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The Bible’s Song of Love Verse by verse through 5:16In the first verse of the Song the maiden’s adoration finds expression in a reference to "the kisses of His mouth" and repeatedly she speaks of His mouth, His lips and the graciousness of His speech. The portrait draws to a close on the same note. It is the preciousness of His speech which remains as the most lasting recollection and so she says "HIS MOUTH (or speech—mar.) IS MOST SWEET." The Hebrew word translated "mouth" expresses something more than speech. Madame Guyon explained that "it is an untranslatable word: not words; not kiss; not simply hearing or seeing but as inconceivable enjoyment and delight that makes His presence so precious and His absence intolerable…The more we hear His voice, the more shall we repeat with added emphasis ‘His mouth is most sweet’—literally ‘His mouth is sweetness’." "YEA, HE IS ALTOGETHER LOVELY" or, as the Apostle Peter put it "Unto you therefore which believe He is precious." (1 Pet.2:7 KJV) It is as though the Apostle had just been reading these verses of the Song for he gives us this thought in a passage which refers to the elect as stones (or pillars) in the temple of God. With these words the Bride completes the portrait of her Beloved. "THIS IS MY BELOVED," she says "AND THIS IS MY FRIEND, O DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM." "Her use now, for the first time, of the word ‘friend’ would seem to be significant. The Beloved had used this word in chapter 5:1, but it is new on her lips. It is the word very generally translated ‘neighbour’; it means one who is near. And, as used by the spouse, it seems to suggest that she is now restored to a sense of conscious nearness to Him. She could call Him her Beloved even when she was at ease without Him, but she could hardly have said then that He was her Friend–her near Companion. But now she is consciously near to Him; her affections are fully restored. So that when the daughters of Jerusalem ask whither her Beloved had gone she is not at a loss how to answer them." (C.A.Coates - An outline of the Song of Songs) The word "friend" when applied to our Lord brings before us a wonderful picture of His loving service to His loved ones. He performs all the offices of a loving and faithful friend. "I have called you friends." (John 15:15)
6:1The daughters had asked their question in a tone that suggested some scepticism but this vanishes under the influence of the Bride’s glowing tribute to her Lord. "WHITHER IS THY BELOVED GONE, O THOU FAIREST AMONG WOMEN?" they ask, "WHITHER HATH THY BELOVED TURNED HIM, THAT WE MAY SEEK HIM WITH THEE?" Is there not here a lesson for those who are to be "the Bride of Christ"? Do we confess and declare His "beauty" with a conviction which animates our being and is reflected in the countenance, so that others (and especially "the daughters of Jerusalem") desire a closer and more intimate acquaintance with Him? 6:2The Bride recognises that it is not He who has turned aside. She now realises where He is and where she should have been all this time so she replies: "MY BELOVED IS GONE DOWN TO HIS GARDEN, TO THE BEDS OF SPICES, TO FEED IN THE GARDENS, AND TO GATHER LILIES." She does not claim that He is in her garden to which she invited Him (4:16) but He is in the gardens (plural) of those who have bridal relationship to Him. In chapter 2:16 we have the thought of His presence in the sense of His feeding "among the lilies." "If any man hear My voice and open the door, I will come in to Him, and will sup with Him" (Rev.3:20) was prophetically spoken of the harvest period. Now the maiden observes that He is not only feeding in His gardens but is there "to gather (or harvest His) lilies." (See notes on chapter 2:2) (Mark 4:26‑29 mar.) How easy it is to lapse into the state in which the Bride has found herself—to be able to direct others to Christ with all the conviction of earlier experience and yet to be out of close communion ourselves. Let us take care that we are "an ensample to them that believe" rather than a signpost directing others to Christ whilst remaining stationary ourselves. 6:3But the recollection of His beauty turns her heart towards Him and she expresses a spirit of full surrender after her season of self‑will. Her first words are a plea that He shall come for her. He has called her His Bride and after fruitless searching she has come to realise that she can do no more than look to Him to exercise the Bridegroom’s privilege and bring her to Him. "I AM MY BELOVED’S," she pleads "AND" then she claims him for herself in the simple words "MY BELOVED IS MINE." She has not a doubt left…and there is a difference in this expression from a nearly similar one which she had used before, that may not be without meaning and comfort, for she does come to this conclusion here so much from the conviction that Christ is hers as that she is Christ’s. It should not be firstly our possession of Christ but His possession of us "I am His and He is mine." She is no longer distraught, but her soliloquy continues almost plaintively: "HE FEEDETH [HIS FLOCK] AMONG LILIES," she says, and one can almost read the unfinished longing that she might be there also. The Revised Version inserts in italics the words "His flock" implying that although the words do not appear in the original that they are necessary to an understanding of the verse. The Hebrew word for "feedeth" can be read in that sense as in 1:8 "feed," i.e. pasture thy kids or in the sense that it is He who feeds as in 4:5 (KJV) where the "Young roes…feed among the lilies." As the Bridegroom is described as a roe in 2:7 and 8:14 and here He "feedeth among the lilies" the A.V. seems to be correct in omitting the words "His flock" for that rendering is in harmony with the thought expressed by our Lord in Rev.3:20 "…if any man hear my voice and open the door" (just what the Bride failed to do) "I will come in to him, and will sup" (i.e. have the evening meal–Young) "with him." We should also observe that this harvest period is the evening of the age when he promises to share His evening meal with His people. The harvest is also referred to in verse 2 where the Bride spoke of the gathering—the harvest—of the lilies. 6:4The uncomplaining love of Christ for those whose love for Him is not constant is one of the great features of the Song. "The fruit of the spirit," says the Apostle "is love." Then he goes on to describe its different features "Joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self‑control." (Gal.5:22‑23 ASV) Here is the Song our Lord reveals that He is all those things to His own. He loves so dearly that when His erring loved ones turn again to Him He responds with joy. "Behold, thou art fair" He responded earlier. (4:1) Now, overlooking her fault, He recognises a new quality born of her spiritual distress. "THOU ART BEAUTIFUL, O MY LOVE," He says "AS TIRZAH, COMELY AS JERUSALEM." "Tirzah signifies delight, pleasing or acceptable: it was the name of the royal palace of the kings of Israel—In Solomon’s it was the northern, as Jerusalem was the southern capital of Palestine." (Robinson) Tirzah was an ancient Canaanite city which later became a royal city so the Bride once ruled by Satan becomes the possession of "the king." "Jerusalem" was the symbol used by the Apostle John in the words "and I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from...heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." (Rev.21:2 KJV) It signifies"the foundation of peace." "TERRIBLE AS AN ARMY WITH BANNERS" In 5:10 she spoke of Him as a "standard bearer" and earlier in 2:4 she had said that "His banner over me was love." Now he sees like qualities in her for she is measuring up to the stature of Christ. "The spouse is now in the place and state of overcoming. I suppose that is why He speaks of her…as ‘terrible as troops with banners.’ It is a military figure, and a figure of troops that have not sustained defeat; their banners are flying as completely victorious. He can now recognise her as an overcomer… It is noticeable that on each occasion when the Beloved describes the beauty of His spouse in detail she has manifested herself to be an overcomer." (CAC) "Terrible as an army"–"By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left." (2 Cor.6:7 KJV) "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." (Rom.8:37) 6:5As the full beauty and power of Christ begins to show itself in each of His loved ones they move nearer into their heavenly places as full‑grown brethren with Him. Hence He addresses the Bride in terms suited to her developed maturity. "TURN AWAY THINE EYES FROM ME," he says "FOR THEY HAVE OVERCOME ME." The first two words are translated "Turn" in 2:17. Rowbotham therefore suggests a more likely translation "Turn thine eyes towards me for they have lifted me up," for, he says, the Hebrew word translated "turn away" signifies also "turn to" and the expression "they have overcome me" is literally "they have lifted me up" i.e. with strength and comfort as in Psa.138:3 ("strengthenest me"). Young also translates "overcome" as "strengthened." What joy it must bring to His loving heart to see the object of His love—the hidden treasure for which He died (Matt.13:44)–"fullgrown...unto the measure of (His) stature." (Eph.4:13) We read often of our Lord’s distress because those who were called failed to appreciate the privilege. Here we read of His great delight at the mature love of His Bride which has lifted up the heart with joy. He expresses His joy in words of praise and until the end of verse 7 He repeats part of His praises given in Chapter 4:1,3. "THY HAIR IS AS A FLOCK OF GOATS, THAT LIE ALONG THE SIDE OF...GILEAD." EEA/LB |
