Song of Solomon
General
The
Song of Solomon, though in the form of an oriental love song, is really an
allegorical representation of the mutual love of Christ and the Church. R1517:4
Outline for study of the book. R4232*
Song of
Solomon 1
Song of Solomon 1:1
Song of songs -- Harmony of harmonies. R4232:1*, R1517:4
Although Solomon's songs were 1005
(1 Kings 4:32) they were not all deemed of the Lord worthy of preservation as a
portion of the sacred Scriptures. R2053:4
The figurative expressions of
Solomon's Song should not be allowed to exercise fanciful impressions upon our
minds of physical or sensuous manifestations of our heavenly Bridegroom's love
and care. R4562:2*
Which Is Solomon's -- Type of Christ in glory, as David was a type of Christ
in the flesh. R4232:1*
Song of Solomon 1:2
Let him kiss me -- A form of salutation which has always signified closest
fellowship. R4232:1*
With the kisses -- The oft repeated endearments. R4232:1*
Of his mouth -- Full heart recognition of the exceeding great and
precious promises and their application to oneself. R4562:2*
Does not indicate a physical
manifestation of Christ's care. R4562:2*
Of his Word, the Scriptures.
R4232:1*
For thy love -- Thy caresses, the repeated assurances of guidance,
protection, companionship, love and care. R4232:1*
Is better than wine --Symbol of doctrine. R5633:2, R4232:1*
The Lord's assurances of love are
even more precious to the Church than are the precious doctrines so vital to
her happiness. R4232:1*
Song of Solomon 1:3
Because of the savour -- Sweet perfume. R4232:2*
Good ointments -- The holy Spirit, composed of myrrh (wisdom), cinnamon
(understanding), calamus (knowledge), cassia (deputyship), the holy anointing
oil of the priesthood. R4232:2*
Thy name -- Christ, which means "anointed." R4232:2*
Is as ointment -- Symbol of the holy Spirit. T37
Poured forth -- At his baptism, upon the Head; at Pentecost, on the
Body. R4232:2*
Therefore -- Because of their admiration and appreciation of Christ's
holy Spirit. R4232:2*
Do the virgins -- The pure in heart. R4232:2*
Love thee -- Seek fellowship with thee, aspire to learn of thee, to
cultivate thy graces, to be near thee. R4232:2*
Song of Solomon 1:4
Draw me -- "No man can come to me except the Father draw
him." (John 6:44) R4232:2*
We will run -- Run with patience the race set before us; run for the
prize (Heb. 12:1); so run that we may obtain. R4232:2*
After thee -- The forerunner, the Head, that in all things he might
have the preeminence. (Col. 1:18) R4232:3*
The king -- The Lord Jesus, typified by Solomon. R4232:3*
Hath brought me -- Even in the present life. R4232:3*
Into his chambers -- Into the "Holy," the spirit-begotten
condition. R4232:3*
We will be glad -- "Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye
righteous." (Psa. 32:11) R4232:4*
And rejoice in thee -- "And again I say, rejoice." (Phil. 4:4)
R4232:4*
We will remember -- Will meditate upon, think of. R4232:4*
Thy love -- Thy caresses, assurances of guidance, protection,
companionship, love and care. R4232:4*
More than wine -- More even than the doctrines so precious to us. R4232:4*
The upright -- Those without deceit, the guileless, the pure-hearted.
R4232:4*
Love thee -- Seek fellowship with thee, aspire to learn of thee, to
cultivate thy graces, to be near thee. R4232:4*
Song of Solomon 1:5
1 am black -- The Ethiopian eunuch to whom Philip was sent was a black
man. (Acts 8:27) The Queen of Sheba is presumed to have been a Negress.
R3043:1; HG508:4
The bride of Moses, Zipporah, type
of the Bride of Christ, was an Ethiopian woman. R4232:4*
But comely -- The King's daughter is all glorious within (Psa. 45:13);
her intentions are pure, spotless in God's sight. R4232:4*
O ye daughters -- Professed children. R4232:4*
Of Jerusalem -- Symbol of the Kingdom of God. A296; R4232:5*
Tents of Kedar -- Kedar was one of the children of Ishmael. Their tents,
though outwardly weather beaten, were often extremely luxurious inside, being
hung with costly tapestries. R4232:5*
Curtains -- Between the Holy and the Most Holy. R4232:5*
Of Solomon -- Of Solomon's Temple. A similar one in Herod's Temple was
a most wonderful curtain, being some 30
feet long, 15 feet wide and 5
inches thick. R4232:5*
Song of Solomon 1:6
Look not upon me -- "Look not so upon me" (Leeser); the Church
kindly expostulates with her critics. R4232:5*
Because I am black -- "Because I am somewhat black" (Leeser). The
Church does not deny her imperfections, but is not disposed to admit the contentions
of her faultfinders that she is altogether worthless. R4232:5*
Because the sun -- The searching light of the true Gospel which exposes
every defect. R4232:5*
Hath looked upon me --Judgment must begin at the house of God. God's Word
fearlessly exposes the weaknesses of every noble character whose life is there
recorded. R4232:5*
That is to say, the sun hath made
me black. HG509:5
My mother's children -- Sitting and speaking against their brother, their own
mother's son. R4232:5*
Were angry with me -- "The brother shall betray the brother to
death." (Matt. 10:21) R4232:6*
"Your brethren that hated
you, that cast you out for my name's sake." (Isa. 66:5) R4232:6*
They made me -- Elected me, appointed me. R4232:6*
Keeper -- Class leader, Sunday School teacher, etc. R4232:6*
Of the vineyards -- Sunday Schools, Christian Endeavor Societies, etc.
R4232:6*
But mine own vineyard -- The cultivation of the true vine. "I am the vine,
ye are the branches. " (John 15:1) R4232:6*
Have I not kept -- Because my Father is the husbandman. (John 15:1)
R4232:6*
Song of Solomon 1:7
My soul -- Being's affections. R205:3
Song of Solomon 1:11
Borders of gold -- Symbol of the divine nature. T18
With studs of silver -- Symbol of truth. T114
Song of Solomon 1:13
A bundle of myrrh -- Symbol of wisdom. R4093:2*
Song of Solomon 1:17
Are cedar -- An everlasting tree, symbol of everlasting life. T109;
R1364:5
Song of
Solomon 2
Song of Solomon 2:3
And his fruit -- Symbol of the fruits of the spirit. E206
Song of Solomon 2:4
Banqueting house -- "He shall gird himself, and make them to sit down
to meat" at his second advent. (Luke 12:37) D612
More truth is now due than at any
time in the history of the Church. R5501:4
Song of Solomon 2:8
Upon the mountains -- Kingdoms. A318
Upon the hills -- The less autocratic governments. D551
Song of Solomon 2:13
The fig tree -- Symbol of the Jewish nation. D604
Putteth forth ... figs -- Not only do we recognize that the restoration of the
Jews is at hand, but also that the Kingdom of God is nigh. R127:5*
The tender grape -- Mature fruits of character. A mark of ripe fruit is
tenderness. E206; R1317:5*
Song of Solomon 2:14
O my dove -- A dove-like character. R3759:5*
Pure, harmless, gentle,
defenseless, helpless, timid: its only safety being in flight. R3759:2*
Clefts of the rock -- The Rock of Ages. R3759:5*
Secret places -- Immanuel is the secret of the stairs. R3759:5*
Song of Solomon 2:15
Take us -- Help us to catch. R5886:2
The foxes -- Very cunning, not capable of ferocity and viciousness,
but is nevertheless cause of much harm. An appearance of docility makes it more
dangerous, less likely to arouse suspicion of its evil intentions. R5886:2
Little foxes -- King Solomon seems to be picturing the depravities of
our fallen nature which are not so extreme, but very harmful. R5886:2
Little sins which are really more
dangerous than grosser sins because we are less likely to be on guard against
them. R5886:3
Careless, thoughtless, impatient
words; little grumblings; a sarcastic word or laugh or look or shrug. R5886:6
Spoil the vines -- Small sins, as little foxes, tear the branches and gnaw
at the roots of the spiritual vine, endangering its very life. R5886:3
Tender -- As grapes during the formative period are exceeding
tender, so the Spirit's fruitage in immature Christians may be easily ruined.
How careful should we be to guard words and conduct in the presence of the
younger and less mature. R5886:5
Grapes -- Represent the fruits of the holy Spirit. R5886:3
Song of Solomon 2:16
Feedeth among the lilies -- Lilies are fit emblems of those who dwell in God and
abide in Christ Jesus. R843:2*
Enjoying present fellowship.
R303:2*
The Bridegroom himself feels the
loneliness of the night. R303:4*
Song of Solomon 2:17
Until the day -- The Millennial day. R303:2*
Shadows flee away -- The Bride anticipates the morning of fuller joy, even
while enjoying present fellowship. R303:2*
Be thou like a roe -- Christ Jesus. She pleads with him not to tarry. R303:2*
Song of
Solomon 3
Song of Solomon 3:6
Perfumed with myrrh -- Symbol of wisdom. R4093:2*
And frankincense -- Representing praise. R3703:4
Signifies "to be white or to
make white." It tells of the relationship between the Bridegroom and the
Bride. R84:5*
Song of Solomon 3:9
King Solomon -- Type of Christ. R1517:2; A79
Christ, Head and Body. B255
Song of Solomon 3:10
Of silver -- Symbol of truth. T114
Of gold -- Symbol of the divine nature. T18
Of purple -- Symbol of royalty. T34
Of Jerusalem -- Symbol of the Kingdom of God. A296
Song of
Solomon 4
Song of Solomon 4:1
Thou art fair -- Possessing the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit,
faith and love, we are lovely in the eyes of our Beloved. R5862:6
Song of Solomon 4:3
Of scarlet -- Symbol of the redemption from the Adamic curse through
the blood of the ransom of Christ. T34, T109
Song of Solomon 4:6
Until the day break -- The Millennial day. The Bridegroom, feeling the
loneliness of the night, longs, like the Bride, for the day. R303:2*
I -- Christ Jesus. R303:2*
Get me to the mountain -- To enjoy the freshest odors and to catch the earliest
gleams of dawn. R303:4*
Of myrrh -- Symbol of wisdom. R4093:2*
To the hill -- On that hill let us meet him in faith and watch with him
in hope. R303:4*
Of frankincense -- Symbol of praise. R3703:4
Showing the relationship between
the Bridegroom and the Bride. R84:5*
Song of Solomon 4:10
Than wine -- Symbol of doctrine. R3962:4
Of thine ointments -- Symbol of the holy Spirit. T37
The holy anointing oil, the holy
Spirit. R4232:2*
Song of Solomon 4:11
And milk -- Food for spiritual babes. A24; D577
Song of Solomon 4:13
Of pomegranates -- Symbol of the rich fruitage of Christ's redemptive work.
T30
With pleasant fruits -- Symbol of the fruits of the spirit. E206
Song of Solomon 4:14
Calamus -- Symbol of knowledge which we receive from God's Word.
R4093:1*
And cinnamon -- Symbol of our understanding of the knowledge which we
receive from God's Word. R4093:1*
Trees of frankincense -- Representing praise, heart adoration. R3703:4
Myrrh -- Symbol of wisdom. R4093:2*
Song of Solomon 4:15
A fountain -- Symbol of the Word of God. B266; R565:1
Of living waters -- Symbol of truth. C65
North wind -- An unseen force. A wind of sorrow, trouble,
disagreeableness. R4249:4*, R5815:2*
Come, thou south -- A wind of pleasantness, joy, peace, etc. R4249:4*,
R5815:2*
Blow upon -- Actuate. Let the joys and sorrows try the Church to
demonstrate which is true and which is false. R4249:4*
My garden -- The great mass of nominal Christianity, including the
true Church. R4249:4*
Spices thereof may flow -- That the graces of the spirit may become manifest.
R4249:4*
Song of
Solomon 5
Song of Solomon 5:1
I am come into -- The Lord, speaking after his return. R4249:4*
My garden -- That aggregation of individuals which contains both the
sister class and the spouse class. R4249:4*
My sister -- Foolish virgins, the Great Company. R4249:4*
My spouse -- Wise virgins, eventually to be the Lamb's wife. R4249:4*
Gathered my myrrh -- Symbol of wisdom. R4093:2*
Have drunk my wine -- Spirit of the Lord, truth, righteousness, sound mind.
R3962:6
Under the influence of which men
are heard for their much speaking. R4249:4*
With my milk -- Symbol of food for spiritual babes. A24; D577
"The sincere milk of the
Word." (1 Pet. 2:2) R4249:4*
Eat, O friends; drink -- Reverently, devotedly, thoughtfully, prayerfully,
tearfully perhaps; as we think of our Redeemer's love and sacrifice. R1505:1,
R2436:6
Song of Solomon 5:2
I sleep -- The great body of nominal Christendom would be asleep
when the Lord would come. R4249:5*
My heart waketh -- The Little Flock, the wise virgins, would be awake.
R4249:5*
Voice of my beloved -- Christ, at the second advent. R506:1*
That knocketh -- "Behold I stand at the door and knock." (Rev.
3:20) R506:1,* R505:6*
Open to me -- The door of the heart, and admit the Lord to govern
every action, word and thought. R4249:5*
My dove -- Symbol of peace and purity. E212
Song of Solomon 5:3
Have put off my coat -- Failed to recognize the necessity of the robe of
Christ's righteousness and esteemed it lightly. R4249:5*
Song of Solomon 5:5
Sweet smelling myrrh -- Symbol of wisdom. R4093:2*
Song of Solomon 5:6
Had withdrawn himself -- The foolish virgins realized that the thing for which
they had been praying for 1800 years was to be consummated. R4249:5*
Song of Solomon 5:7
Went about the city -- Babylon, Christendom. D527
Smote me -- The zeal of the foolish virgins was aroused to the
extent of suffering bitter persecution. R4249:5*
Of the walls -- Symbol of civil powers that defend Babylon. D40
Song of Solomon 5:8
Daughters of Jerusalem -- Professed children of the Kingdom. R4232:5*
The foolish virgins finally
succeed in interesting the Jews in the message of the gospel. R4249:5*
Song of Solomon 5:10
Chiefest among 10,000 -- In the eyes of the Bride, the Church; to those whose
eyes are opened. F74; R1063:2*
Song of Solomon 5:11
The most fine gold -- Symbol of the divine nature. T18
Song of Solomon 5:12
Of waters -- Symbol of truth. C65
Washed with milk -- Symbol of foundation truths. (Heb. 5:12) A24; D577
Song of Solomon 5:13
Sweet smelling myrrh -- Symbol of wisdom. R4093:2*
Song of Solomon 5:15
As the cedars -- Symbol of everlasting human life. T109
Song of Solomon 5:16
His mouth -- Utterance. B305
Altogether lovely -- Is Christ in the eyes of his Church, yet to the sinful,
envious, hateful heart of the fallen man "There is no beauty in him."
(Isa. 53:2) E161, E162; R1063:2*
This is my friend -- The chiefest of all heavenly treasures is the personal
love and friendship of Christ. R1820:3
Song of
Solomon 6
Song of Solomon 6:3
I am my beloved's -- The Bride rejoices in the Bridegroom's assured love, and
her desires and longings are not questionings as to the relationship in which
she stands to him, which is to her a settled thing. R303:2*
Only a few will be able to say
this. This union with the Beloved (Christ) implies that the step of
justification through repentance and faith in the precious blood has first
taken place. R4783:5
A positive compact or contract
with Christ is implied. R4783:5
There is no possibility for any to
get into this elect class without knowing it. R4783:5
My beloved is mine -- So long as we continue to be faithful. "He that
hath the son hath life"--eternal life. (1 John 5:12) R4784:1
Those who have Christ are really
possessors of "all things." (1 Cor. 3:22, 23) R4784:1
The Bridegroom's care, provision,
protection and comfort belong to the betrothed even now. R4784:2
Song of Solomon 6:9
My dove -- Symbol of peace and purity. E212
She is the only one -- There is but one Bride of Christ. R4655:1
Song of Solomon 6:10
As the morning -- Symbol of the Millennial age. A9; E359
Fair as the moon -- Symbol of the Law in Matt. 24 and Rev. 12. R499:4; D590
Clear as the sun -- Symbol of the gospel light, the truth, in Matt. 24 and
Rev. 12. R499:4; D590
With banners -- Symbol of the standard of the truth in Isa. 13:1, 2. D40
Song of Solomon 6:11
To see the fruits -- Symbol of the fruits of the spirit. E206
The pomegranates -- Symbol of the fruitage of redemptive work. T30
Song of
Solomon 7
Song of Solomon 7:2
Of wheat -- True children of the Kingdom. C140
Song of Solomon 7:9
Like the best wine -- See comments on Song of Solomon 1:2.
Song of Solomon 7:12
The tender grape -- Symbol of mature fruits of character, marked by
tenderness. E206; R1317:5*
The pomegranates -- Symbol of the fruitage of Christ's redemptive work. T30
Song of
Solomon 8
Song of Solomon 8:2
Of spiced wine -- Symbol of doctrine. R5633:2
See comments on Song of Solomon
1:2.
Of my pomegranate -- Symbol of the fruitage of Christ's redemptive work. T30
Song of Solomon 8:4
Of Jerusalem -- Symbol of the Kingdom of God. A296
Song of Solomon 8:5
Who is this -- The true Church, the protesting Church of God. R1841:6;
SM126:1; C65
That cometh up -- Cometh forth into prominence. C65
In God's due time his Church
emerged from the wilderness. R5501:2
Shortly to come from the
wilderness. SM126:1
From the wilderness -- At the end of the 1260 years of wilderness hiding and
Papal supremacy, from AD 539 to 1799. C65
The true Church is the Church in
the wilderness--separate from the world. R1841:6
Upon her beloved -- The arm of her beloved, the Word of God. C65
Song of Solomon 8:6
As a seal -- Or signet, the emblem of power and authority; symbol of
that which was most highly esteemed. R360:4*
Jealousy -- Jealousy of another is always an evil quality, a most
vicious kind of cruelty, unreasoning and insatiable. Signifies either
apprehension of being displaced in the affections of another or of being
outdone by a rival. It is closely allied to hatred, malice, envy, strife.
R4789:1
To the extent that its presence
has defiled the heart a cleansing should be invoked. R4789:2
When the Lord announces himself as
a "jealous God" it is not to be considered selfishness, rather he
wants all of our affections, confidence and entire trust, for our own good.
R4789:2
Jealousy in the Lord's cause is
different from jealousy in our own interest. R4789:5
We must be sure that it is not
jealousy of another, but jealousy for another. R4789:5
Cruel as the grave -- Sheol, oblivion, which engulfs all mankind. E368;
R828:5, R2600:2, R4789:1
The Bible plainly states that
death is an enemy. SM116:2
It is not only a cruel monster of
itself, but its poisonous fangs are almost certain to inflict pain and trouble
upon others. R4789:2
Song of Solomon 8:14
Make haste -- The Bride pleads with the Bridegroom not to tarry.
R303:2*
Like to a roe -- The Bride's eyes "are toward the hills" over
which she expects to behold the Bridegroom coming like a roe. R303:2*