bride.  Her husband/Husband is her ultimate most precious adornment.

“We will make”  They, Israel’s Messiah and others who make ornaments promise to make her more precious and valuable to Israel’s Messiah.  He confers beauty upon her for her moral and external beauty is what he most delights in and values about her.   They love her.  They want whats best for her so they promise to make her more beautiful for love delights in the happiness of the object of its affection. (Misc. 314)

“Earring of Gold”  Psalm 45: with 2 Chronicles 9:10, Is. 13:12,   “studded with silver” 8:9 “silver”

Virgins were also adorned, they adorned them with “towers of silver” 8:9, and Song 5:12 implies by application that she is a virgin.

    Its common sense

A young woman does not forget her jewelry, and a bride does not forget her wedding ornaments. (Jeremiah 2:32)

Ez. 16:17  God gave Israel his bride jewelry.

1:12-14

• Overall Statements
• Definitions
• Exposition of the text
• Principal truths
• Doctrine of love from 8:6
• Application seen in their marriage
• Application to the believer
• Cross References and other links

Overall statements

While being praised, she doesn’t esteem herself but highly values him.  the essence of evangelical humiliation consists in such humility, as becomes a creature, in itself exceeding sinful, under a dispensation of grace; consisting in a mean esteem of himself, as in himself nothing, and altogether contemptible and odious; attended with a mortification of a disposition to exalt himself, and a free renunciation of his own glory. This is a great and most essential thing in true religion.

The character that the one she loves sustains, and his relation to her recommend his excellencies to her esteem and love.

Holy Ghost. It appears that the Holy Spirit is the holiness or excellency and delight of God, because our communion with God, and with Christ, consists in our partaking of the Holy Ghost: 2 Cor. 13:14; 1 Cor. 6:17; 1 John 3:24.  Edwards

Here you have two most excellent lovers expressing their love to one another in his being there for her and she is happy he is there for her for he/He is the one/One she loves 1:7.   Her praises her and in so doing his love to her is reciprocated in her highly esteeming him like “myrrh”, and highly esteeming his beauties and excellencies like beholding a “cluster of henna blossoms”

Having him clearly on her mind as the flame of love in her heart is burning hotter she highly values him while he is in her presence adoring her moral beauty and value as a virgin.  1:11 with 8:9

1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

1:12

“While the king was around my perfume spread its fragrance.”

“While”  This word gives us the context.  She is supping with her king.  Mutual delight in his role as king and shepherd and he delights in being her sovereign king and her only desire is to please him.  Their sweetly communing one with the other depends on how well she can please him and continue to do so.  The sweet harmony and happiness of the relationship depends on it.

In his presence her perfume went forth.  In his presence her love is set a fire.  She desired to please him.  Her satisfaction was in pleasing him.  Love is happy when the object of its affection is happy.

In his presence she senses a love of complacency.  In his presence she has a feeling of joy and delight in him, desire to please him and highly values him and his beauty expressed in Song 1:13-14

So the one she loves is thinking of her character and delighting in her inner beauty in 1:9 and outer beauty in 1:10 all the while her perfume is spreading its fragrance while she is at the same time he is having precious thoughts of her beauty she is highly valuing him/Him.  While or at the same time.  They are highly esteeming the ones/Ones they love at the same time.  The feelings are mutual and holy when they are together communing with each other, her esteeming his excellencies as he is adoring her moral and physical beauty.  “While”  This teaches us how to commune one with another in love/Love.

“King” is her lover, the bridegroom, who has in her eyes the significance, beauty, and charm worthy of a king. She thus declares that her spikenard gives off its fragrance when he comes to his “circle,” that is, near her or “around”. Translated into simple terms, she is saying that the spikenard gives off its fragrance in the presence of the “king,” her groom, who is around and near her.

The governing topic is the question, What enhances the woman’s beauty? The man and the chorus desire to adorn her with expensive ornaments of gold and silver. This sentiment is not bad, and it is born of love for her, but it substitutes a superficial embellishment for true adornments. She asserts rather that her desirability is enhanced by her fragrances of spikenard, myrrh, and henna and that her beauty is enhanced by the love of her lover. She gives off the fragrance of spikenard as she is in his presence. She will have him, like her myrrh, between her breasts. He is like henna in that he adorns the beauty of her. The fragrance of these perfumes is like love itself; it is invisible but powerful and sweet. Her real adornment, she asserts, is the groom and the love she has for him.

“Circle”  “around”  While the king was around.  While the king was near me, my perfume spread its fragrance.  In his presence when the king was around she only wanted to please him and she did.

“around”  He is near her, close to her.  Not quite like a seal but the shepherd king is around and she is prepared to please him by her fragrance.  Obviously she wants a closer relationship than that of a king to a servant and a shepherd to a follower.

to please him is a pleasure and delight to herself

She is happy when he is happy for her perfume spread its fragrance to please him.  a couple happily united in a conjugal relation, have a mutual sympathy with each other, a fellow-feeling of each other’s burdens and calamities, and a communion in each other’s prosperity and joy.

His presence fires her sweet flame of love up for him and she pleases him with her perfume!  She aroused him under the apple tree.  She aroused him at a time and place where love happen.  Love happens and she draws him in by her perfume.

Just as he like to browse among fragrant and beautiful lilies for they are delightful to behold and smell so even more so does he like to behold her beauty and smell her fragrance or be delighted with those things she does to please him.  Like putting on perfume for him.

  “My perfume spread”

Her soul changing, Her worship, adoration, love drawing out, flowing out, radiant in all directions of life, heart and longings, desires and affections.  Her incense, how does she smell, When I blow a kiss in my garden what is the fragrance God smells.   When His presence hits you and you feel it better than before or more in abundance, this is the kiss, what do you do with this earnest of your inheritance, will you produce fruit for your Lord or will you take his love gift of assurance as a token to rest in your battle and yes its okay to rest but don’t stop fighting, pride will lerk here if you can’t see it then your probably to high, so remember “Dark am I”  “Come Down from lebanon”

She has the one she loves on her mind,  he just gave her the most amazing praises of her godly character and promises to make her more beautiful.  Her response is, that she only desires to please him,  He is so valuable to her like priceless “myrrh resting close to her heart.” v. 12

lilies and pomegranates, the lilies especially denoting the honor, glory, and beauty of the saints. Lilies and flowers are used for a representation of honor, glory, and beauty in Scripture. Isaiah 28:1, “Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys,”  Edwards

Now, add to his value “myrrh” , beauty “henna blossoms”.  Holy worth and value along with moral beauty or excellency.  He is priceless in her eyes and now not only is she most holy and happy in his presence as he adores, praises and sweetly promises good things in the relationship on his part.   “we will” v. 11 is a promise.  The bride is letting us know her thoughts of Solomon as Solomon is praising her! 12-14 is what she is thinking and feeling about the one her heart loves as he is around, close to her praising her noble character.  His love is holy.  As king he is holy.  As a shepherd he is holy.  Holiness is the beauty of her husband, king, shepherd and friend.  Her beloved is holy.   Solomon is a cluster of moral beauties.  Particularly his love was beautiful and so was his unmeasurable holy wisdom.

1:12 “while”  His very presence lights up her fire.  Like her perfume doesn’t spread to any other but the king.  Contrast this verse with 3:1 when he is not in her presence.

The idea.  Why would a woman put on perfume?  What is the purpose of putting on perfume?  What did she do to please and draw out his affection for her?  She put on what made her physically and spiritually attractive.

The focus changes from him voicing his feeling towards her to how she feels about him in the context of him adoring her and what it is about her that pleases him and attracts him to her is going forth or happening.  For perfume is used to please, delight and attract the opposite sex.

Taken metaphorically and in this context her inner and outer character could be likened to perfume for both who she is and what she is like and perfume are what attracts him to her.

In both the excellent gifts or qualifications of these lovers, by which they are recommended to each other, and delighted in one another, are compared to such spices as myrrh, aloes, etc. And in both the sense these lovers have of this amiableness, and that sense by which they have comfort and joy, is represented by the sense of smelling. Psalms 45:8, “All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, whereby they have made three glad.” Canticles 1:13–14

Glorying in Christ Contains these.  Only by God’s Love and Grace is she being adored by Solomon.  Solomon is precious and valuable to the bride and he is always close to her heart.

1. a humble and Joyfull sense of mind of the Great Privilege they have above others in the interest they have in X . those that are so highly favoured and Priviledgeed of. G. G. expects that they should be sensible of it for insensibility of it Argues stupidity & Ingratitude .

“I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, . . . as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” Isa 61:10

1:13

“Myrrh”

“A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me; he will lie all night betwixt my breasts” kjv

Doctrine:  “In humility value others more important than yourself.”  Phil. 2:3

He is so precious and valuable to me, he will be on my heart all night.  “he will” is in a future tense in the Hebrew.

He has a special place close to her heart.  He is her treasure in whom there is much value.

He is the most desirable husband because of his “name”.  He is of greatest value and worth like myrrh because of the superlative excellency of his character over other beloved’s Song 5:10

Take his love away and he has no value.

He is hers and her love’s jealousy was so ferocious that nothing could stop her from having him as close to her heart as possible.  1:13 to 8:6

“the love of the Chh. of to X is a dear love X is most Love altogether lovely in her Eyes she  has an high & adoring Esteem of him & sets him highest among men in her heart”

“myrrh”

“It lodgeth”  the myrrh is between her breast and not him.  So he is closer to her heart, and so precious and valuable to her that she would give up her life or give herself to him in order to have him closer to her heart, thus the phrase “between my breasts.”

Love highly esteems the beloved.  She is having high thoughts of him/Him while he is praising and admiring her.  She stays humble and doesn’t let the compliment go to her head in pride, but rather keeps her faithful loving doves eyes fixed on his/His excellencies, thus valuing him dearly as she behold his various beauties and excellencies here compared to “myrrh” for value and “henna blossom” for holy beauty.  Her husbands life was that of being arrayed with holiness, the sight of which was beautiful thus making him precious, valuable and derivable to have close to her heart, worth risking her life for and giving up all to possess.

A faithful husband, that is in a Biblical manner untied to  his bride as the shepherd of her heart, has his heart united to her in the most ardent and tender affection.  And she, has her heart united to him, esteeming him very highly in love for his shepherding skills and recieves him with honor and reverence, and willingly subjects herself as the Bride subjects herself to the Son of God.

Love thinks highly of the one we love.

“Myrrh”  Precious and Valuable well Worth dying for, or giving up all you have in order to possess it, and in order to have him/Him close to my heart.  Also,  “I would take a grenade for you” “This infinitely beautiful rose, this spotless and fragrant lily, was once despised with the loathsome spittle of wicked men, and was torn and rent by their rage, and it was for you, O believers, the vials of God’s wrath against your sins were poured out upon it. Here is a sweet bundle of myrrh for you to lie in your bosom forever. He is as the apple tree among the trees of the wood: you may sit down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit will be sweet to your taste.”

People would risk death and dehydration in order to get myrrh.  Worth, value, preciousness.  The worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love.

My Paraphrase

“My lover is the most precious, valuable and desirable that I am willing to give up my life in order to have close to my heart.”

For as the nature of love, especially great love, causes him that loves to value the esteem of the person beloved….

God himself looks on our work as praiseworthy, and therefore will give praise to the saints: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” Matthew 25:2. See also Philippians 4:8, 1 Peter 1:19–20.

As all moral evil is blameworthy, and worthy of abhorrence and the fruits of abhorrence, so all moral goodness is praiseworthy , worthy of acceptance, approbation, and of the fruits of acceptance and that verbal approbation of the virtuous act is proper and fitting for the wise and morally beautiful.

“My lover is to me a cluster of henna blossoms”

Henna blossoms are lovely, beautiful and delightful to behold, yet a cluster is whole bunch of beauties all in one view.  Similar to how she is “altogether lovely” in one view, yet beautiful in all her various parts as well. 4:7  They both have beautiful individual beauties 4:1-5 (hers), 5:10-16 his, yet both are when viewed altogether is more lovely and altogether lovely and “most beautiful” 1:9  without flaw” 4:7.

“My lover”

The one she loves.  The words help to communicate her feelings namely that it is personal “my”  and that she loves him.

“resting in my bosom”

Close to my heart.  Love desires to stand in the nearest relation to the being loved.

1:14

“My lover is to me a cluster of henna blossoms”  Holiness is the beauty of the soul.  Holiness manifests itself in Love to God.  Love to God was in the heart of the wise king, good shepherd, Israel’s Messiah her lover.  This made him beautiful and holy from all angles.  Everything the prophet, priest, king of kings, shepherd, Messiah, husband and friend did manifested the beauty of his heart like seeing clusters of henna blossoms and having much delight in the thought.  The Beauty of the LORD is the light and heat flashing in his heart that manifested itself in all he did.  There was no deformity or defect in all his thoughts, feelings, words and actions towards her.  His holiness made him “absolutely lovely” 5:16 and she see’s the similarity of beauty between a cluster of henna blossoms and the various ways her lover manifested his love to God, his people and herself.

This is her first comparison of him as a whole.   Her first comparison of him was the effect just knowing him did for her.  Knowing his name was like perfume poured out.  She describes her beloved and friend in 5:10-16.  There are a cluster of beauties ascribed to the one she loves in 5:10-16.  She has now seen them and compares them to a cluster of beauties in creation.  His moral beauty manifested is compared to the natural beauty both seen and delighted in by beholding the beauty of a cluster of henna blossoms.

Her lover is a beautiful with a cluster of beauties.  Not only handsome on the outside but morally beautiful with God dwelling in his heart, for God is love and God is The Beauty whence all the other beauties are but a reflection of.

The sight is so beautiful that her doves eyes filled with love to him can’t look anywhere else but at him.  He is always on her mind and all the praiseworthy things he is doing out of his Love to God, Israel and his bride.

Holy in his prayer for wisdom rather than riches.  Holy in God’s choosing him to rule.  Holy in building the temple exactly as prescribed.  Holy in his work as priest.  As prophet all his sweet words were holy and true there was no mixture of evil in his words.  Remember holiness is his beauty and his holiness consisted in love, the very Flame of the LORD written on his heart.  He was holy as king of kings, the king of peace was a holy king of both Jews and Gentiles, with the government of the nations on his shoulders.  Solomon ruled guided by unmeasurable wisdom under a Theocratic Monarchy.

She says “My beloved”  twice.  Once in verse 13 and now again in verse 14.  The key point here is that for us to know who she is thinking and having feelings about.  When we meditate on this text and we think of the one our heart loves and compare him to the most beautiful cluster of flowers.  These truths emphasize what is true.  Truth is going through the mind.  Facts about the moral excellencies of the one/One you love.  For any reflected moral excellency of God is something of God’s moral excellency no matter where it is manifested.  Something of God is being made manifest to the heart.  God is love.  God is the sum of all good principles.  All moral excellencies in the one she loves are good principles.  All good principles are morally beautiful especially in the one who draws her closer to himself by his love.

“My beloved”

1:15-16

In proportion as any person is beloved, in that proportion his love is desired and prized.

The best, most beautiful, and most perfect way that we have of expressing a sweet concord of mind to each other, is by music. When I would form in my mind an idea of a society in the highest degree happy, I think of them as expressing their love, their joy, and the inward concord and harmony and spiritual beauty of their souls by sweetly singing to each other.   Here they sing sweet loving words back and forth as they doves eyes meet.

***1:15 with 5:12  Doves eyes.  Peace. Fixed, value, love.  She is at peace and calm looking into his eyes.  She see’s and knows he loves her by the way he looks at her, his look is precious and valuable to her as her look to him is. 4:8-10.

They rejoice and delight in each other’s beauty.

“When a king sits on his throne to judge, he winnows out all evil with his eyes.” Proverbs 20:8

Psalm 141:8-10  David’s eyes were fixed on the Lord  to keep him safe from his enemies.

1:15

“Doves eyes”

Rashi  a dove when sacrificed willing submitted by sticking out its neck, referring to the Jews submission to God.  Loves glance of submission 4:8-10

The repetition of the interjection “behold” suggests that the king was smitten by the charms of this maiden. She is very sweet and fair to him. His attention is focused on her eyes: “Your eyes are doves.” The dove is a natural symbol of love. He gazes into those eyes and sees only purity and innocence. To the ancients, the eyes were an index to character.

Smith, J. E. (1996). The wisdom literature and Psalms (So 1:15). Joplin, MO: College Press Pub. Co.

There can be no sweet holy communion unless they share the same nature.  They both have doves eyes.  They both participate in the same Flame, The Love of the LORD.  God is Love.

The shepherd/king is referring back to 1:7 when she says to him “Tell me you whom I love…”  She is speaking to him and she loves him as her new king, shepherd, friend and spiritual brother.  These loves are different then the love she wants but can’t have right now.   She has this holy love for her king, shepherd, friend and spiritual brother right now as of Chapter 1.  She wants to be married to him and also experience erotic love but that she will have to wait for “when love pleases” 2:7.

“doves”  Representing innocence.  The dove was a pure sacrifice.

1:15

Its a mutual relationship.  “Our” .  It’s mutual.  They are sharing the same space.  Their couch or resting place 1:8 is shared by both.   They are very close now.  She must be absolutely delighted.  Their houses, meaning their dwelling place.  Their rafters are shared.  The focus is on a mutual sharing of a luxurious long lasting, sure foundational dwelling place.

Their dwelling place had a certain quality. was sure, long lasting like cedars, highest quality for its purpose, what excellency is in the cedar? “the beams of our house are cedars”=Solid, most desirable for their strength and worthiness to be used in building a house for God 1 Kings 6:18 “There was cedar on the house within, carved in the shape of gourds and open flowers; all was cedar, there was no stone seen.”,  Solomon is describing the place in which they are dwelling.   Specifically the cedars are mentioned. they share the same dwelling place., solid foundation and support system.  The most desirable object for its foundation.   The most suitable foundation.  Cedars.    Imagine having a shack of twigs verses a house of cedars.  We get a greater sense of security and joy knowing that the foundation of our dwelling place is sure and solid, the most durable wood. To have cedars as the beams of your house would mean that you were very rich.  Remember she was very poor, she was an enemy slave girl and now she is enjoying the most luxurious dwelling place with the one her heart loves.  They are close, near one another at this point.

“cedars” and “firs”  would have served as a lively illustration of the temple that was built with cedars 1 Kings 6:15 and covered with various and

They would have a fragrant smell.  Hosea 14:6

How much does a sense of the sureness of this foundation confirm and heighten the joy of their union!
Conclusions or general thoughts about chapter 1

“our”  The first common sharing of good.  They share the same luxurious dwelling place.

2 Samuel 7 After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, ² he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar,

Mutual dwelling place.  They share the same dwelling place, the manifestations of the Love of God.  He is dwelling in her mind and she is dwelling in his and also God dwells in His people by His Spirit.   2 Cor. 6:16  “I will dwell in them, and will walk among them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people.”  John 14:23
Jesus replied, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make Our home with him.”

Similar to the temple that had a covering of rams skin and fir and badger skin and fir so always their mutual dwelling place was strong, luxurious and sure.

Ephesians 2:12-13  “….You were once far off, but now you are near, through the blood”

Is. 1:10, Song 1:8, Rev. 3:12

For more individual detailed lessons on each verse click here.

More Commentary on Chapter one click here.

Chapter 2

2:1-7

Song 2:8-3:5  Proposal, engagement 2:16, separation 3;1, stricter more intimate union achieved 3:4

2:1

“I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys”

Flowers represent the glory, honor and beauty of the one who loves God, who has his image upon their heart.  Is. 28:1

“Natural men have a Taste of, and Delight in, that External Beauty, that is a resemblance to Love.” JE

Isaiah 35:2 Sharon was glorious and splendid like seeing the glory of the LORD.

Isaiah 33:9  “The plain of Sharon is now a wilderness”

“I am a rose.”

The bride now realizes and is assured of her own beauty.  “I am a rose”  There are some things similar about herself and a rose.  She see’s the similarity and has the realization that she is like a rose.  No general rose but a rose from the most fertile land and where roses grew the strongest, healthiest and most beautiful.   In her mind she knows she is “the most beautiful woman” because he said it in 1:7.  But now her whole heart agrees with the truth that she is both inside and out “the most beautiful woman.”  Her mind searches out the most beautiful rose she can think of and it is a rose from the valley of Sharon.  The idea is of one rose standing above all others.

This is the second time she recognizes her loveliness.  The first time was in 1:5 when she tells her testimony to the daughters of Jerusalem.  “Dark am I, yet lovely”  her wise king, good shepherd, the one her heart loves said her loveliness was so great that she was “the most beautiful woman” in 1:7 and then Solomon goes on to praise her most beautiful inner character as that of a mare in battle. Fearless, fast, powerful, obedient and experienced. And then adores her outward appearance in 1:10.   So she is both beautiful in her heart 1:9, 8:6, 4:9 and externally in 1:10.

“lily of the valleys”

Beauty, loveliness, humility, gentleness is how the bride views herself.  Really all lively comparisons between “a lily of the valleys” and the bride are intended.

“Lily of the valleys.”   Everything needs to be just right for the most beautiful growth.

You can imagine the contrast.  She was in slavery going no where in life.  Only storing up wrath for the day of Judgement and having a hard heart.   Now she is in an environment, close to her beloved, where grow of the most beautiful kind is cultivated.

( 1 Kings 7:19  the entrance “hall” had 6 lily pillars

I [am] a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys!

Sharon is a valley.  There is a rose of Sharon in our time 2018.  Meaning that there is a rose not from the valley of Sharon in Israel but just a rose called the rose of Sharon.  Sharon is a valley in Israel where roses grew.  Since the woman is the most beautiful woman, she would compare herself to the most beautiful and rarest rose from the valley of Sharon.

As a lily among the thorns,

“Thorns”

Thus may be seen, not only what pleasures, but what power and might do accompany and bless the labors and sufferings of love: love delights in doing and suffering; yea it is angry when it may not be suffered to suffer: And as opposition rises against it, so it rises against opposition, yea it rises by it, until it rise above it.

2:2

“Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the maidens”

Now the king of peace sweetly admires her beauty under persecution.  She has suffered for his/His names sake.

She would have been sunburnt.  She would have looked like an enemy, yet trying to prove her love amongst a bunch a fair skinned maidens.  Her dark tent that reminded the daughters of an evil dwelling place was more than likely still evident.  Her previous enemy friends would try to get her to betray the king and kill him and tell her lies.  Yet she stays faithful to obeying the king therefore she is still morally lovely her holiness was not tainted under the fiery darts.

“thorns”

Anything that causes harm or intends to tempt to sin.  Dt. 33:55  Thorns are trouble.

What are the thorns?

Outside thorns are Satan

Inside thorns.  Thorns can be inside us as well, our own selves are our enemy within.  In order for us to live our our name of princess of peace we must destroy the enemies with. Pride, selfishness and unbelief.   Otherwise we will be at odd and enmity with the king of peace.  Destruction of a common enemy would prove her love.

“among thorns”  Thorns go contrary to the beauty of the lily.  Thorns try to harm her beauty.   Her love to God is both stronger than the thorns in intensity and also stronger in duration for her love is “unquenchable.”  Nothing can separate her from her lover.  No thorn is more powerful than her love and nothing can separate her from the love of God that is in the coming Messiah. Rom. 8

But besides the usual pleasure which love takes in suffering for the beloved, there are unusual and extra ordinary comforts allotted to the sufferings of love.  When the Bride suffers most for her love to the Bridegroom, the Bridegrooms love must needs be most increased to the Bride; and consequently the fruits and benefits of his love.  therefore there being an hundred-fold gain promised in this life to the sufferings of love, the more those sufferings are the more hundred-fold is that gain which is promised to them. Mark 10:30  Beside, the Bridegroom sees that the Bride has then most need of comfort, help and supply, when for his sake she is in most distress:  and therefore he that is a present help in trouble, cannot but be a greater help, in a time of greater trouble; for he fiftieth the measure of his help to the measure of her trouble.

“As the tribulations do abound, so does the consolations” 2 Cor. 1:5

2:3

“Like an apple tree among the tree’s of the forrest is my lover among the young men.”

?2:3 with 8:5  Love roused, conceived, labored and gave birth under the tree?

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.”  Prov. 18:21

He is among the sons as the apple tree among the trees of the wood; they all are barren and worthless, he only is the fruitful tree; and therefore leaving all others, the church betakes herself to him alone, and sits under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit is sweet to her taste; she takes up her full and entire rest in him, desiring no other.

Under the shadow of his protection he calls her down from the mountains at just the right time.  “Come with me from Lebanon…” so that the lions won’t get her. 4:8

Under the apple tree,  I stirred thee up to return the affection which I showed thee.

Here her lover has been fulfilling his role as husband.   The husbands role is to provide physically and spiritually for his wife.  Solomon is a husband above all other’s and his ability, skill and wisdom he has to fulfill his role is sufficient and delightful to the bride.

She delights to think highly of him (precious valuable and desirable like diamonds).  He is happy to see her delighting in him because it is in this way that she see’s the lesser Christ and Christ is delighted in her seeing His lesser glory.

2:4 

“Let his banner over me be love”

2:5-7  “when”  “Until love desires”   Psalm 119:81-83  “faints”  Psalm 84:2 “faints”

“House of wine”  Convivial atmosphere is what she is after with him taking her there.

Metaphorically, he is bringing her to pleasures that are more intoxicating than wine by him drawing her closer by his/His love.   The experience causes her to swoon and need support, which he provides with his loving embrace.  A place and time where he manifested his love to her in different ways, like drinking up the Love of God to her through Solomon was like a river of pleasures for her soul.  God is using Solomon to show her what love is and she’s drinking it up to the point that she needs strength and then she notices his left arm under her head and his right arm embracing her or supporting her.   Everything from Song 1:2 to now has lead up to this high point of her emotions.

A place where Haman fell drunk on the couch Esther was on in Esther 7:8

2:5 

“strengthen” That such ideas of God’s glory, as are sometimes given in this world, have a tendency to overbear the body, is evident, because the Scripture gives us an account, that this has sometimes actually been the effect of those external manifestations God has made of himself, to some of the saints, which were made to that end, viz. to give them an idea of God’s majesty and glory. Such instances we have in the prophet Daniel, and the apostle John. Daniel giving an account of an external representation of the glory of Christ, says, Daniel 10:8, “And there remained no strength in me, for my comeliness was turned into corruption, and I retained no strength.” And the apostle John giving an account of a like manifestation made to him, says, Revelation 1:17, “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead.” ‘Tis in vain to say here, these were only external manifestations or symbols of the glory of Christ, which these saints beheld: for though it be true, that they were outward representations of Christ’s glory, which they beheld with their bodily eyes; yet the end and use of these external symbols or representations, was to give to these prophets an idea of the thing represented, and that was the true divine glory and majesty of Christ, which is his spiritual glory; they were made use of only as significations of this spiritual glory, and thus undoubtedly they received them, and improved them, and were affected by them. According to the end, for which God intended these outward signs, they received by them a great and lively apprehension of the real glory and majesty of God’s nature, which they were signs of; and thus were greatly affected, their souls swallowed up, and their bodies overborne. And I think, they are very bold and daring, who will say God cannot, or shall not give the like clear and affecting ideas and apprehensions of the same real glory and majesty of his nature, to none of his saints, without the intervention of any such external shadows of it.

“with raisins”  Raisen cakes and figs gave physical “revival”  to an Egyptian. 1 Sam. 30:12  She desires to be strengthened and revived physically and spiritually because she is “faint with love”  love is an emotion, she needs emotional strengthening and revival after being taken to the banquet hall were his banner over her was love.

“strengthen”  Eph. 3:16

“faint”

’tis plain the Scripture often makes use of bodily effects, to express the strength of holy and spiritual affections; such as trembling Psalms 119:120; Ezra 9:4; Isaiah 66:2, 5; Habakkuk 3:16. groaning,being sick, crying out panting, and fainting.  Song 2:5, 5:8, Psalm 84:2

2:6

***See also 5:14 “Hands”

Under the apple tree he stirred up her love to him.

Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest,
So is my beloved among the young men.
In his shade I took great delight and sat down,
And his fruit was sweet to my taste.
⁴ “Let him” and He has brought me to his banquet hall,
And his banner over me is love.
⁵ “Sustain me with raisin cakes,
Refresh me with apples,
Because I am lovesick.
⁶ “Let his left hand be under my head
And his right hand embrace me.

He loves her and she her fire for him was enflaming she desired further display of his love for her.  She expresses her love to him by using words that let us know that her love to him is growing.  She has been experiencing God’s love through him from the beginning of Song 1:2 and now she is experiencing it at closer and closer degree’s of intimacy.   And now she desired more after being under the apple tree, she desired to be taken to the banquet hall where his banner over her would be Love, the very flame of the LORD.  Her desire for closer intimacy drives her to being lovesick, being love sick and eagerly desiring closer intimacy there is a time where strengthening is need before desire is fulfilled.  Humbling usually by eagerly waiting expectedly for him to come.  Eagerly wanting expecting him to come all the while having your head supported by his left hand and his right arm embracing her.  They went to the banquet hall to fulfill her desire for closer intimacy and there they are together the closest ever so far in the banquet hall overwhelmed by his love and held in his sweet embrace she passes out in his arms.

“His left hand is under my head and his right arm embraces me.”  He is indeed a person of infinite majesty to fill our souls with the greatest reverence and adoration. But there is nothing in it that needs to terrify us. For his infinite majesty is joined with as it were infinite meekness, sweet condescension and humility. So that in the whole there is nothing terrifying or forbidding. There may be the utmost possible reverence and abasement and at the same time our hearts be drawn most sweetly and powerfully to the most free access, the most intimate embrace. When we view his greatness and majesty and other attributes, we are kept free from fear and flight by the view of his gentleness and humility.

2:7

The idea here is that swearing by nature is swearing by God’s Name.  God’s character is love.  For Loves sake, don’t do anything sinful to cause separation but only what would promote a stricter union for this is what love desires in its proper time.

Do not seek marital delights outside of Marriage.  Wait til married.

Due to the nature of things and God’s design you can’t arouse or awaken love anytime you wish.  God’s love is sovereign.

She wanted to be nearest to him in his chambers in Song 1:4, but to arouse erotic love before its time is forbidden.  Sex is for marriage.

An oath invoking anything in creation is in effect an oath taken in God’s name, Math. 5:34“But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King”

Once you know your part in drawing near, yes he will draw near to you but don’t hasten his coming by doing anything unbiblical or sinful for that will separate you from God rather than continuing in holiness thus purifying your heart by delighting in holiness or beholding it.  You can see this as an application by seeing the greater context of the Song. The coming of Israel’s Messiah to his bride.  From beginning to end she is desiring nearness to her and Israel’s Messiah.  The Song illustrates how she got closer to him each time.  To think upon the name of all other names and love of the coming Messiah thus increasing you desire for him.  Come Messiah, Come quickly.

Love is gracious and sovereign, you can’t just arouse it anytime.  But you can when He in you desires to increase the flame of God’s love in your heart.

What God has joined together by His love 8:6  may no man separate.

Matthew 19:4-6 ” He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

“Wake her not out of her enjoyment of His Love, He says, either directly or indirectly, nor use an far fetched (unbiblical) schemes to accomplish your purpose; let her rest until she pleases, for she will please whenever I please.”  Jeanne Gunyon

Context matters.  Each warning comes after a peak of emotions where temptation will be high.

Don’t forget how them listening to her charge will help the two become more one.  Keeping their hearts and bodies pure will strengthen the bond of love.   How will keeping their hearts and bodies pure strengthen the bond of love?

Do not stir up sexual desire until the proper time otherwise it is lust and not holy desire.

You can’t have a further, stricter union util she or rather love desires.  Love the 3rd Person in the relationship is sovereign and desires sexual love to be awakened only after the wedding.  Yet the point is to not force or stir up any stricter union until love desires wether it be a date, engagement, sex or oneness.

?If she is not ready you can’t force her to love.?

?Satisfy the hunger once desire is there?  Her love sleeps when no further intimacy is desired.  His absence wether it be spiritual only or physical without the spiritual is the tending of the vineyard before fruits of love are manifest.  physically he is gone with the eyes and spiritually they may or may not be connected.  Absence of the beloved breeds desire and yearning for the one she loves.

The daughters observing what is going on at this high point in the relationship are adjured.  They may easily want this in their life now but will have to wait.  They may wonder will that ever happen to me?  I highly doubt they would ever have a chance again to have a man like the king of peace as their husband.

She advises letting love develop naturally, in its own time.

When she is love sick about to faint and grow weary due to a lack of a drink of love then arouse and awaken her love with grand ideas of her beloved, his love to her and who he is in relation to her.  Its how she is aroused by him up to 2:7

Stir not up nor wake holy lust or desiring her beauty in your heart until the proper time. Desiring her beauty is that which men are warned against in Proverbs 4

?In the right context, nature will takes it’s course.?  Two lovers under an apple tree.  A time for love, Ez. 16:  when breasts are formed.

Warning them to not arouse love prematurely, until the proper time.  Everything has its proper time of ripening in a relationship as in nature

2:8-13  The proposal, sincere mutual agreement, giving of one to the other in engagement

She is desiring, so he proposes.  He doesn’t propose when she doesn’t desire it.  He doesn’t try to arouse or awaken her love when it is in a sleep state like in 3:1  Her doing anything and everything and catching all the foxes for loves sake, this attitude and inclination to her beloved can’t be aroused or awakened by other’s, its between her and God.  The husband can put Christ on display in his life, through His Word etc. but its in her and God’s timing as to when her love can be aroused or awakened out of sleep.  The love language of her heart in 2:6 is that her love is awake and aroused and she is on fire, her doves eyes are fixed on him alone therefore he proposes to her in the sweetest manner, desiring her to come away with him and tell him sincerely what she thinks and feels in 2:13, she responds by desiring both of them to work together to destroy anything that keeps them apart.  Called foxes.  2:15

2:8

Spiritual Desertions are good for humbling and the destruction of pride.

2:8-2:17 Delighted to see him coming, pause due to foxes, foxes being caught through mutual giving of one to the other.  They deny themselves for the love of God!  “My beloved is mine and I am his”  She has to deny herself, her flesh an not be tempted by the world and Satan in order to live out her role as she says “I am his”.  She is his positionally but practically her giving herself to him has just started and hasn’t reached full maturity.  He proposed desiring closer intimacy, she paused they work it out and then she is the one desiring him to overcome great difficulties by his wisdom and love in order to be near her.  Her pause in drawing closer to him is helped by his sweet words and her showing him the beauty of her face and sincerity of her heart/ no hypocrisy in 2:14,  their mutual desire to catch the foxes that ruin their growing intimacy in 2:15, and their mutual giving of one to the other in love and self-denial and she glories in this stricter union by saying “My beloved is mine and I am his.”

2:8

Its all about him!!  You can just feel her heart beat get faster and faster in anticipation of him drawing near to her.  She is excited that he is interested in her.

“Peering through the lattice.”

There is a wall of sin, and there are the windows of ordinances.  He stands behind our wall of sin, but he looks through the windows of ordinances.  He will be constant/dwelling and he will be familiar/walking with his people in and through the ordinances.

2:8 Starts of with them separated and her delightfully knowing he is skillfully coming closer to her.  He is more delighted to see her and call her closer to himself by proposing.  She backs off, He sweetly gets her to talk about it, She admits that their are foxes that are destroying their blossoming courtship, they catch the foxes together, they get engaged, she desires him to do all he can to overcome the greatest of difficulties in order for the two of them to be as near as possible until the day breaks and the shadows flee away.

2:9

“Peering through the lattice”  As the veil got thinner she could see more of her lover. The veil was black and now she saw color yet some darkness remains.  As she see’s more of Him through the veil so He see’s more of her in the greater degree now then before.  He is revealing Himself to her as she is ready and willing to deny herself, humble herself.  According to their desire.

When His banner of me is love and I’m seeing  His Hands like moses raised out of love for Israel then my banner is “For the love of God”  to His Glory keeping me abiding which is my good, what He is working all things together for.

The being like a skilled row coming closer to her drawing her out is illustrated in the next few verses, the text interprets itself.  He proposes at the right time when she is ready, he uses sweet words, he uses poetry to express his heightened emotion.

2:10–13

My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; the fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

In conversion, graces do spring forth in the soul which are like the sweet flowers that adorn the face of the earth in the spring, and like the sweet melody of singing birds. The soul of one upon whom Christ has shined differs as much from the souls of the wicked as the earth, beautified with the vernal sunbeams, and, when covered with ice and snow, and vexed with storms in the dead of winter.  Ed

“Pruning”  What needs to be done for further growth.

“Arise my darling”  is said with sweetness.  Meaning when she hears his voice his lips are sweetness itself Song 5:16 and here he says “Arise, my darling and come with me…”  these are the sweetest words she has ever heard for they are out of his love to her.  His love was more delightful than wine and he would like to further on  the relationship by giving himself to her.  He desires to deepen the commitment or promises and give himself to her out of love.

A true proposal from the greatest king who would ever live, what more could a single girl ever want!?

Here she gets an answer to her request of 1:4  “Draw me after you”.  He uses his wisdom and skill like a young stag does on the mountains in drawing her closer in his sweet and properly timed proposal.

This is a sweet command.

2:11–12

A time of outpouring of the Spirit of God, reviving religion, and producing the pleasant appearances of it, in new converts, is in Scripture compared to this very thing, viz. the spring season, when the benign influences of the heavens, cause the blossoms to put forth.  such a Time is a Joyful Time in a Town as tis said when there was a Great Pouring out of the sp. of G. in the City of samaria. acts 8. 8. Great Joy in that City  such a time as this seems to be Intended.

Isaiah 55:10-13  Times of physical flourishing is compared to God’s word not returning void, which is a spiritual flourishing of the soul in bloom.

reviving religion, and producing the pleasant appearances of it, in new converts, is in Scripture compared to this very thing, viz. the spring season, when the benign influences of the heavens, cause the blossoms to put forth ( Canticles 2:11–12)   The morning of the day and the spring of the year are remarkable types of the commencement of the glorious times of the church. See note on Job 38:13.  See also Canticles 2:11–17

Isaiah 18:3-5 All you people of the world,you who live on the earth, when a banner is raised on the mountains, you will see it and when a trumpet sounds, you will hear it.

2:13

¹³ ‘The fig tree has ripened its figs,
And the vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance.
Arise, my darling, my beautiful one,
And come along!’”

The first figs were the best.  Jer. 24:2

2:14

¹⁴ “O my dove, in the clefts of the rock,
In the secret place of the steep pathway,
Let me see your form,
Let me hear your voice;
For your voice is sweet,
And your form is lovely.”

General observations

“Your” is mentioned 4x.  The focus is on the bride.  Its all about her.  Her face and her voice.  He wants to see her beauty and hear what’s in her heart.

The context

“in the clefts of the rock”

Judges 6:2  This is a phrase invoking the idea of a safe place.  A place of refuge from danger.  Afraid and in the cleft of the rock.  She is in the context of not feeling threatened but safe.

“secret”

A place where she only knows.  He knows where she goes to be alone.  And sweetly calls her out.  And she answers saying their are foxes that are keeping the two apart and she desires his help in order for their vineyards to blossom.

“O my dove,

He first assures her of his love to her and their dear relation for he says “my” dove.  She is holding back her love.  The “O” is also added to communicate sweetness 5:16 and a sense that he loves her and is endeared to her.

This is the part of their becoming closer and closer or more heart to heart by him getting her to communicate to him what she is thinking.  Peace, harmony and a growing love depend on knowing what it is that is holding the relationship back from moving forward.

This is like a couple talking and one of them says,  “Tell me what your thinking.”  Being sincere and honest will help the other person to get to know you in a closer more intimate way.

“Cause me to hear your voice” “A plan in the heart of a man is like deep water, But a man of understanding draws it out.” Prov. 20:5

She is definitely not literally in the cleft of a rock right after being behind a lattice. Then she answers his inquiry for a sincere answer that would be sweet for him to hear.

The context is that of a proposal.  A suitor wanting a woman to marry him, to draw closer to him.  She delays in her answer and then he wisely gets her to be sincere and she says “catch the foxes”.  Now if literal foxes ruining their vineyards were the original cause of her not saying yes to his proposal then I would take them literally.

A sign of fruit in the vineyard, garden or valley is a sign that the foxes or enemies of Solomon’s growing union with his people including his bride are being destroyed.

His flame is on fire and how sweetly he gets her to be sincere.  He lets her know what pleases him and that she is in a safe place.

The power of love to draw two together in sincere communication.

Proverbs 18:20 “Words satisfy the soul as food satisfies the stomach; the right words on a person’s lips bring satisfaction.”

“Show me your form/face”

She was close in ecstasy in his arms for the first time in 2:6, got prideful therein even after the warning in 2:7, He comes closer after the separation and she is exited looking and knowing he is coming but when he is finally close enough to see her face she has her back towards him, but here in 2:14 he sweetly calls her to show him her beautiful face and let him hear sincerity of heart from her sweet lips.

“face”  Form.  “Voice”  Who she is and what is is thinking.  Her true idea’s of herself and desires.  He wants her to be sincere and true.  “Dark am I, yet lovely”  Intimacy is being increased while she shares the desires of her heart with him, to catch the foxes that are ruining the growing intimacy.

“In the secret place on the steep pathway”

2:15

“Catch the foxes for us,
The little foxes that are ruining the vineyards,
While our vineyards are in blossom“

Union is one of the most amiable things that pertains to society and marriage.  It is one of the most beautiful and happy things on earth!  Which indeed makes earth more like heaven!  Union in religious duties, especially in the duty of prayer, in praying one with and for another, and jointly for their common welfare, above almost all other things, tends to promote mutual affection and endearment, thus in the next verse he becomes hers and she becomes his.

“us”  the two are so one in mind, heart and purpose that these words could be spoken by either the bride of the groom like 1:17, 2:1.  Yet given that in the previous verses the suitor is proposing to the bride desiring to draw her nearer to himself and “Catch for us the foxes” is her answer,  She doesn’t just say yes, yes I will come away with you.   She says “Catch for us the foxes”.  She desired him to be hers.

There is a real union between her and the Second Person of the Trinity.  That union gets tighter as the foxes are being caught.  If foxes separate and they are separated in 3:1 then she must be in a context of the foxes are destroying the felt sweet communion due to known union or knowing he is hers, and thus living as she is his.

“Catch for us”

For the sake of their intimacy level.  So that higher acts of intimacy may be enjoyed by both of them.  For the sake of the union.  For the sake of a stricter union.  For their sakes.  For their good and God’s Glory for they were created to enjoy God and glorify Him forever.  Destroy the enemies of the relationship for the sake of the union and steadfast holy communion due to the unquenchable sweet flame that bond the two together in love.

This can be a mutual statement  “us” and “our”.  They have a mutual interest in a blossoming relationship.  Both desire the foxes to be caught.  But in the previous verse her suitor is desiring to see her lovely face and hear her sweet sincere words 2:14 and so his dove lets him here her sweet sincere voice in words that express her desire for the destruction of common enemies.  Enemies of their holy union and communion in love.  Destruction of a common enemy would prove your love to the king of peace 1 Kings 9:16

The lovers have a mutual interest in one another vineyard and the blossoming thereof.  The two are one in desire and prayer for the flourishing state of the relationship, which will naturally lead each of them to reflect on themselves.  And consideration is given as to how the foxes can be caught.  So he gives himself to her and she is his.

It is highly desirable for the two to act as one and in agreement.  Matt. 18:19.  Though one may pray at one time and another at a different time, if the same foxes are prayed against at the same time in sincerity herein is peace manifested.  A mutual desire for the destruction of their enemies.  All women are born with enmity in their heart but when the curse is reversed the woman will destroy the foxes of sin, pride, selfishness and unbelief.  These are the common enemies to the marriage along with the sinful influences of the world and Satan.  Herein the union between the two will become stricter, for love desires the strictest union with the object of its affection, therefore the enemies of that union must be caught and destroyed.

when a person has discovered to him the divine excellency of Christian doctrines, this destroys that enmity, and removes the prejudices, and sanctifies the reason, and causes it to be open and free.

“Catch..”  When they are being caught she will sense his love and that he is pleased with her like the Psalmist in 41:10-12.  The husbands role is to honor her and his prayers will be heard for he loves her and will give himself to her and she knows it in the next verse and glories in him “My beloved is mine, and I am his” 2:16

The husband As High Priest/Intercessor

The one she loved was a high priest.  The high priest would stand in the presence of God on behalf of God’s people.   He would intercede in the temple in the presence of God offering incense on behalf of his bride.

Since the bride is united in marriage to Israels high priest then it is safe to say that her husband stood in the presence of God on her behalf.  Her desire is for the foxes to be caught, for the enemies of the relationship to be destroyed.  Her beloveds desires and hers where one in the same.  Catch for “us”.  He would then intercede in the temple and pour out their/Their desire to God and their prayer that was consistent with the will of God would be answered.   Sincere agreement in prayer is very crucial to oneness in marriage.  Here you have an illustration of mutual desire to destroy the enemies of the progressive union or “blooming vineyard”.

“Little foxes”

The point here is that in order for growing intimacy you must catch the fox in its infancy.    The fox ought not to get big.   The bigger the little foxes get the worse the intimacy.

“foxes”

Any enemy to the union or blossoming relationship that is bent on destruction and separation.  Ps. 63:10

“Vineyard”  Is vineyard used as a metaphor for what needs to be cultivated in order for a courtship or marriage relationship to blossom.  The idea is they both have responsibilities before God and each other.

1.  Before God.  They each have a vineyard that God would want them to take care of.  Their responsibilities in their relationship with God must come first.  A vineyard is someones responsibility.  If you don’t take care of your duties before God then you are sinning.  There are foxes that keep you from God.  For sin separates you from God and spouse, so catch the foxes that ruin your vertical relationship with God.
2. Catch the foxes that ruin the mutual relationship.  “Our” vineyards.  This is a vineyard that is theirs.  Between the two of them.  They have duties as well, one to the other

How do you find the principle idea?

1.  Simplify all specific ideas.  Vineyard is specific.  What is the principle idea of a vineyard.  God would want you to take care of it.  Therefore the idea could be somethings are destroying what she should be taking care of and they desire the destruction to stop so that their union can become stricter and there in lies the peace, rest and happiness of both of them.  But what is the point of application.  How does this illustrate what love, the flame of God, is doing in them in order to make their union stricter?   Love enflames a love to God and husband and fires up a righteous hatred toward the enemies of their stricter union.  Sin separates but love brings together.

“vineyards that are in bloom”  various ways of having sweet communion.  Ways that intimacy levels could increase.  A vineyard in bloom is liked to a prayer life becoming more holy or any area of life where sin and darkness is decreasing and light and holiness is increasing is liked to a vineyard in bloom.  There are many ways that intimacy can be increased due to their union.  Each vineyard must be guarded and the foxes must be caught in order for the union to be happier and stricter.

Israel is God’s bride Jer. 2:1-3 and vineyard Is 5:1-2, therefore a bride can be planted in fertile soil and expect to produce fruit.  The bride was in the best environment to for the producing of fruit due to her union with her beloved above all other beloveds 5:9.  His love never failed but hers did.  The nation of Israel is the vineyard of the LORD almighty.

God would want you to guard your vineyard but first clean the inside of the bowl then fruit will grow in your vineyard as your heart is one with God.

A fruit of their union in love is mutual destruction of common enemies that cause separation or disunion in the marriage.

She asks for his help, for him to give himself to her in a sanctifying aspect thus saving her from indwelling sin by helping her destroy sin, pride, her flesh and Satan.  These are their mutual enemies.  “Catch for us the foxes”

It was her duty to “Catch the foxes” compare Song 1:6 with 2:25.  The husband wanted to spend time and be close to his wife more than she wanted to be close to him.  What was keeping her from him?  “the foxes”  She delayed the engagement because she could not catch the foxes on her own.  The husband

After the banquet hall and his proposal and her eventual sincerity, all her sins pass before her and all her deformities, foxes that would destroy this beautiful blossoming relationship.  She does not want these to keep her from him.  Then they agree to work it out together “Catch for us the foxes…”

“fox”  A fox is anything that would either hinder a union completely or hinder the movement forward of the relationship.  A fox ruins the blossoming relationship.

Some foxes will always be there.   These things that can hinder two people from getting closer and closer together must be dealt with in a Biblical manner.  Meaning these things the couple must work together on knowing they will be there and when they surface they will be dealt with in a way that unites the two and results in a sweeter, happier and more harmonious relationship than before rather than allowing the foxes to separate and cause enmity and disharmony.

“vineyards”  Having a fruitful vineyard is associated with Israel have “rest” Jer. 31:2 and 5.

Given the fact that he just proposed to her and she hesitated,  the fact that she hesitated was because certain things were keeping the love relationship from progressing in oneness.  Foxes,  little foxes.  Both must agree on working together to have a continually growing vineyard.  Fruits of the union in love, he gives himself to her to catch the foxes that ruin the fruitfulness of their vineyard.

Sweet smelling vineyards of grapes.  It was the season of ripening.  Numbers 13:20

The union is but begun in this world, and there is a great deal remains in this world to separate and disunite them.

Destroy the foxes that ruin our growing intimacy and oneness.  He responds I will give all of myself to you for that purpose.

His job as protector is to protect the relationship from foxes. Or leopards. 4:8.

King James Bible
“The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.”  Is. 42:13

Eph. 4:3-6,15

Psalm 128:1-3

2:16

“My beloved is mine.”

love of complacence is explained something differently, even for that joy that the soul has in the presence and possession of the beloved

Manner of the marriage covenant.  Done with solemnity before God.  Tremble with rejoicing.

The making of a covenant was “a time of love”

^{Ez. 16:8} Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine.”

In the union of spouses and the giving of one to the other, her beloved gives himself to her in purity, as undebauched by meretricious embraces; and she also presents herself to him a chaste virgin.  Thus they are pure and holy in their affection and regard on to another.  His heart is united to hers and he gives himself to her not for some selfish profit but with a pure benevolence to her and desire of her spiritual welfare and prosperity, and holy complacence in her holy character as a child of God and follower of Christ.

Mutual regard and affection.  Mutual joys in giving oneself to the other.  Mutual helpfulness, and a constant care and endeavor to promote each others good and comfort. (Vol. 2 page 20, 4th paragraph JE)

Spouses happily united in a conjugal relationship have a mutual sympathy with each other, a fellow-feeling of each other’s burdens and calamities, and a communion in each other’s prosperity and joy.

Mutual agreement. He promises to give himself to her in marriage, and promises to do his part in catching the foxes.  The wisest king of kings, owner of the promised land, wise prophet and faithful high priest is hers.  He is gifted with unmeasurable wisdom 1 Kings 4:29 and possessed a superlative love 1:2-3 with Song 8:6-7 and he is hers.  Therefore he was fully sufficient to be the most excellent beloved.  And he was hers.  They are engaged now.  And she promises to giver herself to him.  Tied the knot.  Unbreakable pledge.

There was a mutual agreement between Israel’s messiah and his bride.  There is between Christ and the soul of a true Christian a mutual compliance and acceptance.  Christ offers himself to man as his lord, redeemer, and portion. The believer with his whole soul, closes with the offer and joyfully embraces it. And the believer comes to Christ to give up himself, soul and body, to him. And though it be but a poor offer, yet Christ readily accepts of it. He that comes to him, he will in no wise cast out. Christ becomes a suitor to the souls of [believers]. He earnestly and importunately seeks their love. Revelation 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door

The Bride in professed covenanting does as much profess her Heart as that Bridegroom when God avouch’d He profess’d the sincerity of his Heart. the full Consent of his Heart COVENANT.

The promises of the former of these covenants being revealed, do become the promises of the Father to believers. These are the promises that are given us in Christ; that is, they are promises made to us by the Father as being in Christ, being parts of Christ and so having a right to the same blessing that are promised to Christ himself, our head.

Both these are in some respects the condition of the covenant— both her accepting him for an husband, and her being faithful to him as a wife till death— but not in the same respects. For the former is so much the condition alone, that as soon as she has performed it, she is at. once entitled to him as an husband and so to his love and kindness as such, and to communion in his possessions, before the actual performance of the duty she has promised. She may also be entitled to his instruction and care of her, his wisdom and endeavors to cultivate love, and best assistance to enable her to behave towards him as she ought in her place. But yet her being actually faithful to him till death, may also be so much the condition; as that his accepting [her] as a wife, was as looking upon her faithfulness to him as already virtually performed in her accepting him to be her husband and promising faithfulness, and her supposed disposition to be faithful to her promises. See sermons on Psalms 111:5 and Galatians 3:16.

Indeed, neither salvation itself, nor Christ the Savior, are given as a reward of anything in man: they are not given as a reward of faith, nor anything else of ours: we are not united to Christ as a reward of our faith, but have union with him by faith, only as faith is the very act of uniting, or closing on our part. As when a man offers himself to a woman in marriage, he don’t give himself to her as a reward of her receiving him in marriage: her receiving him is not considered as a worthy deed in her, for which he rewards her, by giving himself to her; but ’tis by her receiving him, that the union is made, by which she hath him for her husband: ’tis on her part the unition itself By these things it appears how contrary to the scheme of the gospel of Christ, their scheme is, who say that faith justifies as a principle of obedience, or as a leading act of obedience

There is sweet harmony of the first kind, viz. mutual respect between God’s Son and His Bride that all marriages were but a reflection or illustration of the love of the LORD. Christ Especially Loves the soul of a true Christian.

His name becomes hers for she does all in his name.

“Pastures his flock”  “Browses among the lilies”

“who walks among the seven gold lampstands says…” Rev. 2:1

“My beloved”

The one she loves, the one that is close to her heart, the one who’s love is more delightful than any other experience.  Her beloved king, her good shepherd, her faithful high priest, her wise prophet,  He is her beloved.  Her doves eyes are fixed on her beloved and he is hers.  He promises to fulfill his role in marriage.  He does nothing but love her, imagine his prayers, they would have all been answered.

“The natural disposition there is to mutual affection between the sexes, often operates by what may properly be called love.  There is oftentimes truly a kind of both benevolence and complacence.”  If they do not arise from benevolence to God in general, then the affection is private, limited, excluding God and sinful.

1 Peter 3:7 “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”

I account all His interest my own, and I am His.  I am content to be anything for Him, and do not care for anything for myself but that I may serve him/Him.

There is no relation that implies nearness and dearness but what is made use of in Scripture to represent our relation to Christ, and the nearest earthly relations are but shadows of it and fall vastly short of fully representing the intimacy and excellency of it.

We may well have the more complacence in his glory and beauty on this account.

“He is mine”

In order to a proper rejoicing the heart must know that our beloved is ours.

Imagine by now she would have to know that she was experiencing the beginnings of the greatest love story.  For the Israel’s greatest Messiah and king had just given himself to a Gentile enemy slave girl in engagement!

If my sins don’t get forgiven then its Jesus Christ’s Name at stake not mine.  God sent Christ to die for me.  Jesus Christ said he died for us.  He has forgiven me for His Name’s sake.  His character and reputation is on the line.  It’s His job to save me and He is fully capable of doing so.

The first foundation of the delight a true saint has in God, is his own perfection; and the first foundation of the delight he has in Christ, is his own beauty; he appears in himself “the chief among ten thousand,” and “altogether lovely” [Canticles 5:10, 16]: the way of salvation by Christ, is a delightful way to him, for the sweet and admirable manifestations of the divine perfections in it; the holy doctrines of the gospel, by which God is exalted and man abased, holiness honored and promoted, and sin greatly disgraced and discouraged, and free and sovereign love manifested; are glorious doctrines in his eyes, and sweet to his taste, prior to any conception of his interest in these things. Indeed the saints rejoice in their interest in God, and that Christ is theirs; and so they have great reason; but this is not the first spring of their joy: they first rejoice in God as glorious and excellent in himself, and then secondarily rejoice in it, that so glorious a God is theirs: they first have their hearts filled with sweetness, from the view of Christ’s excellency, and the excellency of his grace, and the beauty of the way of salvation by him; and then they have a secondary joy, in that so excellent a Saviour, and such excellent grace is theirs.

And though the sight of his relative union with God, and his being in his favor, is not without a medium, because he sees it by that medium, viz. his love; yet his sight of the union of his heart to God is immediate: love, the bond of union, is seen intuitively: the saint sees and feels plainly the union between his soul and God; it is so strong and lively, that he can’t doubt of it. And hence he is assured that Christ is his, and he is Christ’s

“My beloved is mine.”  He belongs to her.  They both belong to God for they have the LOVE of God on their hearts 8:6.  They have God’s spirit in them, shed abroad in their hearts and dwelling in them.  They belong to the Second Person of the Trinity.  Romans 8:9 “You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.”

She could make no such claims of him being hers in 1:6 for she was owned those who hated her.  Now she is bond in love to the king who loves her and she loves him and she knows it.  “My beloved is mine”

Respect, on the contrary, is valuable in proportion to the value of what is given to the object in that respect: which certainly, other things being equal, is great in proportion to the subject’s value or worthiness of regard because the subject, so far as he gives his respect, gives himself to the object; and therefore, his gift is of greater value in proportion.

the worthiness of respect to a being is in proportion to the obligation that lies on him who is the object (or rather the reason he has) to regard the subject, which certainly is in proportion to the subject’s value or excellency. Sin or disrespect is evil or heinous in proportion to the degree of what it denies in the object, and as it were takes from it, viz. its excellency and worthiness of respect; on the contrary, respect is valuable in proportion to the value of what is given to the object in that respect, which undoubtedly (other things being equal), is great in proportion to the subject’s value, or worthiness of regard; because the subject in giving his respect, can give no more than himself; so far as he gives his respect he gives himself to the object; and therefore his gift is of greater or lesser value in proportion to the value of himself.

“glory, honor and peace”  are hers in and though communion with him (Rom. 2:10)  These are hers because he is hers.  Without him there is no peace, therefore when she doesn’t feel peace on her bed 3:1 then she thinks he is gone, as if he has forgotten her, but it was her sin that separated her from him.  Is. 59:2

What becomes her’s or is her’s by now?  She inherits Glory, honor and peace.

1.  His God is her God.  She will inherit God.  Ex.13:33.  A Covenant keeping God.
2. They share in Glory.  She gets the love of God written on her heart.  Love to God is the beauty and excellency of the soul.  Holiness which consists in love to God is the beauty that adorns her.  Holiness is her glory.  She gets Glory through her faith in the coming messiah.
3. Her is her spiritual brother.  Jedediah is God’ beloved son, Through her marriage she becomes a child of God or was she born again first 8:6?
4. Her is her savior therefore she gets redemption through his love from slavery and enmity. 1:6
5. Her perfect husband is hers.
6. United with someone else with the flame of God in them so there is fellowship
7. He is the good shepherd of her heart.

Fruits of him giving himself to her.

1. no more bitterness, no more crying, no more going unfulfilled, being fully satisfied, no more tears, no more pain.

“and I am his”

A right view of who he is and his relationship to me, includes a right view of my relationship to him along with a right heart response.  In this text the bride gives herself to him.  He is her poccession.

Her goal is to learn and believe all of what it means for “him to be hers” in so doing she learns and she becomes his 6:3 “I am my beloved’s..”  What she knows to be true 2:16 and did learn to deny herself completely without hesitation knowing his desire was for her in all he wanted for her by 6:10 “I am my beloveds, and his desire is for me.”  What she has in her husband is promised by the husband.  To love, protect, honor, rule wisely, be a good shepherd of her heart, his unmeasurable wisdom.   All of these things are hers and many more, yeah, Solomon was God’s beloved son, Jedediah.  She would become the daughter in law, and oh how humble and beautiful, flawless and perfect in every way on her wedding day for her king.

She cleaves to and embrace her beloved with endeared affection and high honor and esteem, for God’s glory.  She does joyfully commit and subject herself to him to cleave to, honor and help him, to be guided by him and obey him, as the bride doth in marriage cleave and deliver up herself to her husband.

Christ is the true husband of the church, to whom the souls of the saints are espoused indeed, and to whom they are united as his flesh and his bones, yea and one spirit; to whom they have given themselves in an everlasting covenant, and whom alone they cleave to, love, honor, obey and trust in, as their spiritual husband;

Application

Let us Give our selves up to Gods Possession as a bride to Give in the marriage Gives her self in the possession of her bridegroom

“I. Christians are bought with a price . . . II. Therefore we are God’s . . . III. Therefore they are not their own . . . IV. Therefore we should glorify God in our bodies and in our spirits.”

“I will betroth you.” To betroth is to engage to marry, and it often took place a considerable time before the marriage.  “I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in loving-kindness and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord.” Hosea 2:19, 20.

Knowing he had just given himself to her the natural response or humility of heart that consists in a right view of God and man in relation to ourselves with a proper heart response.  Her response to his love to her is to reciprocate that love in her giving herself to him.

“Here’s a simple way of summarizing sacrificial love: The Spirit filled husband loves his wife not for what she can do for him, but because of what he can do for her.”  JM

Can you think of any higher privilege than for him to be hers.  Unmeasurably wise king of Israel during a time of promised rest.  Shepherd, friend, beloved.

the bridegroom manifesting his great love and offering himself, the bride receiving

Her boast is in the new closer relationship they have one with the other.

He was her king, shepherd, suitor, fox catcher and now he is her fiancé.

Now she is the bride to be because they are engaged. Here we see a betrothal before marriage like that of Joseph and Mary.

“My beloved is mine.”

Now it is easy to everyone to know that when marriage is according to nature and God’s designation, when a woman is married to an husband she receives him as a guide, as a protector, a safeguard and defense, a shelter from harms and dangers, a reliever from distresses, a comforter in afflictions, a support in discouragements.

Faith is the brides reception of the type of Christ as her bridegroom.  She received him and he is hers.

“I am his.”  In those that have peace there is a union of heart with God and a type/Anti-type of Christ, attended with a relinquishing of self.  She is his to advance his will, interest and glory.

Giving oneself to another is similar to joining yourself to them and becoming one with them.

The bridegroom and bride, rejoice in each other, as in those that are the objects of each others’ most tender and ardent love. The love of the greatest type of Christ alive to his bride is altogether unparalleled: the height and depth and length and breadth of it pass knowledge: for he loved his bride with a most intense, more delightful, priceless and unquenchable love.  8:6.

Union with Christ by Thomas Watson

Faith and union

“and we have heard the nature of this union that it is a kind of conjugal or marriage un theref from the nature of union we may in also infer the nature of faith that is that act by which we come into this union or which is the uniting act that it is analogous to the act of a woman towards him that seeks her in marriage whereby she comes into a marriage union with him . or that which is the uniting act on her side which is no other than [–] her yielding to his suit by consenting to be his wi have him for her husband & to be his wife or by Recieving of him as her husband  & giving hereself up to him to be his wife in a Covenant way she Receives him to be hers & in the same act gives up herself to him to be his and she recieves him in such a manner as therein to Reject all others she recieves him and him alone in that Relation [-] because as we observed before this relation bears no rivals & so she gives up her [-] self to be his & his only”  Matt. 11:28  John 5:40, Song 1:7-8

“& in Receiving him as her husband she recieves him for a protectour and guide & one that will provide for her & gives her self up to him to be protected & provided for & guided”

“but now the nature of faith as we have just now heard is to unite to X as to make one with him tis thevery act bu which we close with him .& thus it is that faith Justifies & gives an interest in X’s m satis. & not only any goodness or worthiness in the act of faith Justifica. is not given for faith properly as the Reward of faith to Reward any Goodness that is in the act but it rather Results from the nature of faith which is to unite to the mediatour through whom Justification is to be had. “To Illustrate this from the similitude in hand. when a man seeks a woman in marriage he offers hims. to be in a marriage Relation together with joint interest in his Estate & what he has & necessarily which she necessarily has if she has him because the person & Estate go together . Now he don’t offer his person & estate to her on Condition of any thing that she is to do any worthy deed in her by which which he will Reward in case she does but all the condition is accepting of him & merited her consenting to have himor uniti or yielding to [-] recieve him in that Relation . & when she [-] does yield to his suit & at his offer takes him in marriage her accepting of him or uniting her self to him in marriage is the condition of her having him in marriage. but she has hi it would be utter ly improp– to say that he gives himself to her in marriage to be her husband in Reward for her taking him to be to be her husband as tho her accepting him in marriage at his offer [-]was [-] a worthy deed in her that he Rewarded by his giving himself in marriage no but it is the condition of her having him in that Relation no other wise that [-] as it is the very act in in her soul by which she is united & married to him & has him for her husband & so her she comes to have an interest in him as an husband & so in his Estate in like manner does faith give an interest in X as a saviour & an interest in his benefits they bent offered forany god d deed in Rewd for any Good deed wh whatsoever but they are offered & given only in the souls acceptance”

“I am his.”   A king and husband must have a suitable helper that is his.  In order to have an established kingdom, God people must submit to the king/King. the Lord your God was your king.  1 Sam. 12:12

Who is delighting among the lilies

He likes to be among the beautiful lilies.  Later in Chapter 5 she can’t find him and then remembers he went to the garden.  The garden can’t be her body because she is absent from him then, but now they are together in the garden among the lilies when he gives himself to her and she gives herself to him.  He is happy and delighted in the midst of beauty.

2:16-17  “years of closest, most familiar, most unrestrained intimacy, bring lives very close together—but there is still a separating wall which marriage breaks down. The two lives become one. Each opens every nook, every chamber, every cranny, to the other. There is a mutual interflow, life pouring into life.”

2:16

Context.  She just received the dove, she has assurance that she is a child begotten of God, by a new birth, and adoption.  What great joy.  Joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Now, is when Satan will try to get you to abuse your privileges, use them for selfish reasons, use your full assurance to get you to abuse his grace like “God will forgive me” and I sin.  “He is yours”  He will never leave you nor forsake you and she knows it for she says “My beloved is mine”.   Now is no time to get lazy on your bed. 3:1

My assurance that God would forgive me was so high that I am vulnerable to abusing that privilege.  When contemplating sin, if I know God will forgive me if I sin, but that give no right for me to sin.  Sin is still disobedience to God and deserving of death, the lake of fire.  He’s trying to get you to believe that “if you sin right now it won’t be that bad.” “you will be okay, god will forgive you”  this is true I will be okay in the end and God will forgive me.

“He pastures/shepherds among the lilies.”

This verse tells us that she knows where he is and what he is doing.  The man of her dreams is not only going to be the king of Israel but is also a shepherd of sheep.

She goes from knowing exactly where he the one her heart loves is to not being able to find him in the next few verses.

The idea of being happily together and painfully apart leads me to believe that when she lets us know that she knows where he is is a source of her happiness and not knowing where the one her heart loves causes her pain for loves “jealousy is as cruel as hell fire“, Song 8:6.

What would it feel like to have your heart shepherded by the wisest man ever in a beautiful scene?

Paraphrase =  My beloved shepherd of my heart has lead me closer to himself among lilies.  By having a good name my heart had no fear drawing closer to him.  By praising me.  By saying sweet things.  By keeping his doves eyes on me.  By getting me to be sincere and honest about the issues in my life and heart that could separate us, so he has lead me and my thoughts and feelings to a beautiful place close to him.  Whereby he is mine and I am his.

Title His first night away from her.

Song 2:17-3:4 records the a terrible night when she could find the one her heart loved.  ?Did she lose him in her mind and sense of his love in her heart as well, due to his physical absence?  Is the type of Christ’s coming and going an illustration of the sense of Love or the work of the Spirit of God who is love coming and going?  Discerning the work of the Spirit in a heart falling in love.

2:17

   “Until the cool of the day when the shadows flee away,
Turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle
Or a young stag on the mountains of Bether.”

“Until the day breaks”

Be with me, do not forsake me, use your skills to overcome the greatest of difficulties until “day breaks” all is safe.  Until my enemies are destroyed. Ex. 14:27  At daybreak Israel’s enemies where destroyed and Israel delivered from them by pre incarnate form of Christ, still it is Jesus Christ in some form,  He was just not given that name yet.  They knew He would save them from their sins illustrated in the types of the sacrificial system.  And God covering Adam and Eve after killing the innocent substitute who felt the Wrath of God for them providing a covering approved of by God rather than Adam trying to cover his shame with leaves the works of his own hands.

“Until the day breaks”  If the context is night and night represents her not sensing his Love because he is not near her when she wants him to be then  her request would be for him to continue being faithful and showing God’s love to her through his words and actions until she senses his/His love again.  The sense of his love leaving is why she says, “turn”  even though he/He still loves her the sense of it being gone makes her to doubt he doesn’t love her, his absence tends to affirm her belief of that lie.

If he loved me then I would feel it she thinks.  I don’t feel it therefore he doesn’t love me.  What a lie!!

“Turn”

He is far away, for she says “Turn”   as if he were walking away.  She says,  use your skills in marriage to overcome the mountains of foxes that make up my darkness by revealing yourself to me over and over again as you draw nearer to me.  Until the day breaks and the dark remnants of my sinful past are gone.  She desires for it to be like paradise in her heart.  “till the cool of the day”  She is feeling the hot sun to much and desires the cool of the day and she needs him to display his love to her by overcoming mountains by his unquenchable love and matchless skill or wisdom in marriage.

“turn”  come.  Come quickly.  The Song illustrates how she got closer to him each time.  To think upon the name of all other names and love of the coming Messiah thus increasing you desire for him.  Come Messiah, Come quickly.

Turn.  She desires him to be near her.  The closeness isn’t close enough.  “He is hers”.  Okay now that she knows he is hers.  They are engaged he has proposed for a closer union, they talk it out, she has some sin issues that would hinder the blossoming union.  They have a mutual interest in the destruction of the enemy foxes that separate rather than help to promote a stricter union.

“Turn”  Wether she sinned to cause the separation or she is united in love 2:16 yet desires even more closeness and says “Turn”.   Isaiah prays for God to stop hardening hearts.  Isaiah prays for Spiritual revival based on the fact that Israel is God’s possession.  They were His.  They were His people.  He was their Husband and Israel the Bride, therefore Isaiah says in Isaiah 63:19 “We are yours from of old”.   The husband’s role in marriage is to draw her closer to himself for she desires for him to do so 1:4.  He has given himself to her for that purpose.  He is hers in love.  So when feeling separation wether physical or spiritual the basis by which God would draw us closer is because He owns us, we are His possession, His people, His Bride, the ones He gave Himself to.  And she knew He gave Himself to her for she just said “My beloved is mine…”  and now “Turn”

They both have a mutual desire to destroy the enemies of their happy union.  He gives himself to her, she accepts and know’s that He is hers, she glories in him by saying “My beloved is mine..”  Based on the true reality of union with the one who loves her and He possesses her then “Turn”  or draw her closer.  Because of who you are and your relationship to me “Turn” for I am your possession.  Love desires the strictest union with the object of its affection.  A stricter union with God, who is Love, effects a stricter union of hearts with each other.  Because I am infinitely one with God through union and communion with His son, the king of peace draw me nearer.  Turn.  Guided by unmeasurable wisdom and skill like a gazelle and fueled by the Flame of the LORD in your heart from and to Him and me overcome the distance I feel between you and me.  I draw near to you by denying myself and you/You will draw near to me.  James 4:8

“Be like”  Not “turning to the left or right in pursuit” 2 Sam. 2:18-19 and David asking God to be like that gazelle making a way straight before him Ps 5:8.  Humbly resisting the Devil and he will flee as you draw near to God and He draws you nearer by His Love.

Luke 1:78, “Through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us.”

“Like a gazelle”

Gazelles rely on their speed to escape from predators. Gazelles can reach speeds up to 60 mph in short bursts and sustain speeds of 30 to 40 mph. When running, gazelles use a bounding leap, called “pronking” or “stotting,” which involves stiffly springing into the air with all four feet.

The name gazelle comes from the Arabic “gazal,” the term for love poems.

A gazelle will flick its tails or stomp its feet to warn others of a lurking predator.

Men will trust in God no further than they know him: and they can’t be in the exercise of faith in him one ace further than they have a sight of his fullness and faithfulness in exercise

Where did they go wrong?  What fox is ruining the vineyard.  And then out of Love to God and each other catch the foxes!  Plural. There isn’t just one fox destroying the intimate holy union and sweet communion in love.  There are multiple foxes.

His name is understood and his position in relation to her is understood with the mind, therefore the flash of light enters her soul, yet

As bodies, the objects of our external senses, are but the shadows of beings, that harmony wherein consists sensible excellency and beauty is but the shadow of excellency; that is, it is pleasant to the mind because it is a shadow of love. When one thing sweetly harmonizes with another, as the notes in music, the notes are so conformed and have such proportion one to another that they seem to have respect one to another, as if they loved one another. So the beauty of figures and motions is, when one part has such consonant proportion with the rest as represents a general agreeing and consenting together; which is very much the image of love in all the parts of a society united by a sweet consent and charity of heart. Therein consists the beauty of figures, as of flowers drawn with a pen, and the beauty of the body, and of the features of the face.  Edwards

The fact that she see’s his great skill and love illustrates for us the great difficulty she see’s and feels needs to be overcome in order for them to be closer.  Mutual desire to destroy the foxes lead to their giving of one to the other, then knowing who he is as king, shepherd, provider, wooer, beloved and friend and his relationship to her, she cries out for him to use his skills to overcome the great distance she feels between them by using his skill and love in destroying the foxes that are to big for her to handle on her own, for greater is the love of God in them then their enemy Satan who is in the world.

After victory over enemies David feels like his feet are set on high places.  2 Sam. 22:^{34  “}He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights.”

Interpretations by puritans.  Some expound it of the night of troubles and of miseries that the church of God lay under; others of the obscurity and darkness that was upon them; others of those ceremonies and shadows that they could not see through; others of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ as the sun into the world to make day, to the daybreak; others of Christ’s last appearance removing all clouds and veils and causing the day to break forth and the shadow to fly away.

“Turn”  He is going a direction she doesn’t.  She wants him to turn.  He is far off and she wants him closer.  Fleeing from enemy leopards and drawing closer to her by his skill and power.  Wisdom is skill for living.  He used wisdom to draw her closer in proposing in Chapter 2.

The love and joy sensed at the time of engagement wore off and she is spiritually in the dark until the day breaks.  The sense of his love is gone, love like a flame has turned down the light and heat so it is dark and cold, the shadows have come and he is far away physically and or physically.

Paraphrase:  Use your unmeasurable wisdom motivated by love to overcome the greatest difficulties that separate you from me so that you could be closer to me for the shadows are here and I can’t see the light of day.

“Mountains”  This is not an innuendo.

“on the mountains”

Chapter 3

The First Cruel Night

⁵ “I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles or by the hinds of the field, That you will not arouse or awaken my love Until she pleases.”

Context is at night.  And they are physically apart.  She doesn’t sense his presence because he is temporarily not there.  I suppose at night a couple would not be together physically.  Even though it is at night sometime before the wedding that she cant bear to not be near him holding him tight and feeling loved when she doesn’t feel it.

3:1-4

First Love Lost then Found

Don’t let go, but hold him tighter for more intimacy and a closer relationship in love.  She is or has failed at doing her part.

Absence breeds desire.  More happiness when united.

If take metaphorically “night” could be referring to the idea of night time being a context in which she doesn’t sense the love of her beloved.  The whole time she didn’t sense his love she looked for him but did not see him.

Yet every moment apart is a living hell as her holy Jealousy for him burns like the fire of hell.  Its the pain of being apart that drives her to find him whom her heart loves.  She desires to be near him holding him tighter and not letting him go.

Something still seems to be on fire.  ‘She looked for him”  The fire was set aflame by the sparks of his continued absence.  Him being out of her sight was unbearable like “hell fire”.  Song 8:6

Solomon’s Wedding Day

Key Transition

3:11-4:1

The king of peace is getting crowned on his wedding day.  His heart rejoiced over his bride and he adores her beauty saying

“Behold you are beautiful, my love.  Behold you are lovely.”  Then he praises what he loves about her that is so lovely and beautiful about her.

Chapter 4

She

the excellent effects of love to Christ?

4:1-7

This section is her outer beauty adored.  Although her doves eyes are also a compliment of her eyes of love.  All natural beauties are so immediately derived from God, that they are but emanations of His Beauty.

Song 4:1-5 Serves as a good illustration.  The problem comes that when you understand the Song better you see the illustration better because your mind is purer to get the illustration and think that Solomon’s intent was to compliment her inner beauty rather than her outer, when what the bridegroom is doing is adoring the moral beauty of God reflected in her appearance.

4:1

” How beautiful you are, my love!
    Oh, how beautiful!
    Your eyes behind your veil are doves.
Your hair is like a flock of goats
    descending from the hills of Gilead.“

“How beautiful your are, my love!”

As the bridegroom rejoices over his bride so also God will rejoice over Israel His bride in Zeph. 3:17.

?The soul and body are so one, that a praise or delight in an outward beauty is a praise and delight in her inner beauty.?

1st Specific beauty

Her eyes are beautiful.

“My love”

She is his love.

“Beautiful”   Edwards “when we behold the beauty of man’s body in its perfection, we still see like emanations of Christ’s divine perfections, although they do not always flow from the mental excellencies of the person that has them. But we see far the most proper image of the beauty of Christ, when we see beauty in the human soul.”

Just as it was the Spirits work to make the world beautiful out of chaos so it is also the Spirits work to make her physically beautiful from a rib.

“Friend”

He honors her with what is praiseworthy about her.

2nd Beauty is her “hair”

“Hair”‘  is a woman glory.  Clearly it was made for this purpose and her hair certainly is glorious. He is complimenting her hair.  Its not shaved, nor short.  An external glory.  She also has a glory in her heart that comes down from on high and is a beauty of the bride.

The weight of her glory is manifested by its length.

The manner in which her glory exists is in a “flowing” or “descending” manner.

“veil”  Worn on special occasion for beauty as in Isaiah 3:19.

Veil, hair, covering.  This would be obvious what it actually was if seen in real life.  Or if this were acted out.

“hair” 1 Cor. 11:15 but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory?

4:1-7 is an Illustration of how a bridegroom rejoices over his bride.

4:2

^” Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn,
    coming up from the washing.
Each has its twin;
    not one of them is alone.”

Yet all external, secondary beauty is a reflection of the unseen true Primary Beauty.  The teeth make for a good illustration if of her perfect meditations that were worthy of praise but the bridegroom is not adoring her internal beauty.

3rd beauty are her “teeth”

It is the the image of God reflected in her outward beauty that the beloved son of God is delighting in. a Xtian spirit is the Image of the holiness of Gods nature.

Before we come to the conclusion that her teeth exist, we see the qualities and properties of the teeth, which beautiful qualities are but a shadow of the beautiful qualities of her soul consisting in its holiness.  Her teeth have a natural holiness which is beautiful.  They are clean, proportioned and fit for their purpose.

You get the impression that she is blessed.  By the praises of her character in 1:9-10 and beautiful character under trials 2:2 she is wise and blessed and has physical health on her whole body Prov. 4:20-23

Her beautiful teeth.  The external nature of the holiness of her teeth is beautiful.  Solomon see’s the cleanliness, symmetry, proportion and harmony of her teeth and they are beautiful.  All outward beauty is but a reflection of the inner beauty of the heart that loves.  Is there something similar about the beauty of her heart?  Her heart can be clean and one with all/All.  The inner workings of her heart are consistent with holiness. For disproportion, inconsistencies and disharmony are contrary to Being and Beauty wether moral or natural.  I

Clean=Holiness which is an attribute of the beautiful soul. Matched=Her love to God on her heart.  Her idea of God and God’s idea of Himself is the same they match.  Her emotions match as well.  For love to God is both in the understanding and felt in the heart.  She is taking every word captive to what she has been taught otherwise something would be missing or out of place spiritually in her soul.  The beauty of her soul is similar to the beauty of her teeth.  The harmony of her physical teeth to their purpose is beautiful so also is the harmony of her thoughts, emotions and will or decisions are beautiful and holy consistent with its purpose.

Here the beauty of her teeth consist in cleanliness, matching proportions, nothing missing and being perfectly fit for their purpose.  The natural beauty of her teeth is their holiness.  She is blessed with beautiful, perfect teeth, without mixture of evil.  Now you can argue from the natural beauty or external beauty to the moral or heart beauty for all natural beauty of but a reflection of the moral beauty of her heart which consists in love to God 8:6.

“Teeth”  After a time of backsliding Song 3 in sin and doubt of salvation, hanging on tighter to Christ entails cleaning up your hardened thoughts and emotions.  Your “teeth” and the way you digest truth must be cleaned up.

For the true virtue of created beings is doubtless their highest excellency, and their true goodness, and that by which they are especially agreeable to the mind of their Creator. But the true goodness of a thing (as was observed before) must be its agreeableness to its end, or its fitness to answer the design for which it was made. Or, at least, this must be its goodness in the eyes of the workman.

4:3

“Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon;
    your mouth is lovely.
Your temples behind your veil
    are like the halves of a pomegranate.”

4th Beauty is her “lips” and “mouth”

“Scarlet thread”  The theme of atonement throughout Scripture.  Her lips of prayer, praise, confession, worship, witnessing all speak as if the Wrath of God has passed over her.   1.  Rehab put a scarlet rope and the Wrath of God passed over her and her family.   2.  The blood on the door at passover, if God saw it He His Wrath would not touch them.  3.  Red speaks of the Blood of Christ, sins taken away as far as the east is from the west so also, 4.  When the goat sacrifice had taken away their sins they would put a scarlet ribbon on their (door) Application 1.  The scarlet was a sign of faith, you believed the Wrath of God would passover you.  6.  If her l

Shape and color are beheld and delighted in.

“Scarlet Thread”  Exodus 12:22.] The striking or sprinkling the blood of the lamb with a bunch of hyssop on the two side posts and lintel of the door signifies the cleansing of our conversation by the blood of Christ, which is in the language of Scripture called our “going out and coming in.” 1 Samuel 29:6, “Surely, as the Lord liveth, thou hast been upright. And thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight, for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day.” 2 Samuel 3:25, “Thou knowest Abner, the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou dost.” 2 Kings 19:27, “I know thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me” (and Isaiah 37:28). Psalms 121:8, “The Lord shall preserve thy coming in and going out.”  The Holy Spirit probably has respect to this very type of the going and coming, being cleansed by the blood of the paschal lamb, in 1 Peter 1:18–19, where the Apostle speaks of our being redeemed from our “vain conversation” by the “precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” The destroying angel passed by none but those who had the blood of the lamb on their door posts, signifying that when God comes to proceed with men as a judge, he will judge everyone according to his works, and will save none but those whose conversation has been cleansed by the blood of Christ (see Exodus 12:7).

First is a compliment of the shape and color then he adores the moral beauty displayed in the way she uses her lips in comely speech.  Either a reference back to the words and promises spoken at the wedding or 1:7, 2:15, 17 and others.  For he “loved to hear her sweet voice” 2:14

5th beauty are her temples

“Your temples behind your veil
    are like the halves of a pomegranate.”

“Temples”   His delight is in her love.   Love to God.  Love to holiness.  How does she see the holiness of her heart?  Can she see the holiness of her heart in metaphoric language?  Temples behind your veil are like the halves of a pomegranate.  Both sides of your thought processes are equal, proportionate, delightful to behold, holy, without disproportion, but symmetrical, perfectly matched when viewed side by side.  God’s image of His Son in me.  I see holiness in Christ and I see that same holiness in me, perfectly matched and holy to some degree.

Agreement.  One side agree’s with the other.  One side corresponds to the other.  They perfectly mirror each other.  One is a reflection of the other.  What agreement is there about the soul that make it beautiful.  If you put her soul next to God’s heart would her heart reflect His?  Would her heart be beautiful within itself and also in relation to God’s Holy and flawless heart that is morally Beautiful?

“All beauty,” he writes, “consists in similarness, or identity of relation.” Then, to clarify this claim, he adds, “In identity of relation consists all likeness, and all identity between two consists in identity of relation”

“In identity of relation consists all likeness, and all identity between two consists in identity of relation.”

Certainly there is proportions and harmony existing in the view of her temples.  Proportion is pleasing to the mind and disproportion is displeasing and not beautiful.  Proportion depends upon an equality of ratios.  See also the proportion, harmony, spotless and fit purpose of her teeth.  Natural beauty reflects the moral beauty of God who wonderfully made her.

4:4  “shields”

Your neck is like the tower of David,
    built with courses of stone;
on it hang a thousand shields,
    all of them shields of warriors

6th beauty is her “neck”

Here words are red.  Her understanding is red, Her delight is in the theme of atonement.   a level of glory and beauty is here for Solomon to behold and praise her for.  She understood the height of Solomon’s love in Redeeming her

Solomon’s lips also spoke of red, yet his lips were dripping myrrh, they dripped something real precious, They dripped with unmeasurable wisdom.

Now even better the lips of Christ spoke the Sweetest most Precious Scarlet Thread.

In all eternity past

More on “Scarlet”

You have been forgiven.  I was praising God, thanking Him, realizing how Gracious he is and feeling full of gratitude and thanking him over and over again and then.  Oh, He will forgive you have nothing to worry about no worry about sinning in the future, like it is okay to sin in the future because He will forgive.  No, No, No it is NOT OKAY to sin in the future, (cleaner teeth) it is

Isaiah 1:18“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.

4:5

“Your breasts are like two fawns,
    like twin fawns of a gazelle
    that browse among the lilies.”

Her 7th beauty are her “breasts”

Here we have Solomon doing by example what he wanted his son to do in Prov. 5:19.  Solomon wanted his son to be “satisfied” by the sight of his wife’s breasts and exhilarated with her love.

Nature has a beauty that captivates the eye the same as the bride has a beauty that captivates, delights and pleases the bridegroom on the wedding night as he rejoices over her.

?The nourishing of her soul is beautiful.”  Browse.  Happily dwelling in the beauty of God’s creation.  Her breasts are the most beautiful and happy dwelling place for his doves eyes alone.  The most beautiful sight and the greatest feelings to go with it.?

As if to say there is a beauty and loveliness here that is a holy and right attraction, like Adam would have had with Eve pre fall.  Imagine everyone naked, then it would be just as appropriate to compliment the beauty of a woman hair that is exposed as it would be to compliment her breasts.  They are beautiful, adorable and captivating as it says in Proverbs.  They are his to delight in.  So beautiful are they that he compares them to one of the most beautiful scenes in nature.

This is one of the rarest and most beautiful scenes in nature where you have two objects that are very similar, strikingly similar yet different and absolutely beautiful in and of themselves and among the lilies or in their setting.  A scene that isn’t just looked at but  captivates and satisfies. Prov. 5:19

Naked and unashamed!

Do you think he is starring at her half naked on top of the mountains telling her to come down.  The context is the night of the wedding when her husband rejoices over her.  Which he is doing and apparently now is the appropriate time for him to compliment the beauty of the upper half of her body that God in His wisdom made for her husbands eyes alone.  Some things only belong to him.

So here the Scriptures are profitable for a mother to teach her daughter not to show her breasts to anyone else but her husband.  And good advice for a father to a son to only look at the breasts of his wife once married in order to preserve intimacy and ward off the cruelty of jealousy.

4:6

“Until the day breaks
    and the shadows flee,
I will go to the mountain of myrrh
    and to the hill of incense.“

The mountains were what separated her from him in 2:17 and 8:14.  She has got something extremely valuable for him and he promises to go there and to a place where (prayers are answered) or a place where incense grows.  Valuable fruits or manifestations of her love he will value and delight in more than wine until the day breaks and the shadows flee.  ?I wonder if this assumes that he will not dwell where the light is dimming and the darkness blinds the heart.?  Love dwells in the light and in His Light of Love we see and delight in God’s Beauty.  Him and his love will not dwell in her in the dark night but only while the day is breaking.

“I will”  A promise. I will have communion with my wife.  We will share in those things in which we both delight in.  I will highly esteem her love.  She will highly esteem me and I her.

He promises to go to a place.  A place where she cultivates what is precious and valuable to him.  “the mountain of myrrh”

Later in 8:14 she has produce many spices on top of the mountains for him to come enjoy.  Out of her love to him she has been very fruitful.  And here he promises to go to the place where she has prepared for him to enjoy.

Communion= The common partaking in union of any good.  JE  Or “Mutual sharing of those good things which delight all those in that fellowship.  They all share in experiencing God’s love.

All night til morning  he will get himself unto everything she has for him that is precious and pleasurable.

Her in all her beauty was with him on the tops of the mountains.  Sharing the most glorious day of their live together on tops of the most beautiful and picturesque mountains.

Thinking to long about him complimenting your beauty is dangerous.  You must come down from that mountain when he calls or die staying there to long.

He has taken her to the top of the mountains.

Tho there be nothing incumbent on the saints whereby they may merit the priviledge of communion with X Yet there are things incumb. on them in order to their being prepared for it and also in order to our voluntary admitting and receiving X to communion. JE  Song 5:3-6

4:7

“Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.”

Here is a summarizing statement about her and the quality of her beauty.

“fair”  beautiful.  Her beauty consists in everything being fit for its purpose.

Her natural beauty was created for his enjoyment and delight.  All things were created for us to enjoy God and glorify Him.  Her beauty glorifies God by being a reflection or shadow of Divinity.  Something of God’s beauty is seen or understood by her beauty.  A reflection of God’s beauty and glory is seen and delighted in by the husband.

Everything was beautiful and perfectly fit for its purpose in and of itself, in a functioning body and also for delight in beholding. 7:6

“No spot in thee”

She is naturally holy, her body has no flaw or spot.  No deformity.  No spot.

Interesting how Absalom had no blemish 1 Sam 14:25 from foot to head like how Solomon describes his wife as she dances the mahanaim 7:1ff

Clearly is was “fearfully and wonderfully made” Psalm 139:14

4:8

4:8 “From Lebanon and the dangerous mountains”  Once an indebted slave girl but now a rich, free queen/Queen who just inherited Israel.  What real danger is she in at this time?  Spiritual pride.  Thinking she deserves this or has earned it by some supposed good that she has done.  It’s easy to do this when your walk with God is getting better and better.  Our sinful tendency in the context of spiritual growth is to either take credit for the progress, forget God’s way of salvation, do good works out of fear of punishment and out of our own strength thinking ourselves strong when we are truly weak.   Thinking strong, why?  because we have been winning, moving forward.  The believer when falling back won’t be tempted to think that they are strong or that they are good and have been doing good, no their backsliding sinful life will witness to the contrary.  That they have not been moving forward but so to speak backwards in some respects.  So this is for you Christians out there just fighting and trying and doing like a fearless fast mare in battle for her King.  You are winning and moving forward only by His Grace and you deserve not His Grace but only His Wrath apart from your union with Christ.  Stay humble and “come down” from the spiritual mountain top high and get back to real life.   Yes, you can spend great times with the Lord on the mountains.  Yes, hours and even the whole night.  And day after day etc at varying degree’s of sensibility, intensity and duration.  But Im talking about that sweet, most sweetest times with the LORD,  compared to mountain tops due to them being a location where the whole and most of the revelation of the Glory of God can best be seen from.  As far as the heart is humbled so the heart is further prepared to enjoy Christ better, treasure Him more, love Him Supremely, greater valuing Him.  Dark am I, yet lovely in Christ.  I am His and He is mine.

“Come”  “lions”

The temptation at times is to think highly of yourself thinking you have earned or did by your power righteous things.  Humility during praise is key to the proper holy enjoyment of it.  Looking to her savior from continued sin saved her life.  She had a right view of who he was in relation to her and highly prized his leadership and didn’t doubt his love for her so she glanced his way, faith in him/Him, satisfaction in him alone and it ravished his heart making you even more greatly to be praised so he sweeten the continued communion to a stricter happier union.

Here her newly wed husband is protecting her from pride.  A pride of lions that could kill her on top of the mountains overlooking her inheritance on her wedding day.

Solomon’s temple and his other buildings in Jerusalem were exceeding stately and magnificent, so that he vastly increased the beauty and glory of the city. Isaiah 60:13, “The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious.

So if a wife should carry it very well to her husband, and not at all from any love to him, but from other considerations plainly seen, and certainly known by the husband, would he at all delight in her outward respect any more than if a wooden image were contrived to make respectful motions in his presence?

Context.  She is definitely not looking at him but is with him.  “Come with me.” 4:8  and

80 miles from Lebanon to Amana.

“Come”  This is a command, the first command recorder by her husband.  “follow” in 1:8 is also a command but it is that of a shepherd to a follower, not a husband.  ?Due to her union with God, God as her head and the body submits to the head so also she ought to submit to her new head/husband. ?  ?Can you argue from the unity of God to Israel, God calling Himself her husband, to duties required in a marriage relationship as Paul did in Ephesians 5:22-23.  Paul take the truth of the oneness of Jesus and His people, and makes it the basis of an argument for illustrating and enforcing the duties of the marriage relation.  The body submits to the head.

Shepherding her heart down from heights of emotion.

“Come with me from Lebanon”  The joy of the Lord is our strength Neh. 8:10 and it strengthens us for something to be done or suffered, and again these labors and sufferings do increase the joy, for as the tribulations do increase, so do the consolations.  True it is that the mind of man would presently be at his works end, and having received joys, spend the whole time in gazing on them, tasting of them or in recalling the tastes and images of them: But too much enjoying is a loss of enjoying; for it looses all those gains ( formerly mentioned) annexed to doing and suffering.  For if a man will only busy himself in tasting present joy, how can he expect those joys that are sent to prepare unto labors? or those that accompany labors? or finally, (which is of most weight) those infinite, and unmeasurable, and exceeding joys, which in the life to come are to follow afflictions and labors?

Her heart is in his hands and he is guiding her will and emotions his way while she is in eminent danger of death.

“Come”  This is a command, the first command recorder by her husband.  “follow” in 1:8 is also a command but it is that of a shepherd to a follower, not a husband.  ?Due to her union with God, God as her head and the body submits to the head so also she ought to submit to her new head/husband  Isaiah 54:5. ?  ?Can you argue from the unity of God to Israel, God calling Himself her husband, to duties required in a marriage relationship as Paul did in Ephesians 5:22-23.  Paul take the truth of the oneness of Jesus and His people, and makes it the basis of an argument for illustrating and enforcing the duties of the marriage relation.  The body submits to the head.

THE POINT. The point is that Solomon wants her to come with him from where she is.  Due to the lurking danger of death.  She listens and he praises her love and obedience right before the consummate the wedding.

Since the mountains are at a great distance from each other,  I highly doubt they literally went on top of each mountain after the wedding and before consummation.

After her being rejoiced over at the wedding, what danger is she in and what would coming down from the mountains represent?  Why would coming down from Lebanon and Ammon be good metaphors to use?

“shiner”  1) the Amorite name for Mount Hermon  “senir”  from a root meaning pointed or peak.  Some take it to mean “snow mountain”

“Come with me” Is it possible for both of them in between their wedding and consumption to have traveled to Lebanon,  Then to the top of Amana and “descend from there”  looking at the view coming down.  Also from Senir and also “descend from the summit of Hermon” which is also  All delightful locations with breathe taking views of beauty and glory in the holy promised land.

If she listens to him or glances his way with one of her eyes then she manifest her love to him.

She listens, contemplating her inheritance, position and riches, and hearing his sweet voice praise her.  Her love to him still on fire and she doesn’t get prideful and let the praise get to her head in pride,  thus  she looks his way into his doves eyes when he called her to “come down from the spiritual high before she dies.  She looks into his doves eyes where she feels true peace and rest. And the one humble and loving glance ravishes and emboldens him.

“Lebanon”  Come do

“Of leopards”

Don’t go around poking your head in the lion’s den.

Enjoy the high view of you have of him while coming down.  Learned from Song 1:7-13. Learning how to stay humble under praise and adoration.

First. Take heed you don’t forsake God. Here I would particularly request of those that have lately been favored with much of the sweet tokens of God’s presence, to hearken to me in the following things that may be for their direction and help to prevent their departing from God:

1. Be sensible you are not out of danger of the devil and a corrupt and deceitful heart, even in your highest flights and best frames. It is a great mistake [to think] that there no danger of going astray because God is near you. Indeed, there is great encouragement in it that you shall be succeeded in a way of vigilance and circumspection. But to think that even then you han’t need of the greatest watch and care, and are not in great danger without it, is presumption. ‘Tis a presumption by which many herein have been woefully answered. Many persons, through want of a sense of danger in such circumstances, and so neglecting, {depart from God}. ‘Tis one principal means of persons’ losing the presence [of God]: they have grown secure.  JE

Dt. 11:24

4:8 “Come down”

This is Solomon asking his bride to come down from the mountain tops.  Solomon telling, asking, commanding her to come down for her own safety.  The wife is supposed to submit to the husbands call as if submitting to Christ Himself.  When the husband speaks and desires something of the wife it is her duty to God to listen and obey.  In submitting to the call of her wise and loving husband she is obedient to God, Eph. 5:22-23

The wise husband only calls his wife to do what he knows to be best for her based on the Word of God.  And here and now, while she is on top of the mountains the leopards could get her so her good shepherd calls her down.  She obeys and this is another jewel to adorn her neck/heart.

Whereas, in him that is truly humble, and really sees his own vileness and loathsomeness before God, the distance appears the other way. When he is brought lowest of all, it does not appear to him, that he is brought below his proper station; but that he is not come to it: he appears to himself, yet vastly above it: he longs to get lower, that he may come to it; but appears at a great distance from it. And this distance he calls pride. And therefore his pride appears great to him, and not his humility. For although he is brought much lower than he used to be; yet it don’t appear to him worthy of the name of humiliation, for him that is so infinitely mean and detestable, to come down to a place, which though it be lower than what he used to assume, is yet vastly higher than what is proper for him. As men would hardly count it worthy of the name of humility, in a contemptible slave, that formerly affected to be a prince, to have his spirit so far brought down, as to take the place of a nobleman; when this is still so far above his proper station.

Doctrine= X calls & invites souls that are under the most dark & dismal circumstances to Look to him

Who should come down?  1. the one Sensible of the Danger and 2. Those not sensible of it.

How do you know you should “Come down” ?

1. The first thing is this; he that is under the prevalence of this distemper, is apt to think highly of his attainments in religion, as comparing himself with others.
2. Another thing that is an infallible sign of spiritual pride is persons being apt to think highly of their humility.

Where did she learn to do this, this coming down from to high of thoughts of herself?  Song 1:2-5  She learned that in His Presence she saw herself as “Dark” Song 1:5
She needs to see her darkness now in order to avoid the leopards on these mountain tops.

Let not the reader lightly pass over these things in application to himself. If you once have taken it in, that it is a bad sign for a person to be apt to think himself a better saint than others, there will arise a blinding prejudice in your own favor; and there will probably be need of a great strictness of self-examination, in order to determine whether it be so with you. If on the proposal of the question, you answer, “No, it seems to me, none are so bad as I.” Don’t let the matter pass off so; but examine again, whether or no you don’t think yourself better than others on this very account, because you imagine you think so meanly of yourself. Haven’t you an high opinion of this humility? And if you answer again, “No; I have not an high opinion of my humility; it seems to me I am as proud as the devil”; yet examine again, whether self-conceit don’t rise up under this cover; whether on this very account, that you think yourself as proud as the devil, you don’t think yourself to be very humble.

4:8

“Come with me from Lebanon, my bride,
May you come with me from Lebanon.
Journey down from the summit of Amana,
From the summit of Senir and Hermon,
From the dens of lions,

4:9-10

The Spirit of God is working in her heart to glance the direction of her husband thus displaying love.

“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Gal. 5:6

of a like spirit and temper with him. 4:10 with 1:2

4:9

Your love “Ravishes my heart”

“Your love”  She loved therefore she was born of God.

“You have made my heart beat faster, my sister, my bride; You have made my heart beat faster with a single glance of your eyes, With a single strand of your necklace.”

The way to purity in marriage is to be exhilarated with the love of your wife in your youth.  Pr. 5:13-21   Here in 4:9 and other places Solomon is exhilarated with her love and the fruits thereof.  Intoxicated.  May he be “enthralled” with her.

“emboldened”  Ravished.  Antonym is to “unheart”.  His affections for her have be stimulated, aroused and fired up.  A flash from a Flame above all other flames is shining and giving of great light and heat in the hearts of both of them for she is also happy when she knows she has pleased him.

Death was looming in the horizon and Solomon knew it.  At the point where they notice the danger it’s time to enjoy the view coming down and humbling yourself so as to not get prideful in such a situation as being greatly praised.

How would Jesus Christ feel when experiencing love from His Bride?

You have made me happy and pleased by your love to me in looking my way so that you may live and not die.

“sister”  “bone of my bone”

“chain of your neck”  Back in 1:10 it was her excellent character on display in her very hot and ardent pursuit of him that was valuable and precious to him and now here it is her love manifested in obedience to his words that ravish his heart, for she looked his way thus saving her life from the leopards.

Ive seen parents with their kids taking the opportunity to illustrate the dangers of crossing the street when there is traffic coming to reinforce one of the lessons here.  Disobedience to the one in authority/Authority could cost you your life here on earth and in heaven.  If the father says stop when a child is running across the street if the son doesn’t listen immediately to the father then the son may die.

The humility and love of so glorious a bride, the most beautiful of women, is most valuable, and the discoveries of it are capable of ravishing the soul above all other love.

Her husbands heart loves true virtue which consists in love to God.  It is virtuous to love true virtue as that denotes an agreement of the heart with virtue.

The beauty and excellency of the bride and her spirit consists in Love.  She was not evil but loving and obedient to his call and it saved her life!  He was ravished and delighted in her love more than wine.

Love is accompanied with holy happiness or inexpressible joy when love is reciprocated or gets a suitable/fit return of affection from the beloved.

Israels God would rejoice over His bride.  Is. 62:4  But you will be called, “My delight is in her,”

Christ purchased for us true spiritual excellency, grace and holiness, the sum of which is love to God, which is [nothing] but the indwelling of the Holy Ghost in the heart.  JE

Walking in obedience alway proceeds the sweetest and growing intimacy between those united in peace by God’s love dwelling in their hearts.  The sweet intimacy, communion and conversations are always preceeded by act of love and self denial.  From apart to first date to desire for proposal 1:7-2:6, from proposal to engagement 2:10-2:16,  from engagement in 2:16 to wedding night in5:1, 7:8ff

She has done a beautiful thing.  She listened to her husband.  A beautiful act of love similar to the act of love when Mary poured perfume on the feet of Jesus and Jesus responded saying she has done “a beautiful thing.”Matt. 26:10

“You have made my heart beat faster with a single glance of your eyes,
With a single strand of your necklace“

4:10

    “How much more pleasing is your love than wine,
and the fragrance of your perfume
    more than any spice!”

“How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride!”

He sweetly commands her greatest good and she listens.  The husband experiences her love in obedience to his command.  Had she not listened death from the leopards was very likely.

“How wonderful are thy loves”

spiritual understanding “consists primarily in a sense of the heart…of the supreme beauty and sweetness of the holiness or moral perfection of divine things.”

“delightful”

For her beloved to experience her love to God in her listening to him was delightful.  Reason alone may determine that an act of obedience was beautiful and lovely to others, like it may determine that honey is sweet to others, but it will never give me a perception of it’s sweetness.

was the glory of his holiness, or the beauty of his moral excellency;loving holiness for its own sake

But the truth is, the desires of hypocrites are not properly the desires of appetite after holiness, for its own sake, or for the moral excellency and holy sweetness that is in it; but only for by-ends. They long after clearer discoveries, that they may be better satisfied about the state of their souls; or because in great discoveries, self is gratified, in being made so much of by God, and so exalted above others they long to taste the love of God (as they call it) more than to have more love to God.

the obedience of children, not legal, slavish and forced; but that which is performed from love and with delight. God is chosen for his own sake; holiness is chosen for its own sake, and for God’s sake.

God is loved for himself and for his own sake; and men are loved not because of their relation to self, but because of their relation to God, either because they are the children of God, or because they have either the spiritual or natural image of God

“thy loves”  He switches from adoring her natural beauties to adoring her loves.  The various ways in which she expresses her love to him due to her love to God, her moral beauty. Natural beauties 4:1-7  and moral beauties

“delightful is your love”

More than wine.  She had physical adornments. But her holiness which consisted in the manifestation of her love to God by her listening to him is more delightful than wine.  Her holiness adorns her and ravishes his heart like the holiness of the new Jerusalem is its adornment, so also holiness is the true adornment of a bride.

“So the soul, by a vital union with Christ and by the faculties being as it were swallowed up in Christ, are altered, sanctified and sweetened.”

“my sister”

Same mother or father.  Brother’s and sister’s have the same mother.  Family unity.   Though they have different roles they both are related.

To express the near and dear relation they are now in.

?Not of the original stock but grafted in?  Her mother’s sons were righteously did not delight in her.  They did not delight in her immoral deformity.  They delighted in holiness.  She was not holy when enslaved in the vineyards by people not her immediate relation, they had a different father.  She was a Gentile enslaved by Jews, but now he calls her sister for they are married.?

She

4:16-5:1

Their bodies are not their own.    The husband gives and the wife receives.  It is mutual.  Both are in happy agreement as to what happens.  The man is to please the wife to the highest degree “drink your fill”  5:1 and the wife is to please her husband to his fullest so long as everything is mutual along the way of learning how to best please your spouse.  When it is known how to please the spouse you then please each other to the greatest possible pleasure in strict union one with the other,  “Drink your fill”  “Embibe deeply” 5:1

Holy communion in both physical and spiritual love.  You can’t separate the two.  Both are true.

“let my beloved come into his garden”  When one Person has true Love to Another he desires Communion with him for its own sake . to be with & to see him and to be with and to Converse with will be desired and Prized for the sake of the sweetness and Pleasantness of his Conversation whether he expects any

“sister”

?Lev. 21:3?

Chapter 5

5:1

“I have come into my garden”

Garden or ground he has cultivated or plowed by his love, words and actions.  Her heart is fruitful therefore she has kept it pure along with her body.

He was into her.  Now if your mind is open to both a spiritual and physical application of oneness then you won’t only see a physical application to the words “He is in her”  He loves her and he is into her so much.  And she is into him for her heart desires the strictest oneness with the one she loves.  She was in him and him in her.  She was in him meaning her delight was in him.   Her delight was in pleasing him.

Proverbs 21:4  ^“Haughty eyes and a proud heart—the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin.”

“drink”

“drink your fill”

God being an infinite fountain of good is as it were infinitely communicative, or infinitely overflowing, and therefore the communication of how great abundance soever. “God is love” (1 John 4:16). His essence being love, he is as it were an infinite ocean of love without shores and bottom, yea, and without a surface.

Song of Solomon 5:1, which says, “Eat, friends, drink, and be drunk with love!”

There may be an endless variety of degrees of the principle, but the nature of the object is unalterable.

In Jewish tradition, the wedding celebration continues the holiness of the ceremony; rejoicing with the bride and groom is a mitzvah (commandment). Tradition offers ways to honor parents amidst the joy. Many Jewish couples–even those who don’t wish to include traditional Jewish circle dancing in their parties–take time during their receptions to celebrate with their parents

He drew out the following doctrine: “Persons need not and ought not to set any bounds to their spiritual and gracious appetites.” Rather, he says, they ought

to be endeavoring by all possible ways to inflame their desires and to obtain more spiritual pleasures. . . . Our hungerings and thirstings after God and Jesus Christ and after holiness can’t be too great for the value of these things, for they are things of infinite value. . . . [Therefore] endeavor to promote spiritual appetites by laying yourself in the way of allurement… (Edwards, Charity and Its Fruits, in The Works*, Vol. 8, [Yale University Press, 1989], 255) There is no such thing as excess in our taking of this spiritual food. There is no such virtue as temperance in spiritual feasting. (Edwards, “The Spiritual Blessings of the Gospel Represented by a Feast” in Sermons and Discourses, 1723-1729, [Yale University Press, 1997], 286)

This led Edwards to say of his own preaching and the great goals of his own ministry:

I should think myself in the way of my duty to raise the affections of my hearers as high as possibly I can, provided that they are affected with nothing but truth, and with affections that are not disagreeable to the nature of what they are affected with. (Edwards, “The Spiritual Blessings of the Gospel Represented by a Feast” in Sermons and Discourses, 1723-1729, [Yale University Press, 1997], 286)

White-hot affections for God set on fire by clear, compelling, biblical truth was Edwards’s goal in preaching and life, because it is the goal of God in the universe. This is the heart of Edwards’s God-entranced vision of all things.

We shall be partakers with the church, the blessed bride , in her joy in the bridegroom, not only as friends and ministers to the church, but as members of principal dignity; as the eye, the ear, the hand, are principal members of the body.

1 Corinthians 6:18. “Every sin that a man doth is without the body.”] I.e. other sins immediately respect some object ad extra. Some are committed more immediately against God, and others against our neighbor. “But he that committeth fornication sins against his own body.” He pollutes and defiles that. The Apostle comprehends our whole duty under three virtues, Titus 2:12, viz. sobriety, righteousness, and godliness. The second respects our neighbor; the last respects God, and the first ourselves. Fornication is a violation of the first (1 Timothy 2:15), and so is a sin immediately against ourselves, our own bodies.

God uses the well-watered garden metaphor to describe a future Jacob or Israel.

“garden”  God promises to return Jacob to being like a well-watered garden Jer. 31:10 a being filled with God’s bounty or goodness Jer. 31:14

“drink your fill”

Again, that the saints will be full of happiness, will have as much happiness as they can contain (that is, they will have happiness completely adequate to their capacity), is evident, because happiness is nothing, as we have showed, but the perception and the possession of excellency. Therefore if they are not full, it must be for want of excellency or the possession of it. But they can’t want excellency to behold in God, he being infinite in it; neither will they want the means of beholding or perceiving it, as far as their capacity allows; nor will they want possession.

“Friends”

They were enemies but now friends. 5:16

Heb. 13:4  Keep the marriage bed undefiled.

Here the church feasts with Christ at his table, as a testimony and seal of their friendship, Feasting together was of old used as a testimony and seal of peace and friendship and love—{as} Isaac and Abimelech (Genesis 26:30) {and} Jacob and Laban (Genesis 31:46)—but not till they made peace.

Reason teaches that a man’s actions are the most proper trial and evidence of his love. Thus, if a man professes a great deal of love and friendship to another, reason in such a case teaches all mankind that the most proper evidence of his being a real and hearty friend , as he professes, is his appearing a friend in his deeds, which he does; and not only in the words which he speaks.

If a man only professes a great deal of friendship, a wise man will not trust that profession so far as he will the proof and trial of his friendship in his behavior, wherein he has found him a faithful and constant friend , ready to do and to suffer for him.

“Drink water from your own cistern,running water from your own well. Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares? 17Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers. 18 May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. 19A loving doe, a graceful deer—may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love.” Proverbs 5:16-19

“I have eaten”  She invited him to enjoy what she had for him and he has enjoyed it.  This is a Powerful bonding experience as strong as death in its purpose.  Mutual sharing of those things which delight those in the relationship.  She delights to have him come and eat and he is happy to take part in what she has for him.  Sweet Communion in Love.

Within marriage each spouse is to find a garden of delights that they share with each other only.

Only in the context of a true love commitment til death do you part is there freedom to enjoy one another at the most intimate level.  He will never leave nor forsake her and she will not leave him for another either for they are Jealous for each other’s happiness.

And of the adulteress woman the man is warned.

“sister” Spiritual familial intimacy.

“Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” And call understanding your intimate friend” Proverbs 7:4

“Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.”  Yet Solomon in 4:1 could desire her beauty and be captivated by her eyes.

Lev. 25:18-19  If they obeyed God would bless the land with fruit and they will live in safety.

“I have drunk my wine”  I have had my fill of love.  “with her love” he should be drunk continually” Prov. 5:18-19

Eat, O friends, drink, Yea, drink abundantly, O beloved ones!

By now she is happy that he is happy.  She wanted them to enjoy each other’s love in the garden and now they are greatly pleased with what their friendship has accomplished.  They are to abundantly drink up!

One of the most delight parts of the relationship.  One of the sincerest, closest most intimate bonding experiences when love is ready.

The bride has also a peculiar propriety in her beloved: though other things are hers, yet nothing is hers in that manner that her spiritual bridegroom is hers: as great and glorious as he is, yet he, with all his dignity and glory is hers; all is wholly given to her, to be fully possessed and enjoyed by her, to the utmost degree that she is capable of.

psalm 81:10  “Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.”  Desire little get filled little.  “Drink your fill.”

The Bride Searches for Her Beloved

Not living in expectation of his coming.  He comes earlier than expected.  Or sat down from her labors to soon.  ?Was he out laboring on the mountain tops gathering myrrh?

She loves him and he loves her yet how deep are her feelings for him.  If tested would she give herself to him?

You know what the implication is? For some reason she shut him out, what’s he doing out there? Getting wet after he’s already cleaned up. They must have had an argument, right? And she said, as women will say sometimes when all the preparations have been made for a conjugal time, something bothered her and all of a sudden he’s outside in the rain. But the conflict can’t last. “I opened to my beloved but my beloved had turned away and gone.”  Too late…too late.  JM

5:2-6

Narrated

Context

Love desires the strictest union with the object of its affection.  She loves him.  Yet in this context they are apart and a stricter union is achieved by 6:3 when she has learned to be completely his for she says “I am my beloved, and my beloved is mine.”

Learning to never doubt his love.  Learning to more quickly deny self in order to draw near to him.

He thinks she not home 5:2-1 but maybe working late producing a fruitful garden 6:1-2

Lesson= Phil. 2:4  Humility is beautiful and produces fruit in the garden.  It is most beautiful to see her humble herself in view of who he is and what he has done for her.

I slept but my heart was awake.
    Listen! My beloved is knocking:

“Slept”  She has him, she has the kingdom, she has the riches and did that buy her love? No her love sleeps after she is married.  Dt. 8:10ff

“I slept but my heart was awake.”  The key here is to ask yourself in what sense is she sleeping and in what sense is her heart awake?”

When you read the context it because clear that either she is sleeping physically but dreaming, having a vision or recalling a dream or physically awake but spiritually sleeping or weak in the flesh.  “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”  The light in her heart is on in the trial but the heat.

Clearly in this context spiritual death shows its strength by temporarily causing her to sin and not express her love that was strong like death and unquenchable.  Love prefers the other’s desire over our comfort.  “Prefer one another in love.”  Her high value of him over her is sleeping.

Dreaming, her body sleeping but her mind awake knowing what the dream was about.

If she is dreaming then were is the end of the dream? 5:2-8:4?

If her heart was awake, her love on fire but her body sleeping.

She knew her beloved what knocking.  This part of her is awake, but at the thought of him/Him wanting her to deny herself and go through some temporary loss of comfort in order to enjoy a stricter union.  He was outside and she was comfortable in bed.  They are apart and she is not willing to deny herself in order to experience his presence.  She was not eagerly awaiting him and willing to completely give herself to him.  Yes, she was his, but here she is not proving or doing her part in giving herself to him.

She is not humble.  She has a right idea of who he is in relation to her for she says “My beloved is knocking”  Some other lover was not knocking it was her beloved and she knew it for her heart was awake.  Her wanted to be near her but she had to contemplate the idea of having to go through some trouble in order to be near him.  If she doesn’t answer his call and she sins knowing the good she ought to have done with was to answer his call when he is not in her presence but wanting to be near her commune with her.  Calling her to display obedience quicker and greater acts of self denial.

“A voice.”

Here again, as is often in the Song, we are invited to put ourselves in her shoes or comfortable bed as it is.  She is in bed and she heres “a voice“.   The poem invites us to imagine what is going on.  In order for love or in this case lack thereof to be illustrated a situation or context is needed.  Here the context is that they are married and physically apart, she is in bed, he has been gone a while and is outside when she hears his voice and knocking.

There is importunity in the voice of her beloved.

Now she is laying there in bed and hears a voice and knocking.  A voice in the night.  Hmmm, who could it be.  Is it familiar.  Have I heard that voice before?  She is safe with the door locked and she is in bed and hears a voice.

“A voice.”

Here again, as is often in the Song, we are invited to put ourselves in her shoes or comfortable bed as it is.  She is in bed and she heres “a voice“.   Some translate it it “listen“.  The poem invites us to imagine what is going on.  In order for love or in this case lack thereof to be illustrated a situation or context is needed.  Here the context is that they are married and physically apart, she is in bed, he has been gone a while and is outside when she hears his voice and knocking.

There is importunity in the voice of her beloved.

Now she is laying there in bed and hears a voice and knocking.  A voice in the night.  Hmmm, who could it be.  Is it familiar.  Have I heard that voice before?  She is safe with the door locked and she is in bed and hears a voice.

“a voice”  She is telling us what is happening while she was in bed.  She was asleep but her heart was awake.

“My beloved”

What she hears is the voice of her beloved.  The voice of the one she loves.  The voice of the one who loves her.  To bad she doubts his love and desire or her in the moments that her and her love slept comfortable as queen of Israel.

It is quite a natural thing to open the door if someone where knocking.  It would even be a greater encouragement to get up quickly and open the door for the one whom you love and it would be even a greater motive to open the door for Israel’s Messiah who loves you. This is a voice that when heard ought to enflame her love to him.

Not just anyone she loves but she says “My beloved“.   The one who gave himself to her is at the door.  There is a relationship here.  One of that of a husband to his wife.  One who loves her but her love is sleeping.  He has a holy jealousy for her love.

“My beloved”

What she hears is the voice of her beloved.  The voice of the one she loves.  The voice of the one who loves her.  To bad she doubts his love and desire or her in the moments that her and her love slept comfortable as queen of Israel.

It is quite a natural thing to open the door if someone where knocking.  It would even be a greater encouragement to get up quickly and open the door for the one whom you love and it would be even a greater motive to open the door for Israel’s Messiah who loves you. This is a voice that when heard ought to enflame her love to him.

Not just anyone she loves but she says “My beloved“.   The one who gave himself to her is at the door.  There is a relationship here.  One of that of a husband to his wife.  One who loves her but her love is sleeping.  He has a holy jealousy for her love.

“Knocking”

This word is more like a pounding.  Which gives his knocking a sense of urgency. This is no gentle knocking like that of a door to door salesmen.  Or a knocking that is up to you as to wether or not you have to answer it.  This is a knocking that needs immediate attention and is sin to neglect.  The level of importance to the knocking is due to the high level dignity or majesty of the person knocking!  It is Israel’s Messiah, the king of kings knocking and there shouldn’t be any delay in answering his voice.

In one sense God who is the Greatest King desires her to answer the door without delay.  And also the greatest type of Christ alive wants her to answer the door.  The great dignity of both beings gives urgency to the knocking.

I suppose it would be similar to you being at war and the commanding general or President came to your door knocking and you would rather sleep than go through the trouble of answering the door.

Do not read into the text a normal husband!!  This is no normal husband!!  The one answering the door is the best husband among ten thousand other husbands.  He is the king of kings, Israel’s Messiah, her redeemer 1:6, friend 5:16, her good shepherd 1:8

This offense is worthy of discipline which is why the watchmen later discipline her.  The bride by not answering the urgent call of the king is like acting the enemy of the king and his will.  She is doing her own will and not that of her king.  In God’s kingdom any sin is worthy of eternal death in the lake of fire.

A wive ought not to delay in her answering the call of her husband/Husband!  She is to do the will of God immediately and without delay like the angels in heaven obey God.

“Knocking”

This word is more like a pounding.  Which gives his knocking a sense of urgency. This is no gentle knocking like that of a door to door salesmen.  Or a knocking that is up to you as to wether or not you have to answer it.  This is a knocking that needs immediate attention and is sin to neglect.  The level of importance to the knocking is due to the high level dignity or majesty of the person knocking!  It is Israel’s Messiah, the king of kings knocking and there shouldn’t be any delay in answering his voice.

In one sense God who is the Greatest King desires her to answer the door without delay.  And also the greatest type of Christ alive wants her to answer the door.  The great dignity of both beings gives urgency to the knocking.

I suppose it would be similar to you being at war and the commanding general or President came to your door knocking and you would rather sleep than go through the trouble of answering the door.

Do not read into the text a normal husband!!  This is no normal husband!!  The one answering the door is the best husband among ten thousand other husbands.  He is the king of kings, Israel’s Messiah, her redeemer 1:6, friend 5:16, her good shepherd 1:8

This offense is worthy of discipline which is why the watchmen later discipline her.  The bride by not answering the urgent call of the king is like acting the enemy of the king and his will.  She is doing her own will and not that of her king.  In God’s kingdom any sin is worthy of eternal death in the lake of fire.

A wive ought not to delay in her answering the call of her husband/Husband!  She is to do the will of God immediately and without delay like the angels in heaven obey God.
“Open to me, my sister, my darling,
    my dove, my flawless one.
My head is drenched with dew,
    my hair with the dampness of the night.”

“My beloved is knocking”

One effect of true love is for persons to be uneasy when their beloved is in distress or need, and to desire their relief.  Pity.

Is she remembering her covenant and who he is and who she is in relation to him? No.  Is she living it out?  No

It could be that the faithful high priest was out late in the night offering sacrifices for her sins and making intercession for her and when he comes to be close to her she is not fully desiring him.

“Open to me, my sister, my friend,
my dove, my flawless one.

His holy jealousy for her love drives him to give so many encouragements (my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one.) to show her love by going through a little trouble to open the door.

Hard to believe she doubted his love to her after hearing so many lovely ways he feels about her.

“open” Psalm 19:10 “They are more to be desired than gold, yea than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb.”

“Open to me,..”  Disobeying the king was a great offense and could cause other woman to disobey the king and their husbands so the punishment was that Queen Vashti could no longer enter the presence of the king.  Esther 1:10-20

She ignores the sweet words of God’s Prophet.

“drenched” or filled, completely with dew.  Indicating two things

1. how late in the evening and how long he was there.
2.  How long he was out there.

3  Not only the duration of suffering he is in but degree as well.  “filled”  Displaying the degree of difficulty a person will suffer for the one they love.

“filled”  gives us the idea that it was a long time he was out at night.  She is in a comfortable position and he is uncomfortable.  He suffers while she rests.

In a day and age where we have cell phones, it seems odd for this situation to happen.  You would think he would call her or she would have known when he would be back.  I looks more like he came home early.  She wasn’t expecting him anytime soon, so she locked the door, washed her feet, took off her clothes and went to bed.

Is he worth it?  is he worth getting out of bed for?  What would she do over and over again to prove that he was worth dying for or giving up her life in order to have him closer to her. 1:14  Is she willing to put her clothes on and dirty her feet?

“filled with dew” There is the service and labour of love, as well as the pleasures of love:

?Could be where he is until the shadows flee”?
³ I have taken off my robe—
    must I put it on again?
I have washed my feet—
    must I soil them again?

She goes through the same trouble to comfort herself but not the same trouble again for the comfort of her beloved.

“The ideas we have of sensible things by immediate sensation, are usually much more lively than those we have by mere imagination, or by contemplation of them when absent. My idea of the sun, when I look upon it, is more vivid, than when I only think of it. Our idea of the sweet relish of a delicious fruit is usually stronger when we taste it, than when we only imagine it. And sometimes, the ideas we have of things by contemplation, are much stronger and clearer, than at other times. Thus, a man at one time has a much stronger idea of the pleasure which is to be enjoyed in eating some sort of food that he loves, than at another. Now the degree, or strength of the idea or sense that men have of future good or evil, is one thing that has great influence on their minds to excite choice or volition. When of two kinds of future pleasure, which the mind considers of, and are presented for choice, both are supposed exactly equal by the judgment, and both equally certain, and all other things are equal, but only one of them is what the mind has a far more lively sense of, than of the other; this has the greatest advantage by far to affect and attract the mind, and move the will. ‘Tis now more agreeable to the mind, to take the pleasure it has a strong and lively sense of, than that which it has only a faint idea of. The view of the former is attended with the strongest appetite, and the greatest uneasiness attends the lack of it; and ’tis agreeable to the mind, to have uneasiness removed, and its appetite gratified.”  Therefore the current comfort of bed is preferred over some self denial or discomfort in order to enjoy his presence after answering his call.”

I have cleaned my feet, must I dirty them again.  It seems opposite to what you would think.  If you just cleaned something then why would you dirty it again.  Looking only at the dirtying them again it makes sense.  Why would you clean your feet then go to bed then dirty them again for no reason.  There must be a good enough reason.  It would be like going to work, coming home and taking a shower then a poor helpless neighbor comes by and wants you to help dig in their garden and you think I just took a shower must I get dirty again.

She wanted him to use his skill to destroy Satan, the evil influences of the world and her flesh by revealing the beauty and glory of the coming Messiah in who he was and what he does for her.  When the husband does his roles she changes by seeing God in him and then the foxes are destroyed.  Here she starts off not listening to his call because she doubted his love to her by asking her to deny herself some comfort for the sake of love.

The light was on in her heart but the heat was gone, and the spirit was willing but her strength and flesh were weak.  Her soul went out, it died, she slept, but her mind was awake.  The fire is temporarily quenched.  Knowledge without affection.  Her holy Jealousy is more like a smoking flax than a vehement flame, but her heart was awake.

He comes to her in a context where she is sleeping and would have to get her feet dirty just after she cleaned them.  She is being asked to do what she knows is right but the means to that end seems irrational and inconvenient to her.

It is the backwardness that captures her mind.  Is seems backwards why clean your feet then dirty them again.  Why put your clothes on when you just put them off.   Why dirty the dishes if you just cleaned them?  Why put your coat back on if you just took it off? Why go back to work if you just clocked out?

The honeymoon is over and its time to labor in love.

Yet she probably didn’t hesitate to mess up a bed she made earlier that morning.

“Feet”  Dt. 28:56.  A woman who was gentle and sensitive so sensitive that she wouldn’t touch the ground with the sole of her foot.  They really don’t want to get dirty of do something thats a bit rough for them.  Refined and delicate.  Tender, luxurious.  Queenly. Im the Queen and just washed my feet, must I get them dirty again.  High thoughts of herself.

“Put it on again..”

“There are various ways of the exercise of sincere love to God, and they all tend to practice. One is in having an high esteem of God. Now that of which men have the highest esteem, they will naturally show the most respect to in their behavior. Another is making choice of God, choosing him above all other things. Now if men do sincerely choose God above all other things, then they will actually choose him above all other things when it comes to a trial in practice. When in the course of his life it comes to that, that God and his own honor, or God and his money, or God and his ease come to be set before him together so that he must cleave to one and forsake the other, if he really chooses God above those other things, it must be that it is his manner in such cases to cleave to God and forsake the other.”

“I slept”  “…must I put it on again..  must I soil them again”  Stinky thinking, not precious myrrh of planning good and desiring his presence not matter what.  Her sleeping and bad thinking is the rotten fruit of the flesh and not sweet fruits of love to God.  Metaphorically speaking her hair is shaved, her teeth are dirty and unmatched and the fruit in the garden of her heart is rotten and the foxes have temporally won.  The foxes that ruin the blossoming relationship have separated the two lovers.

The seat of her emotions slept but her mind or heart or soul was aware of what she was doing.

It ought to be a joy to suffer so that you could be closer to the one you love.  It is a joy.  Don’t doubt God and his love to you.  Even suffering for loves sake is your good.
⁴ My beloved thrust his hand through the latch-opening;
    my heart began to pound for him.

“My heart sank at his departure”

(My love for him went aflame as I saw my beloved)
⁵ I arose to open for my beloved,
    and my hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with flowing myrrh,
    on the handles of the bolt.

“Myrrh”  He was out on the mountain of myrrh 4:6 and now she has myrrh on her hands from the latch or bolt he was touching.  His hand was gone by the time she got there.

“Myrrh”  She perfumed herself to please him at the door.
⁶ I opened for my beloved,
    but my beloved had left; he was gone.
    My heart sank at his departure.

“had left”  “at his departure”

Love hates separation but delights in the strictest union therefore her heart sank at his departure.  Feelings of separation made her heart sink whereas feeling of union are causes of great joy and exaltation when she can delightfully say “My beloved is mine and I am his”  She was not his a few seconds ago therefore anytime she isn’t living our the truth that he is hers and she is his then there will be heart sinking feelings of separation. Conflicting desires can cause separation as well.  He desires her and her good but she doesn’t desire his more immediate happiness over her current comfort.  Love is definitely not on display yet.

Where did he go?  Why did he leave so soon it seems?  He went to the garden where she was supposed to be being fruitful for him.  She was not ready desiring his return nor was she in the garden being fruitful until humbled by the idea of who her husband is and what he has done for her.  Song 6:1-2   So they are the closest thus far in 5:1 apart in 5:2-6:2, yet he desires closer intimacy more than she does in 5:2-6, then she goes through great difficulty in the form of discipline as a rebuke to her unexcused sinful behavior and lack of considering or preferring his happiness and comfort over yours.  He is desiring her to deny herself a little comfort in order for the two to be closer and she was not willing to give up her comfort soon enough.

Our immediate question is “Why did he leave”  or what took her so long?  When he spoke “open to me” her heart failed,

Or she hears his voice but can’t see him.

“My soul went forth”  Also can be translated “my soul died.”  Is She trying to find him in soul sleep?

Is she saying whats on her mind.  Is she thinking back to when he spoke “open to me…”  and letting us know what happened to her soul when he spoke earlier.  Or is he speaking now that he is gone.

The context explains what she means by “I am sleeping”  Her soul failed.  The souls job is to love.  Its purpose is to love.  When he spoke, her soul failed to respond in a loving manner.

Asking and seeking but no knocking?  Matt. 7

“I sought him, and found him not.”  Like a prostitute wandering around “aimlessly”  Looking for love in all the wrong places.  Prov. 5:6  The bride was looking but didn’t know where he was.

5:2-6:3  She is obviously not being fruitful in their garden with him until 6:2.  Her spirit was willing but her flesh was weak.  Matt. 26:41.  She invited him to enjoy the precious, valuable and desirable fruits of their union in 4:16 he goes to their garden to enjoy them in 5:1 and now in 5:2 something of her is a sleep and she is not in the garden and he is wanting to be near her sooner and more than she does. Separation from God and husband is felt and she will do all it takes and then some major humbling to get that love and feeling back that they shared in their garden in 5:1.  Yet it gets better.

“My heart sank”

?Is she realizing when she grieved the Spirit of God?  Israel “grieved Yahweh’s Holy Spirit” Isaiah 63:10 with 8:6

She knew in her mind what she was supposed to do but wasn’t willing to immediately deny herself some comfort in bed and go through some trouble in order to be near him and experience sweet communion with him.

She ought to have been obeying God.  God would want her to open the door when her husbands knock and not wait around because he is the king of peace, he is bringing you peace and happiness if you just open the door when he knocks.

Isaiah 48:17-18

I looked for him but did not find him.
    I called him but he did not answer.

5:3

“I have taken off my robe must I put it on again.”    A humble love prefers other’s over yourself.  Her husband is outside somewhat suffering,  She is comfortable in bed.  Will she immediately give up her comfort for his greater happiness?  And guys you better notice and praise her when she does something like this, it is a praiseworthy action she did out of love.

Learning to prefer his immediate happiness over her temporal comfort.

5:6

Doctrine= Tis a Common thing that the bride will miss of sweet com w her husband/Husband for lack of a little self denial.

there is a disposition to neglect some duties that are required of em & to find out some excuses or other there is a backwardness to put the coat on when it is put off  & a pretence of unwillingness to defile the feet after they have been washed

5:7

“The watchmen found her”

You would think she would be encouraged to see them again because they helped before and now after meeting them they beat her and took her cloak.

“watchmen”  keepers of the town.  2 Sam18:^{24  “}While David was sitting between the inner and outer gates, the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall. As he looked out, he saw a man running alone. ²⁵ The watchman called out to the king and reported it.”

‘Tis true that it is the duty of God’s people to trust in him, when in darkness, and though they remain still in darkness, in that sense, that they ought to trust in God when the aspects of his providence are dark, and look as though God had forsaken them, and did not hear their prayers, and many clouds gather, and many enemies surround them, with a formidable aspect, threatening to swallow them up, and all events of providence seem to be against them, all circumstances seem to render the promises of God difficult to be fulfilled, and God must be trusted out of sight, i.e. when we can’t see which way it is possible for him to fulfill his word, everything but God’s mere word makes it look unlikely, so that if persons believe, they must hope against hope. Thus the ancient patriarchs, and Job, and the Psalmist and Jeremiah, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego, and the apostle Paul gave glory to God by trusting in God in darkness. And we have many instances of such a glorious victorious faith in the eleventh of the Hebrews. But how different a thing is this, from trusting in God without spiritual sight, and being at the same time in a dead and carnal frame!

Ez. 33:7   God uses the watchman of the city walls metaphor to illustrate how He made Ezekiel a prophet or watchman for the souls of Israel.  ⁷ “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.“

“They beat me”  She gets beaten and suffers while looking for her beloved and immediately afterward she is “love sick“.  Being love sick she reminds herself of her most excellent beloved and friend. And learn that since He is hers, she ought to be his and then completely gives herself to him saying “I am his and he is mine” in 6:3.  The lesson she learns is due to her desire to know more of his love, therefore the suffering increases desire for the beloved and the bride has a greater hunger for his love while she is love sick.  She asked for him to show her love over and over again and here is her chance to properly receive discipline from God through the watchmen.

I love the fact that there really isn’t an explanation for why she got beaten.  Then we default to it happened “for her spiritual good and God’s Glory”.   So God could get glory in the relationship and for her spiritual growth.  Wether or not her suffering is just or unjust her response should be the same “How is God using this to increase my Love for Him”  clearly her desire for him is increased along with her view of him/Him.

“they took away my ” cloak”  “veil”  “robe” “mantle”

She had no robe or wedding garment on in 3:3 when she first saw the watchmen therefore her being separated from him was no wedding garment then she is a sunburnt enemy slave but since she desires the one her heart loves then the watchmen/prophets give her advice and she obeys it and soon finds the one her heart loves.  He is her wedding garment and she is not there in the garden producing fruit that is for him otherwise she would have denied herself some comfort by answering the door when they were apart in 5:2-6

How could she be queen, not knowing where he was? her husband, king of kings and beloved above 10,000 other beloved’s.  The best of all husband would always let his wife know where he was and where he “will go”.  The happiest place he wanted to be was with her in their garden 6:1-2, the most beautiful place on earth.  He plants holy seeds in her heart, truth that produces fruit.  Knowledge of God and love to Him.

The watchmen saw her going here there and everywhere for pleasure like a prostitute without a husband in the middle of the night, so they took her ornate robe from her, she was not acting godly and deserved not to be wearing beautiful ornaments like a virgin bride.

The cloak was part of the wedding apparel not worn in 3:3-4 so they couldn’t take it away, but now she is married but looks separated and undeserving of any assurance that he is hers so they make her feel beaten and stripped of the clothing given to her by her husband.

Stiff-necked Israel took off their ornaments as well.  So this could be a tradition passed down.

“looked for him but did not find him”  “My heart sank”  “love sick”  “beat me”.  Love must be miserable, and full of trouble and disquieted, when there is not enough worth and excellency in the believer to answer the vastness of their capacity or hunger for said worth and excellency or holiness.

^{2 Sam. 13:17}   “Ammon called his personal servant and said, “Get this woman out of my sight and bolt the door after her.” ¹⁸ So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her. She was wearing an ornate^[a] robe, for this was the kind of garment the virgin daughters of the king wore. ¹⁹ Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the ornate robe she was wearing. She put her hands on her head and went away, weeping aloud as she went.”

Tamar was no longer a virgin.  She couldn’t wear the ornate robe.  It was cultural.  Image a sunburnt woman at night walking around in a virgin robe.  The watch took her robe or cloak from her for she looked more like a prostitute 1:7 going her there and everywhere trying to find satisfaction any other place than in God.  Her satisfaction in God should have displayed itself in her answering the door when her husband knocked.  But she stayed in bed to long.  When she got up he was gone.  Then she looked for him but did not find him.  She is trying to find satisfaction “I looked for him/Him”  but did not find him.  Believing lies about where true rest, peace and satisfaction is.  “I looked for him but did not find him”  This is having hope in the world.  This hope gets deferred and the heart gets sick.  Looking for love in all the wrong places and ways.

Proverbs 27:5. That is “secret love” that durst not show itself towards us, when we have many or powerful enemies, for fear of offending them. Open rebuke or plain reproach is from that virtue and true friendship that is not afraid of doing its part for fear of offending us. The latter is the fruit of the faithfulness of a friend; the former is a sign of unfaithfulness. So that both these things are condemned in those that pretend to be friends to others, viz. neglecting to do the part of a friend to them for fear of their enemies, and neglecting to do the part of a friend to them for fear of themselves. Both usually go together. He that han’t faithfulness and courage enough to reprove us when he sees what is amiss in us, is not likely to stand by us when opposed by potent enemies.

Having a cloak seemed to be a sign that a person may be a good leader.  Is 3:6

“veil”  ?Covering.  They beat (disciplined) her and exposed her for who she was.  She was outside at night not knowing where and unable to find her newly wed husband.  She is roaming the streets like an adulterous or a prostitute.  A veiled woman wouldn’t know where the good shepherd fed his sheep and where he rests them.  Nor where he was at in the night.  During the night when he is gone he is collecting the fruits of her labor at the mountains of myrrh.  If she isn’t home he goes to wait for her in their garden where she should know that that is where he is.?  Her remembering where he was came right after remembering who he was, what he was like and his relationship to her in 5:10-16.   Then she learns that she won’t lose him if she does her part.  He is hers, but she must give herself to him or there will be separation and not a stricter union.

“Smote me”  Love and its Jealousy are not empty emotions without thought.  Love has an object of its affection, just as holy Jealousy has possession and obligation to the one it loves.  Obligation to keep them from the evil one.  It’s not like he is not protecting her now, but that she is acting unbecomingly because she doesn’t know where her beloved is when she should.  What woman goes out at night looking for a husband and doesn’t know where he is.

Or maybe even she is looking for him and doesn’t know what he looks like so she prostitutes herself out to other lovers.

“viel”  ?  Royal garment that she was wrapped about with.  She was not acting like royalty and nor was her husband with her in the night.  She would have distinctive clothing.?  Queens typically didn’t leave the safety of their kings side.  She is about the city not “leaning on her beloved”.  Misbehavior.

^{Gen. 38:13} When Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep,” ¹⁴ she took off her widow’s clothes, covered herself with a veil to disguise herself, and then sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife.

¹⁵ When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, (Shrine, temple or cult prostitute)

5:8

“sick with love”  Jealous for her beloved.  She loves him, he is hers, yet he is not near her. Jealousy as cruel as the grave.  Desire is increase.  Holy Jealousy is here put a flame due to the absence of the beloved.

The easiest way of obtaining communion with X is to comply with [his] first calls without objection whatever self denial he Required of us & those Xtians that do most willingly take trouble & difficulty upon thems. in the way of duty do indeed un meet with least trouble & their troubles that afterwise would be heavy become light yea sometimes become a meer pleasure & their very cross becomes sweet.

5:9

Her deep lovesickness and earnestness to be with the one she loves gives indication to the daughters of Jerusalem that her beloved is greater than any other and most desirable.

What is your beloved and friend above all other’s that you are so jealous for his love?  She is lovesick and desirous of knowing and sensing only love from him.

?Do the daughters see her denying herself everything, they go with her on this journey 1:4.  These virgins.  They want to go and see what its like by observation and inquiry.  The context is that the bride is separated from her beloved in5:2-6 and they are together in her mind and heart

Power to produce humble fruit in the garden, or wisdom in marriage comes from beholding the glory of God in the face or person and work of your husband/Husband.

“What is thy beloved…”  The daughters of Jerusalem arouse the love of the bride to her husband by asking one question twice and another question.  They ask 2x what is your beloved like and then later they ask where did he go after she explained how it was that her husband was the greatest type of Christ alive.

It’s like they sense her great love for her beloved.  It is so strong that they inquire saying, “Your love is so great, what makes him worthy of such love.”  Then she goes on to describe him.

She is so on fire and love sick that the daughters of Jerusalem figure it out that her beloved is above all other’s due to her ardency, ferver, deep desire and exclusivity of him alone.

“fairest”  “above”  Here you have in the same verse a woman of superlative beauty who is looking her beloved of a superlative character.

“Their rock is not as our Rock,” say they [Deuteronomy 32:31]

Its like the bride could be told by the daughters,

5:10 “My beloved is radiant and ruddy,
    outstanding among ten thousand.”

“Glorious yet Humble”

Arguing from the lesser to the greater type.

But Chris being both God and man, hath both infinite majesty and superlative meekness.

5:10  Viewing by memory the glory of God in the face of her husband/Husband humbles her and transforms her from one level of glory to another.  2 Cor. 3:18

The holy soul, when it thinks and meditates upon God’s nature, finds a pleasure and delights because there is agreeableness in his new nature to the divine perfections.  As you read the Psalms is there an agreeableness between your souls and the Word of God? Reminding herself of the excellencies of her husband and friend humbled her because her heart understood God when it was on fire and she had a right view of him/Him in relation to her.  This sight of the moral excellencies of her husband puts her back in her place producing fruit in the garden 6:2.  Had she not an agreeableness in her heart answerable to the glory or excellency beheld she would have exalted herself rather than humbled and proving her love by keeping a high view of her husband/Husband at all times, even in the night, then when his love comes knocking the bride’s heart will be full of desire for him/Him at all times.  She learns this lesson and proclaims “I am his, and he is mine.” of 6:3  This is opposite of before in 2:16 were she realizes “My beloved is mine, and I am his”  where he promises to give himself to her and she promises to give herself to him.   In the dark night after she meditates on a right high view of her beloved in relation to herself and lost bride see’s  were she fell short of responding back properly to his love, knocking or invitations to communion.

When we view his greatness and majesty and other attributes, we are kept free from fear and flight by the view of his gentleness and humility. And when we view his marvelous love and abasement and are encouraged and comforted with that, we are kept from an indecent familiarity by the view of his infinite majesty. And by all together we are filled with most reverential love, humble boldness and familiarity, delightful adoration, and sweet surprise. The glory of Christ is properly, and in the highest sense, divine.

5:10  It is not til after the beating that she is feeling love sick and the daughters of Jerusalem inquire about the superlative excellencies of her beloved.  The watchmen took what was giving her comfort in the night which wasn’t thoughts of highly esteeming her husband for she had low thoughts of him when he knocked in 5:2.  But know in 5:10 she gets those true thoughts of her beloved and friend delightfully back in the forefront of her mind.

Who your husband is in Christ and his/His union with you must always be in mind and delighted in so that communion with the one you love can be enjoyed and tasted.

5:10  “Remembering”

By our partaking of Christ body and blood, our having blessedness in the person of Christ, Christ’s body and blood have been offered in sacrifice to procure happiness for us.  And this happiness is in having our souls united to His Person in beholding His excellencies and glory,  and in the enjoyment of His Love in having spiritual conversation with Him in this world, and in enjoying Him in the world to come.

Psalm 42:6 “O my God, my soul is in despair within me;Therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan And the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.”

Bridegroom speaks–“I will reveal myself in memory or new revelations, this light will reveal your pride, in that light kill the pride by humbling yourself and God will exalt over you with praises?

“Radiant, dazzling”  Like Moses when he spoke the commands of God.   Ex. 34:33 When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. 34 But whenever he entered the Lord’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35 they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord.

“Black hair” wavy.  ?21 Aaron waved the breasts and the right thigh before the Lord as a wave offering,”   Psalm 97:2  “Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.”  In the temple God would Judge, there was a dark cloud the Glory

“lips are sweetness”   Isaiah 5:20  Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.

5:10  Application to Christ

God is Love and the effectiveness of God’s Glory to change and humble consists in him/Him Being most Beautiful.

The first foundation of the delight a true saint has in God, is his own perfection; and the first foundation of the delight he has in Christ, is his own beauty; he appears in himself “the chief among ten thousand,” and “altogether lovely” [Canticles 5:10, 16]

5:11

He certainly has proven himself to be precious to her, and of great worth.

“His head”

Leadership. Kingship. His ruling authority if the marriage and kingdom is like pure gold. Flawless and holy in his leadership for his “name” was like perfume poured out. 1:3.

Somewhere I thinking at the end of Isaiah.   A husband adorns his head like a priest or something like that.

“pure” “finest”

And if we consider the dignity of his person, and the value that arose to his virtue directly from thence, as the excellent qualities of gold are more valuable when joined with greater weight and dimensions, than when with smaller

“everlasting joy” can crown a head Is. 35:10

“Black as a raven”

Not that the saints, in the exercise of gracious affections, do love God only for his holiness; all his attributes are amiable and glorious in their eyes; they delight in every divine perfection; the contemplation of the infinite greatness, power, and knowledge, and terrible majesty of God, is pleasant to them.

Justice and Wrath on the enemies of God in slavery.

the glory in the temple was a “dark cloud”

“His head”  His headship or leadership is of greatest value to her because of the purity of it.

“Pure”  There is no mixture of evil or spot about his head.

“Fine”  Value

5:12 “His eyes are like doves Beside streams of water,Bathed in milk,And reposed in their setting.”

He is a beloved above all other beloved’s because I get the same feeling looking at “a dove beside streams of water.”

His eyes are as refreshing as his words. Proverbs 18:4 “A person’s words can be life-giving water; words of true wisdom are as refreshing as a bubbling brook.”

She see’s God in him

But in this kind of delight in seeing of God, the understanding approves of it. It is a thing most agreeable to reason that the soul should delight itself in this, and the more reason is in exercise, the more it approves of it; so that when it is enjoyed, it is with inward peace and a sweet tranquillity of soul. There is nothing in human nature that is opposite to it, but everything agrees and consents to it. And therefore with what quickness does the soul [delight itself in the seeing of God.

“set”  “beauty” “beryl”

Ezekiel 28:12-17  The setting is important, the setting adds value to the Jewelry if set properly.  It will also magnify the brilliance of the jewel.  Whatever the Jewel is supposed to do the setting helps with that goal.  Making her more beautiful and highly treasured.

5:15

“His legs are pillars of marble
    set on bases of pure gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon,
    choice as its cedars.”

5:16

“The holiness of an intelligent creature, is the beauty of all his natural perfections. And so it is in God”

“Friends”

“eat friends, drink your fill of love.” 5:1  they are no longer enemies.  They are married and friends.  And not any ordinary friend a friend above all other friends, line up 10,000 friends and husbands and hers stands above them all. 5:9-10,16

He lifts ’em out of the dust and sets ’em on his throne; he makes them the children of God; he speaks peace to them; he cheers and refreshes their hearts; he admits ’em unto strict union with himself, and gives the most joyful entertainment, and binds himself to them to be their friend forever. So are they surprised with their entertainment.

Chapter 6

These are people that don’t know her Messiah nor where to find him.  ( ignorant daughter’s of Jerusalem)  Both the daughters and the bride are separated from their Messiah and lost.

Those who are do not know why the greatest type of Christ was so desirable learn why and then want to seek him as well, they hear of him and seek their Messiah together.  They are one.

She preached the good news of who her beloved was, what he was like and his relationship to her as beloved and friend.  Not her enemy.  You’ve got a Gentile proclaiming the the excellencies of Israel’s Messiah to seeking Jews.

The princes of peace in action helping to bring enemies together through faith in God and his promises of the God Messiah.

She

He

He

Everyone who delights to behold her beauty say,

He

She was in a holy war and winning faster than Solomon anticipated.  She humbled herself and was fighting her flesh, the world and Satan among the royal chariots, bringing peace, earning her nickname “Shulammite” 6:13

Church application

85. Canticles 6:13.

“What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies,” or “the company of Mahanaim.” The two armies that are the company of Mahanaim are the church of God in earth and in heaven, the company of Jacob and the company of the angels (see Genesis 32:2), the church militant and the church triumphant; for both these armies make one spouse of Jesus Christ.

6:13  “Dance of the Mahanaim”  Edwards

Chapter 7

Wow!   Have you ever read this chapter!!  What adoration, praise and honor to the most beautiful royal and holy bride!!

This is the longest recorded expressions of adoration by Solomon to his bride!!  Solomon gave voice to his bride earlier in the Song as to what he thought of her beauty.  She was “the most beautiful of women”  Song 1:8.   Solomon adores, praises and honors his wife 34 out of 50 of the verses he speaks or communes with his bride.  Here is Solomon praising 10 excellencies of  the princes daughter.  And oh how beautiful they are for she is queen to the king of kings yet she is humble.  The praise ends with mutual communion in love and she realizes she is totally his.  “I am my beloved’s and his desire is for me.”  7:10  This adoration starts at her beautiful feet and move ups to her crowned head.

Song of Solomon 7

She is beautiful both physically and spiritually.   By now her spiritual beauty or holiness consisting in love to God and husband is thru the roof!!  She is royalty and is humble.  How rare is that!!  She is married to the king of kings and it doesn’t go to her head, she still sandals her feet and serves in 7:1  And the credit for all her beauty goes to the Master Craftsman God in7:2  Her moral beauty was her holiness, Solomon delighted in beholding the manifestations of her moral beauty or holiness more than wine, which consisted in her Love to God 8:6, 4:10 Having beautiful royal servants feet. Her holy joy was always full.

These delights, beauties and excellencies that Solomon is adoring are because she is worthy of them. Proverbs 31:28-30.  Most of which can be traced back from lessons learned or good things done from 5:2-6:13.  So 7:1-9 is Solomon praising and adoring the fruits of her love to God and himself.  She is royally beautiful and holy and he lets her know what it is about her that is not only praiseworthy but beautiful and delightful to him.

The praise in 7:1 comes due to what she was doing in 6:11 and 12 and can also be a culminating praise of her growing maturity or stature as well up to this point.

What the particular beauty is like.

Point out the similar excellencies in the comparison.

Additional information to understand the text.

Delight, Beauty or excellency #1 of 15

Fit for a king

7:1 “How beautiful are your feet in sandals,O prince’s daughter!

The Union of Love

^7:10

“She is his.”  She is her beloveds, she is totally and completely his.  And his desire is for her.  He is jealous for her love with a holy jealousy.  She has realized this by now.  This is the 3rd time this phraseology was used.  1st in 2:16 when they are engaged when a conjugal arrangement where she realized “he is hers, and she is his”  And he loves to be around lovely sweet smelling lilies.  “He browses among the lilies.”

This is where to find him.  He browses among the lilies.

This is another place he likes to go and behold beauty after delightful beauty among the lilies among thorns.

In Song 2:16 and 6:3, the woman simply sings that she belongs to her lover and her lover belongs to her. Here, she sings, “I belong to my lover, and his desire is for me.” Why does she not assert that he belongs to her? Certainly it is still true that he belongs to her; the ownership has not become a one-way street. Nevertheless, the changed language may be significant. The locus of love and desire here is the woman’s body; all possessiveness and desire are directed toward her. While it is still true that the man and woman mutually possess one another, it is the woman’s body that is the domain of their love.

Because of the fall, the ideal of marriage is in Gen 3 portrayed as shattered and deadly. The woman will “desire” the man, but it will be an unhealthy, clinging, and controlling desire. The man, likewise, will “rule” the woman not in a benevolent fashion but as a cold oppressor.  WBC

Psalm 45:11

“Then the King will desire your beauty. Because He is your Lord, bow down to Him.”

1 Peter 3:3-6

“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. 4Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. 5For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, 6like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.”

¹¹ “Come, my beloved, let us go out into the country,
Let us spend the night in the villages.

¹² “Let us rise early and go to the vineyards;
Let us see whether the vine has budded
And its blossoms have opened,
And whether the pomegranates have bloomed.
There I will give you my love.

“loves”  Multiple different expressions of love.

¹³ “The mandrakes have given forth fragrance;
And over our doors are all choice fruits,
Both new and old,
Which I have saved up for you, my beloved.“

the Gracious fruits that are found in the vines are Entertaining & Pleasant to J. X

She has much fruit stored up due to her love to God.  Fruits of holiness.  Israel’s Messiah and king delighted in holiness and all manifestation of it.  She saved up for him all the choice and best fruits.  The holiness of her lover is manifested in what he delights in.  He is holy and delights in the fruits of her love to God.  Out of love to God she does her duty of taking care of the vineyards and garden to produce fruit.

“New and old”

Here is where she shares her feelings she had for him and then he knew them and wisely put them together.  Here is where he knew what she was feeling and thinking in 1:13 and other places where she speaks in the first person.

8:1

“kiss”  Same word Pr. 7:13.  Real kiss, Song 1:2, Strongs 5401

?Looks like they have made it to the point in their relationship where they share the same brother to sister and sister to brother love.  So much so that if they were found outside and she kissed him, then the daughters of Jerusalem would not despise her for it.

“O that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother! When I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; yea, I should not be despised.” Which wish of the church is now accomplished by Christ’s incarnation. The Son of God, who is infinitely higher than we, is come down unto us in our nature, and has familiarized himself to us.

7:5

“everlasting joy” can crown a head in the future Is. 35:10

7:6

7:7

“Your stature is like a palm tree,
And your breasts are like its clusters.”

Chambers in his dictionary says that the Phoenicians called the palm tree “Phoenix” because, though burnt to the ground, it rose again “fairer than ever.” See under the word “Phoenix.” It was very straight. See Jeremiah 5:10.  Jonathan Edwards

7:8-9 without. Dt. 32:32-33

7:8 “Breasts like clusters”

?your “loves” like clusters? (See Douay translations of 1:4)

“Like Clusters”

Plural.  Clusters is plural.  Meaning their are multiple ways in which her breasts were, beautiful, sweet, fruitful.  Physically attractive, yes and this is clear.  They are his.  Her breasts are reserved for him alone.  In this her breasts were beautiful had someone else been in her bosom then her breasts would not look beautiful united to a stranger.  I do not doubt that she kept them for his sensual eyes only as well because what is hers is this respect is his alone to enjoy! Prov. 5:19  and the point of saying like a loving doe is to give us the idea that this is beautiful and a right and proper expression of love and desire for one another in marriage alone.  One of the beauties of marriage to be enjoyed by both.  In the mutual giving and receiving of love manifested most intimately in marriage.

Also attractive because of their location.

Size.  They are a sign of physical full maturity as a woman and now she can have and nourish children.  Also a woman’s breasts are beautiful full of milk when she is pregnant.  Breasts spiritually means that she has been receiving nourishment for her soul and now she can give nourishment back.  She is fully mature both physically and spiritually.

( I wonder to not take the compliment either physically or spiritually or both,  yet I believe both are true .  Can you still call it eisegesis if you are that a compliment to the physical is a compliment to the spiritual if the Song is about spiritual love?)  The love of the spirit and the holiness of it, then you have her soul growing up to be fully mature only.  Yet her breasts are clusters.  Plural.  Or does Solomon praising her inner beauty in 1:9 and outer beauty in 1:10 justify that she is both beautiful inside and out, therefore a compliment to the outside is only a shadow of the beautiful holiness of God on her heart which consists in love to God manifesting itself in her life.  Her stature include her beautiful sandaled feet, now this is a moral compliment, therefore why not take the compliment of her whole stature as both a physical and spiritual one.  Also who is she? She is both body and soul.)

Deut 32:28They are a nation without sense, there is no discernment in them. 29If only they were wise and would understand this and discern what their end will be! 30How could one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up? 31For their rock is not like our Rock, as even our enemies concede. 32Their vine comes from the vine of Sodom and from the fields of Gomorrah. Their grapes are filled with poison, and their clusters with bitterness.

When he beholds her beautiful breasts they captivate him and bind him to her.  His desire for her is a uniting.  Love unites.  He loves her and her breasts are lovely like twin fawns browsing among the lilies.  Delightful to behold.

?”I want to say that who you love becomes a part of you”, but that statement doesn’t fully sound right.?

New American Standard Bible
Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.”  But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

“I will climb”

Context of the promise.  The context of his praise and delight of and in her is after she learns how to love God and husband without reserve fully knowing he loves her and has her greatest good in mind for she says “I am my beloved’s and his desire is for me.”  She is at a peak of physical and spiritual maturity and he sweetly promises to enjoy it all.  Not just the physical but also her love.  Her love to God which is the Beauty of it all.  He will behold the Beauty of the Lord in their marriage, holiness which consists in Love to God is enjoyed by both.  They share in the fellowship of the Love of God in their union and communion with each other.

Holiness must be manifested and enjoyed by both, which consists in Love to God especially at the greatest times of the most intimate moments in the union.

And he, on the other hand, has fellowship with her; he feasts with her; her joys are his; and he rejoices in that entertainment that she provides for him.

“I will”  This is what they have a relish for.  They are those who have freely chosen that happiness which is to be had in the exercise and enjoyment of such love as is in heaven above all other conceivable happiness. They see and understand so much of this as to know that this is the best good. They do not merely assent that it is so from rational arguments which may be offered for it, but they have seen and tasted that it is so; they know it is so from what little they have tasted. It is the happiness of love, and the happiness of a life of such love, heavenly love, holy and humble and divine love; love to God, and love to Christ, and love to saints for God’s and Christ’s sake, and the enjoyment of the fruits of God’s love, holy communion with God and Christ and with holy persons. This is what they have a relish for.

If a husband saw his wife breast feeding, would he have delight in her ability to nourish his child?  Her breasts would be beautiful in this respect.  Her breasts are not only delightful in this way but in other ways as well.  In principle her breasts are signs that she has been receiving nourishment and can give nourishment because she is fully mature, her stature is like a palm tree.

7:9

“And your mouth like the best wine!”

Both must have the same nature.  Same highest motives.  Same idea’s and feelings about love.  Agreement in what is of value and worthy to be esteemed.

7:10

“I belong to my beloved, and his desire is for me.”

She is constantly in his full possession now.  Before she thought sometimes he wasn’t for her, but she says I am my beloved’s, he loves me and his desire is for me.  Love wishes well to the object of its regard and puts words and actions to those desires thus proving the love.

Order of her words

She has fully matured in her union and communion with the king of peace indicated here by the worlds “I belong to my beloved” is said first, while before

It is the natural desire of love to do something for the beloved, either for his pleasure or honor.

7:11-12  They go to the villages in the dessert where she shares her love both new and old with him.    The she her new deeper love in 8:1-2 and they come out of the desert closer and she is leaning on him in 8:4

7:11-12

The Psalmist seems to speak of his sweetest comforts, as those that were to be had in secret; Psalms 63:5, “My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips; when I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate upon thee in the night watches.” Christ calls forth his spouse, away from the world, into retired places, that he may give her his sweetest love; Canticles 7:11–12, “Come my beloved, let us go forth into the field, let us lodge in the villages . . . there will I give thee my love.” The most eminent divine favors that the saints obtained, that we read of in Scripture, were in their retirement. The principal manifestations that God made of himself, and his covenant mercy to Abraham, were when he was alone, apart from his numerous family; as anyone will judge that carefully reads his history. Isaac received that special gift of God to him, Rebekah, who was so great a comfort to him, and by whom he obtained the promised seed, walking alone, meditating in the field. Jacob was retired for secret prayer, when Christ came to him, and he wrestled with him, and obtained the blessing. God revealed himself to Moses in the bush, when he was in a solitary place in the desert, in Mount Horeb (Exodus 3 at the beginning). And afterwards, when God showed him his glory, and he was admitted to the highest degree of communion with God that ever he enjoyed; he was alone, in the same mountain, and continued there forty days and forty nights, and then came down with his face shining.

Chapter 8

8:1

“Breasts” = Means by which love in the form of nourishment is shown.

Canticles 8:1. “O that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother! When I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; yea, I should not be despised.” Which wish of the church is now accomplished by Christ’s incarnation. The Son of God, who is infinitely higher than we, is come down unto us in our nature, and has familiarized himself to us.

Another thing intended is Christ’s being ingrafted into the church of Christ, which was by his uniting himself with believers in his incarnation, whereby he became a member of the church, a branch of the church, a son of this mother, and a brother of believers, agreeable to the church’s wish. Canticles 8:1, “O that thou were as my brother that sucked the breasts of my mother.”

8:2

I would lead you
    and bring you to my mother’s house—
    she who has taught me.

Things a mother should teach her daughter about her beautiful breasts

.
I would give you spiced wine to drink,
    the nectar of my pomegranates.
³ His left arm is under my head
    and his right arm embraces me.
⁴ Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:
    Do not arouse or awaken love
    until it so desires.

8:3

“His left arm is under my head
    and his right arm embraces me.”

Same as 2:6 but different context.

The spouse of Christ is now willing to labor, and to suffer for her husband, yea contented that sometimes joys be intermitted for labors and sufferings, which hereafter shall be exchanged into full and eternal joys: But this she is both willing and able to do through her Christ that strengthens her, and she is, contented to do it, so that he be ever with her, though not still smiling and embracing, yet still supporting and strengthening her

8:4

⁴ Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:
    Do not arouse or awaken love
    until it so desires.

8:5

“Who is this coming up from the wilderness
    leaning on her beloved?“

“wilderness”  From desert to Garden of Eden Joel 2:3.   Her vineyard was being destroyed by foxes in 1:6, blossoming in Song 2:15, a full garden by the end of chapter 4, then a fully statured palm tree, then she’s got spices on top of mountains for him.    The land was so blessed that even the mountains were “laden” with spices.

“wilderness” together with 3:6 “wilderness” the wedding happened in the desert.

Love is done laboring and is about to give birth.  Love gives birth to a stricter union.  Love gives birth to oneness.

“Wilderness”  “up from”  It will not be remembered that God brought Israel out of Egypt but brought His people from everywhere.  It’s a greater work to bring them from everywhere.  Jer. 16:14-15

“Leaning”

Hamilton pg 140-141

Septuagint version is, “strengthened”, or “strengthening herself on her beloved”

When persons experience a true trust and reliance on Christ and their beloved, they rely on them with love, and so do it with delight and sweet acquiescence of soul.  2:3

Compare 8:5 with Galatians 1:15, 4:26

Is the bride now a product of Jerusalem, like the “daughters of Jerusalem”

So the worship and service of God, which was the condition of the covenant, is often called “knowing God,” which phrase especially denotes a cleaving to him as our own in a near relation and special propriety.

“wall”

8:6  “Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm.

“set me as a seal over your heart”

In Pure love to other’s or love not arising from sinful self-love, there is a union of the heart with others; a kind of enlargement of the mind whereby it so extends itself as to take other into a mans self: and therefore it implies a disposition to feel, to desire, and to act as though others were one with ourselves.

And this holy stamp, or impressed image, exhibiting clear evidence to the conscience, that the subject of it is the child of God, is the very thing which in Scripture is calledthe seal of the Spirit, and the witness, or evidence of the Spirit. And this image enstamped by the Spirit on God’s children’s hearts, is his own image: that is the evidence by which they are known to be God’s children, that they have the image of their Father stamped upon their hearts by the spirit of adoption. Seals anciently had engraven on them two things, viz. the image and the name of the person whose seal it was. Therefore when Christ says to his spouse, Canticles 8:6, “Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm”; it is as much as to say, “Let my name and image remain impressed there.”

“put me as a seal”  “Heart to heart”

There is a union with her messiah/Messiah, by the indwelling of the love of the LORD, two ways: first, as ’tis from the lord/LORD, and is the very Spirit and life and fullness of Him; and second, as it acts to her lord/LORD: for the very nature of it is love and union of heart to him/Him.

“Set me as a seal”

^{Hang. 2:20-23} ‘On that day,’ declares the Lordof hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like a ^[b]signet ring, for I have chosen you,’

There is a similarity between a signet ring and a seal for a signet ring often has the image of the king on it or a reflection thereof,  So she is saying she is a reflection of her husband, perfectly renewed into the image of God who is love.  The love of God in her heart is the same love both in degree and quality as him.  They are one in every way and she is sensible of it.

“Set me as a seal”

Wrap me around your heart, keep me forever in your mind.  Keep who I am and my relationship to you always before you for you are always on my mind, for love unites and overpowers the sin that separates.

Bracelet or Necklace.  Some think that she is asking him to put a picture of her on a necklace and wear it around his neck.  Or to put an image of her on a arm bracelet and wear it on his arm.  I reject this viewpoint because this verse is connect to the next with the word “for”.   “For love is…”  as strong as death.   Now does a husband need a love that is as strong as death in order for him to put a necklace on that has her image on it?  Would his action of putting on a bracelet or necklace with her image on it be “priceless” or prove their unquenchable love for each other?  I very highly doubt it.

“upon thy heart”  if she is on his heart, she is on his mind and she is in his heart of affections.  Sealed there.

Shulamith answers with a request to preserve for her this love. KD

Seals anciently had engraven on them two things, viz. the image and the name of the person whose seal it was.

How is love manifested to the mind?

nothing avails anything good without love.  1 Cor. 13

“Love” An general idea of it by its effects in the heart.  as an inclination to another’s happiness.

Oneness

love, the bond of union, is seen intuitively: the saint sees and feels plainly the union between his soul and God; it is so strong and lively, that he can’t doubt of it.

The saint stands in no need of multiplied signs, or any long reasoning upon them. And though the sight of his relative union with God, and his being in his favor, is not without a medium, because he sees it by that medium, viz. his love; yet his sight of the union of his heart to God is immediate: love, the bond of union, is seen intuitively: the saint sees and feels plainly the union between his soul and God; it is so strong and lively, that he can’t doubt of it. And hence he is assured that he is a child. How can he doubt whether he stands in a childlike relation to God, when he plainly sees a childlike union between God and his soul, and hence does boldly, and as it were, naturally and necessarily cry, “Abba Father”

6Set me as a seal on thy heart, as a seal on thine arm,

Now if you really knew what she was saying in 8:6, and understood who she was and who he was the natural question would be how is that possible.  How is it possible for two enemies to become one?  How is it possible for two who were so apart to be so close.

Put me close to your heart for whatever you think I’ll do.  Your sweet wish is my command.  I will do anything you want.

“Set me as a seal”  “Seal”  Closeness.   Job 41:7, 15.  Nothing could separate them, no stigma due to outward appearance, no natural born enmity, no thorns, foxes, rains, winters, mountains, foxes, terrors of the night, leopards, her sleeping, The distance of a highly exalted king to a lowly salve girl didn’t keep them apart etc.  Nothing could separate them from the love which was theirs in the person and work of the coming Christ.

He has set his stamp upon her.

When a man would go off on a long journey the woman would say, “Set me as a seal upon thine heart”  Let me be impressed on your thoughts and affections, as a seal leaves its impression upon the wax.  Rosenmueller

Why is she able to say this?  Because her likeness to him is the same!  They are heart to heart and like minded, therefore he can set her a seal upon his heart,  she never leaves him nor forsakes him, she is always right there by his side leaning on her beloved.    Even when separated they will still be heart to heart, like minded having the same love.

She has has matched herself with his heart and she is an image of his heart.  Their hearts are one, two different hearts sharing the same love, and having the same mind.

He is always on her mind (duration), highly esteeming him as he also values her, being more precious than rubies.

He wanted her to only have him first in her mind.  To always have her doves eyes fixed on him and now they are.  Not only their minds are one but also their hearts and feelings.

“Seal” likeness.  Degree.  The degree of likeness depends on how deep the impression went.  God’s beloved son, Jedidiah, Solomon, the king of peace had a level of Christ likeness in him upon his heart.  Set her upon his heart as a seal and she would be an image of his heart.  She would not be his heart but like it, for his heart was like that of the coming Christ.  Full of unmeasurable wisdom and an unquenchable love.  Adams love was quenched yet the kings love will endure forever.

“seal”  She is now one with him in every way and she knows it.  She is a woman after his own heart.

The nature of a seal all the world over is an open declaring and confirming a thing to be one’s free act and deed.

Things are cherished and augmented by their like, but they are destroyed by their contraries.

She knows herself, her spirit her soul, her heart and she knows his heart by his words and actions and she knows they are one in the same.

How can she say set me as a seal unless his heart and her heart were one, and she is an image of his.  If she weren’t in his image then she would say set me as a partial seal upon your heart and a partial seal upon his arm.  They are likeminded in every way and not just some.  A seals image is that in which was impressed upon it.  His heart is impressed upon her like an image upon a wax seal.

“Seal” Seal would have an image.  His heart.  She is like his heart.  His heart had love, joy and peace, Solomon, and so did she who was named Shulammite or peace.

His heart was meant to be impressed upon hers.  She is now in his full likeness.  He was meant for her and she was meant for him/Him.  Just as he loved and submitted to God so also she loved and submitted to the will of her husband for she was like him.

“seal”  Cant be revoked, what is sealed by the kings signet ring with his image upon it can’t be revoked.  Unchangeability, set.  Set me as a seal upon your heart.   The fact that she is close to him and like his heart won’t change or cant be revoked,  she can’t lose his image upon her and nor will her actions waiver.  Esther 8:8

Union.  Sin separates but love unites.  “Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.”  Proverbs 17:9,  Is 59:2

God’s Name is in them Jealous.  God’s essence is in them, love.

Pr. 3:3-4, 7:3 with 8:5 and 8:10

“Heart”  This implies that they should read and study together, having the same line of thought, helping each other toward higher mental culture. It implies also that they should worship together, communing with one another upon the holiest themes of life and hope. Together they should bow in prayer, and together work in anticipation of the same blessed home beyond this life of toil and care. I can conceive of no true and perfect marriage, whose deepest joy does not lie forward in the life to come.

“seal upon your heart”   This image that she is of him is the same.  Her heart is like his, loving, wise and full of peace.   This is descriptive.  The Song describes or illustrates how she becomes more like him and the will of her heart becomes not her own but his.  So there is what is in the Song described and there is what God desires of every woman which is to be like Christ which may not be like her husband and there is what actually is in the marriage.   What actually is in each individual marriage will vary.

“heart” Love is in his heart and love in her heart.  Love is in the heart of God the Father and in God the Son.  God is love.  Love in the human soul is the image of love in God.  If she is like a seal close to either his physical heart or spiritual heart, either way their love is the same.

“Heart”  having the same Wisdom of God in the heart.   1 Kings 10:240 ^“All the earth was seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart.”

This union of man and woman is dearest, closest most intimate and harmonious.  Most beautiful.

They commune.  Their is a mutual sharing of those things that most delight each other in the relationship in conversation, prayer and worship.

“Thine arm”  a highly valued place to be.  Jer. 22:4.  and signified that you were chosen by God Hag 2:23

She no longer acts independently or delays in her acts of love but is in lockstep with his heart.

She has found a fixed abiding place in his heart, as she always was on his mind and in his heart.

If he were to wear an image of her upon his heart.  Like a picture of her on a necklace over his heart, what would that signify?

“arm”

“arm”  “instrument of righteousness”  Romans 6:13

His arm is his and she is set as a seal, so close and tight that they are one.  She is his arm. Apart from her he is head only.  One flesh.  They are one flesh.  Full restoration.  He loves her as his own body and she submits to his authority as the arm obeys the heart of the one in authority.

“heart and arm”  The two were meant to go together.  Work in a symbiotic relationship.  God didn’t just make man without woman.

There is a song that has lyrics as a prayer to God that says,  “Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of thy love”.   Love is in the heart and the hand moves at the impulse of God’s heart.

“heart and arm”   Shepherd and follower.  Or King and Queen.  The two work together.  What good is an arm without a heart?  Or what good is a shepherd without sheep or a king without a queen or a Bridegroom without a Bride.  Or a head without a body.  What good is there to have a lover without a beloved.  So also it was not good for man to be alone.

How close of a relationship is there between your head and arm?   How strict is the union between your thinking it and your arm doing it?  How close is the bond between you heart and body?

“heart, arm” The heart the seat of love and the arm the seat of power.  He wouldn’t be effective in his role unless she did hers.  Mind and body or Mind, heart and will.  Her will is not her own but their wills are the same so she does the will of his heart like an arm does the will of the heart.  Not my will, she says, but your be done, for I am yours and your desire is for me.

Set me ever upon your heart and trust me to do your will as you do your own arm.

In the ways that the arm is to the heart so also she is to him.  Or as the heart is to the arm so he is to her.  The heart rules and the arm serves.  Both are parts of the same body.

Adam was first made on the latter part of the sixth day, but was as it were imperfectly made, because without a companion. And when he had seen his want, probably on the night that followed that day when he was in a deep sleep, Eve was made of his rib. And when he rose from his deep sleep in the morning, and the sun rose, and all things were renewed, he received his beauteous spouse that had been formed of him. She was brought and presented to him in perfect beauty and purity.

Exclusiveness.  Closed fountain,

For strong as death is love,  For love is as strong as death

Strong parallels cruel and death parallels Sheol syntactically and semantically, so each term subtly modifies its predecessor so as to almost a parody.

Love and death are antonyms and their unitive and separative powers of each are alike.  Irresistible and universal.  They resemble each other in that they both offer fusion, final integration.

Strength to continue forever!  Death doen’t stop causing further and further more and more painful separation.

The question is how are these principles of love illustrated throughout the Love Song so that they grew to being one in every manner and degree?

And as this law of love is active, and laborious, so is it strong and mighty. Song of Songs 8:6 and Rev. 12:11.  Even death itself cannot overcome love, for  love is stronger than death.  Yea love enjoys dangers, and death itself; and takes them for advantages; as by which the excellence and vehemence of love may be really expressed.

“For”  Thus far, The Love Song has dealt with love through the specific experiences of the lovers.  Only here, at the climax of the Song, do we find an affirmation of the nature of love in general.  Ian Duguid

“for”

Because love has these characteristics she is able to ask him to do what already is so in the relationship.  They are heart to heart in every way, fully like minded, of the same love, they are one.  Those who are one are one because of the characteristcs of love found in 8:6-7

The beauty and harmony of her being sealed to his heart and arm is a true and just exhibition of the love of God in the relationship for love is…  An external exhibition of the internal glory of God, love.

“for”  Because.  The reason for something.  Why is it possible that they are one?  Because true love has certain characteristics unity or oneness will happen.  She knows him and she knows herself,  she recognizes their union one with he other and she is like him so much that she is an exact likeness or image of him, like a seal over his heart.  As she contemplates the reason for this increasing likeness and conformity to him the various characteristics of his love expressed in courtship and marriage came to her mind.

“for”  The bride says “set me as a seal upon your heart”  In order for this to happen a love with a superlative power is needed.  It’s not that she is saying put a necklace with a symbol or image of me around your neck close to your heart, for that would no need a power stronger than death to do that.  A superlative power is on display in her words.

“for love is…”  Through experience she has learned what love is.  Her conclusion follows. She truly understands what love is and intuitively knows the Divine origin and characteristics of love and its jealousy.

It is a life long commitment: “love is strong as death”

“for love is”  Powerful, passionate, persevering and priceless.

by virtue of the union with the divine nature, is in a sort infinite

“love”

affections of love and hatred: that liking or inclination of the soul to a thing, if it be in a high degree , and be vigorous and lively, is the very same thing with the affection of love.   “love, and joy unspeakable, and full of glory”

“love”  The two became one due to their love.  Love is the comprehension of all true virtue, which primarily consists in love to God, which is exercised in a high esteem of him/Him, admiration of his/His perfections, complacency (satisfaction, delight) in them, and praise of them.  “We will praise your love more than wine.” 1:4

There is a union with Christ, by the indwelling of the Love of Christ, two ways. First, as ’tis from Christ, and is the very Spirit and life and fulness of Christ; and second, as it acts to Christ. For the very nature of it is love and union of heart to Him.

“love”  The love their shared for each other was in the kingdom of God.  1 Chronicles 28:5  “Kingdom of the LORD”  The LORD over Solomon was King of Kings.  Theocratic Monarchy.  Kingdom of love.  Just as it was God’s kingdom and the union of all its people under one king was because of God and due to God’s Spirit of love dwelling in the people.  King, Bride, Daughters of Jerusalem etc.

“Love”  “Death”  Both powers beyond human ability.  Supernatural powers.
Above the power of human nature.  It takes a power above that of human nature in order to accomplish the closeness they reached in Song 8:5

“strong”  Love has power.  II Timothy 3:5, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power of it.”

Strength to arouse the affections.  Love has a superlative power to arouse affection in your beloved.

“Strong”  Power. Proverbs 8:14  “Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine.”

Her own selfishness/darkness could have overpowered their union but it didn’t.

From type to anti-type

See the wisdom of Solomon to draw her closer to himself to the point that they were one, heart to heart as she likens herself to a seal upon his heart.

“Love”  Add up all the superlative characteristics of love mentioned here and then all is but a shadow or a mere spark, a reflection of the love of God in Christ.  All is but a drop compared to the infinite ocean of love seen in the words “My God, my God why have you forsaken me” and “it is finished.”

“Love”  “Death”  Both powers beyond human ability.  Supernatural powers.
Above the power of human nature.  It takes a power above that of human nature in order to accomplish the closeness they reached in Song 8:5

“Death”  is “never satisfied.”  Hab. 2:5  Always wanting more.

Proverbs 27:20
Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

Proverbs 30:16
“There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, “Enough!” Sheol, the barren womb, land that is never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, “Enough!”

Do you ever hear a wife say,  “Okay you have loved me and I know you love me, I have had enough of your love, you can stop loving me now.”

Once you have had the experience you want more and more of it.  The strength of Love comes from the superlative delightfulness of the experience.

Irresistible strength of love and death.

Brings to together in an inseparable bond. Transcends all powers this side of Sheol.

“Love in its priceless value and unquenchable strength”

Sharp as Sheol is jealousy,

Its tenacity. “Jealousy,” or, rather, ardent, affection, intense love—this is what is meant, not the mean passion which is known as jealousy. The same love is spoken of all through. And it is “cruel,” or rather firm, severe, tenacious, unyielding, “as the grave,” as Sheol. Does hell ever give up its dead? Can we call back any from the grave? Can they who are there come back thence? So love holds fast that which it loves. The story of this song, as many a beautiful human story, proves the tenacity of true love.

“Jealousy is an affection or passion of the mind, by which we are stirred up and provoked against whatever hinders the enjoyment of that which we love and desire. The cause and origin of it is love; the effect of it is revenge.”

Loves jealousy is cruel and harsh because the feeling of not being loved is not a good feeling but a cruel one.  Feelings of betrayal and what it is like to not have what rightfully belongs to you.

She can’t bear the love sick feelings when she is not in possession of her beloved when she so desires him/Him.  3:1-4, 5:2-4  (Harrison and Abby Craig, couldn’t bear being apart during mission trip)

Jealousy brought about by separation feels intensely miserable.  Absolute despair can ensure if she thinks the one she loves and owns had forsaken her for good.  No reduction of torment is either felt nor seen anytime soon.  Love sick.

Love each other more and more.  Loves holy jealousy doesn’t grow cold but grows hotter.

Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Ed.). (1909). Song of Solomon (p. 195). London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.

2 Corinthians 11:2, “I am jealous over you with a godly jealously; for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.”

zeal, there is in it high approbation of some person or thing, together with vigorous opposition to what is conceived to be contrary to it.

Holy Jealousy burns for the One her heart loves.  She is jealous for his/His honor.  She is jealous for his heart alone and he also is jealous for her mind and affections always and to the greatest degree.  How bad did their love want this?  Severely bad.  With the deepest severity and strictness.

The Jealousy of their love is pure, a manifestation of their mutual desire for full possession of each other.

Application

Since love is Jealous they should do nothing in the relationship to provoke that holy righteous jealousy and displease the one they love.

Its burnings [are] burnings of fire, a flame of Jah!

Almighty flame, Purest flame, brightest flame, sweetest flame, its jealousy the cruelest, most intense, longest lasting.  The point is that everything that this flame is, in its burnings it is to the greatest.  A flame above all other flames.

Best translation I have seen so far is “a Almighty flame”.  Yet Almighty only gives the idea of unlimited power.  Although the love shared between the two is an almighty power.  Almighty modifying power.  But the idea is that whatever a flame is it is to the superlative degree, so that the purity or quality of the flame of love is also important and is of a superlative quality and purity.

Flame of Jah!  Having a superlative length, width, height, depth and

“flame”  Light and Heat.  Light is abundantly used in Scripture to represent and signify these three things, knowledge, holiness and happiness. 6

Love and its Jealousy is a flame, light and heat.  Changing all who come in contact with it.  All who have more and more of it communicated to their heart.  Written and graven deeper and deeper.  Brighter and brighter light and greater heat.  More and more true knowledge in the mind and greater degree of emotions along with that knowledge is communicated to the soul, therefore there is fulfillment of the law, love, in the whole heart.

“Flame”  Her beloved king gave himself to her and his love to her proved stronger than death. And on the other hand, she loves him with a supreme affection: nothing stands in competition with him in her heart: she loves him with all her heart: her whole soul is offered up to him in the flame of love.

Love Jealousy will not allow her to share her heart with another but drives her to say “Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm” for love is as strong as death nothing can quench its Almighty flame.  Either way a flame has power and that power is intensified here as the greatest flame, yeah a flame, Jah!   A flame has power and this flames power is superlative, having more power than any other.  Really, there is more to the highest degree and quality of whatever the essence of love is.  “Its burnings are burnings of fire, a flame of Jah!”

“Its” refers back to Jealousy and superlative referring back to Jealousy also implies a reference back to love for what is in the stream must be first in the fountain.  Love being the fountain and jealousy the stream.

8:6 Tsk

8:6  For love is as strong as death,

“Love”

“The infinite excellency of the divine nature, as it is in itself, is the true ground of all that is good in God in any respect.”

Proverbs 27:4. “Before envy.”] It had better have been translated, “jealousy.” The word is the very same which Solomon makes use of, Canticles 8:6. “Jealousy is cruel as the grave; the coals thereof are as coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.”

‘Tis unreasonable to think otherwise, than that the first foundation of a true love to God, is that whereby he is in himself lovely, or worthy to be loved, or the supreme loveliness of his nature. This is certainly what makes him chiefly amiable. What chiefly makes a man, or any creature lovely, is his excellency; and so what chiefly renders God lovely, and must undoubtedly be the chief ground of true love, is his excellency. God’s nature, or the divinity, is infinitely excellent; yea ’tis infinite beauty, brightness, and glory itself. But how can that be true love of this excellent and lovely nature, which is not built on the foundation of its true loveliness? How can that be true love of beauty and brightness, which is not for beauty and brightness’ sake? How can that be a true prizing of that which is in itself infinitely worthy and precious, which is not for the sake of its worthiness and preciousness? This infinite excellency of the divine nature, as it is in itself, is the true ground of all that is good in God in any respect; but how can a man truly and rightly love God, without loving him for that excellency in him, which is the foundation of all that is in any manner of respect good or desirable in him? They whose affection to God is founded first on his profitableness to them, their affection begins at the wrong end; they regard God only for the utmost limit of the stream of divine good, where it touches them, and reaches their interest; and have no respect to that infinite glory of God’s nature, which is the original good, and the true fountain of all good, the first fountain of all loveliness of every kind, and so the first foundation of all true love.

Beg of God that he would give you his Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit of God that purifies the soul; therefore the Spirit of God is often compared to fire, and is said to baptize with fire. He cleanses the heart as fire cleanses the metals, and burns up the filth and pollution of the mind, and is therefore called the spirit of burning; Isaiah 4:4, “When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.”

“Love”  With all the mind, soul, heart and strength.

8:6

“As strong as death”  Death may be regarded as a personification of a life-denying force.  A taking away of special revelation of God in Christ.  John 17:3

“Jealousy” “Single-minded passion”

“Love is strong as death.

Affection is inexorable as Hades.

Its flames are flames of fire.

The flames of Jah.”

The second and fourth lines are the intensification of the first and third.

 Bullinger, E. W. (1898). Figures of speech used in the Bible (p. 121). London; New York: Eyre & Spottiswoode; E. & J. B. Young & Co.

Unstoppable due to loves strength and duration.

their sins by their suffering, in their Head, Jesus Christ, the due wrath of God.

1. It is ordered so that there should be, in man’s nature, a foundation laid for so strong and dear a love towards a woman, if a suitable object and occasion presents, to represent the exceeding love of Christ to his church; and that man’s jealousy of unchastity in the woman beloved should be so violent and cruel a passion, to represent the jealousy of Christ towards his people, when he sees they give that to other lovers which belongs to him alone.
2. The extreme fierceness and extraordinary power of the heat of lightning is an intimation of the exceeding power and terribleness of the wrath of God

Jealousy is as severe as Sheol;

“Jealous”

God shines the light of His Glory in front of Israel as they are in Egypt, they believe God and put blood on the doorposts and are delivered from God who is a consuming fire,  Jealous is His Name.  God proves His jealousy over Israel by destroying their/Their enemies by showing Himself more powerful and lovely than any of the God’s of Egypt, thus winning the hearts of His people.

“Its flashes are flashes of fire,”

Love is compared to a flame in the love Song.  The ending affixed to the Hebrew word for flame is “Jah”  which in Scripture is either used for two reasons.

1.  To show the superlative sense of the word it is affixed to or
2. Jah is the word for The LORD.

So either the love in the Song is compared to a most vehement flame or

“Flashes”

An apprehension which already has inclination or judgement in it.  a sensible light involving direct sensible perception and the inclination of the heart.

“Flashes”  Love can be kindled in you.

2 Corinthians 8:6-8

⁶ So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. ⁷ But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you^[a]—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

“Flame”

“The very flame of the Lord.”

The love is the song is compared to the very flame of the LORD.

“Flame of the LORD”  Love comes from God.  God is the source.

If you were to ask the question “Is there a most vehement flame of love on display in the Song?”  The answer would be yes.

If you were to ask the question “Is the flame of love in the Song from God, something of God and has God as its primary object” the answer would still be yes.

Scripture uses the ending “Jah” to describe mountains.  There are mountains and there are the mightiest of mountains.  Thus mighty mountains.  In the same way you have love and you have a most vehement love.   The most ardent affections.  Clearly the most ardent affections are on display for us to see in the Song in many places.  Yet also a love of this quality and degree can only be from God, something of God and have God as its primary Object of affection before any real love to a spouse or neighbor can happen.

The Spirit of God is a Spirit of truth; and if he makes any true discovery of God, it must be a discovery of him as lovely above all. If such an excellency is not discovered, there is no divine excellency discovered, for divine excellency is superlative supreme excellency.

Israel and YHWH

Both are called by the same phrase.  Jer. 33:16 and Jer. 23:6

The righteousness imputed to Israel is the LORD’s.  The righteousness of the New Jerusalem is also imputed to her by the LORD being her head  or through her union and communion wtith Him in love.  Salvation from sin and shame by imputed righteousness is also illustrated by God when he covered Adam and Eve with the garments of an innocent at the end of Gen 3.

Love to God

Love desires the strictest union with the object of its affection.  Love delights in unity.

Love hates feelings of separation.  Love hates feeling as if their is a division.  Love hates being in conflict the one they love.  Love hates disunity.

Love to God is universal.  Included in a Love to God is an inclination to Him in every way.  Love to God is not exclusive.  In marriage a woman does not only accept her husband as provider and not king or as desire him as romancer and not shepherd of her heart.  Love to God inclines both the husbands heart to lead and her heart to delight in following and get better at following, helping and being a friend thus proving her love to God.  She loves him in every way possible.  To love and grow in love in every Biblical way is to have a universal love.  Love obeys and learns to better obey God.

God’s Love is Sovereign over timing.  “until” 2:7

Love to God is unquenchable.

“love”  indwelling of the same Spirit, that the saints have all light, life, holiness, beauty and comfort on earth.

If the happiness of the creature be considered as it will be, in the whole of the creature’s eternal duration, with all the infinity of its progress, and infinite increase of nearness and union to God; in this view, the creature must be looked upon as united to God in an infinite strictness.

If God has respect to something in the creature, which he views as of everlasting duration, and as rising higher and higher through that infinite duration, and that not with constantly diminishing (but perhaps an increasing) celerity: then he has respect to it as, in the whole, of infinite height; though there never will be any particular time when it can be said already to have come to such an height.

Let the most perfect union with God be represented by something at an infinite height above us; and the eternally increasing union of the saints with God, by something that is ascending constantly towards that infinite height, moving upwards with a given velocity; and that is to continue thus to move to all eternity. God who views the whole of this eternally increasing height views it as an infinite height. And if he has respect to it, and makes it his end, as in the whole of it, he has respect to it as an infinite height, though the time will never come when it can be said it has already arrived at this infinite height.

If the happiness of the creature be considered as it will be, in the whole of the creature’s eternal duration, with all the infinity of its progress, and infinite increase of nearness and union to God; in this view, the creature must be looked upon as united to God in an infinite strictness.

Lets consider it our duty to often think of the love of God the Father,the love of God the Son and the Holy Spirit which is Love in order to enflame our hearts toward God.

Genesis 1:27  “ESV So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

“arm”

Your love for me will never depart, for you have set me closest to your heart.

And as a seal upon your arm by manifesting our love in deed as well. (Artscroll 195)

“Unquenchable”

But the saints and angels do behold the glory of God consisting in the beauty of his holiness: and ’tis this sight only, that will melt and humble the hearts of men, and wean them from the world, and draw them to God, and effectually change them. A sight of the awful greatness of God, may overpower men’s strength, and be more than they can endure; but if the moral beauty of God be hid, the enmity of the heart will remain in its full strength, no love will be enkindled, all will not be effectual to gain the will, but that will remain inflexible; whereas the first glimpse of the moral and spiritual glory of God shining into the heart, produces all these effects, as it were with omnipotent power, which nothing can withstand.

Love, Holy Spirit, Holiness

They are equal in honor: besides the honor which is common to them all, viz., that they are all God, each has His peculiar honor in the society or family. They are equal not only in essence, but the Father’s honor is that He is, as it were, the Author of perfect and Infinite wisdom. The Son’s honor is that He is that perfect and Divine wisdom itself the excellency of which is that from whence arises the honor of being the author or Generator of it. The honor of the Father and the Son is that they are infinitely excellent, or that from them infinite excellency proceeds; but the honor of the Holy Ghost is equal for He is that Divine excellency and beauty itself.

‘Tis the honor of the Father and the Son that they are infinitely holy and are the fountain of holiness, but the honor of the Holy Ghost is that holiness itself. The honor of the Father and the Son is [that] they are infinitely happy and are the original and fountain of happiness and the honor of the Holy Ghost is equal for He is infinite happiness and joy itself.

8:7

“If one were to give all his possession for love, it would be utterly scorned”

If one give all the wealth of his house for love, Treading down — they tread upon it.

“utterly scorned”  Solomon utterly scorned riches over wisdom and love 1 Kings 3.  Solomon also gave his love to an unworthy slave.  Solomon got nothing out of it, he gave himself and the kingdom of God to her through his union with her.

Free benevolence consists in acting benevolently from delight in it.  True love, your happiness is in theirs. 179 God’s passion for his glory.

You can’t bribe death with money.

Love can’t be quenched by the greatest trials nor drowned by extreme persecutions nor replaced by wealth.  If one would replace it, he would be utterly scorned and despised.  (Esau?)

Even after the bride had the kingdom and the promised land her love still slept.  Once she was queen and rich she still didn’t deny herself some comfort for his will not hers will be done. Song 5:2-4  If money could buy love then Solomon’s money should have been able to buy his wife’s love.  What we see is the opposite her love slept in the night of their honeymoon.  She has just disobeyed him and how would a type of Christ act?  How would a type of Christ show love to his bride right after she disobeyed him?  Love keeps no record of wrongs.

She couldn’t buy Solomon’s love, she was a slave.  An enemy of God couldn’t buy their way out of slavery and enjoying God’s promises rest in the land.  Possessing love, love to God would qualify you though.

Its incorruptibility. “If a man would give,” etc. It is not for sale; it cannot be bought or bribed. Again, apply this test to the three forms of love we have spoken of—human, Christian, Christ’s. And apply all these tests to our own love, and see if it will endure them. If it will, be thankful indeed, and make it evident to all that it is so. If it will not—and this is the sadder and more probable truth—behold, gaze on, contemplate earnestly, Christ’s love to us; and then for us, too, it may come to pass, “whilst I was musing, the fire burned.”

Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Ed.). (1909). Song of Solomon (pp. 195–196). London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.

Love will cost you everything but you can’t buy love.

She can’t earn his love with works, busy times, babbling words, sacrifice or great acts of self denial.

That which [is] lovely in our eyes is valuable and precious in our esteem; and therefore, when it is given us, some price or value is given us. ‘Tis evident that if good be done by God to men for the sake of a price or value in this sense, it diminishes freeness of grace in that important sense , wherein the freeness of grace would manifest the glory of the benefactor and obligation of the receiver. For herein the benefactor appears to be further from dependence on the receiver in the exercise of his goodness, being not moved or drawn by him

love to God, and love to Christ, and love to saints for God’s and Christ’s sake, and the enjoyment of the fruits of God’s love, holy communion with God and Christ and with holy persons. This is what they have a relish for. They feel within them such a nature that such a happiness suits their disposition and relish and appetite above all others; not only above what they have, but above all that they can conceive they might have. The world does not afford anything like it.

Cant. 8. 7. many waters cannot quench Love neither can the Floods drown it

God, in his Word, greatly insists upon it, that we be in good earnest, fervent in spirit, and our hearts vigorously engaged in love.

Love is a fire that can’t be doused.

The fire of divine love so enflames them, that much water of persecution cannot quench it; yea such is the nature of this fire, that it feeds on those waters, and grows more fervent by that which would quench it.  For the fire of love upon opposition on kindles another fire of an holy rage; which is full of anger and scorn, that life or death, or any other creature should offer to separate the soul from her loved Christ Jesus.

the soul made a conqueror and gainer in all labors, and loves, and crosses, through him that loves her.

doctrine. The Love of true saints to J. X is such that nothing can extinguish or overcome it overcome & extinguish it. 

I Prop. There is great opposition made to the Love of X that is in the hearts of the saints.  There is great opposition made by her remaining evil dwelling “tent” her flesh consisting of pride, selfishness and unbelief.  Her old self is her enemy.  Her old self hated God.  Her new heart loves God. 8:6 yet there is opposition. Power against power.  Prince of the air against the Prince of Peace and Love.  Yeah, Greater is He that is in me then Satan that influences the world to sin by believing his lies.  There is great opposition made to the love of her husband/Husband that she has in her heart.

She has an unquenchable fire in her heart and nothing is going to stop it.  Yeah, the fire in her heart only gets hotter and hotter and brighter and brighter when in the trial her gold was refined.  Her heart got purer.  She grew in holiness and stature to full maturity because her fire in her soul only burned hotter and hotter, nothing could quench it.  Many waters couldn’t stop it.  Her fire would vaporize every drop and then burn hotter.

The greatest challenge of the love of the bride is will she overcome the enmity in her heart that she has for God and husband to prove her love to them.  This is the action she must take and be a warrior bride fighting her flesh ( remaining remnants of sin, pride, unbelief and selfishness left in the heart, Dark am I 1:5

II However Great opposition is made — yet nothing can overcome & extinguish it.

Reasons nothing can overcome and extinguish it.

Application

Use of Information

Use of self-Examination

1. Have you ever tasted that all conquering sense of the Excellency of X and his love to you.
2. Have that victorious Faith in X.
3. Does the Power of your Love not only appear in Contemplation & affection but in action.  Proofs of true and holy love.
4. In the Experience of the Power of the Love of G. accompanied with a sense of your own weakness.  Dark am I, yet lovely in Christ.
5. Do you experience the Power conquering power in the time of trial.

III. of Exhortation.   To Gods People to persevere in Love to X & be Faithful to him

Consid.

1 The Perfection & unchangeableness of his Glory.

1. How unquenchable X love to you has appeared to be

1 How unquenchable it appeared when he was on Earth.  His powerful love could not be Quenched by the sollicitati solicitations of the of satan & fair opportunities

Friends. Math 16. 22 diswade him from going up to Jerusalem Joh. 11. 8.

Master the Jews lately sought to stone thee & goest thou thither again

Floods of lies.  Satan’s flood of lies cant quench her love and faith.  Lie after lie like wave upon wave can’t quench her love. 3:1-4.   5:2-6:3

Floods of ungodly men.  Many waters cant quench love.  Floods of “thorns” 2:1 cant stop her.

Floods of wrath.  She was under the wrath of God in slavery to sin Song 1:5-6.  Bound to the law, outside a covenant relationship with God.  Love overcame the flood of God’s Wrath she was experiencing day after day in slavery in the hot sun getting scorched.

Floods of difficulty.  Difficulty after difficulty like mountain are overcome by Solomon like a skilled young stag or gazelle on the mountains. 2:17  Solomon’s love was unquenchable death couldn’t even stop it.

Christ had extremely dreadful views the night before He drank the cup of God’s Wrath, yet nothing could quench His Fire for God and sinful man.

& when God’s wrath came upon him. & He endured for so long a Time Floods of ungodly men

1.  so many Enemies
2. of such various so  Ranks & degrees
3. in so manifold & various opposition Reproaches

in their Great Cruelty

Floods from Hell as from the Great deep Floods of wrath.

Christ’s views of the flood gates of God’s infinite Wrath the night before were so dreadful he was already experiencing death.  Yet He wiling obeyed the Father and paid the bride price in full.

Floods of sin upon His back didn’t stop the dying Love of Jesus, nothing can stop or quench it.

in his Enemies in his disciples

1.  unconquerable

2 dly How unquenchable X

Love has appeared in his doings with you

His Electing Love before your Conversion.  How beautiful is the Holy Love of God before the foundation of the world he chose us.  Special love in Christ alone.  God loves Believers with the same Love for which He love Christ for we were in Him before the world began.

His Favour since your Conversion.  God’s love has not stopped since your conversion.

1. this is the way to obtain the Peace & Joy that noting can Quench.  no floods can or extinguish or overwhelm.

That Light Peace & Comfort in times of public or private calamity comes from knowing God’s Love for you always.   this your Consolation

Buffetings of satan.  Satan attacks, lies and baits the hook.  God’s love for us and hatred for Satan won’t be quenched.  God will never stop hating Satan.  God’s love to Himself  and justice will not allow for it.

Our death cant stop God’s love for us in Christ for Christ died for us and we will have no part in the second death.

That death Judgmt . when those Gr Floods of wrath.

God’s love will never fail or be quenched in the Eternal Joy and rest in heaven forever.

as noahs Ark did be among those

like one of those Rev. 

1. latter End.

8:8

“she has not”  Ready for love and marriage.  Ez. 16:7-8

Interesting how many came to Solomon to hear his wisdom and here they come to his wife for advice.  Wisdom is gained by age and experience, furthered by instruction and exercise.

8:9

Proverbs 31:26 “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”

8:10

“I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers”

She is fully mature its like Paul saying in 2 Timothy 4:7-8  “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

“Wall”

“contentment”

Christ has his delight, most truly and properly, in obtaining the salvation of his church, not merely as a means conducing to the thing which terminates his delight and joy; but as what he rejoices and is satisfied in, most directly and properly: as do those scriptures which represent him as rejoicing in his obtaining this fruit of his labor and purchase, as the bridegroom when he obtains his bride. Isaiah 62:5, “As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.”

8:11-12

Holy practice is as much the end of all that God does about his saints, as fruit is the end of all the husbandman does about the growth of his field or vineyard: as the matter is often represented in Scripture (Matthew 3:10; ch. 13:8, 23, 24–30, 38; ch. 21:19, 33–34; Luke 13:6; John 15:1, 2, 4–6,8; I Corinthians 3:9; Hebrews 6:7–8; Isaiah 5:1–8; Canticles 8:11–12; Isaiah 27:2–3)

8:11

“Baal-hamon”

Husband and or Lord of a multitude

John 4:36, “And he that reapeth receiveth wages, that he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.”

8:12

“But my own vineyard is mine to give;
    the thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,
    and two hundred are for those who tend its fruit.”

They lived under the rules of the torah in regards to the fruitfulness of the land.

She is paying her respects or giving what is due to those who deserve it.

Income from the land was due to the owner.   If Solomon owned the land then he would be entitled to the 1,000.

 ^“The king asked the woman about it, and she told him. Then he assigned an official to her case and said to him, “Give back everything that belonged to her, including all the income from her land from the day she left the country until now.”  2 Kings 8:6

Gen. 41:34, Lev. 5:16, *Lev. 27:19,31

8:13

8:14

Leviticus 3:5. “Upon the burnt sacrifice.”] “I.e. the daily burnt offering, the lamb which was offered every morning before any other sacrifice was offered, so that the fat of the peace offerings was an addition to that, and a continuation of it. The great sacrifice of peace, that of ‘the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world’ [John 1:29], prepares the altar for our sacrifices of praise, which are not accepted till we are reconciled.

They are all desiring for Israel’s Messiah to come!!  “all the friends or companions” observing those in love in the gardens.  We let Israel’s Messiah here our voice, let him here our hearts desire,  “Come away, my beloved”

Not only are they just desiring her husband to come near her so she can enjoy him more than before

After a long night away from him in the desert, she humbled herself and produced every fruit in the garden, stayed humble under praise, fought the flesh overcoming it by love to God, not ever doubting His love to me

The End

Leaving you wondering what the most glorious praise would be for the most beautiful bride!  She received praises when worthy of them and here we have the bride more worthy of praise than any other portion of of the Song.  She is awaiting his return and is blameless, holy and practically the most beautiful inside and out.  He will praise her and enjoy all the fruits of his love to her.  He will praise her and the communion will be all the more sweeter for their union will be much stricter.

She has been on top of the mountains producing and cultivation precious and valuable things for him to enjoy for the mountains are spice laden.

4:8  “Come with me from Lebanon, my bride,
    come with me from Lebanon.
Descend from the crest of Amana,
    from the top of Senir, the summit of Hermon,“

The garden she was to take care of is fully producing fruit and she is eagerly awaiting his return.

Her producing fruits of her love are like him enjoying the sweetest smell of myrrh on the mountains and possessing something of great value.  What is it that he has that is of great value?  It is her she is more precious than diamonds and more valuable than rubies!  Her worth is more than pure gold and her beauty beyond imagination!

Come Messiah, Come my love, and be like a row or like a young one of the harts on the mountains of spices!  God is really blessing the land and all who dwell in it.

“Mountains of Spices”  both are plural.  The constancy and duration of her obedience is evident by the multiple mountains and spices which are upon each of them.   “And the degree of religion is rather to be judged of by the fixedness and strength of the habit that is exercised in affection, whereby holy affection is habitual, than by the degree of the present exercise: and the strength of that habit is not always in proportion to outward effects and manifestations, or inward effects, in the hurry and vehemence, and sudden changes of the course of the thoughts of the mind.”  JE

Ardent affection and yearning may be sinful or mixed with sin and impatience.

Appeared to myself exceeding ignorant, weak, helpless, and unworthy, and altogether unequal to my work. It seemed to me I should never do any service, or have any success among the Indians. My soul was weary of my life: I longed for death, beyond measure. When I thought of any godly soul departed, my soul was ready to envy him his privilege, thinking, “Oh, when will my turn come? Must it be years first?” But I know those ardent desires, at this and other times, rose partly for want of resignation to God under all miseries; and so were but impatience.

Scenes

Her history and his.

Scene 1  His effectual call  “Draw me after you.”  Lost and found.

Scene 2 Proposal, communication, foxes are caught.

Scene 3 Engagement

Scene 4  Sweet communion broken and then found.

Scene 5  She is heavily protected, precious and valuable headed to the wedding in Solomon’s couch.

Scene 6  Solomon is crowned king at the wedding

Scene 7  The honey moon.  Chapter 4

Scene 8  She’s not there for him, leads to all kinds of trouble, she humbles herself and they are together adoring one another again.

Scenes organized by “flashes of love”

Flash 1  “Love to the Song 1:2-4  Flash 2

Act 1

A sunburnt enemy slave is desiring to be married to the king.

Act 2  The Daughters of Jerusalem

Bride to be gives her testimony to the daughters of Jerusalem.  With flashes back to how things used to be and why she is dark, yet lovely.

Act 3  Lost and Found

She calls out to the wise king, good shepherd her heart loved.  She was sunburnt and Justly enslaved in hard labor under the sun and wanted rest near the one she loved but didn’t know where to find it.  So she asks him. 1:7   He compliments her inner and outer beauty, then tells her where to find rest.   She fearlessly and swiftly follows the sheep.  He compliments her noble character and compares it to the most valuable mare in battle,  a mare harnessed to pharaohs chariot.  Fearless,  Swift, obedient, most beautiful in battle!

Act 4  Mutual adoration and communion at his table

Act 5 Everyone promises to make her more beautiful 1:11

Act 6  Eye to eye.  They both get close and look into each other’s eye’s and adore one another at a closer level

Act 7  Mutual dwelling place

Walk through the garden.

Act 8  A look at the most beautiful Rose and Lily

Scene 9  A lily among thorns

Scene

The one her heart loves

Christ’s love to church

Ephesians 5:27 “Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her

The pre-incarnate form of Christ’s love to Israel

Ex. 23

The Angel of the LORD

God’s love to Israel

List of verses

Bridal prayer

I am the Bride and You are my Heavenly Bridegroom  You chose me to be your Bride before the world began.  From Your perspective we were always one, united from all eternity past in Your eyes.

We are one.  We are united.

Draw me by Your Name,  As my desire expressed itself in words You fulfilled my desire.

My Love spoke and said to me” Resist the Devil by Bride and your enemy will flee, humble yourself under the Mighty Hand of God.

Draw near to Me and I will draw near to you.  I have drawn you with an Everlasting Love.”

Your Father sent You to die for me, I have tasted Your LOVE by faith and it is more delightful than any other experience!!  Thank You my LORD and Savior.  Reveal to me Your Name, let me see Your Beauty greater than before.  Show me Your Glory and let your Goodness pass before me.

“I will proclaim My Name to You and let My Goodness pass before you as you behold the Glory of God in My Face.”

As my Husband told me about Himself I gained a greater knowledge of Him and my love for Him grew as I grew in the knowledge of Him.  More and more my heart cries day and night.  More love to Thee oh Christ, more love to Thee.

Take me away with You let us hurry!

Draw me after You

God in Christ is always on my mind.  Oh, God my Father, hollowed by Thy Name.  Let Christ reveal His Love to me over and over again for beholding your Beauty and tasting Your Love is better than any other experience.  More delightful than wine.

Pleasing is the fragrance of Your Name for it is Holy.  You are without mixture of any evil and You delight in holiness,  Your greatest delight is in the Father for He is Holy.

Love to God the fountain and foundation

not that they had any view or sense of the holy and glorious nature of the kingdom of heaven, and the spiritual glory of that God who gives it, and of his excellent grace to sinful men, in offering and giving them this kingdom, of his own good pleasure, preceding their imagined interest in these things, and their being affected by them, and being the foundation of their affection, and hope of an interest in them.

8:14

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