The Preacher's Homiletical Commentary
Song of Solomon 6:13
Notes
Song of Solomon 6:13. Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return. ‘Return.’ שׁוּבִי shubhi, return, come back. So most; though some, as Do WETTR. HAHN, and SANDERS render it, ‘turn round,’ for which a different word would probably be used. Spoken by Solomon and his female attendants. EWALD. By bride’s companions, who desire her to return back to the garden with them. DELITZSCH. By the bridegroom’s servants. THEODORET. By his friends. HOUBIGANT, PERCY. By chorus of women. MENOCHIUS. The Bride, finding her beloved, takes leave of the women, who call her to return. MERCER. GILL: Observing her bashfulness, they call her to turn her face, that they may behold it. HARMER: Spoken by Solomon or his attendants to the Jewish Queen, who had fled as not able to bear an interview with the King. SANCTIUS: Spoken by the ‘daughters of Jerusalem,’ desiring to see her beauty for themselves. M. STUART: By the ‘daughters,’ desiring in the King’s absence to see the Bride. WEISS: By first division of the ‘daughters.’ FRY: by the company who had broken in upon her retirement, while she turned away to conceal herself. NOYES: By the court ladies. ZÖCKLER: The ladies calling to her when appearing to leave the court. HAHN: The call of the King and his host out of the chariots to the virgin in her home which they have speedily reached. WILLIAMS: Seeing her at a distance, the king instantly turns back and flies to meet her. Thus allegorized. TARGUM: The Lord calls Jerusalem to receive His prophets. RASHI: To return to Himself. THEODORBT: Christ’s servants call to the Church, not to fear the attacks of persecutors. PHILO, TRES PATRES: Call to the imperfect to repent. AMBROSE: To return to the way of virtue and of heaven. BERNARD: Bridegroom calls to the Church to return from lukewarmness, torpor and pride—from foolish joy and useless grief. DEL RIO: The call of the Christian Church addressed to the latter day Jews in the four quarters of the world. HAHN: The call of the Gospel of peace to the heathen world. WORDSWORTH: The summons reiterated, as addressed to Jew and Gentile to return to God. THRUPP: Call to the Church to return in peace from victorious conflict. HAWKER: The call of the Triune Jehovah. ‘Shulamite.’ הַשּׁוּלַמִּית ha-shulammith. Different meanings and derivations of the name given. Probably named from Solomon. שְׁלֹמֹה Shelomo; ‘she who is Solomon’s Bride;’ or, ‘she who has been visited with peace.’ GESENIUS. The Bepeaced. THRUPP. A dialectic variation of Shunemite, from Shunem, also called Solam, the place of her abode. Zöckler. Shunem called Solam as early as the time of Eusebius, who refers to 1 Kings 1:3; 1 Kings 2:17, as a possible explanation of the term. GESENIUS. Inhabitant of Salem or Jerusalem. ABEN EZRA, KIMCHI, COCCEIUS, PATRICK, &c. From שָׁלֵם perfect, or שִׁלֵּם to restore; the perfect or restored one. WEISS. Perfect in thy faithfulness. RASHI. SEPTUAGINT: Sunamite; though the Complutensian and Royal Editions have Sulanute. VULGATE, SYRIAC, and ARABIC: Sulamite. AQUILA: She who is at peace. WICKLIFFE: Sunamytis. The name here used to remind her of her condition as Solomon’s bride, and so to remove her bashfulness. PERCY.
Ibid. As it were the company of two armies. The answer given by the Bridegroom. So THEODORET and the Fathers. By his friends. CALVIN. By the ‘daughters.’ ZÖCKLER and many moderns. A continuation of the Virgin’s question. DE WETTE and others ‘As it were the company,’ &c. כִּמְחֹלַת מַחֲנַיִם (kimkholath mahanaim). מְחֹלָה (mekholah) a choir or dance, to celebrate a victory; from חוּל to turn or go round, to dance. GESENIUS. מָחוּל (makhul) always a religious dance, or dance at a religious festival (Exodus 15:20; Judges 21:19; Jeremiah 31:4; Jeremiah 31:13). EWALD. מָחוּל a circular dance, well known and common to the Orientals in feasts and solemn occasions, performed by several companies at once and by ranks, moving in opposite directions; performed anciently round heathen idols. WEISS. מְחלָה, like מָחוֹל, a chorus or dance; processions or bands constantly employed on occasions of public rejoicing. FRY. מַחֲנַיִם (mahanaim); dual or plural of מַחֲנֶה, a camp or army; from חנה, to pitch tent: here, according to some, the heavenly hosts or angels. So GESENIUS and DELITZSCH. Two hosts or choral bands. PERCY, GOOD. Two bands; alluding probably to the two choruses or semi-chorusses that accompanied the Bride and Bridegroom. WILLIAMS. Two camps. A. CLARKE. Simply, Mahanaim: ‘The dance of Mahanaim.’ ZÖCKLER. What resembles the dance of M.: they would see her dance. EWALD, who observes: Mahanaim was an old city on the other side of Jordan celebrated in Jacob’s time (Genesis 32:3): must have become in the poet’s time celebrated for its female dancers at the solemn religious festivals, having been a holy city from antiquity through Jacob’s abode in it: home such dances, as at Shiloh (Judges 21:19), in the Kingdom of Israel, at first only at Dan and Beersheba (1 Kings 12:28), afterwards in in many other cities (Amos 4:4; Amos 5:5). These remarks, however, made on the supposition that the Song was composed by a later poet than Solomon. The SEPTUAGINT has: As choruses or dances of the camps. VULGATE: Unless the choruses of camps. WICKLIFF: But quires of tents. DOUAI: The dance of the angelic choirs. LUTHER: As the ranks at Mahanaim. DUTCH: A row of two armies. DIODATI and MARTIN: As a dance of two companies. VATABLUS, PAGNINUS, MERCER, &c.: As the chorus of a camp or camps. JUNIUS and TREMELLIUS: The quite of Mahanaim. BRIGHTMAN: What but as the company of an army. SANCTIUS: Indicates sweetest pleasure, whether it be a chorus of dancers or instrumental music. Refers to the songs or praises of warriors. RUPERT. Singing a triumph as conquerors. THEODORET. As it were the meeting or conflict of two hosts. PERCY. Rather the amiable junction of two friendly companies as in a dance. HARMER. The rushing together after the manner of dancers. GOOD. The squadrons of two hosts dazzling by their armour, and performing their evolutions with the greatest order and beauty. BOOTHROYD, COHBIN. Indicates the stateliness and majesty of two armies in battle array. GILL. Allegorically: In the Church is both warfare and festivity, choirs and camps; fighting first and singing afterwards. THEODORET. Indicates the glorious presence of God in the Christian Church, resembling what Jacob saw at Mahanaim, or in the hosts of heaven. PATRICK. The deliverance of Shulamite from her miseries, and the joy of men and angels for her victory. AINSWORTH. The union of Jews and Gentile; or rather, the conflict between the flesh and the spirit in a believer. GILL. Indicates only a certain terrible and wonderful majesty. MERCER. The Church’s excellence. DURHAM. A band of two camps united under one leader: seen in the desire of Luther and others in regard to the Bohemians in 1522 COCCEIUS. Points to the time when the Beloved shall he as an ensign to the nations, and the two armies of Jews and Gentiles shall be united. WEISS. Something as magnificent and transporting as the dance of the angel bands at Mahanaim: the sight of Shulamite one of angelic beauty and heavenly sublimity. ZÖCKLER.
THE CALL TO SHULAMITE
Return, return, O, Shulamite;
Return, return;
That we may look upon thee.
Probably the language of the King, speaking in the plural as in chap. Song of Solomon 1:11, perhaps as being attended by companions. Expressive of admiration of Shulamite’s beauty, and ardent desire for her presence and society. Shulamite, though entreated to return, supposed to be near enough to answer the call. ‘What will ye see in the Shulamite?’ Her attempted flight from the King, from whatever cause, supposed in the call. Probably from conscious unworthiness, as indicated in her answer, ‘What will ye see?’ &c. The reference in the words, and their connection with the preceding, obscure. Clearer on the supposition of the king relating his first meeting with his future Bride. Perhaps the allusion to the Bride’s own narrative. The spiritual application of the words little affected by the obscurity of the reference. The allegorical meaning, the principal matter, sufficiently obvious. Similar language too frequently addressed through the prophets by the heavenly Bridegroom to His ancient Church. The text in harmony with such passages as Jeremiah 3:1; Jeremiah 3:12; Jeremiah 3:20; Jeremiah 4:1; Jeremiah 5:23; Jeremiah 31:22; Hosea 12:6; Hosea 14:1; Joel 2:13; Zechariah 1:3. May be viewed therefore as a prophetic intimation—
(1) of Israel’s departure from the Lord in the time of the kings, as well as in that of the Saviour; and of the earnestness with which the Lord, first by His prophets, then by Himself personally in the flesh, and subsequently by His Apostles and servants, sought to bring back His backslidden people. The Gospel to be first preached in Jerusalem and to the Jewish nation. Christ’s personal call and that of His forerunner: ‘Repent.’ ‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! how often would I have gathered thy children together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings!’ The Apostles’ call to the same people: ‘Repent and be converted.’
(2) Of the same tendency in the New Testament Church. A similar call on the part of the Bridegroom heard in most of the Epistles to the Seven Churches. Because iniquity should abound, the love of many should wax cold. The caution as necessary for the New Testament Church as for the Old: ‘Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.’ The Epistle to the Hebrews written especially to guard the Hebrew Christians from backsliding and apostacy. Paul’s Epistle to the Churches of Galatia indicative of a similar danger: ‘O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth?’ ‘Be not again entangled in the yoke of bondage.’ ‘I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel.’ ‘Ye did run well: who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth.’ Practical as well as doctrinal departures even then to be mourned over. ‘Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world.’ Observe in regard to the
Call to Return.
I. The PARTY called. ‘O Shulamite.’ Different significations assigned to the name.
(1) Bride of Solomon; the name viewed as the feminine form of Solomon. The Bride thus named from her husband. So Christ’s new name to be written upon His faithful people (Revelation 3:12). Disciples called ‘Christians’ or ‘Christ’s people.’ The same name given to both the heavenly Bridegroom and the Bride: ‘The Lord our righteousness’ (Jeremiah 23:6; Jeremiah 33:16).
(2) One who has been reconciled, or has obtained peace. As Solomon is ‘The Peaceful,’ or ‘The Peace-giver;’ so Shulamite, ‘The Pacified,’ or ‘The Peace—receiver.’ ‘Justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ ‘He is our peace,’ ‘having made peace through the blood of His cross; and you hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death’ Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:14; Colossians 1:20; Colossians 1:22).
(3) The perfect One. So chap. Song of Solomon 4:7; Song of Solomon 6:9. Israel’s beauty said to have been ‘perfect’ through Jehovah’s comeliness put upon her (Ezekiel 16:14). Believers complete in Christ. Called to be perfect as God is perfect; to be ‘perfect and entire, wanting nothing;’ to ‘stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.’
(4) An inhabitant of Salem or Jerusalem (Psalms 76:2). The Bride made such by her union with Solomon. Believers, through union with Christ, made citizens of the new and heavenly Jerusalem—the Jerusalem which is above. Their citizenship in heaven, from whence they look for the Saviour (Philippians 3:19; Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 3:12; Galatians 4:23). Jerusalem also literally the birthplace of the New Testament Church, which had its first meetings in that city, and began from thence to publish the glad tidings of salvation and peace to the world (Luke 24:47; Isaiah 40:9).
(5) Equivalent to Shulamite, or an inhabitant of Shunem, early known as Sulem, and corresponding with the present Solam, a village about three miles north of Jezreel. The Bride thus apparently identified with Abishag (1 Kings 1:3), and reminded of her native home and humble origin. Believers not to forget the ‘hole of the pit’ from whence they were taken, and the dust and dunghill from which rich and sovereign grace stooped to lift them, in order to ‘set them among princes and make them inherit the throne of glory’ (1 Samuel 2:8; Psalms 113:7; Isaiah 51:1). The text, viewed as Christ’s call to His timid, down-cast and backslidden people, thus given in the greatest tenderness and love, as to those whom He has already espoused to Himself. Reminds them of their abiding union with and interest in Him. Like that to Israel: ‘Turn O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married to you’ (Jeremiah 3:14). The bond that unites Christ’s people to Himself indissoluble. ‘I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore, with loving kindness have I drawn thee.’ ‘I will betroth thee unto Me for ever’ (Jeremiah 31:3; Hosea 2:19).
II. The CALL itself. ‘Return.’ The call, as addressed to Shulamite, not merely applicable to Solomon’s first meeting with her. Her own narrative indicative of its subsequent appropriateness. Man’s return to God the aim of all Divine revelation and the economy of redemption. Sin and the fall a departure from God. The first act of our fallen parents symbolical of the moral state into which the fall brought mankind—a fleeing from our Maker. The tendency in man’s fallen nature continually to do the same. Man now by nature actually in a state of departure and apostasy from God. The Bible a continuous call to men to return to Him from whom they have revolted. Christ’s redeemed Church naturally in this state of apostasy from God in common with others. The object of Christ to bring her back from her wandering. ‘I came not call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’ Hence the parables of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Piece of Money, and the Prodigal Son. Every converted soul an example of obedience to the call in the text. The Gospel call: ‘Turn ye, turn ye; for why will ye die?’ ‘Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, for He will have mercy upon him.’ ‘Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden; and I will give you rest.’ Same proneness to depart from God in the carnal nature still remaining in the believer. Constant tendency to backslide. The tendency too often yielded to. Believers not unfrequently in a backslidden state. The first of the Seven Epistles of the ascended Saviour a reproof for having left ‘first love,’ and a call to ‘repent and do the first works.’ The last of them a similar call to ‘be zealous and repent.’ Cowper’s lament too frequently to be made by Christ’s Bride: ‘Where is the blessedness I knew, when first I saw the Lord?’ Believers, like Peter, often requiring a second conversion. As addressed to believers, the call in the text to—
(1) The ardour of first love. So the call to the Church at Ephesus (Revelation 2:4).
(2) Renewed zeal in His service. ‘Do the first works’ (Revelation 2:5).
(3) To a holy and Christlike life.
(4) To closeness of walk with God and with Jesus Christ. The nature of sin to cause coolness and distance between the soul and God.
(5) To the peace and comfort formerly enjoyed. David’s sin cost him broken bones and sleepless nights. The joy of God’s salvation lost through backsliding, though the salvation itself is not (Psalms 51:8; Psalms 51:12).
III. The MANNER of the Call. Indicated in the fourfold repetition of the same word: ‘Return.’ Intimates—
1. Its earnestness. Like the Call in Ezekiel: ‘Turn ye, turn ye; for why will ye die?’ Yet even that double call here repeated. Shows the earnestness of Christ both for the return of a sinner, and of a backslidden believer. ‘Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thy children together!’ Corresponds with all that He has done and suffered for the salvation of men. So He stands at the door and knocks, as if unwilling to depart.
2. Its continuousness. Not once or twice, but four times. ‘All day long have I stretched out my hand to a disobedient and gainsaying people.’ ‘How shall I give thee up, Ephraim?’ The patience of God with His backslidden people, and the continuousness of His call to sinners to repent, something wonderful.
3. Its kindness. Each successive ‘Return’ a declaration of His loving heart. One such call to a sinner or backslider a token of love. What when it is repeated four times over?
4. The difficulty of compliance. Great the unwillingness to return, or the difficulty of doing so, that requires a four times repeated call to overcome it. Much easier to stray and backslide than to return. Departure from God a downward motion. The return an ascent. Impossible to renew a certain once favoured class to repentance. Yet nothing impossible with God. Christ’s fourfold call, entering the ear and heart, the means of overcoming the natural reluctance and fear, as well of a sinner as a backsliding saint. The longer the Prodigal’s absence, the more difficult his return.
5. The seriousness of the case. No slight cause the occasion of a fourfold call. Awful condition of the soul away from Christ. Mournful, as well as hazardous, state of a backslider. Such a thing as a ‘drawing back unto perdition.’ Sad loss both to himself and others when a believer keeps at a distance from God.
6. The duty and necessity of immediate compliance. When Christ calls earnestly to return, hazardous as well as sinful to sit still. Such a Call to be at once followed by the Prodigal’s resolution: ‘I will arise and go to my Father.’
IV. The OBJECT of the Call. ‘That we may look upon Thee’—admire and enjoy Thy beauty. The language of the king, either for himself alone, or for others with him. Christ speaks to His people both in His own name and the Father’s. ‘My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him’ (John 14:23). The object of the Call to sinners and backsliders, to return that Christ the Father may rejoice in their spiritual beauty as restored, renewed, and saved souls. The pleasure and glory of God necessarily the object of all His dealings with His creatures. ‘He hath made all things for Himself.’ ‘For Thy pleasure they are and were created. So with believers: ‘This people have I formed for Myself, that they may show forth My praise’ (Isaiah 3:2). Believers chosen by God in Christ to be ‘holy and without blame before Him in love’ (Ephesians 1:4). God’s greatest glory and joy in looking on lost sinners restored, renewed, and saved by the obedience of His Son, and the grace of His Spirit. Saved souls the Saviour’s reward, and the subject of His joy (Isaiah 53:10; Luke 15:5). His love to sinners indicated in the joy He feels in their salvation. His lore to His people shown in the pleasure He has in their spirituality, beauty, and prosperity. His joy especially in beholding them returning from their wanderings, and giving up all for His sake. His delight in their beauty an argument for their entire consecration. ‘Forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house. So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty’ (Psalms 45:10). The sinner exhorted to return for his own take; the saint for his Saviour’s. Yet a powerful argument with the sinner that God has pleasure in his salvation, not in his destruction. ‘Turn ye, turn ye; for why will ye die? I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that he should turn unto Me and live’ (Ezekiel 18:18; Ezekiel 18:23; Ezekiel 33:11). An irresistible motive in the hands of the Spirit both with the sinner and the saint, that a Three-One God is glorified and rejoices in his return.
SHULAMITE’S DIFFIDENCE
What will ye see in the Shulamite?
The question the reply to the Call. Shulamite little conscious of any such beauty and attractiveness. Acknowledges herself Solomon’s wife; or perhaps confesses to her humble origin. ‘What am I, and what is my father’s house?’ So Gideon when called to be Israel’s deliverer: ‘My family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house’ (Judges 6:14). One effort of grace to make us conscious of our unworthiness. Moses, on coming down from the Mount, wist not that his face shone. Isaiah in the Temple: ‘I am a man of unclean lips.’ Peter in the presence of a divine Saviour: ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.’ Job: ‘Now mine eye seeth Thee; wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.’ The more light, the more defects seen. Company with Christ discovers our shortcomings. Formerly, before the marriage, Shulamite defended her beauty before the daughters of Jerusalem. After being for a little with her Beloved, she hangs her head: ‘I am but a common wildflower of the plain—a lily of the valley.’ Now, as the King’s married wife: ‘What will ye see in the Shulamite?’ So Paul, righteous in his own eyes before he had seen the Lord; then, ‘less than the least of all saints;’ last of all, ‘the chief of sinners.’ Sight of Christ shows us our own deformity. John Wesley’s dying testimony: ‘I the chief of sinners am; But Jesus died for me.’ That of William Wilberforce: ‘By the grace of God I am what I am.’ Humility, in God’s estimation the greatest beauty. ‘To that man will I look who is humble.’ The great Exemplar meek and lowly in heart. Humility the first lesson He teaches. The ‘poor in spirit’ the heirs of the kingdom. Humility to be the believer’s clothing. A believer puts on humility as he puts on Christ. The believer’s twofold testimony: ‘I am nothing; Christ is all.’ The glow-worm hides itself in the light which clothes it. The question of the Shulamite that of Peter and John after Pentecost: ‘Why look ye so earnestly upon us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?’ (Acts 3:12).
Yet, notwithstanding unworthiness, believers still Christ’s spouse. That relation to Christ to be maintained in the face of all shortcomings. Believers not to deny the grace of God in them and towards them. Sense of sin and unworthiness quite compatible with consciousness of acceptance in the Beloved and the joy of faith.
THE KING’S ANSWER
As it were the company of two armies
The King’s answer intended to dispel the diffidence of the Bride. Expressive of her grace and attractiveness in his sight. The ‘company’ properly a ‘dance,’ or a ‘company of dancers.’ Dances anciently a part of religious worship. Especially practised in connection with religious festivals, the celebration of victories, and other solemn and festive occasions. Performed by several companies at once, and by ranks moving in opposite directions. Always an expression of joy, whether in God or otherwise (Exodus 15:20; Exodus 32:19; Judges 21:19; 1 Samuel 18:6; Jeremiah 31:4; Jeremiah 31:13; Psalms 149:3, doubtful; Luke 15:25; Matthew 11:11; Matthew 11:17). Religious dances still common in the East. Their introduction into the West an idea of Savanarola. The ‘armies, or camps’ either literally armies of men who, in celebration of a victory, engaged in such dances; or the angelic hosts; the word here used being the name given by Jacob to the place where the angels of God met him: Mahanaim, or, as in margin, ‘Two hosts or camps’ (Genesis 32:12). The dual form of the word, though not necessarily implying two, perhaps indicating two divisions or semi-choruses, as of the women of Israel (1 Samuel 18:7), or, of the Levites at the dedication of the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 12:12; Nehemiah 12:31; Nehemiah 12:38; Nehemiah 12:40), the companies of Levites being also called ‘camps’ (1 Chronicles 9:18). The comparison expressive of—
1. Grace and beauty. The Bride from her beauty already compared to an army with banners, whether as marshalled for battle, on the march, or under review. The beauty, perhaps, still greater of military companies engaged in a martial or festive dance, or in performing their orderly evolutions. Even this much short of the beauty of a company, or, rather of two responsive bands of angels engaged in holy dance, as expressive of their joy and praise. Such the beauty and grace of the Bride in the eyes of her Beloved. Such the beauty of the Church in the eyes of Christ amid all her blemishes and defects. The mind of Christ Himself expressed by the Apostle when he wrote to the Church at Colosse: ‘Joying and beholding your order.’ What the beauty of the Church when she shall be presented to her Bridegroom, ‘a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing?’ Beautiful and glorious indeed when the Lord of glory Himself shall, on the day of His glorious appearing, ‘be glorified in His saints, and admired in all them that believe’ (2 Thessalonians 1:10). ‘We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.’ Our vile bodies changed and ‘fashioned like His own glorious body.’
2. Grandeur and terribleness. The Bride already said to be ‘terrible as an army with banners.’ Something in great personal beauty that awes while it charms you. ‘Terror in beauty.’ So with spiritual beauty. ‘He perceived how awful goodness is.’ So with the Church after Pentecost. ‘Of the rest durst no man join himself to them; but the people magnified them’ (Acts 2:13). All that sat in the Council looking steadfastly at Stephen, ‘saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.’ A beauty in Christian meekness and patience that awes even persecutors.
3. Joy and adoration. The comparison, whether referring to things celestial or terrestrial, suggestive of joy and praise. The dance, like music in general, expressive of festive joy, and, like sacred song, employed, as already noticed, in connection with divine worship (Judges 11:34; Judges 21:21). God to be worshipped with holy gladness. Joy especially becoming in the service and worship of Him who is love itself and the fountain of every blessing. ‘O come let us sing unto the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.’ ‘Make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.’ ‘Sing unto the Lord with the harp; with the harp and the voice of a Psalm; with trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the Lord the King.’ ‘Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing.’ ‘Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; praise Him with stringed instruments and organs’ (Psalms 95:1; Psalms 98:4; Psalms 100:2; Psalms 150:4). To rejoice in the Lord a repeatedly enjoined duty. That joy, however, far removed from levity and carnal mirth. Mingled with reverence and godly fear. A holy awe in the true worship of God, which deepens instead of damping the joy. Joy, as well as love and peace, a fruit of the Spirit, (Galatians 5:22). Joy in divine worship probably only hindered by the corruption of the heart and its coldness in respect to God, from expressing itself, at certain times, in dance as well as song. The beauty and attractiveness of grace heightened by the deep and holy joy which it produces.
4. Boldness and courage. A characteristic of ‘armies,’ whether human or angelic Holy courage a grace of the Spirit. ‘Add to your faith virtue,’ or courage. Believers called to quit themselves like men, and be strong. The fearful classed with the unbelieving. Courage the child of faith. By faith men ‘out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, put to flight the armies of the aliens. Verified in the Primitive Church and in times of persecution. The noble army of martyrs. ‘They loved not their lives unto the death.’ True courage, to fear God and have no other fear. Such courage a part of the Christian character. The Church while on earth necessarily militant. The believer’s adversaries the world, the flesh, and the devil. Carries in himself two contending armies, the flesh and the spirit (Romans 7:23; Galatians 5:17; 1 Peter 2:7). The life of a believer a warfare, but a blessed one (1 Timothy 1:18; 1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 4:7). The Church enlisted under Christ as ‘the sacramental host of God’s elect,’ to do battle against its spiritual foes. Not less beautiful in the Bridegroom’s eyes because returning, like himself, with scars and wounds. A penitent and believing soul courageously fighting in the Saviour’s strength, against sin, Satan, and an evil world, more beautiful in Christ’s eyes than armies of Seraphim (Luke 15:6; Luke 15:10).
The whole redeemed Church of Christ known as two armies—the Church militant on earth, and the Church triumphant in heaven. With the latter the battle is fought, and the victory won; with the former, the fight still continues, but the victory certain. In the eye of the glorious Leader, both but ‘one army of the living God.’ The day at hand when they shall be visibly one, as ‘the armies which are in heaven,’ following their victorious Commander, who, as the Rider on the White Horse, ‘with righteousness doth judge and make war’ (Revelation 19:11).