Song of Solomon 4

Chap. IV. Ver. 1—16. The love of Christ, and the beauty of the Church.—The bridegroom may here be supposed to have alighted from his palanquin, to converse with the bride, when he commends the beauty of her countenance, and the symmetry of her features. This description may not, indeed, exactly suit European ideas; but the images are certainly in accordance with the taste of the East, and such as are employed by the chastest poets; and that, too, in reference to moral and religious subjects, as is most satisfactorily proved in the writings of Sir William Jones, Bishop Lowth, and other eminent eastern scholars. We think ourselves full justified in our application of these images to the moral and spiritual beauty of the church, and her divine Redeemer’s love, by many similar images which occur in other parts of the sacred volume.

Thus (in (Psalms 45:1)) it is said to her, “The King (doubtless King Messiah) shall greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord, (thy spiritual husband,) and worship thou him.” So St. Paul tells us, that Christ and the church are “one flesh,” even as man and wife. “This is a great mystery, (he adds,) but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” ((Ephesians 5:31-32).) See also the Scriptures referred to in the Introduction to this book, at the commencement of page 729. The supreme authority which instituted marriage, has pronounced it not only innocent, but “honourable.” ((Hebrews 13:4).) And experience shows, that when men began to consider it in the opposite light, and affected monachism for greater purity, they sunk into crimes the most unnatural and detestable.

Let us beware, therefore, of attempting to refine upon the divine law, or aiming to be purer than God’s commands. That which God has pronounced holy, let us not dare to call “unclean.” But to return from this digression: When the bride is described as “all fair,” and “without spot,” is not this the very character of the Christian church, and of the true believer, as she appears before her Lord? He who purchased her by his own blood, sanctifies her by his word and Spirit, “that he may present her to himself, a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing;—that is, (or she) should be holy, and without blemish,” in which the very passage before us seems referred to. (Comp. (Ephesians 5:25-28).) When the church is here required to come from Lebanon and Hermon, from the dens of the lions, and the mountains of the leopards; what can it mean but for her to forsake the world, and cast herself upon the protection of her celestial husband? And when she is compared to “a garden enclosed, springs sealed,” what can it import, but a devotion to her Lord, and to him alone. Then does she produce the sweetest plants, and the most pleasant fruits, which are not to be considered as the wild productions of nature, but must be attributed to the living waters and the heavenly gales, by which alone fertility can be produced.

Notes on the verses

Chap. IV. Ver. 1. Doves’ eyes.—See note on (Song of Solomon 5:12).—Thy hair—As goats; i.e. as the hair of goats, clean, and fine, and soft.—That appear.—See margin; or, that browse on. Hodgson, Lowth, &c.

Ver. 2. Thy teeth are like a flock—That is white, uniform, and none missing.

Ver. 3. Thy lips like a thread of scarlet, (or crimson.)—That is, thin and red.—Thy temples.—Percy, Good, &c. “Cheeks,”—Like piece.—Patrick and others render it, “the flower of the pomegranate.”

Ver. 4. Tower of David.—(That is, long, erect, slender, according to the nicest proportions, and decorated with gold, gems, and large pearls; like one of the turrets of the citadel of Zion, remarkable for its elegance, and for the trophies with which it was adorned.)—Bagster.

Ver. 5. Thy two breasts.—Bochart and others to the bosoms, are compared to twin roes, feeding among white lilies. It may be objected that (Song of Solomon 1:5-6). she speaks of herself as darkening her ages: but this may be intended of the face only, and must be taken with some abatement, (see note there,) as is evident from what is said of the cheeks.

Ver. 6. Mountain of myrrh, &c.—The bride is here compared to a hill of sweet plants. Compare ver. 13, 14.

Ver. 9. Thou hast ravished.—See margin; rather, one of thine eyes.—With a side view, perhaps; but in some parts ladies, in conversation, raise one side of their veil. Dr. Percy (glance) of thine eyes, with one turn of thy neck.” This is quite in the style of the oriental poets.

Ver. 11. Thy lips.—That is, conversation.

Ver. 13. Camphire.—See margin. The various aromatic plants here named, remind us of (Psalms 45:8).