The song of songs--The most excellent of all songs, Hebrew idiom (Exo 29:37; Deu 10:14). A foretaste on earth of the "new song" to be sung in glory (Rev 5:9; Rev 14:3; Rev 15:2-4).
Solomon's--"King of Israel," or "Jerusalem," is not added, as in the opening of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, not because Solomon had not yet ascended the throne [MOODY STUART], but because his personality is hid under that of Christ, the true Solomon (equivalent to Prince of Peace). The earthly Solomon is not introduced, which would break the consistency of the allegory. Though the bride bears the chief part, the Song throughout is not hers, but that of her "Solomon." He animates her. He and she, the Head and the members, form but one Christ [ADELAIDE NEWTON]. Aaron prefigured Him as priest; Moses, as prophet; David, as a suffering king; Solomon, as the triumphant prince of peace. The camp in the wilderness represents the Church in the world; the peaceful reign of Solomon, after all enemies had been subdued, represents the Church in heaven, of which joy the Song gives a foretaste.
kiss--the token of peace from the Prince of Peace (Luk 15:20); "our Peace" (Psa 85:10; Col 1:21; Eph 2:14).
of his mouth--marking the tenderest affection. For a king to permit his hands, or even garment, to be kissed, was counted a great honor; but that he should himself kiss another with his mouth is the greatest honor. God had in times past spoken by the mouth of His prophets, who had declared the Church's betrothal; the bride now longs for contact with the mouth of the Bridegroom Himself (Job 23:12; Luk 4:22; Heb 1:1-2). True of the Church before the first advent, longing for "the hope of Israel," "the desire of all nations"; also the awakened soul longing for the kiss of reconciliation; and further, the kiss that is the token of the marriage contract (Hos 2:19-20), and of friendship (Sa1 20:41; Joh 14:21; Joh 15:15).
thy love--Hebrew, "loves," namely, tokens of love, loving blandishments.
wine--which makes glad "the heavy heart" of one ready to perish, so that he "remembers his misery no more" (Pro 31:6-7). So, in a "better" sense, Christ's love (Hab 3:17-18). He gives the same praise to the bride's love, with the emphatic addition, "How much" (Sol 4:10). Wine was created by His first miracle (Joh 2:1-11), and was the pledge given of His love at the last supper. The spiritual wine is His blood and His spirit, the "new" and better wine of the kingdom (Mat 26:29), which we can never drink to "excess," as the other (Eph 5:18; compare Psa 23:5; Isa 55:1).
thy name--Christ's character and office as the "Anointed" (Isa 9:6; Isa 61:1), as "the savor of ointments" are the graces that surround His person (Psa 45:7-8). Ecc 7:1, in its fullest sense, applies to Him. The holy anointing oil of the high priest, which it was death for anyone else to make (so Act 4:12), implies the exclusive preciousness of Messiah's name (Exo 30:23-28, Exo 30:31-38). So Mary brake the box of precious ointment over Him, appropriately (Mar 14:5), the broken box typifying His body, which, when broken, diffused all grace: compounded of various spices, &c. (Col 1:19; Col 2:9); of sweet odor (Eph 5:2).
poured-- (Isa 53:12; Rom 5:5).
therefore--because of the manifestation of God's character in Christ (Jo1 4:9, Jo1 4:19). So the penitent woman (Luk 7:37-38, Luk 7:47).
virgins--the pure in heart (Co2 11:2; Rev 14:4). The same Hebrew is translated, "thy hidden ones" (Psa 83:3). The "ointment" of the Spirit "poured forth" produces the "love of Christ" (Rom 5:5).
Draw me--The Father draws (Joh 6:44). The Son draws (Jer 31:3; Hos 11:4; Joh 12:32). "Draw" here, and "Tell" (Sol 1:7), reverently qualify the word "kiss" (Sol 1:2).
me, we--No believer desires to go to heaven alone. We are converted as individuals; we follow Christ as joined in a communion of saints (Joh 1:41, Joh 1:45). Individuality and community meet in the bride.
run--Her earnestness kindles as she prays (Isa 40:31; Psa 119:32, Psa 119:60).
after thee--not before (Joh 10:4).
king . . . brought me into-- (Psa 45:14-15; Joh 10:16). He is the anointed Priest (Sol 1:3); King (Sol 1:4).
chambers--Her prayer is answered even beyond her desires. Not only is she permitted to run after Him, but is brought into the inmost pavilion, where Eastern kings admitted none but the most intimate friends (Est 4:11; Est 5:2; Psa 27:5). The erection of the temple of Solomon was the first bringing of the bride into permanent, instead of migratory, chambers of the King. Christ's body on earth was the next (Joh 2:21), whereby believers are brought within the veil (Eph 2:6; Heb 10:19-20). Entrance into the closet for prayer is the first step. The earnest of the future bringing into heaven (Joh 14:3). His chambers are the bride's also (Isa 26:20). There are various chambers, plural (Joh 14:2).
be glad and rejoice--inward and outward rejoicing.
in thee-- (Isa 61:10; Phi 4:1, Phi 4:4). Not in our spiritual frames (Psa 30:6-7).
remember--rather, "commemorate with praises" (Isa 63:7). The mere remembrance of spiritual joys is better than the present enjoyment of carnal ones (Psa 4:6-7).
upright--rather, "uprightly," "sincerely" (Psa 58:1; Rom 12:9); so Nathanael (Joh 1:47); Peter (Joh 21:17); or "deservedly" [MAURER].
curtains--first, the hangings and veil in the temple of Solomon (Eze 16:10); then, also, the "fine linen which is the righteousness of saints" (Rev 19:8), the white wedding garment provided by Jesus Christ (Isa 61:10; Mat 22:11; Co1 1:30; Col 1:28; Col 2:10; Rev 7:14). Historically, the dark tents of Kedar represent the Gentile Church (Isa 60:3-7, &c.). As the vineyard at the close is transferred from the Jews, who had not kept their own, to the Gentiles, so the Gentiles are introduced at the commencement of the Song; for they were among the earliest enquirers after Jesus Christ (Mat 2:1-12): the wise men from the East (Arabia, or Kedar).
daughters of Jerusalem--professors, not the bride, or "the virgins," yet not enemies; invited to gospel blessings (Sol 3:10-11); so near to Jesus Christ as not to be unlikely to find Him (Sol 5:8); desirous to seek Him with her (Sol 6:1; compare Sol 6:13; Sol 7:1, Sol 7:5, Sol 7:8). In Sol 7:8-9, the bride's Beloved becomes their Beloved; not, however, of all of them (Sol 8:4; compare Luk 23:27-28).
mother's children-- (Mat 10:36). She is to forget "her own people and her father's house," that is, the worldly connections of her unregenerate state (Psa 45:10); they had maltreated her (Luk 15:15-16). Children of the same mother, but not the same father [MAURER], (Joh 8:41-44). They made her a common keeper of vineyards, whereby the sun looked upon, that is, burnt her; thus she did "not keep her own" vineyard, that is, fair beauty. So the world, and the soul (Mat 16:26; Luk 9:25). The believer has to watch against the same danger (Co1 9:27). So he will be able, instead of the self-reproach here, to say as in Sol 8:12.
feedest--tendest thy flock (Isa 40:11; Heb 13:20; Pe1 2:25; Pe1 5:4; Rev 7:17). No single type expresses all the office of Jesus Christ; hence arises the variety of diverse images used to portray the manifold aspects of Him: these would be quite incongruous, if the Song referred to the earthly Solomon. Her intercourse with Him is peculiar. She hears His voice, and addresses none but Himself. Yet it is through a veil; she sees Him not (Job 23:8-9). If we would be fed, we must follow the Shepherd through the whole breadth of His Word, and not stay on one spot alone.
makest . . . to rest--distinct from "feedest"; periods of rest are vouchsafed after labor (Isa 4:6; Isa 49:10; Eze 34:13-15). Communion in private must go along with public following of Him.
turneth aside--rather one veiled, that is, as a harlot, not His true bride (Gen 38:15), [GESENIUS]; or as a mourner (Sa2 15:30), [WEISS]; or as one unknown [MAURER]. All imply estrangement from the Bridegroom. She feels estranged even among Christ's true servants, answering to "thy companions" (Luk 22:28), so long as she has not Himself present. The opposite spirit to Co1 3:4.
kids-- (Joh 21:15). Christ is to be found in active ministrations, as well as in prayer (Pro 11:25).
shepherds' tents--ministers in the sanctuary (Psa 84:1).
make--not merely give (Eph 2:10).
borders of gold, with studs of silver--that is, "spots of silver"--Jesus Christ delights to give more "to him that hath" (Mat 25:29). He crowns His own work in us (Isa 26:12). The "borders" here are equivalent to "rows" (Sol 1:10); but here, the King seems to give the finish to her attire, by adding a crown (borders, or circles) of gold studded with silver spots, as in Est 2:17. Both the royal and nuptial crown, or chaplet. The Hebrew for "spouse" (Sol 4:8) is a crowned one (Eze 16:12; Rev 2:10). The crown is given at once upon conversion, in title, but in sensible possession afterwards (Ti2 4:8).
my spikenard--not boasting, but owning the Lord's grace to and in her. The spikenard is a lowly herb, the emblem of humility. She rejoices that He is well pleased with her graces, His own work (Phi 4:18).
he--rather, "it"; it is the myrrh that lies in the bosom, as the cluster of camphire is in the vineyards (Sol 1:14).
all night--an undivided heart (Eph 3:17; contrast Jer 4:14; Eze 16:15, Eze 16:30). Yet on account of the everlasting covenant, God restores the adulteress (Eze 16:60, Eze 16:62; Hos 2:2, &c.). The night is the whole present dispensation till the everlasting day dawns (Rom 13:12). Also, literally, "night" (Psa 119:147-148), the night of affliction (Psa 42:8).
camphire--or, "cypress." The "hennah" is meant, whose odorous flowers grow in clusters, of a color white and yellow softly blended; its bark is dark, the foliage light green. Women deck their persons with them. The loveliness of Jesus Christ.
vineyards--appropriate in respect to Him who is "the vine." The spikenard was for the banquet (Sol 1:12); the myrrh was in her bosom continually (Sol 1:13); the camphire is in the midst of natural beauties, which, though lovely, are eclipsed by the one cluster, Jesus Christ, pre-eminent above them all.
En-gedi--in South Palestine, near the Dead Sea (Jos 15:62; Eze 47:10), famed for aromatic shrubs.
doves' eyes--large and beautiful in the doves of Syria. The prominent features of her beauty (Mat 10:16), gentleness, innocence, and constant love, emblem of the Holy Ghost, who changes us to His own likeness (Gen 8:10-11; Mat 3:16). The opposite kind of eyes (Psa 101:5; Mat 20:15; Pe2 2:14).
pleasant-- (Pro 3:17) towards Thy friends (Sa2 1:26).
bed . . . green--the couch of green grass on which the King and His bride sit to "rest at noon." Thus her prayer in Sol 1:7 is here granted; a green oasis in the desert, always found near waters in the East (Psa 23:2; Isa 41:17-19). The scene is a kiosk, or summer house. Historically, the literal resting of the Babe of Beth-lehem and his parents on the green grass provided for cattle (Luk 2:7, Luk 2:12). In this verse there is an incidental allusion, in Sol 1:15, to the offering (Luk 2:24). So the "cedar and fir" ceiling refers to the temple (Kg1 5:6-10; Kg1 6:15-18); type of the heavenly temple (Rev 21:22).
fir--rather, "cypress," which is hard, durable, and fragrant, of a reddish hue [GESENIUS, WEISS, and MAURER]. Contrasted with the shifting "tents" (Sol 1:5), His house is "our house" (Psa 92:13; Eph 2:19; Heb 3:6). Perfect oneness of Him and the bride (Joh 14:20; Joh 17:21). There is the shelter of a princely roof from the sun (Psa 121:6), without the confinement of walls, and amidst rural beauties. The carved ceiling represents the wondrous excellencies of His divine nature.