S
O N G O F S O L O M O N
CHAP. III.
In
this chapter, I. The church gives an account of a sore trial wherewith she was
exercised through the withdrawing of her beloved from her, the pains she was
at before she recovered the comfortable sense of his favour again, and the
resolution she took, when she did recover it, not to lose it again, as she had
done through her own carelessness, ver. 1-5. II. The daughters of Jerusalem
admire the excellencies of the church, ver. 6.
III. The church admires Jesus Christ under the person of Solomon, his bed, and
the life-guards about it (ver. 7, 8), his chariot, ver. 9, 10. She calls upon
the daughters of Zion, who were admiring her, to admire him rather,
especially as he appeared on his coronation day and the day of his nuptials,
ver. 11.
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Love of the Church to Christ.
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1 By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul
loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. 2 I will rise now, and
go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom
my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. 3 The watchmen
that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my
soul loveth? 4 It was but a little that I passed from them,
but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go,
until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her
that conceived me. 5 I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by
the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my
love, till he please.
God is not wont to say to the seed of Jacob, Seek you me in vain; and
yet here we have the spouse for a great while seeking her beloved in vain, but
finding him at last, to her unspeakable satisfaction. It was hard to the
Old-Testament church to find Christ in the ceremonial law, and the types and
figures which then were of good things to come. Long was the
consolation of Israel looked for before it came. The watchman of that church
gave little assistance to those who enquired after him; but at length Simeon
had him in his arms whom his soul loved. It is applicable to the
case of particular believers, who often walk in darkness a great while, but at
even time it shall be light, and those that seek Christ to the end shall
find him at length. Observe,
I. How the spouse sought him in vain upon her bed (v. 1); when
she was up and looking about her, grace in act and exercise, though her
beloved was withdrawn, yet she could see him at a distance (ch. ii. 8),
but now it was otherwise. She still continued her affection to him, still it
was he whom her soul loved, that bond of the covenant still continued
firm. "Though he slay me, I will trust in him; though he leave me,
I will love him. When I have him not in my arms, I have him in my heart."
But she wanted the communion she used to have with him, as David when he thirsted
for God, for the living God. She sought him, but, 1. It was by night on
her bed; it was late and lazy seeking. Her understanding was clouded; it
was by night, in the dark. Her affections were chilled, it was on her bed half
asleep. The wise virgins slumbered in the absence of the bridegroom. It was a
dark time with the believer; she saw not her signs, and yet she sought them.
Those whose souls love Jesus Christ will continue to seek him even in silence
and solitude: their reins instruct them to do so, even in the night
season. 2. She failed in her endeavour. Sometimes he is found of those
that seek him not (Isa. lxv. 1), but here he is not found of one that
sought him, either for punishment of her corruptions, her slothfulness and
security (we miss of comfort because we do not seek it aright), or for the
exercises of grace, her faith and patience, to try whether she will continue
seeking. The woman of Canaan sought Christ, and found him not at first, that
she might find him, at length, so much the more to her honour and comfort.
II. How she had sought him in vain abroad, v. 2. She had made trial of
secret worship, and had gone through the duties of the closet, had remembered
him on her bed and meditated on him in the night-watches (Ps. lxiii.
6), but she did not meet with comfort. My sore ran in the night, and
then I remembered God and was troubled, Ps. lxxvii. 2, 3. And yet she
is not driven off by the disappointment from the use of further means; she
resolves, "I will rise now; I will not lie here if I cannot find
my beloved here, nor be content if he be withdrawn. I will rise now
without delay, and seek him immediately, lest he withdraw further from
me." Those that would seek Christ so as to find him must lose no time.
"I will rise out of a warm bed, and go out in a cold dark night,
in quest of my beloved." Those that see Christ must not startle at
difficulties. "I will rise, and go about the city, the holy city,
in the streets, and the broad-ways;" for she knew he was not to be found
in any blind by-ways. We must seek in the city, in Jerusalem, which was a type
of the gospel-church. The likeliest place to find Christ is in the temple
(Luke ii. 46), in the streets of the gospel-church, in holy ordinances, where
the children of Zion pass and repass at all hours. She had a good purpose when
she said, I will arise now, but the good performance was all in all.
She arose, and sought him (those that are in pursuit of Christ, the
knowledge of him and communion with him, must turn every stone, seek every
where), and yet she found him not; she was still unsatisfied, uneasy,
as Job, when he looked on all sides, but could not perceive any tokens of the
divine favour (Job xxiii. 8, 9), and the Psalmist often, when he complained
that God hid his face from him, Ps. lxxxviii. 14. We may be in the way of our
duty and yet may miss the comfort, for the wind bloweth where it listeth.
How heavy is the accent on this repeated complaint: I sought him, but I
found him not! like that of Mary Magdalen, They have taken away my
Lord, and I know not where they have laid him, John xx. 13.
III. How she enquired of the watchmen concerning him, v. 3. In the
night the watchmen go about the city, for the preservation of its peace
and safety, to guide and assist the honest and quiet, as well as to be a check
upon those that are disorderly; these met her in her walks, and she asked them
if they could give her any tidings of her beloved. In the streets and
broad-ways of Jerusalem she might meet with enough to divert her from her
pursuit and to entertain her, though she could not meet her beloved; but she
regards none in comparison with him. Gracious souls press through crowds of
other delights and contentments in pursuit of Christ, whom they prefer before
their chief joy. Mary Magdalen sees angels in the sepulchre, but that will not
do unless she see Jesus. Saw you him whom my soul loveth? Note, We must
evince the sincerity of our love to Christ by our solicitous enquiries after
him. The children of the bride-chamber will mourn when the bridegroom is
taken away (Matt. ix. 15), especially for the sin which provoked him to
withdraw; and, if we do so, we shall be in care to recover the sense of his
favour and diligent and constant in the use of proper means in order
thereunto. We must search the scriptures, be much in prayer, keep close to
ordinances, and all with this upon our heart, Saw you him whom my soul
loveth? Those only who have seen Christ themselves are likely to direct
others to a sight of him. When the Greeks came to worship at the feast they
applied to Philip, with such an address as this of the spouse to the watchmen,
Sir, we would see Jesus, John xii. 21.
IV. How she found him at last, v. 4. She passed from the
watchmen as soon as she perceived they could give her no tidings of her
beloved; she would not stay with them, because he was not among them, but went
on seeking, for (as Ainsworth observes) the society neither of brethren, nor
of the church, nor of ministers, can comfort the afflicted conscience unless
Christ himself be apprehended by faith. But soon after she parted from the
watchmen she found him whom she sought, and then called him him whom my
soul loveth, with as much delight as before with desire. Note, Those that
continue seeking Christ shall find him at last, and when perhaps they were
almost ready to despair of finding him. See Ps. xlii. 7, 8; lxxvii. 9, 10; Isa.
liv. 7, 8. Disappointments must not drive us away from gracious pursuits. Hold
out, faith and patience; the vision is for an appointed time, and,
though the watchman can give us no account of it, at the end it shall
itself speak and not lie; and the comfort that comes in after long
waiting, in the use of means, will be so much the sweeter at last.
V. How close she kept to him when she had found him. She is now as much in
fear of losing him as before she was in care to find him: I held him,
held him fast, as the women, when they met with Christ after his resurrection,
held him by the feet, and worshipped him, Matt. xxviii. 9. "I
would not let him go. Not only, I would never do any thing to provoke him
to depart, but I would by faith and prayer prevail with him to stay, and by
the exercise of grace preserve inward peace." Those that know how hard
comfort is come by, and how dearly it is bought, will be afraid of forfeiting
it and playing it away, and will think nothing too much to do to keep it safe.
Non minor est virtus quam quærere parta tueri--As much is implied
in securing our acquisitions as in making them. Those that have laid hold
on wisdom must retain her, Prov. iii. 18. Those that hold Christ fast
in the arms of faith and love shall not let him go; he will abide with
them.
VI. How desirous she was to make others acquainted with him: "I
brought him to my mother's house, that all my relations, all who are dear
to me, might have the benefit of communion with him." When Zaccheus found
Christ, or rather was found of him, salvation came to his house, Luke
xix. 9. Wherever we find Christ we must take him home with us to our houses,
especially to our hearts. The church is our mother, and we should be concerned
for her interests, that she may have Christ present with her and be earnest in
prayer for his presence with his people and ministers always. Those that enjoy
the tokens of Christ's favour to their own souls should desire that the
church, and all religious assemblies in their public capacity, might likewise
enjoy the tokens of his favour.
VII. What care she was in that no disturbance might be given him (v.
5); she repeats the charge she had before given (ch. ii. 7) to the daughters
of Jerusalem not to stir up or awake her love. When she had
brought him into her mother's house, among her sisters, she gives them a
strict charge to keep all quiet and in good order, to be very observant of
him, careful to please him, and afraid of offending him. The charge given to
the church in the wilderness concerning the angel of the covenant, who was
among them, explains this. Exod. xxiii. 21, Beware of him and obey his
voice; provoke him not. See that none of you stir out of your
places, lest you disturb him, but with quietness work and mind your own
business; make no noise; let all clamour and bitterness be put far from
you, for that grieves the Holy Spirit of God, Eph. iv. 30, 31. Some
make this to be Christ's charge to the daughters of Jerusalem not to
disturb or disquiet his church, nor trouble the minds of the disciples; for
Christ is very tender of the peace of his church, and all the members of it,
even the little ones; and those that trouble them shall bear their
judgment, Gal. v. 10.
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Love of the Church to Christ.
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6 Who is this that cometh out of the
wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with
all powders of the merchant?
These are the words of the daughters of Jerusalem, to whom the charge
was given, v. 5. They had looked shily upon the bride because she was
black (ch. i. 6); but now they admire her, and speak of her with great
respect: Who is this? How beautiful she looks! Who would have expected
such a comely and magnificent person to come out of the wilderness? As,
when Christ rode in triumph into Jerusalem, they said, Who is this? And
of the accession of strangers to the church she herself says, with wonder (Isa.
xlix. 21), Who has begotten me these? 1. This is applicable to the
Jewish church, when, after forty years' wandering in the wilderness, they came
out of it, to take a glorious possession of the land of promise; and this may
very well be illustrated by what Balaam said of them at that time, when they
ascended out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, and he stood
admiring them: From the top of the rocks I see him. How goodly are thy
tents, O Jacob! Num. xxiii. 9; xxiv. 5. 2. It is applicable to any public
deliverance of the church of God, as particularly of Babylon, the
Old-Testament and the New-Testament Babylon; then the church is like
pillars of smoke, ascending upwards in devout affections, the incense of
praise, from which, as from Noah's sacrifice, God smells a sweet savour;
then she is amiable in the eyes of her friends, and her enemies too cannot but
have a veneration for her, and worship at her feet, knowing that God has
loved her, Rev. iii. 9. Sometimes the fear of the Jews was upon
their neighbours, when they saw that God was with them of a truth, Esth.
viii. 17. 3. It is applicable to the recovery of a gracious soul out of a
state of desertion and despondency. (1.) She ascends out of the wilderness,
the dry and barren land, where there is no way, where there is no
water, where travellers are still in want and ever at a loss; here a poor
soul may long be left to wander, but shall come up, at last, under the conduct
of the Comforter. (2.) She comes up like pillars of smoke, like a cloud
of incense ascending from the altar or the smoke of the burnt-offerings. This
intimates a fire of pious and devout affections in the soul, whence this smoke
arises, and the mounting of the soul heaven-ward in this smoke (as Judges
xiii. 20), the heart lifted up to God in the heavens, as the sparks fly
upward. Christ's return to the soul gives life to its devotion, and its
communion with God is most reviving when it ascends out of a wilderness.
(3.) She is perfumed with myrrh and frankincense. She is replenished
with the graces of God's Spirit, which are as sweet spices, or as the holy
incense, which, being now kindled by his gracious returns, sends forth a very
fragrant smell. Her devotions being now peculiarly lively, she is not only
acceptable to God, but amiable in the eyes of others also, who are ready to
cry out with admiration, Who is this? What a monument of mercy is this!
The graces and comforts with which she is perfumed are called the powders
of the merchant, for they are far-fetched and dear-bought, by our Lord
Jesus, that blessed merchant, who took a long voyage, and was at vast expense,
no less than that of his own blood, to purchase them for us. They are not the
products of our own soil, nor the growth of our own country; no, they are
imported from the heavenly Canaan, the better country.
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7 Behold his bed, which is Solomon's;
threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.
8 They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his
sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night. 9 King Solomon
made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon. 10 He made the
pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the
covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with
love, for the daughters of Jerusalem. 11 Go forth, O ye daughters
of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned
him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.
The daughters of Jerusalem stood admiring the spouse and commending
her, but she overlooks their praises, is not puffed up with them, but
transfers all the glory to Christ, and directs them to look off from her to
him, recommends him to their esteem, and sets herself to applaud him. Here he
is three times called Solomon, and we have that name but three times
besides in all this song, ch. i. 5; viii. 11, 12. It is Christ that is
here meant, who is greater than Solomon, and of whom Solomon was an
illustrious type for his wisdom and wealth, and especially his building the
temple.
Three things she admires him for:--
I. The safety of his bed (v. 7): Behold his bed, even Solomon's,
very rich and fine; for such the curtains of Solomon were. His bed,
which is above Solomon's, so some read it. Christ's bed, though he had not
where to lay his head, is better than Solomon's best bed. The church is
his bed, for he has said of it. This is my rest for ever; here will
I dwell. The hearts of believers are his bed, for he lies all night
between their breasts, Eph. iii. 17. Heaven is his bed, the rest into which he
entered when he had done his work. Or it may be meant of the sweet repose and
satisfaction which gracious souls enjoy in communion with him; it is called his
bed, because, though we are admitted to it, and therefore it is called our
bed (ch. i. 16), yet it is his peace that is our rest, John xiv.
27. I will give you rest, Matt. xi. 28. It is Solomon's bed,
whose name signifies peace, because in his days Judah and Israel dwelt
safely under their vines and fig-trees. That which she admires his bed for
is the guard that surrounded it. Those that rest in Christ not only dwell at
ease (many do so who yet are in the greatest danger) but they dwell in safety.
Their holy serenity is under the protection of a holy security. This bed had threescore
valiant men about it, as yeomen of the guard, or the band of
gentlemen-pensioners; they are of the valiant of Israel, and a great
many bold and brave men David's reign had produced. The life-guard men are
well armed: They all hold swords, and know how to hold them; they are expert
in war, well skilled in all the arts of it. They are posted about the bed
at a convenient distance. They are in a posture of defence, every man
with his sword upon his thigh and his hand upon his sword, ready to
draw upon the first alarm, and this because of fear in the night,
because of the danger feared; for the lives of princes, even the wisest and
best, as they are more precious, so they are more exposed, and require to be
more guarded than the lives of common persons. Or, because of the fear
of it, and the apprehension which the spouse may have of danger, these guards
are set for her satisfaction, that she may be quiet from the fear of evil,
which believers themselves are subject to, especially in the night,
when they are under a cloud as to their spiritual state, or in any outward
trouble more than ordinary. Christ himself was under the special protection of
his Father in his whole undertaking. In the shadow of his hand he hid me
(Isa. xlix. 2); he had legions of angels at his command. The church is well
guarded; more are with her than against her. Lest any hurt this vineyard, God
himself keeps it night and day (Isa. xxvii. 2, 3); particular
believers, when they repose themselves in Christ and with him, though it may
be night-time with them, and they may have their fears in the night,
and yet safe, as safe as Solomon himself in the midst of his guards; the
angels have a charge concerning them, ministers are appointed to watch for
their souls, and they ought to be valiant men, expert in
the spiritual warfare, holding the sword of the Spirit, which is the word
of God, and having that girt upon their thigh, always ready to them
for the silencing of the fears of God's people in the night. All
the attributes of God are engaged for the safety of believers; they are kept
as in a strong-hold by his power (1 Pet. i. 5), are safe in his name
(Prov. xviii. 10), his peace protects those in whom it rules (Phil. iv. 7),
and the effect of righteousness in them is quietness and assurance,
Isa. xxxii. 17. Our danger is from the rulers of the darkness of this
world, but we are safe in the armour of light.
II. The splendour of his chariot, v. 9, 10. As Christ and believers
rest in safety under a sufficient guard, so when they appear publicly, as
kings in their coaches of state, they appear in great magnificence. This
chariot was of Solomon's own contriving and making, the materials very rich, silver,
and gold, and cedar, and purple. He made it for himself,
and yet made it for the daughters of Jerusalem, to oblige them. Some by
this chariot, or coach, or chaise (the word is nowhere
else used in scripture), understand the human nature of Christ, in which the
divine nature rode as in an open chariot. It was a divine workmanship (A
body hast thou prepared me); the structure was very fine, but that which
was at the bottom of it was love, pure love to the children of men. Others
make it to represent the everlasting gospel, in which, as in an open chariot,
Christ shows himself, and as in a chariot of war rides forth triumphantly, conquering
and to conquer. The pillars, the seven pillars (Prov. ix. 1), are of silver,
for the words of the Lord are as silver tried (Ps. xii. 6), nay, they
are better than thousands of gold and silver. It is hung with purple,
a princely colour; all the adornings of it are dyed in the precious blood of
Christ, and that gives them this colour. But that which completes the glory of
it is love; it is paved with love, it is lined with love, not
love of strangers, as Solomon's was in the days of his defection, but love
of the daughters of Jerusalem, a holy love. Silver is better
than cedar, gold than silver, but love is better than gold, better than all,
and it is put last, for nothing can be better than that. The gospel is all love.
Mr. Durham applies it to the covenant of redemption, the way of our salvation,
as it is contrived in the eternal counsel of God, and manifested to us in the
scriptures. This is that work of Christ himself wherein the glory of his grace
and love to sinners most eminently appears, and which makes him amiable and
admirable in the eyes of believers. In this covenant love is conveyed to them,
and they are carried in it to the perfection of love, and, as it were, ride in
triumph. It is admirably framed and contrived, both for the glory of Christ
and for the comfort of believers. It is well ordered in all things, and
sure (2 Sam. xxiii. 5); it has pillars that cannot be shaken, it is
made of the wood of Lebanon, which can never rot; the basis of it is gold,
the most lasting metal; the blood of the covenant, that rich purple, is
the cover of this chariot, by which believers are sheltered from the wind and
storms of divine wrath, and the troubles of this world; but the midst of it,
and that which is all in all in it, is love, that love of Christ
which surpasses knowledge and the dimensions of which are immeasurable.
III. The lustre of his royal person, when he appears in his greatest pomp, v.
11. Here observe,
1. The call that is given to the daughters of Zion to acquaint
themselves with the glories of king Solomon: Go forth, and behold him.
The multitude of the spectators adds to the beauty of a splendid cavalcade.
Christ, in his gospel, manifests himself. Let each of us add to the number of
those that give honour to him, by giving themselves the satisfaction of
looking upon him. Who should pay respects to Zion's king but Zion's daughters?
They have reason to rejoice greatly when he comes, Zec. ix. 9. (1.) Behold
him then. Look with pleasure upon Christ in his glory. Look upon him with
an eye of faith, with a fixed eye. Here is a sight worth seeing; behold,
and admire him, behold, and love him; look upon him, and know him
again. (2.) Go forth and behold him; go off from the world, as those
that see no beauty and excellency in it in comparison with what is to be seen
in the Lord Jesus. Go out of yourselves, and let the light of his transcendent
beauty put you out of conceit with yourselves. Go forth to the place
where he is to be seen, to the street through which he passes, as Zaccheus.
2. The direction that is given them to take special notice of that which they
would not see every day, and that was his crown, either the crown of
gold, adorned with jewels, which he wore on his coronation-day (Solomon's
mother, Bathsheba, though she did not procure that for him, yet, by her
seasonable interposal, she helped to secure it to him when Adonijah was
catching at it), or the garland or crown of flowers and green tied with
ribbons which his mother made for him, to adorn the solemnity of his nuptials.
Perhaps Solomon's coronation day was his marriage-day, the day of his
espousals, when the garland his mother crowned him with was added to the
crown his people crowned him with. Applying this to Christ, it speaks, (1.)
The many honours put upon him, and the power and dominion he is entrusted
with: Go forth, and see king Jesus, with the crown wherewith his
Father crowned him, when he declared him his beloved Son, in whom
he was well-pleased, when he set him as King upon his holy hill of
Zion, when he advanced him to his own right hand, and invested him with a
sovereign authority, both in heaven and in earth, and put all things
under his feet. (2.) The dishonour put upon him by his persecutors. Some
apply it to the crown of thorns with which his mother, the
Jewish church, crowned him on the day of his death, which was the
day of his espousals to his church, when he loved it, and gave himself
for it (Eph. v. 25); and it is observable that when he was brought
forth wearing the crown of thorns Pilate said, and said it to the daughters
of Zion, Behold the man. (3.) It seems especially to mean the honour done
him by his church, as his mother, and by all true believers, in whose hearts
he is formed, and of whom he has said, These are my mother, my sister, and
brother, Matt. xii. 50. They give him the glory of his undertaking; to him
is glory in the church, Eph. iii. 21. When believers accept of him as
theirs, and join themselves to him in an everlasting covenant, [1.] It is his
coronation-day in their souls. Before conversion they were crowning
themselves, but then they begin to crown Christ, and continue to do so from
that day forward. They appointed him their head; they bring every thought
into obedience to him; they set up his throne in their hearts, and cast
all their crowns at his feet. [2.] It is the day of his espousals, in
which he betroths them to him for ever in lovingkindness and in mercies, joins
them to himself in faith and love, and gives himself to them in the promises
and all he has, to be theirs. Thou shalt not be for another, so will I also
be for thee, Hos. iii. 3. And to him they are presented as chaste
virgins. [3.] It is the day of the gladness of his heart; he is
pleased with the honour that his people do him, pleased with the progress of
his interest among them. Does Satan fall before them? In that hour
Jesus rejoices in spirit, Luke x. 18, 21. There is joy in heaven over
repenting sinners; the family is glad when the prodigal son returns. Go
forth and behold Christ's grace toward sinners, as his crown, his
brightest glory.
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