1 On my couch by night, I sought him whom my soul hath loved; I sought him, and I found him not!
I opened to my beloved, But my beloved withdrew -- he passed on, My soul went forth when he spake, I sought him, and found him not. I called him, and he answered me not.
Declare to me, thou whom my soul hath loved, Where thou delightest, Where thou liest down at noon, For why am I as one veiled, By the ranks of thy companions?
Lo, forward I go -- and He is not, And backward -- and I perceive him not. `To' the left in His working -- and I see not, He is covered `on' the right, and I behold not.
`Tremble ye, and do not sin;' Say ye `thus' in your heart on your bed, And be ye silent. Selah.
My God, I call by day, and Thou answerest not, And by night, and there is no silence to me.
If I have remembered Thee on my couch, In the watches -- I meditate on Thee. For Thou hast been a help to me, And in the shadow of Thy wings I sing. Cleaved hath my soul after Thee, On me hath Thy right hand taken hold.
In a day of my distress the Lord I sought, My hand by night hath been spread out, And it doth not cease, My soul hath refused to be comforted. I remember God, and make a noise, I meditate, and feeble is my spirit. Selah. Thou hast taken hold of the watches of mine eyes, I have been moved, and I speak not.
A Song of the Ascents. From depths I have called Thee, Jehovah. Lord, hearken to my voice, Thine ears are attentive to the voice of my supplications.
I have adjured you, daughters of Jerusalem, If ye find my beloved -- What do ye tell him? that I `am' sick with love!
`Be striving to go in through the straight gate, because many, I say to you, will seek to go in, and shall not be able;
He saith to him the third time, `Simon, `son' of Jonas, dost thou dearly love me?' Peter was grieved that he said to him the third time, `Dost thou dearly love me?' and he said to him, `Lord, thou hast known all things; thou dost know that I dearly love thee.' Jesus saith to him, `Feed my sheep;
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Song of Songs 3
Commentary on Song of Songs 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
In this chapter,
Sgs 3:1-5
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,
Sgs 3:6
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. 1:6); 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. 49:21), Who has begotten me these?
Sgs 3:7-11
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. 1:5; 8:11, 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:-