SONG OF SOLOMON CHAPTER 3 The church seeking Christ, SONG OF SOLOMON 3:1. Her great joy; she findeth him, SONG OF SOLOMON 3:4. Her charge to the daughters of Jerusalem not to awake her Beloved, SONG OF SOLOMON 3:5. The manner of Christ's coming out of the wilderness, SONG OF SOLOMON 3:6. His bed, gu... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL RISE NOW; I will immediately apply myself to seek him, without whom my bed can give me no rest nor comfort. THE CITY; the city of God, the church, in which Christ resides. IN THE STREETS, and in the broad ways: not finding him in private prayer and meditation, I sought him in the places of pu... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WATCHMEN; the ministers of Christ, and rulers of the church, who are oft called watchmen, as ISAIAH 62:6 EZEKIEL 3:17, and elsewhere. THAT GO ABOUT THE CITY, to prevent disorders and dangers by night. FOUND ME, whilst they walked round about the city, according to their duty. TO WHOM I SAID, wit... [ Continue Reading ]
I FOUND HIM; Christ met me, and manifested his love to me, according to his promise made to those that seek him constantly and diligently, PROVERBS 8:17 MATTHEW 7:7, &c. I HELD HIM, AND WOULD NOT LET HIM GO, being taught by my late experience how doleful a thing it was to lose him, and how hard it w... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse is repeated from SONG OF SOLOMON 2:7, where it is explained. The spouse exhorts herself and all her fellow members to be very circumspect, lest by any unkind or provoking carriage they should give Christ any cause to depart from them. He is supposed to allude to the custom of awakening th... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO IS THIS? the persons speaking seem to be the daughters of Jerusalem, who, upon occasion of the bride's speech to them, make this reply; or the friends of the Bridegroom. The person spoken of is the spouse or bride. THAT COMETH OUT OF THE WILDERNESS; from the country, which, in comparison of citi... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD HIS BED: these are the words either, 1. Of the bridemen, who spake SONG OF SOLOMON 3:6, and here continue their speech, and from the admiration of the bride proceed to the admiration of the Bridegroom. Or, 2. Of the spouse, who being admired by the bridemen, turns their eyes and thoughts to... [ Continue Reading ]
HATH HIS SWORD UPON HIS THIGH; is prepared and ready to fight, as this phrase notes, EXODUS 32:27 PSALMS 45:3. _Because of fear in the night_; to prevent those dangers and mischiefs which are most frequent and most dreadful in the night season. THE NIGHT may note either, 1. The time of tribulation,... [ Continue Reading ]
A CHARIOT, in which the royal Bridegroom and bride might ride together in state, as the manner was in the nuptial solemnities of such persons. By this _chariot_ he seems to understand the word of Christ dispensed by his ministers in the church, whereby both Christ is exalted and rides triumphantly i... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PILLARS THEREOF; whereby the chariot is either supported or adorned; which may signify either, 1. Ministers, who are called _pillars_, GALATIANS 2:9, and that of silver, because they are, or should be, pure and precious, like silver. Or, 2. The firmness and certainty of Christ's word, both of h... [ Continue Reading ]
GO FORTH; the bride, to wit, the church, bids particular believers _go forth_ to see this sight; whereby is implied that Christians must go out of the world, to wit, in affection, and out of themselves, by denying themselves, and putting off the old man, their corrupt nature, if they desire to see a... [ Continue Reading ]