The Pulpit Commentary — Song of Songs — Section 68

enmple. Our text is a short but beautiful description of an Eastern spring, In that land of the sun it is true, as it is not always here, that in the spring-time "the winter is past, the rain is over and gone . . . heard in the land." But let us listen to some few out of the many holy and helpful lessons which this sea.son of the year is ready to teach us, if only our hearts be open to receive them. 'l.'hese teachings of the spring, then, what are they? Well, one of them is surely this- I. "RBST IN TllE LORD, AND WAIT PATIENTLY FOR BIM." 'l'ry to imagine, if you can, what your thoughts would have been during the dark winter-time, supposin"'0 you had no idea of spring. It is difficult for us even to conceive that we could ever have not known that winter gives way to spring, and that the sea.sons follow in their orderly round. But suppose one waking up to consciousness for the first time at the beginning of winter. He would have seen the days getting shorter and shorter, the cold becoming more intense, every leaf stripped from well-nigh all trees, and their unclothed, skeleton- like branches quivering and moaning in the wintry wind. He would see the bare, brown fields stiffen and become rigid under the icy blast and the imprisoning frost; and from time to time the whole land would put on its white shroud of snow a.s if it were indeed deacl. He would see all this and the many other familiar features of winter; and had he never known or heard of spring, would he ever think that such a season would come-that all the present dreariness would give way to brightness, the ll&d silence to the joyful song of birds, and the gloomy grey tints of winter to the brightness of the foliage, the blossoms, and the flowers of spring? I do not think he would. For this is how many of us feel and speak, notwithstanding perpetual reminders to the contrary, when winter reigns in the heart. Hearken to Jacob," .All these things are against me," etc.; Moses, praying God to kill him out of hand because he could not bear the people nor endure his wretchedness; Elijah, too, making the same request; and Job, and many more. .Are they not all instances of that mournful tendency in our minds, to think that when like sad wintry times are upon us so they will always be? Surely, then, the teaching of the spring is that we should "rest in the Lord," etc. ; for spring declares of him that he is the gladness-giving God; that though there be winter, yet it has to give way to the bright and joyful spring. In the natural world the" oil of joy is given for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heavi- ness." God does turn Nature's mourning into dancing; he puts off her sackcloth and girds her with gladness. "The winter is over and past," etc. Therefore may we not be well assured that so it will be with the winter of our hearts, the sadness and the silence there, if only we will "rest in the Lord," etc.? Let our prayer, then, be- "Lord, let thy love, Fresh from above, Soft as the south wind blow, Call forth its bloom. "Now when thy voice Makes earth rejoice, And the hills la.ugh and sing, Lord, tee.eh this heart To bear its pa.rt, .And join the praise of spring." II. 'l'HE rnFU:ITE TENDERNESS OF Gon. '\Ve go forth into the country, and we note all around us the first springings of that plant-life which when matured is to be of such vast value to us all. But how fragile everything looks! How little it would take to destroy the whole of it ! A too-severe storm, an over-rough wind, a frost, any out of a thousand casualties, would destroy all. But yet God takes care of it. He will not suffer the too-violent storms to come, but only gentle showers; not the rough wind, but the milder gales. Thus with infinite tenderness he rears up the young plants, 1. Now, how all this rebukes the hard thoughts of God which many have 1.ield and taught and maintained, in books as innumerable as dreary. We wonder at the heathen, in view of the loveliness of nature, fashioning their gods so cruel and relentless as they did. But that we, with nature and the gospel, should so conceive of God is sad indeed, We little kuow the mischief such hard representations do, the alienation and the bitter• tilt, It.1-17,j 'fgE SONG OF SOLOMON'. 51