PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — Song of Songs
Robert Ainslie Redford [1828-1906] · 201,886 words · 222 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — Song of Songs — Section 1
TUB PULPIT EDITED BY THB VERY REV. H. D. M. SPENCE, D.D., DEAN OF OLOUCESTEr.; AND BY TH~ REV. JOSEPH S. EXELL, M.A. SONG OF SOLOMON. ~xposition BY REV. R . .A.. REDFORD, M.A.., LL.B. ~omiletics BY REV. B. C. CAFFIN, M.A., VICAR OF NOR'fHALLERTON, AND RURAL DEA..'!; LATE FELLOW AND TUTOR OF WORCESTER COLLE…
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show that it breathed much of his spirit, which was both intensely Jewish and cosmopolitan, dignified and human, profound and poetic. Again, there is a considerable resemblance between the language of Solott1.on's Song and that of the Book of Proverbs-especially the first ·nine chapters and those from oh. xxii. to x…
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purpose. There have been modifications of this extreme view among the critics which have grown out of the more careful study of the poem. Goethe, e.g., while he once held that it was a mere collection of separate songs, afterwards in the 'Kunst und Alterthum' admitted that there was dramatic unity to be recognized …
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whioh is to set forth the theme of true love, and thus to lead our thoughts to the highest ideal of love. "Let him kis11 me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine." We are prepared for the rapture of first love, which is poured out in the first part in exqui.:;ite dialogue and monologue. (1) Sh…
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we bold on any particular.portion of Scripture. If the sacred writings are no more than a colleotion of Jewish literature, in which there would naturally be great variety, and not necessarily in every instance a lofty spiritual aim, then we can regard the Song of Solomon as Herder did, as a collection of beautiful East…
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evidence of 'the allegorical theory nntil the eighth century, when there appeared ·a Targum on the book itself, with Ruth, Lamentations, Esther, and ,Ecclesiastes. The allegory is taken to be a figurative representation of the history of the Israelites from the time of the exodus to their final restoration a.nd salvati…
1,074 wordsSECTION 7The Pulpit Commentary — Song of Songs — Section 7
n11.cle, the 11.rk in the wilderness, Moses on Pieg11.h, the death of Moses, entr11.nce into Can11.an, conquest and partition of Canaan, conflicts under the Judges, prosperity and peace unde1' Solomon. To these ten Old Testa- ment facts •correspond ten New Testament fulfilments-the Incarnation, teaching of Christ, …
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animation, and depth, and intensity, imd warrant, too, to the devout meditations of thousands of the most devout and of the purest minds, Those who have no consciousness of this kind, and whose feelings and notions are all 'of the earth, earthy,' will not fail to find iu this instance that which suits them, for pur…
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not reappear. In the time of Calvin, Genova was startled by the brochure of Sebastian Castellio (1544), who represented Shulamith as a ooncubine, and Jenounced the book as unworthy of a place in Scriptm·e-to the great displeasure of Calvin himself, who is said to have compelled. Castellio to withdraw from Geneva. Th…
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of !ho poem bears this out, for Solomon is so captivated by the beauty of her cl1aracter that he follows her to her native region and rural home where be i~ surrounded by her relations, to whom he vouchsafes his royal favour. It mnst not be overlooked, that by this highly artistic method not only is the contrast bet…
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Scripture. So with regard to the various erotic and naturalistic explana- tions, it cannot bo denied that there is an historical basis on which the whole rests, so that as poetry there is an ideal human element running through it which gives it both vitality and form. It is the attempt to carry it, out to an extreme wh…
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made of it. No doubt, if we look above the historical, or natural, or litern.ry aspects of the book, it is easy to find in it the meanings which we may be tempted to put there ; but the same thing may be said of the Lord's parables and of all Scripture. The historical, literary, and spiritual aspects blend in one, …
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points to the metaphor in eh. ii. 1, "I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of Iha valley," but unfortunately he has put those words into the lips of Solomon instead of the bride, which defeats his reference. Most of the other instances are equally unsatisfactory. At the same time, it must be admitted that the use of metaphors…
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EXPOSITION. come either from the wise king himself, or CHAPTER I. from some one of his contemporaries or im- Ver. 1.-The song of songs, which is mediate successors. The preposition is the Solomon's. This is certainly the title of lamedh auctoris. If the meaning were the book which follows, although in our "referri…
695 wordsSECTION 15The Pulpit Commentary — Song of Songs — Section 15
eonception in the songs which are brought be interpreted in a figurative sense, or tho toge\.h('I", but it C"annot be of importRnce to sacred character of the whole book must pro,·c tlrnt there is dran1Rtic uuity strictly be remoTed. The words muy be rendered, spenking; there is no dramatic procedure, with one of hu…
2,031 wordsSECTION 16The Pulpit Commentary — Song of Songs — Section 16
maiden feels the greatness of the honour, your eyes. Litera.lly the words nre, Do nol tha.t she is chosen of the king, and with ,ee me that I am ; i.e. do not regim:l me as simple modesty, in the presence of courtly being, because I am. There is no neceSBity IRdies around her, sets forth her cla.im. The to suppose R…
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plioity of the bride the reflection of the 1onl's knowledge referred to being general know- virtues in its joyful reo.lizo.tion of Divine ledge or wisdom. The delicate irony i~ fo.vonr; hut the true method of interpreta- well expressed, as in the reference to the tion requires no minute, deto.iled adjustment kids-" …
1,019 wordsSECTION 18The Pulpit Commentary — Song of Songs — Section 18
80, 81) ooour the following linee, rendered br&asts. Ky beloved is unto me as a into English vel'88 : - olnater of henna fl.owera in the vineyard& " Ae towers the cypl'8118 'mid the garden's of Engedi. The preterite is best tl\kon bloom. poetically for the present. The words ore A8 in the chariot proud Thessalia'n st…
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on the weet of the Dead Be11r-Hazezon cover over " (like "canopy" in Greek, ""'""'' Tamar, now Ain Tid'//, where Solomon made ,,.,,011, so called from its protecting the t.erraoes on the hillBides and covered them person nnder it from the ,cd,vonre,, o:r with gardens and vineynrds. The allusion "gnats"). It is not that…
1,185 wordsSECTION 20The Pulpit Commentary — Song of Songs — Section 20
HOMILETICS. Vers.1-4.-The prologue. I. THE INSCRIPTION. 1. The title. We are told (1 Kings iv. 32) that the songs of Solomon were a thousand and five. This is the chief of all, the Song of Songs. It stands alone in the Old Testament. It is a pastoral drama of singular loveliness. It shows a delight in the beauties …
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as Aramaic, others as dialectic peculiarities of the Lebanon country; anu we have a warning not to trust too much in human leaders. We must not put our trust in man, but only in God. When men, once honoured and esteemed, fall into sin, we cannot but be distressed; but we must not allow our faith to waver. God is the…
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jay-joy which manifests itself in psalms and hymns 1tnd spiritual songs, 2. The responS6 "/ the choms. The attendant virgins assent. 'l'he love of the Bridegroom is better th1m wine, better than the fragrance of the sweetest of perfumes, sweeter thRn ointment ponred forth which sheds its scent around. The odour of th…
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tents or Kedar, the tents of goat's he.ir in which the wandering Arab11 lived. The Ohristia.n soul knows its gui!L Worship begins ever with confession; when we draw nea.r to Christ, we are most sensible of the pla.gne of our own hearts. Christians wU: find help ood comfo!'t in communion with the like-minded; they wi…
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eacrament. His presence in the heart is the food, the life of the soul. "He th11t cometh unto me," he S11ith, "shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." And he_ m_aketh his flock to rest at noon. In the hot sultry noon of life, amid t~uble~ and_an~1et_1es and cares, he giveth rest. The wea…
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orr THE nmDEGROOM. 1. HiB addreB8. He compares the bride to a beautiful mare of his own in the chariots of Pharaoh. The words come fitly from the lips of the speaker. He was the first king of Israel who took delight in horses and chariots, and he imported them from Egypt. 'l'he words are thought to have suggested a sim…
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Light of the world), the blood of Jesus Obrist is oleansing him from aH sin, and he becomes in his poor measure a light, shining with the reflected light of the Saviour's holiness. Christ is tnade unto his people wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption; whatever beauty of character they possess…
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speak, themselves. 4. And even if the words," which is Solomon's," be held to mean that he was the author, Buch ascri,ption need MIIJe no more value than the titles of many of the psalms, which are allowed to be of no authority. f. But we read the words as " concerning Solomon." True, the poem Ii terally understood has…
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Ver. 3.-Christ's Name. "His Name is as ointment poured forth." We apply the text to him. It cannot be shown that such application is wrong. Perfumes largely used in the East-in acta of worship; in entertainments, as marks of favour to honoured guests (cf. Ps. xxiii.; John xii.). The Name of Christ is here likened to…
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comparison is just. Has not human life become sweeter in innumerable places because there the Name of Christ has been poured forth? Heaven is heaven because there his "Name is above every name." V. 'J.'HAT THEY MAKE FRAGRANT AB WELL AS ARE BO IN THEMSELVES. By this may we know whether we are Christ's. If character, te…
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II. Is VER¥ GREAT. She will be glad and rejoice. She will" remember" hie "love more than wine." That is, the soul's joy is more than any earthly means of delight and c:xliilarntion can afford. Ill. J_s SHARED IN DY ALL THE SAINTS OF GoD. "'l'he upright love thee," "No good thing will he withhold from them that walk up…
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is this, that whilst keeping the vineyards of others, their own they should not keep. Now, that this is a very real peril is evident from: 1. Their OW11, C0'11,fessi0'11,B. The words of our text are a·confession, and a sorrowful one. And they have leen adopted by such vineyard-keepers again and again. Before God, on t…
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him, and then all our outer service will be the natural product of our inner life ; not mere fruit fnstened on, but fruit grown, produced naturally by our life. And so shall we find that the inner and the outer act and react one upon the other for the mutual good of each. So, whilst we keep the vineyards of others, our…
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should do, but the other we should not leave undone. Certainly begin with your own, H may be an awful peril to begin with others. But having committed your own aoul into Christ's blessed keeping, and found him your very Lord and Saviour, now go straight away encl try and persuade others to do just what you have done…
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IV. THOSE wao wom,n 'l'HUS FIND BtM ARE VERY DEAR TO HIM, The ~pcaker,hnd ad.dressed him as "thou whom my soul loveth," :md no,v he addreBses her as tho " fR.irest among women." She hll.d ~nid of herself, "I am blnck," but he says to her, cc Thou fairest," et-0. .All this suggests what so many Scriptures teach as to…
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these memories, and is briii:ht therewith as well as fragrant, as with fair flowers and myrrh. 2. See, too, how she transfers all praise from herself to him. The king h~d told her she was fair (ver. 15). Her thoughts fly a.way to him whom she loves, and Rhe gives the praise to him (ver. 16). 3. And her love consecrate…
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room at Rugby (see 'Tom Brown's School-days'). And such courage is yet needed, 1md, thank God, is yet found. 3. The eo;quisite symmetry of form for which the choicest Arabian ~t.eeds were famous tells of that moral symmetry and harmoniousness of ch11r11ct-<'r which will one day, and should now, distinguish his Church a…
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at the to.hie of the Lord not to II discern the Lord's body," that is to make tbe service worse than useless I it le to iocur his judgment and condemnation. Let us never come to this or to any season of communion without invoking his presence. III. AND ARE MANIFESTED BY THEIR EFFECTS. "While , .. my spikenard eendeth …
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speaks the mnidcn "•ho is _the type of the'believing, Christ•loving soul. . Can we each. then, ARY of Christ., "He 1s 'my Beloved'"? If so, we may go on and say, 11 He is unto me as myrrh." II. "A CLUSTER OF CA'MPHIR'E." (Ver.14.) Snch flo1Yers were used for the decore.- t.ion of rooms and for person&l a.dornn'lent…
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Vore. I-4.-The Bridegroom and the bride. Love's native language is p0etry. When strong and happy feeling dominates the soul, it soon bursts into a sr,ng. As young life in o. fruH tree breaks out into leaf and blossom, so the spiritual fol'ce of lov0 unfolds in metaphor and music. Among the lyrics composed by Kina- Davi…
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cahnot command, by a mere volition or a mere resolve, that our love shall flow out. So the only way to intensify our love is by coming into fuller contact with his. Only life can generate life, and only the love of Christ can stir into activity the principle or true love in us. Therefore we pray, "Draw us into neare…
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outward appearance, he is devoid of attraction, destitute of ordinary beauty. 2. Thi8 blemish arises from the hard treatment of others. "My mother's children were angry with me; they made me keeper of the vineyards." Compulsion was used. The speaker had been coerced into employment which was menial and exhausting. It d…
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Ye.riely of fortunes in his passage t.o the celestial city. His fluctuations of joy and sorro11·, hope 11ud fear, resemble an April d11y. Sunshine alternates with storm. Now he is on tbe mount~in-top; now in the valley of humiliation. Now he looks into hie Master's face, and sees a smile of heavenly love; now that g…
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Vere. 12-11.-Reciprocal esteem, Love, manifested and known, will always beget love. As every plant has in its womb seed of its own kind, so, too, love has within itself generative power. If any human heart does not love our Immanuel, it is because that heart is iii;norant of him, its eyesight is. blurred, its vision is…
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of shame; and as myrrh soothes and quiets pain, so will the fragrant breath of our Immanuel heal us. 5. TM friendship qf Jesus satisfies every want. "My Beloved is uuto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi." The cluster of caruphire flowers ha~ a !enown both for beauty and for fragrance. So the exc…
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Ver. 1.-Holy lyrics. There are many songs in Old Testament Scripture-the song of deliverance from the Red Sea (Exod. xv.); the song of the well (Numb. xxi. 17, 18); the song of Moses (Deut. xxxii.); the song of Deborah (Judg. v.); the song (pre-eminently such) of David, in Ps. xviii.; and the song of Isaiah (v.). But t…
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boon m11Bt be traced to his bounty. Wine is used here poetice.lly as one of the evidences of Dh-ine provision for man's needs. Wine maketh glad the hee.rt of man, oil maketh his face t.o shine, bread strengtheneth his heart. Heaven bestows in e.bundance gifts which men often accept with ingratitude or misuse to their…
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Ver. 4.-Divine attraction. There is evidence of attraction throughout the physical universe. The earth draws all things upon it towards its centre; it draws the moon and keeps it revolving round itself. The sun draws the planets, which in their regular orbits unconsciously yield to the influence which he unconsciously …
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I. DIVINE LOVE rs WORTHY OF DEING CELEBRATED. 1. It is undeserved love, and therefore lo-ve of pure compassion. 2. It is condescending love, on the part of the King of heaven towards poor, ignorant, and sinful man. 3. It is too often ill-requited lo-vc. 4. Yet it is bountiful and beneficent love. 6. It is eacrificinu l…
1,066 wordsSECTION 49The Pulpit Commentary — Song of Songs — Section 49
Vera. 9-15.-Love and admiration. It requires imagination and a knowledge of Oriental habits of thinking fully to appreciate the language of this passage, which otherwise to our colder and less fanciful natures may appear extravagant. But expressions which may be open to the charge of extravagance as applied to ordinary…
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in that CR.Be. Rather it is thorn-plants or "banner" ( ;~) is from a root" to cover," that lmshes (choach); sec 2 Kings xiv. 9. The which covers the slu\ft or standard ; the daughters; i.e. the young damsels. 'l'he panmis, "the cloth," which is fastened to a \Yord "son" or "daughter" was commonly shaft (cf. pennon). …
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spirltt1nl life there are such experiences. haps the meaning is the same-By the pnrity The intensity of religious feeling is closely and blessedness of n. simple country life, I connected with physical exhaustion, end adjure you not to interfere with the conrse whon the soul ories for help and longs for of true love. I…
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bride is going hack in thought to the scenes the rain ia over and gone ; the flowera of her home-life, and the sweet days of first appear on the earth ; the time of the sing• love. "The house stands alone among the ing of birds ia oome, e.nd the voioe of the rockB and deep in the mountain range: turtle ie heard in o…
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Ver. 14.-0 my dove, that a.rt in the clefts up some well-known conntry ditty, and sinrs of the rook, in the oovert of the steep places, it outside the window a.a a playful repetition let me see thy oountene.nce, let me hee.r thy of the invitation to appear? The words rlo voioe; for sweet is thyvoioe, and thy oounte- se…
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he e.bid0B, spreads racliancy and loveliness concrete-" the mountains of separation," e.bout him," or "in whose footsteps roses i.e. the mouute.l.ns whioh separate. LXX. e.nd IiliC's cv0r blonm." At least, they are llp71 .-ciiv 1<01'/\a,p.a..-oi11," decusallted mountains.'1 expl'('.ssive of entire self-surrender and…
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writers Identify it with the scarlet anemone, which is ver_y abundant all over Palestine. Solomon's bride compares herself to the lily; but even Solomon himself, the Lord said, "in all his glory was not arrayed as one of these," The Lord bids us "consider the lilios." When wo look up to the heaven, to the vast distance…
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the cross rather than in any form of 6Rrthly joy; hence the words of St. Paul, "God forbid that l should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified un!o me, ~nd I u~to the world" (Gal. vi. 14). As St. Paul gloried in the cross, ~o the bnde delighted m the shadow of the beloved. …
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Oh!'istians to tho blessed sacrament is the love of Christ. The banner tells of battle and of victory. We are told that after the conflict between Israel and Amalek in Rephidim, when the victory was won through the sustained persevering prayer of Moses, " Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi: f…
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The bride longs for yet tendet'er tokens of affection. Perhaps the wor,ls of vcr. 6 would be better rendered as a wish or prayer, ns in eh. viii. 3, where they occur aanin: "Oh that his left hand were under my head, and his right hand should embrace ;_e I " 'l'he Christ,ian longs to be drawn ever closer into the Lor…
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brigMness into the poorest abode; the true Light "lighteth every man" (John i. 9). 2. The call. Those first words of love are treasured up in the memory of th3 bride; 11he remembers every tone of the bridegroom's voice, the place, the time, all the surroundings. The Hebrew word is that which the Lord used when he cal…
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blessed love, " .Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away." It may be that in that second call we may discern an anticipation of the midnigbt cry," Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye forth to meet him." Then he will call his chosen into that blessed ParAdise, the true gl\rden of the Lord, into which he led one f…
942 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical Pulpit Commentary. Source page identifies the volume as Public Domain; text extracted from its historical PDF.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.