The Pulpit Commentary — Song of Songs — Section 39

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- David, th0se which celebrate the Messiah-Prince have the richest glory of fervour; blo8s0m most into Oriental imagery; and inasmuch as Solomon inherited somewhat the poetic genius of his father, it was natural that he should pour out in mystic song the heart-throb of a nation's hopes. The deep and inseparable union between Christ and his saints is by no one set forth so clearly as by Jesus the Christ; hence love is strong and tender, because love's Object is noble, winsome, kingly, Divine. I. TnE BRIDEGROOM'S CHARMS. 1. The love of CfhriJ/ is incomparably preciou.~. "Thy love is better than wine." All true love is precious-a sacred thing, a mighty force. The love of Jesus is absolutely perfect, without any admixture of alloy. Love is the mightiest force in the universe, a magnet whose attractive power reaches from the throne of God to the very gates of hell. And love is as precious as it is potent. It makes a desert into a paradise; changes base metal into gold; transforms foul rebels into loving sons. It is a banquet for the heart; a perpetual feast; a fountain of purest joy. What the rarest wine is for a fainting body, that the love of Jesus is to a burdened soul. 2. The love of Christ is diffusive. It is as "unguent poured forth." The love of God's Son existed long before it was manifested. That love is seen in all the arrangements of creation. That love is unfolded in all the methods of daily providence. "By him all things consist." 'fhat love is shed abroad in the believer's heart "by the Holy Ghost." As the flowers in our gardens pour out their essential life in their sweet fragrance, so the love of Christ is Christ's life poured out for us. All the love which angels cherish is Christ's love diffused. He is the "First born of the creation of God." All the parental love that has ever glowed on the altar of human hearts is the love of Christ diffused. All practical benevolence for the well- being of mankind is the outflow of lmmanuel's love. The love that constrains me to _compassionate deeds and to intercessory prayers is the love of Christ diffused. Discovering the heavenly savour inspires our hearts with joy. Heaven is knit with silken cords to earth. 3. The love of Christ is condescending and gracious. "The King bath brought me into his chambers." Had we been told that God admitted into his presence-chamber the unsinuing angels, we should not have been so profoundly moved. They are rqeet for his service. But to admit the base and degenerate sons of men into his intimate friendship, this reflects o. singular glory upon his kindness; this is a miracle of love. By such familiar intercourse he trains us in kingly conduct, communicates to us Divine wisdom, moulds us into his own image. Beyond this deed of grace not even God can go. As there was no depth of humiliation to which he was not willing to Rtoop for sinners, so there is no height of excellence from which ho would exclude us. Such love no human thought can measure. It is higher than heaven: how shall we scale it? It is deeper than hell: how shall we fathom it? II. THE BRIDE'S RESPONSE. 1. Her love originates in the high re1;own of his love. " Thy Name is as ointment poured forth," So long as this strong force of love was confined within the heart of Christ, no human soul could suspect its existence. On what ground could any dweller on earth conjecture or imagine that he was the object of Immanuel's love? That love must be unfolded, declared, made clearly known. And this is what Jesus has done. Not content with warm protestations of his affection, he has stooped to perform impressive deeds of kindness-yea, prodigies of compassion. All the romantic stories of heroic love Jesus hn.s immeasurably surpa~sed. His renown is sung in all the courts of the heavenly palace. He has made for himself a" Name above every name," human or angelic. This high reputation warrants our approach, our admiration, our trust, our responsive love. "We love him, because he has first loved us." 2. Our love craves a closer fellowship with his Person. "Draw me!" 'iV e have made such discoveries of excellence in our Immanuel that we long for larger acquaintance. To us he is a vast mine of spiritual wealth, and the deeper we go the rarer jewels do w11 find. His charms seem infinite, antl no fear troubles us that we shall exhaust them. We o.re troubled that our own love is so inadequate, so unworthy; hence we desire n closor a.pprori.ch, that his spiritual beauty may quicken om languiJ. affection. Feeling the mo.guoLic power of his love, we too may be magnetized. W a  28 'rHE SONG OF SOtOMON.