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Song of Solomon Chapter Three                            

 

Song of Solomon 3 Outlines

A Troubled Night (v.1~5)

The Coming of Solomon (v.6~11)

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

INTRODUCTION TO SONG OF SOLOMON 3

In this chapter an account is given of an adventure of the church in quest of her beloved; of the time when and places where and the persons of whom she sought him; and of her success upon the whole; with a charge she give to the daughters of Jerusalem Song of Solomon 3:1; by whom she is commended Song of Solomon 3:6; and then Christ her beloved is described by her; by his bed and the guard about it Song of Solomon 3:7; by the chariot he rode in Song of Solomon 3:9; and by the crown he wore on his coronation day Song of Solomon 3:11.

 

Song of Solomon 3:1 The Shulamite  By night on my bed I sought the one I love; I sought him but I did not find him.
   YLT  
1On my couch by night I sought him whom my soul hath loved; I sought him and I found him not!

By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth .... The day being not yet broke the night of Jewish darkness still on the church and the shadow of the ceremonial law as yet stretched upon her; and having some knowledge of Christ by types and prophecies desires more and seeks it in the use of means: though the words may be taken in a more large sense and represent the state and condition of the church and of all true believers in any age and at one time as well as another; who when their beloved is absent it is "night" with them; as Christ's presence makes day his absence makes night; and it was now night with the Church either of affliction or of darkness and desertion and indeed of both. The word is plural "by nights"F9בלילות εν νυξιν Sept. "per noctes" V. L. Junius & Tremeilius Piscator; "in noctibus" Pagninus Montanus Tigurine versions Marckius Michaelis. ; one night after another successively she sought her beloved; which both expresses the continuance of her state and her diligence and constancy in seeking Christ. The place where she sought him was "her bed"; not the same as in Song of Solomon 1:16; which was both Christ's and hers and where a different word is used; but this was purely her own: either a bed of affliction when good men usually seek the Lord Isaiah 26:16 Hosea 5:15; or rather of carnal ease and security in which she continued and rose not up from it to seek her beloved; which shows the cold lukewarm lazy frame she was in and formal manner in which she sought him and so succeeded not: however he was stilt the person "whom her soul loved" cordially and sincerely though not so fervently as she had done; true love though it may be abated cannot be lost;

I sought him but I found him not; because she sought him not aright; not timely nor fervently and diligently nor in a proper place; not in her closet by prayer reading and meditation nor in public ordinances she afterwards did; but on her bed.

 

Song of Solomon 3:2 2 “I will rise now ” I said “And go about the city; In the streets and in the squares I will seek the one I love.” I sought him but I did not find him.
   YLT  
2-- Pray let me rise and go round the city In the streets and in the broad places I seek him whom my soul hath loved! -- I sought him and I found him not.

I will rise now .... Perceiving she had taken a wrong method and therefore unsuccessful she fixes on another; and in the strength of divine grace determines to pursue it and "now" at once immediately without any delay "rise" from her bed of sloth and ease and forego her carnal pleasures in pursuit of her beloved; which showed the sincerity of her love to him;

and go about the city; not the city of Jerusalem though there may be an allusion to it; but the spiritual city of which saints are fellow citizens where they dwell and where the word is preached and the ordinances are administered: and "going about" it as she proposed showed her diligence and industry in seeking him: and the night being an unseasonable time to walk about a city especially for women this is a further proof of her great love to Christ in that she not only exposed herself to reproach and scandal but to harm and danger also; but being fired with love and fearless of dangerF11"Audacem faciebat amor". Ovid. Metamorph. l. 4. Fab. 4. and set on finding her beloved she resolved to proceed whatever she suffered. Hence she sought him

in the streets and in the broad ways; that is of the city such as commonly are in cities; so Troy is describedF12Homer. Iliad. 2. v. 29 66 141 329. & 14. v. 88. Odyss. 22. v. 230. as a city having broad ways in it; and also AthensF13Ib. Odyss. 7. v. 80. : meaning the public ordinances of the Gospel where he takes his walks and often shows himself; in seeking him here she was right though she did not succeed;

I will seek him whom my soul loveth; her love was still the same not abated more likely to be increased through disappointment; nor was she discouraged but was determined to go on seeking till she found him;

I sought him but I found him not; this was to chastise her for her former negligence; to try her faith love and patience; and to show that even the best means though to be used are not to be depended on; and that Christ has his own time and way to make himself known to his people which depends on his sovereign will.

 

Song of Solomon 3:3 3 The watchmen who go about the city found me; I said “Have you seen the one I love?”

   YLT  3The watchmen have found me (Who are going round about the city) `Him whom my soul have loved saw ye?'

The watchmen that go about the city found me .... By whom are meant the ministers of the Gospel; who are called watchmen as the prophets were under the Old Testament Isaiah 52:8; in allusion to watchmen in cities; and are so called in regard to themselves it being their duty to watch over themselves; and to their doctrine and all opportunities to preach it and the success of it: their business with respect to others is to give the time of night; to point out the state and condition of the church; to give notice of danger to sinners in the broad road to destruction; and to saints through the prevalence of error heresy and immorality; all which require sobriety vigilance prudence courage and faithfulness; and show the necessity and utility of the Gospel ministry and the awfulness of it; and the care Christ takes of his churches in providing such officers in them. These are said to "go about the city" denoting their industry and diligence; and being in the way of their duty they "found" the church fell upon her case in their ministry and hit it exactly; which shows the efficacy of the word under a divine direction; which finds out sinners and their sins; saints and their particular cases unknown to ministers; and the church having met with something suitable to her case under their ministry

to whom I said took an opportunity privately to discourse with them and put this question to them

Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? meaning Christ; who was still the object of her love and uppermost in her thoughts; whom she thus describes without mentioning his name as if he was the only "Him" in the world worthy of any regard; which shows how much he was in her mind how much the desires and affections of her soul were towards him and that these ministers needed no other description of him. No answer is returned to her question that is recorded; not because they were not able to give one nor because they did not; and if they did not it might be owing to her haste not waiting for one; and if they did she not being able to apply it to her case no notice is taken of it: however though she did not find immediate relief by them yet she met with something from them that was of use to her afterwards as appears by what follows.

 

Song of Solomon 3:4 4 Scarcely had I passed by them When I found the one I love. I held him and would not let him go Until I had brought him to the house of my mother And into the chamber of her who conceived me.

   YLT  4But a little I passed on from them Till I found him whom my soul hath loved! I seized him and let him not go Till I brought him in unto the house of my mother -- And the chamber of her that conceived me.

It was but a little that I passed from them .... Either a small moment of time as the Targum and Aben Ezra; or a little distance of place that is from the watchmen or ministers from whom she passed; not through disrespect to them much less contempt of them; nor because she received no benefit at all from them; but her going on shows she did not rest in means but looked beyond them and went on further in the exercise of her faith and hope of finding her beloved: and meeting with him a little after she had passed from the ministers suggests that Christ is not far from his ministers and ordinances; for it follows

but I found him whom my soul loveth; which she expresses with the utmost exultation and pleasure which meeting with him must give her after such long and fruitless searches and so many disappointments; see John 1:41; and for Christ to show himself without which there is no finding him is a proof of the greatness of his love and of the freeness and sovereignty of it; and that means though to be used are not to be depended on; nor should we be discouraged when they fail since Christ can make himself known without them as he did here to the church; who says

I held him and would not let him go; which on the part of the church is expressive of her faith in him signified by laying hold on him his person righteousness grace and strength Proverbs 3:18; and of her strong affection to him grasping and embracing him in her arms of faith and love; and of her fear and jealousy lest he should depart from her again; and of her steady resolution to hold him whatever was the consequence of it: and on his part it intimates a seeming offer to be gone; and a gracious allowance to lay hold on him; and his wonderful condescension to be held by her; and the delight and pleasure he took in the exercise of her faith upon him; for it was not against but with his will he was held by her; and this she determined to do and not let go her hold

until says she

I had brought him into my mother's house and into the chambers of her that conceived me; the allusion is to the tents and apartments women had in former times distinct from their husbands Genesis 24:67; and all this may be understood either of the visible church and the ordinances of it the mother of all true believers where they are born again brought up and nourished; and where Christ may be said to be brought when his name is professed his Gospel is embraced and his ordinances are submitted to; and here the church is desirous of introducing Christ that she with others might magnify him and praise him for all the instances of his grace and goodness and have communion with him: or else the heart and the inmost recesses of it may be meant; where the incorruptible seed of divine grace is cast; where the new creature; conceived born and brought up until it becomes a perfect man; and where Christ is desired to be and to dwell by faith and saints may have uninterrupted communion with him: unless the heavenly mansions are intended the house of the Jerusalem above the mother of us all; where saints long to be with Christ enjoy him and never lose his presence more; till then the church resolves to hold him fast in the arms of faith hope and love and not let him go.

 

Song of Solomon 3:5 5 I charge you O daughters of Jerusalem By the gazelles or by the does of the field Do not stir up nor awaken love Until it pleases.

   YLT  5I have adjured you daughters of Jerusalem By the roes or by the hinds of the field Stir not up nor wake the love till she please!

I charge you O ye daughters of Jerusalem .... Which are either the words of Christ adjuring the young converts not to disturb the church; who had now Christ in her arms taking repose with him being wearied with running about in search of him: or they are the words of the church; who having experienced a long absence of Christ and having been at much pains in search of him and now had found him was very unwilling to part with him; and fearing these young converts should by any unbecoming word or action provoke him to depart she gives them a solemn charge;

by the roes and by the hinds of the field that ye stir not up nor awake my love till he please; See Gill on Song of Solomon 2:7.

 

Song of Solomon 3:6 The Shulamite 6 Who is this coming out of the wilderness Like pillars of smoke Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense With all the merchant’s fragrant powders?
   YLT  
6Who [is] this coming up from the wilderness Like palm-trees of smoke Perfumed [with] myrrh and frankincense From every powder of the merchant?

Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness .... This is said by the daughters of Jerusalem adjured in Song of Solomon 3:5; who upon the happy meeting of Christ and his church saw a greater glory and beauty in her than they had seen before; and therefore put this question not as ignorant of her but as admiring at her. By the wilderness she is said to "come out" of is meant either a state of nature as Theodoret; in which all the elect of God are before conversion and out of which they are brought by efficacious grace; called a wilderness because of the barrenness and unfruitfulness of persons in such a state; and because of the perplexed ways and tracks in it which bewilder a man that he knows not which to take; and because of the want of spiritual provisions in it; and because of the danger men are exposed unto through holes and pits and beasts of prey: in such a state God finds his people convinces them of it and brings them out of it; which is an instance of surprising and distinguishing grace: or else the world itself may be meant the wilderness of the people Ezekiel 20:35; so called because of the roughness of the way the many tribulations the saints pass through in it; and because of the traps and snares that are in it through evil men the lusts of the flesh and the temptations of Satan; because of the many evil beasts in it ungodly men false teachers and Satan the roaring lion; and because of the plentiful table God furnishes here for his people feeding them in the wilderness with Gospel doctrines and spiritual ordinances Revelation 12:14; and because of the many windings and turnings of Providence in it through all which they are led in a right way to the city of their habitation: now though they are in the world they are not of it; they are called out of it and quit as much as may be the company and conversation of the men of it; and through the grace of God are more and more weaned from it and long after another and better world; all which may be intended by their coming out of this: or else this may design a state of sorrow and distress when under desertion and without the presence of Christ; which had lately been the case of the church who had been in a bewildered condition and not knowing where her beloved was ran about here and there in quest of him like one in a wood seeking him and calling after him; but now having sight of him and some communion with him is represented as coming out of that state. She is further described as being

like pillars of smoke perfumed with myrrh and frankincense; her heart being inflamed with love to Christ her affections moved upwards heavenwards and were set on things above; and which were sincere and upright rose up in the form of palm trees as the wordF14כתימרות "ut columnae ad formam palmae assurgntes" Buxtorf; "ut palmae" Mercerus Cocceius; "instar palmarum" Tigurine version Michaelis. signifies a very upright tree; and these moved steadily towards Christ and could not be diverted from him by the winds of temptation affliction and persecution; and though there might be some degree of dulness and imperfection in them hence called "pillars of smoke"; yet being perfumed with the sweet smelling myrrh of Christ's sacrifice and the incense of his mediation became acceptable to God. It is added

with all powders of the merchant: odorous ones such are the graces of the Spirit which Christ the merchantman is full of; and makes his people their affections and prayers of a sweet smelling savour with. Ben Melech interprets it of garments perfumed with spices; see Psalm 45:8; Some render the words "above" or "more excellent than all powders of the merchant"F15so Junius & Tremellius Piscator Schmidt. druggist or apothecaryF16רוכל μυρεψου Sept. "pigmentarii" V. L. Pagninus Montanus; "pharmacopolae" Tigurine version; "seplasiarii" Mercerus Cocceius; "aromatarii" Junius & Tremellius Marckius. ; no such drug nor spice to be found in their shops that smell so sweet as Christ his grace and righteousness.

 

Song of Solomon 3:7 7 Behold it is Solomon’s couch With sixty valiant men around it Of the valiant of Israel.
   YLT  
7Lo his couch that [is] Solomon's Sixty mighty ones [are] around it Of the mighty of Israel

Behold his bed which is Solomon's .... Not Solomon the son of David and penman of this song but a greater than he the antitype of him; so it is interpreted of the Messiah by many Jewish writersF17Targum Aben Ezra Jarchi Kimchi Ben Melech and Abendana. : they were both sons of David and sons of God and kings and preachers in Jerusalem. Solomon was a type of Christ in his wisdom and wealth in the largeness and peaceableness of his kingdom; in his marriage with Pharaoh's daughter and in building the temple a figure of the church: and by his bed is meant the place where saints meet together for religious worship his church visible which is his resting and dwelling place; where souls are begotten and born again and have fellowship with Christ; and which he has a property in by gift and purchase: and a behold is prefixed to it as a note of attention directing the daughters of Jerusalem to turn off the discourse from her and from commendation of her to consider the greatness of Christ her beloved; who might conclude that if his bed was so stately as after described bow great must he himself be; and as a note of admiration to show how much she was affected with the greatness of his grace to her and the privileges she enjoyed of having nearness to him and fellowship with him;

threescore valiant men are about it of the valiant of Israel; ministers of the Gospel such as are Israelites indeed faithful and upright; and who are valiant and heartily concerned for the good and welfare of Christ's people and are careful that nothing hurt them nor disturb their rest and repose. In the number of them the allusion may be to the guard about Solomon's bed; which might consist of so many partly for the security of his royal person and partly for grandeur and majesty: and were just double the number of his father's worthies he excelling him in greatness and glory; though it may be a certain number is put for an uncertain; and this is a competent and sufficient one.

 

Song of Solomon 3:8 8 They all hold swords Being expert in war. Every man has his sword on his thigh Because of fear in the night.

   YLT  8All of them holding sword taught of battle Each his sword by his thigh for fear at night.

They all hold swords .... Or a "sword"F18 ρομφαιαν Sept. "gladium" Pagninus Junius & Tremellius Cocceius. ; the word is singular which designs the word of God called the sword of the Spirit and said to be sharper than a twoedged sword Ephesians 6:17 Hebrews 4:12; which everyone of the ministers of the Gospel hold in their hands; and which denotes not only their apprehension but their retention of it and firm adherence to it; it cleaves to them and they to that; they and their sword cannot be parted as GussetiusF19Ebr. Comment. p. 23. observes the word signifies; these ministers could not be prevailed upon to drop it or part with it but retained it to the last; which shows them to be valiant men;

being expert in war; in military straits in the spiritual war against sin Satan and the world in common with other Christians; and in fighting the good fight of faith against all opposers of the doctrines of the Gospel; knowing how to use to the best advantage the spiritual sword the Scriptures of truth to defend the Gospel and refute error;

every man hath his sword upon his thigh; as a preparation for war and an indication of readiness to engage in it Psalm 45:3; for being on the thigh it is near easy to come at at once upon occasion and so always in a posture of defence; all which expresses the familiar acquaintance ministers have with the word of God its nearness so that they can easily come at it and furnish themselves with a sufficient proof of truth and with proper arguments for the refutation of error. And this is done

because of fear in the night: when there is most danger; hence Cyrus considering that men are most easily taken when eating and drinking and in the bath and in bed and in sleep looked out for the most faithful men to be his bodyguardF20Xenophon. Cyropaedia l. 6. c. 29. . By "night" or "nights"F21בלילות "in noctibus" Pagninus Montanus Piscator Marckius Michaelis. may be meant the nights of desertion temptation affliction and persecution; when saints are in fear of their spiritual enemies and of being overcome and destroyed by them: now Christ has provided a guard for his people to prevent or remove these fears and defend them from such as would make inroads upon their faith and comfort; namely his ministers that by their ministerings they may be a means of securing their peace and comfort and of freeing them from all terrible apprehensions of things; which as it shows the safety and security of the saints so the tender care and concern of Christ for them.

 

Song of Solomon 3:9 9 Of the wood of Lebanon Solomon the King Made himself a palanquin:[a]
   YLT  
9A palanquin king Solomon made for himself Of the wood of Lebanon

King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon. The word translated chariot is only used in this place; some render it a bride chamberF21אפריון "thalamum sponsarum" Montanus. ; others a nuptial bedF23So Schmidt Marckius David de Pomis Kimchi in Sopher Shorash. rad. פרה & Ben Melech in loc. such as is carried from place to place; it is used in the MisnahF24Sotah c. 9. s. 14. & Jarchi in ibid. for the nuptial bed or open chariot in which the bride was carried from her father's house to her husband's. The Septuagint render it by φορειον a word near in sound to that in the Hebrew text and was the "lectica" of the ancients somewhat like our "sedan"; some of which were adorned with gold and precious stones and had silver feetF25Vid. Alstorph. de Lecticis Veter. c. 3. or pillars as follows: it seems upon the whole to be the nuptial chariot in which according to PausaniasF26Vid. Suidam in voce ζευγος. three only were carried the bride who sat in the middle then the bridegroom and then the friend of the bridegroom: something of this kind is the "palki" or "palanquin" of the Indians in which the bride and bridegroom are carried on the day of marriage on four men's shouldersF1Agreement of Customs between the East Indians and Jews artic. 17. p. 68. : and by this "chariot" may be meant either the human nature of Christ in which he descended and ascended to heaven; or his church in which he shows himself to his people in his ordinances where he rides in triumph conquering and to conquer by his Spirit and grace in his word; or the covenant of grace in which Christ shows the freeness and sovereignty of his love in being the Mediator surety and messenger of it; and in which his people are bore up and supported under and carried through many trials and exercises in this life and are brought triumphantly to heaven; or rather the Gospel and the ministration of it in which Christ shows himself as in a chariot in the glory of his person offices grace and love; in this he is carried up and down in the world Acts 9:15; and by it is conveyed to the souls of men; and in it he triumphs over his enemies and causes his ministers to triumph also: and he is the subject sum and substance of it and the alone author of it; for he is the Solomon here spoken of that made it; it is not a device of men's but a revelation of his and therefore called "the Gospel of Christ"; and which he gives to men to preach a commission to preach it and qualifications for it: and this he does "for himself" to set forth the glories of his person and office to display the riches of his grace and to show himself to be the only way of salvation to host sinners: and this chariot being said to be "of the wood of Lebanon" cedar which is both incorruptible and of a good smell; may denote the uncorruptness of the Gospel as dispensed by faithful ministers and the continuance and duration of it notwithstanding the efforts of men and devils to the contrary; and the acceptableness of it to the saints to whom is the savour of life unto life; and it being a nuptial chariot that seems designed it agrees with the Gospel in the ministry of which souls are brought to Christ and espoused as a chaste virgin to him 2 Corinthians 11:2.

 

Song of Solomon 3:10 10 He made its pillars of silver Its support of gold Its seat of purple Its interior paved with love By the daughters of Jerusalem.
   YLT  
10Its pillars he made of silver Its bottom of gold its seat of purple Its midst lined [with] love By the daughters of Jerusalem.

He made the pillars thereof of silver .... The truths and doctrines of the Gospel are the "pillars" of it; which like pillars are solid and substantial and continue firm and immovable and are of great use to support the children of God under the several trials and exercises they are attended with; and for their utility value and duration are said to be of "silver" and are as carefully to be sought for and into as that is and even to be preferred to it being of more worth than "thousands of gold and silver"; the ministers of the Gospel are sometimes compared to pillars and the church itself is said to be the pillar and ground of truth Galatians 2:9;

the bottom thereof of gold; Christ the golden bottom of the Gospel the sum and substance of it the principal subject in it to be insisted on; he is laid in it as the bottom ground and foundation of faith and hope and of everlasting life and salvation; and for its richness firmness and duration may be said to be of gold as the street of the New Jerusalem Revelation 21:21; or its "pavement"F2רפידתו "pavimentum ejus" Vatablus Grotius. as the word here signifies. The Septuagint render it a "reclining"F3 ανακλιτον Sept. "reclinatorium ejus" Arabic interpreter. place to sit and rest or lean upon; such is Christ;

the covering of it of purple; or the top of it; the word signifies a chariot itself: it may respect such doctrines of the Gospel which relate to redemption pardon of sin and justification through the blood of Christ; and all under the purple covering of the blood of Christ are secure from wrath to come and go safe to heaven;

the midst thereof being paved with love for the daughters of Jerusalem; the carpet wrought with lovely figures or with love stories: the doctrines and ordinances of the Gospel are full of love of God in Christ in providing Christ as a Saviour and sending him to be one; and of the love of Christ in assuming human nature and suffering and dying in it for sinners even for Jerusalem sinners; the Gospel sets forth the heart of Christ as "inflamed"F4רצוף "succcensum" Montanus Marckius; "accensum sive exustum" some in Vatablus so Aben Ezra. as the word here used signifies with love to the daughters of Jerusalem his dear children which moved him to do all he did and suffered for them; and could his heart be looked into the very images of these persons would be seen upon it: the ordinances of the Gospel are designed both to set forth in the most striking manner the love of Christ to his sons and daughters for whose sake he became man and suffered death and to draw forth their love to him; so the words may be rendered "paved with love by the daughters of Jerusalem"F5מבנות "a filiabus" Montanus Cocceius; so Sept. "a puellis" Junius & Tremellius Piscator. or "with the love of them"F6"Amore foeminarum" Tigurine version; "amore filiarum" Vatablus Mercerus. how delightful must it be to ride in such a chariot or sit under such a ministry where there is nothing but love! moreover the whole description of the "bride chamber" which some choose to render the word for "chariot" by well agrees with the New Jerusalem state as given in Revelation 21:1 where the church being as a bride prepared for her husband will be introduced the nuptial feast will be kept and Christ will be seen by the daughters of Zion in all his regal glory with the royal diadem on his head as he is described in Song of Solomon 3:11.

 

Song of Solomon 3:11 11 Go forth O daughters of Zion And see King Solomon with the crown With which his mother crowned him On the day of his wedding The day of the gladness of his heart.

   YLT  11Go forth and look ye daughters of Zion On king Solomon with the crown With which his mother crowned him In the day of his espousals And in the day of the joy of his heart!

Go forth O ye daughters of Zion .... The same with the daughters of Jerusalem; the reason of the variation is because Christ here so gloriously described is King of Zion and they his subjects; these the church observing being intent on looking at the bed and chariot she had described calls them from those objects to look at a more glorious one; to whom Solomon in all his glory on his coronation or marriage day to which the allusion is was not equal; wherefore she invites them to "go forth" and look at him as people are forward to go out of their houses to see a crowned king pass along the streets especially on his coronation day; and men never see any glory and excellency in Christ until they go out of themselves and look off of every other object to him alone;

and behold King Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals; alluding to a custom with the JewsF7Misnah Sotah c. 9. s. 14. and other nationsF8Vid. Paschalium de Coronis. l. 2. c. 16. p. 126. & Barthii Animadv. ad Claudian de Raptu Proserp. l. 2. v. 148. "Magnisque coronis conjugium fit" Claudian. Laus Serenae v. 189 190. στεφος γαμηλιον Bion. Idyl. 1. prope finem. to put nuptial crowns on the heads Of married persons both men and women on the marriage day: Christ is undoubtedly here meant by Solomon who is King of Zion King of saints; See Gill on Song of Solomon 3:7; by whose mother is meant either the church the Jerusalem above the mother of us all of Christ mystical; or else every believer who is not only his brother and sister but his mother Matthew 12:50; and this may refer to the time when Christ is first made known unto and held by a sensible sinner in the glory of his person and the fulness of his grace as sitting and riding in the chariot of the everlasting Gospel; when such honour him and crown him by venturing on him and believing in him; for every act of faith on Christ is putting the crown upon his head; and every submission to his ordinances is an acknowledging him King of saints; and every ascription of salvation to him and his grace by any is casting their crowns at his and setting one on his head; and such a time is the time of his open espousals to them when such consent to be his for ever and give up their whole selves to him; there was a secret espousal of all the elect to Christ upon the Father's grant of them to him in eternity; and there is an open espousal of them to him personally at their conversion under the ministry of the word when they are espoused as chaste virgins to Christ; at which time there is a large breaking forth of Christ's love to them and of theirs to him: hence it is called "the love of their espousals"; see 2 Corinthians 11:2; and here

the day of the gladness of his heart; when Christ gladly and cheerfully receives such souls into his embraces and rejoices over them as the bridegroom over the bride: now the church would have the daughters of "Jerusalem behold" look at this glorious person with an eye of faith and love with attention and admiration; see Zechariah 9:9; there being such astonishing incomparable and transcendent excellencies in him which require such looks as these;

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Footnotes:

  1. Song of Solomon 3:9 A portable enclosed chair