| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
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| 1 The song of songs, which is Solomon's. |
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*
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| 2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; For thy love is better than wine.
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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*
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| 3 Thine ointments savour sweetly; Thy name is an ointment poured forth: Therefore do the virgins love thee. |
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*
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| 4 Draw me, we will run after thee! --The king hath brought me into his chambers--We will be glad and rejoice in thee, We will remember thy love more than wine. They love thee uprightly. |
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*
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| 5 I am black, but comely, daughters of Jerusalem, As the tents of Kedar, As the curtains of Solomon. |
I 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*
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| 6 Look not upon me, because I am black; Because the sun hath looked upon me. My mother's children were angry with me: They made me keeper of the vineyards; Mine own vineyard have I not kept. |
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*
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| 7 Tell me, thou whom my soul loveth, Where thou feedest thy flock, Where thou makest it to rest at noon; For why should I be as one veiled Beside the flocks of thy companions? |
My soul – Being's affections. R205:3
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| 8 If thou know not, thou fairest among women, Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, And feed thy kids beside the shepherds' booths. |
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| 9 I compare thee, my love, To a steed in Pharaoh's chariots. |
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| 10 Thy cheeks are comely with bead-rows, Thy neck with ornamental chains. |
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| 11 We will make thee bead-rows of gold With studs of silver. |
Borders of gold – Symbol of the divine nature. T18
With studs of silver – Symbol of truth. T114
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| 12 While the king is at his table, My spikenard sendeth forth its fragrance. |
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| 13 A bundle of myrrh is my beloved unto me; He shall pass the night between my breasts. |
A bundle of myrrh – Symbol of wisdom. R4093:2*
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| 14 My beloved is unto me a cluster of henna-flowers In the vineyards of Engedi. |
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| 15 Behold, thou art fair, my love; Behold, thou art fair: thine eyes are doves. |
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| 16 Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant; Also our bed is green. |
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| 17 The beams of our houses are cedars, Our rafters are cypresses. |
Are cedar – An everlasting tree, symbol of everlasting life. T109; R1364:5
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