The Pulpit Commentary — Song of Songs — Section 207

eonght by every means in his power to bend her will to his, but she had remained faithful to her beloved. She tells of his great estate and of the wealth he obtained from it; but-speaking of her own love-she says she has kept her vineyard, and that it needed no guardian. King Solomon may keep his wealth, and his tenants theirs. She desired neither, but was glad and thankful, her heart was filled with joy, that, tried as she had been, she had yet remained true. Taking all this as a parable, we may learn that- I. THE 0ONSOIOUSNESS OF SPIRITUAL VICTORY IB FULL OF JOY, (Cf. ver. 10.) What exultant tone there is in it: like that of the psalms which celebrate victory over enemies I The battle may often have wavered, defeat may have been very near, the struggle very severe; all such considerations invest the victory, when it comes, with great joy. To have kept ourselves unspotted from the world, how blessed this I And our own experience, we trust, has often known this union of joy with victory. The calm of spirit, the sense of the Divine approval, the " Well done! " of conscience, the sunshine in the soul when we have overcome some spiritual foe, all attest what we have said. II. TOWARDS BUCH VIOTOBB ENEMIES BECOME FRIENDS. "Then was l as one that found peace." The meaning seems to be that the king, finding all his attempts to win her to be in vain, and struck, it may be, also, with admiration of her constancy, ceased from his solicitations, and let her depart. How often the like of this is witnessed ! True, there may be foes who will remain so, though they cease from their temptations. Satan so ceased because he found he could not prevail when he tempted our Lord. But there may be those who cease their persecutions because they have ceased to be our foes. The centurion at the cross confessed, "Surely this was a righteous Man." And they who, returning from "that sight," smote their breasts in sorrow and repent- ance,-they would gladly have undone the work which that morning they had helped to do. And in the history of the Church, how perpetually was it the case that the constancy and fide-lity of her martyrs won over those who before had been her foes ; so that the saying went forth, "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church" ! And similar fidelity still wins similar triumphs; foes become friends (cf. history of Daniel). Ill. THE POSSESSION OF ONE'S OWN SOUL 1B BETTER THAN ANY OTHER POSSESSIOY BESIDE. (Cf. supra as to the probable meaning of these verses, which tell of Solomon's vineyard and her own.) She spurned all his wealth, but she prized her own truth and faithfulness. She had striven as Paul had, and succeeded in having a conscience void of olfence. And no earthly honour or wealth can be put on a level with such possession, and can never compensate for its loss. Judas lost it, and went out and hanged himself. Hence the Bible says, "Keep thine heart with all diligence, for out of it," etc. Not only the kingdom of God, but your own kingdom-that which is your own indeed, and the source of your well-being-is within you.-S. C. Vers. 13, 14.-The last appeal. These verses are spoken not by but to the beloved. Literalists say that it is the beloved who speaks, and asks his betrothed to sin:z to him, and that she complies, and sings to him her song, which we have in eh. ii. 17. But we prefer to understand the whole as her appeal to him. Note, therefore- I. 'l'HE TITLE SHE GIVES HIM. "0 thou that dwellest in the gardens" (ver. 13). The gardens are the souls of his loving people. Rightly are they so called, for he chose them for himself, loves to dwell in them, and it is needful for them that he should. (Cf. sermon by C. H. Spurgeon on 'Supposing him to be the Gardener.') II. THE PLEA SHE PUTS FORWARD THAT SHE MAY HEAR HIS VOICE. "The companions hearken to thy voice.'' We r~!!ard these companions as the angels " that do his commandments, hearkening to the voice of his word " (Ps. ciii. 20). 'l'hey hear his voice; then why should not the soul that loves him ? Doubtless we deserve it less than they, but we need it more than they. Theirs is not, as ours, the perverse and unruly will; theirs is not, as ours, the daily need to confess sin and to seek its forgiveness, for they are holy o.s we are not. But then all the more we need to hear his voice causing us to know the way wherein we should walk. And we love it as much as they. "Sweeter is thy Word to me than honey," etc.; "The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands" etc. (and cf. Ps. cxix.). And we will strive to obey it even as they; there- fore may ;ach soul plead, "Co.use me to hear it.'' 198 THE SONG OF SOLOMON. [en. \'III, 1-14.