Jesus was loved in the song of songs

JESUS WAS LOVED IN THE SONG OF SONGS
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Song of Solomon1:7 7Tell me, you whom I love, where
you graze your flock and where you rest your sheep at
midday. Why shouldI be like a veiledwoman beside
the flocks of your friends?
Love to Jesus BY SPURGEON
No. 338, Deliveredon September 30th, 1860, by C. H. Spurgeon, at Exeter
Hall, Strand.
"You whom my soul loves." Song of Solomon1:7.
OUTLINE
I. THE RHETORIC OF THE LIP-
its reality
its assurance
its unity
its constancy
its vehemence of affection
II. THE LOGIC OF THE HEART-
we love him for his infinite loveliness
we love him for his love to us

we love him for his suffering for us
III. A POSITIVE DEMONSTRATION-
in your daily lives
in your giving
in more extravagant love to Christ
IF the life of a Christian may be compared to a sacrifice, then humility digs
the foundation for the altar, prayer brings the unhewn stones and piles them
one upon the other; penitence fills the trench round about the altar with
water; obedience lays the wood in order; faith pleads the Jehovah-jireh, and
places the victim upon the altar; but the sacrifice eventhen is incomplete, for
where is the, fire? LOVE, love alone canconsummate the sacrifice by
supplying the needful fire from heaven. Whatever we lack in our piety, as it is
indispensable that we should have faith in Christ, so is it absolutely necessary
that we should have love to him. That heart which is devoid of an earnestlove
to Jesus, is surely still dead in trespasses andsins. And if any man should
venture to affirm that he had faith in Christ, but had no love to him, we would
at once also venture to affirm as positively, that his religion was vain. Perhaps
the greatlack of the religion of the times is love. Sometimes as I look upon the
world at large, and the Church which lies too much in its bosom, I am apt to
think that the Church has 'light', but lacks 'fire'; that she has some degree of
true faith, clearknowledge,and much beside which is precious, but that she
lacks to a great extent, that flaming love with which she once, as a chaste
virgin, walkedwith Christ through the fires of martyrdom, when she showed
to him her undefiled, unquenchable love in the catacombs ofthe city, and the
caves ofthe rock;when the snows of the Alps might testify to the virgin purity
of the love of the saints, by the purple stain which marked the shedding of
blood in defense of our bleeding Lord, blood which had been shed in defense
of him whom, though they had not seenhis face, "unceasing they adore."
It is my pleasanttask this morning to stir up your pure minds, that you, as
part of Christ's Church, may feelsomewhatin your hearts today of love to

him, and may be able to address him not only under the title, "You in whom
my soultrusts," but "You whom my soul loves." LastSabbath day, if you
remember, we devoted to simple faith, and tried to preach the gospelto the
ungodly; the present hour we devote to the pure, Spirit-born, godlike, flame of
love.
On looking at my text, I shall come to regard it thus: First, we shall listen to
the rhetoric of the lip as we here read it in these words, "O you whom my soul
loves." We shall then observe the logic of the heart, which would justify us in
giving such a title as this to Christ, and then come in the third place, to
something which even surpasses rhetoric or logic, the absolute demonstration
of the daily life; and I pray that we may be able to prove constantly by our
acts, that Jesus Christ is He whom our soul loves.
I. First, then, the loving title of our text is to be consideredas expressing
RHETORIC OF THE LIP. The text calls Christ, "You whom my soul loves."
Let us take this title and dissectit a little. One of the first things which will
strike us when we come to look upon it, is the reality of the love which is here
expressed. Reality, I say; understanding the term "real," not in
contradistinction to that which is lying and fictitious, but in contrastto that
which is shadowyand indistinct. Do you not notice that the spouse here speaks
of Christ as of one whom she knew actually to exist; not as an abstraction, but
as a person. She speaks ofhim as a real person, "You whom my soulloves."
Why, these seemto be the words of one who is pressing him to her bosom,
who sees him with her eyes, who tracks him with her feet, who knows that he
is, and that he will reward the love which diligently seeks him.
Brethren and sisters, there often is a greatdeficiency in our love to Jesus. We
do not realize the person of Christ. We think about Christ, and then we love
the conceptionthat we have formed of him. But O, how few Christians view
their Lord as being as real a personas we are ourselves, veryman a man that
could suffer, a man that could die, substantialflesh and blood very God as
real as if he were not invisible, and as truly existent as though we could
compass him in our minds. We need to have a real Christ more fully
preached, and more fully loved by the church. We fail in our love, because
Christ is not as realto us as he was to the early Church. The early Church did

not preachmuch doctrine; they preachedChrist. They had little to say of
truths about Christ; it was Christ himself, his hands, his feet, his side, his eyes,
his head, his crownof thorns, the sponge, the vinegar, the nails. O for the
Christ of Mary Magdalene, ratherthan the Christ of the critical theologian;
give me the wounded body of divinity, rather than the soundestsystem of
theology.
Let me show you what I mean. Suppose an infant taken awayfrom its
mother, and you should seek to fosterin it a love to the parent by constantly
picturing before it the idea of a mother, and attempting to give it the thought
of a mother's relation to the child. Indeed, my friends, I think you would have
a difficult task to fix in that child the true and real love which it ought to bear
towards her who bore it. But give that child a mother; let it hang upon that
mother's real breast, let it derive its nourishment from her very heart: let it
see that mother, feelthat mother, put its little arms about that mother's real
neck and you have no hard task to make it love its mother.
So is it with the Christian. We need Christ not an abstract, doctrinal,
pictured Christ but a real Christ. I may preachto you many a year, and try
to infuse into your souls a love of Christ; but until you canfeel that he is a real
man and a real person, really present with you, and that you may speak to
him, talk to him, and tell him of your needs, you will not readily attain to a
love like that of the text, so that you can call him, "You whom my soul loves."
I want you to feel, Christian, that your love to Christ is not a mere pious
affection;but that as you love your wife, as you love your child, as you love
your parent, so you should love Christ; that though your love to him is of a
finer cast, and a higher mold, yet it is just as real as the more earthly passion.
Let me suggestanotherfigure. A war is raging in Italy for liberty. The very
thought of liberty nerves a soldier. The thought of a hero makes a man a hero.
Let me go and stand in the midst of the army and preach to them what heroes
should be, and what brave men they should be who fight for liberty. My dear
friends, the most earnesteloquence might have but little power. But put into
the midst of these men Garibaldi heroism incarnate; place before their eyes
that dignified man who seems like some old Roman newly arisen from his
tomb, they see before them what liberty means, and what daring is, what

courage canattempt, and what heroism can perform; for there he is, and
firmed by his actualpresence, their arms are strong, their swords are sharp
and they dash to the battle at once;his presence ensuring victory, because
they realize in his presence the thought which makes men brave and strong.
So the Church needs to feel and see a real Christ in her midst. It is not the
idea of disinterestedness;it is not the idea of devotion; it is not the idea of self-
consecrationthat will ever make the Church mighty: it must be that idea
incarnate, consolidated, personifiedin the actualexistence of a realized Christ
in the camp of the Lord's host. I do pray for you, and pray you for me, that we
may eachone of us have a love which realizes Christ, and which canaddress
him as "You whom my soul loves."
But again, look at the text and you will perceive another thing very clearly.
The Church, in the expressionwhich she uses concerning Christ, speaks not
only with a realization of his presence, but with a firm assurance ofher own
love. Many of you, who do really love Christ, can seldomget further than to
say, "O you whom my souldesires to love! O you whom I hope I love!" But
this sentence says notso at all. This title has not the shadow of a doubt or a
fear upon it: "O you whom my soulloves!" Is it not a happy thing for a child
of God when he knows that he loves Christ? when he can speak ofit as a
matter of consciousness? a thing out of which he is not to be arguedby all the
reasonings ofSatan a thing concerning which he canput his hand upon his
heart, and appealto Jesus and say, "Lord, you know all things, you know that
I love you?" I say, is not this a delightful frame of mind? or, rather, I reverse
the question- Is not that a sadmiserable state of heart in which we have to
speak of Jesus otherwise thanwith assuredaffection?
Ah, my brethren and sisters, there may be times when the most loving heart
may, from the very fact that it loves intensely and loves sincerely, doubt
whether it does love at all. But then such times will be times seasonsofgreat
soul-searching, nights of anguish. He who truly loves Christ will never give
sleepto his eyes, nor slumber to his eyelids, when he is in doubt about his
heart belonging to Jesus. "No,"says he, "this is a matter too precious for me
to question as to whether I am the possessorof it or not, this is a thing so vital
that I cannotlet it be with a 'perhaps,' as a matter of hap-hazard. No, I must
know whether I love my Lord or not, whether I am his or not."

If I am addressing any this morning who fear they do not love Christ, and
yet hope they do, let me beg you, my dear friend, not to rest contentedin your
present state of mind; never be satisfieduntil you know that you are standing
on the rock, and until you are quite certain that you really do love Christ.
Imagine for a moment, one of the apostles telling Christ that he thought he
loved him. Fancyfor a moment your own spouse telling you that she hoped
she loved you. Fancy your child upon your knee saying, "Father, I sometimes
trust I love you." What a stinging thing to say to you! You would almost as
soonhe said, "I hate you." Because, whatis this? Shall he, over whom I watch
with care, merely thinks he loves me? Shall she who lies in my bosom, doubt,
and make it a matter of conjecture, as to whether her heart is mine or not? O
God forbid we should ever dream of such a thing in our ordinary relations of
life! Then how is it that we indulge in it in our piety? Is it not sicklyand
maudlin piety? is it not a diseasedstate of heart that ever puts us in such a
place at all? is it not even a deadly state of heart that would let us rest
contentedthere? No, let us not be satisfieduntil, by the full work of the Holy
Spirit, we are made sure and certain, and can saywith unstammering tongue,
"O you whom my soul loves."
Now, notice something else equally worthy of our attention. The Church, the
spouse, in thus speaking of her Lord, thus directs our thoughts not merely to
her confidence of love, but to the unity of her affections with regard to Christ.
She has not two lovers, she has but one. She does not say, "O the many of you
on whom my heart is set!" but "O you!" She has but one after whom her
heart is panting. She has gatheredher affections into one bundle, she has
made them but one affection, and then she has castthat bundle of myrrh and
spices upon the breast of Christ. He is to her the "AltogetherLovely," the
gathering up of all the loves which once strayedabroad. She has put before
the sun of her heart a burning-glass, which has brought all her love to a focus,
and it is all concentratedwith all its heat and vehemence upon Christ Jesus
himself.
Her heart, which once seemedlike a fountain sending forth many streams,
has now become as a fountain which has but one channel for its waters. She
has stopped up all the other issues, she has cut awaythe other pipes, and now
the whole stream in one strong current runs toward him, and him alone. The

Church, in the text here, is not a worshiper of God and of Baaltoo; she is no
time-server, who has a heart for all comers. She is not as the harlot, whose
door is open for every wayfarer;but she is a chaste one, and she sees none but
Christ, and she knows none whom her soul desires, excepther crucified Lord.
The wife of a noble Persianhaving been invited to be present at the wedding
feastof King Cyrus, her husband askedher merrily upon her return whether
she did not think the bridegroom-monarch a most noble man. Her answer
was, "I know not whether he be noble or not; my husband was so before my
eye that I saw none beside him, I have seenno beauty but in him." So if you
ask the Christian in our text, "Is not Such-an- one fair and lovely?" "No," she
replies, "my eyes are fully fixed on Christ, my heart is so taken up with him
that I cannottell if there be beauty anywhere else, I know that all beauty and
all loveliness is summed up in him."
Sir Walter Raleighusedto say, "Thatif all the histories of tyrants, the
cruelty, the blood, the lust, the infamy, were all forgotten, yet all these
histories might be re-written out of the life of Henry VIII." And I may sayby
way of contrast, "If all the goodness, all the love, all the gentleness, allthe
faithfulness that ever existedcould all be blotted out, they could all be re-
written out of the history of Christ." To the Christian, Christ is the only one
she loves, she has no divided aims, no two adoredones, but she speaks ofhim
as of one to whom she has given her whole heart, and none have anything
beside. "Oh you whom my soul loves."
Come, brethren and sisters, do we love Christ after this fashion? Do we love
him so that we can say, "Comparedwith our love to Jesus, allother loves are
but as nothing." We have those sweetloves whichmake earth dear to us; we
do love those who are our kindred according to the flesh, we were indeed
beneath the beasts if we did not. But some of us cansay, "We do love Christ
better than husband or wife, or brother or sister." Sometimes we think we
could say with Jerome, "If Christ should bid me go this way, and my mother
did hang about my neck to draw me another, and my father were in my way,
bowing at my knees with tears entreating me not to go;and my children
plucking at my shirt should seek to pull me the other way, I must unclasp my

mother, I must push to the very ground my father, and put aside my children,
for I must follow Christ."
We cannot tell which we love the most until they have come into collision.
But when we come to see that the love of mortals requires us to do this, and
the love of Christ to do the reverse, then shall we see which we love best. Oh,
those were hard times with the martyrs; with that goodman for instance, Mr.
Nicholas Ferrar, who was the father of some twelve children, all of them but
little ones. On the road to the stake his enemies had contrived that his wife
should meet him with all the little ones, and she had set them in a row
kneeling down by the roadside. His enemies expectedthat surely now he
would recant, and for the sake of those dear babes would certainly seek to
save his life. But no! no! He had given them all up to God, and he could trust
them with his heavenly Father; but he could not do a wrong thing even for the
felicity of covering these little birds with his wings and cherishing them
beneath his feathers. He took them one by one to his bosom, and looked, and
lookedagain;and it pleasedGod to put into the mouth of his wife and of his
children words which encouragedhim insteadof discouraging him, and
before he went from them his very babes had bidden the father play the man
and die boldly for Christ Jesus. Ay, soul, we must have a love like this which
cannot be rivaled, which cannotbe shared; which is like a flood tide other
tides may come up very high upon the shore, but this comes up to the very
rocks and beats there, filling our soul to the very brim. I pray God we may
know what such a love to Christ as this may mean.
Furthermore, I want to pluck one more flowerfor you. If you will look at the
title before us, you will have to learn not only its reality, its assurance, its
unity; but you will have to notice its constancy, "O you whom my soul loves."
Not "did love" yesterday;" or, "may begin to love tomorrow ,"but "you
whom my soul loves," "youwhom I have loved ever since I knew you, and to
love whom has become as necessaryto me as my vital breath or my native
air." The true Christian is one who loves Christ for evermore. He does not
play fast and loose with Jesus;pressing him today to his bosom, and then
turning aside and seeking afterany Delilah who may with her witcheries
pollute him. No, he feels that he is a Nazarite unto the Lord; he cannot and he
will not pollute himself with sin at any time or in any place.

Love to Christ in the faithful heart is as the love of the dove to its mate; she,
if her mate should die, cannever be tempted to be married unto another, but
she sits still upon her perch and sighs out her mournful souluntil she dies too.
So is it with the Christian; if he had no Christ to love he must even die, for his
heart has become Christ's. And so if Christ were gone, love could not be; then
his heart would be gone, too, and a man without a heart would be dead. The
heart, is it not the vital principle of the body? and love, is it not the vital
principle of the soul? Yet, there are some who profess to love the Master, but
only walk with him by fits, and then go abroad like Dinah into the tents of the
Shechemites.
Oh, take heed, you professors, who seekto have two husbands; my Master
will never be a part-husband. He is not such a one as to have half of your
heart. My Master, though he be full of compassionand very tender, has too
noble a spirit to allow himself to be half-proprietor of any kingdom. Canute,
the Danishking, might divide England with Edmund the Ironside, because he
could not win the whole country, but my Lord will have every inch of you, or
none. He will reign in you from one end of the isle of man to the other, or else
he will not put a foot upon the soil of your heart. He was never part-
proprietor in a heart, and he will not stoopto such a thing now.
What says the old Puritan? "A heart is so little a thing, that it is scarce
enough for a kite's breakfast, andyou say it be too greata thing for Christ to
have it all." No, give him the whole. It is but little when you weighs his merit,
and very small when measured with his loveliness. Give him all. Let your
united heart, your undivided affectionbe constantly, every hour, given up to
him. May it be your lot, constantly, still to abide in him who has loved you.
I will make but one more remark, lest I wearyyou in thus trying to
anatomize the rhetoric of love. In our text you will clearly perceive a
vehemence of affection. The spouse says ofChrist, "O you whom my soul
loves." She means not that she loves him a little, or that she loves him with an
ordinary passion, but that she loves him in all the deep sense ofthat word. Oh,
Christian men and women, I do protest unto you I fear there are thousands of
professors who never knew the meaning of this word "love," as it relates to
Christ. They have known it when it referred to mortals; they have felt its

flame, they have seenhow every powerof the body and of the soul are carried
awaywith it; but they have not felt it with regard to Christ.
I know you can preach about him, but do you love him? I know you can pray
to him, but do you love him? I know you trust him you do you think do but
do you love him? Oh! is there a love to Jesus in your heart like that of the
spouse when she could say, "Let him kiss me with the kissesofhis lips, for his
love is better than wine." "No," sayyou, "that is too intimate for me." Then I
do not fear do not love him, for love is always intimate. Faith may stand at a
distance, for her look is saving; but Love comes near, for she must kiss, she
must embrace.
Why, beloved, sometimes the Christian so loves his Lord, that his language
becomes unmeaning to the ears of others who have never been in his state.
Love has a celestialtongue of her own, and I have sometimes heard her speak
so that the lips of worldlings have mocked, and men have said, "That man
rants and raves he knows not what he says." Hence it is that Love often
becomes a Mystic, and speaks in mystic language, into which the stranger
intrudes not. Oh! you should see Love when she has her heart full of her
Savior's presence, whenshe comes out of her chamber! Indeed she is like a
giant refreshed with new wine. I have seenher dash down difficulties, tread
upon hot irons of affliction and her feethave not been scorched;I have seen
her lift up her spearagainstten thousand, and she has slain them at one time.
I have known her give up all she had, even to the stripping of herself, for
Christ, and yet she seemedto grow richer, and to be deckedwith ornaments
as she unarrayed herself, that she might casther all upon her Lord, and give
up all to him.
Do you know this love, Christian brethren and sisters? Some of you do I
know, for I have seenyou demonstrate it in your lives. As for the restof you,
may you learn it, and get above the low standing of the mass of Christ's
Church at the presentday. Get up out of the bogs and swamps and damp
morasses oflukewarmLaodiceanism, and come up, come up higher, up to the
mountain top, where you shall stand bathing your foreheads in the sunlight,
seeing earth beneath you, its very tempests under your feet, its clouds and
darkness rolling down below in the valley, while you talking with Christ, who

speaks to you out of the cloud, are almost caught up into the third heavento
dwell there with him. Thus have I tried to explain the rhetoric of my text,
"You whom my soul loves."
II. Now let me come to THE LOGIC OF THE HEART, which lies at the
bottom of the text. My heart, why should you love Christ? With what
argument will you justify yourself? Strangers standand hear me tell of Christ,
and they say"Why should you love your Saviorso? My heart, you can not
answerthem so as to make them see his loveliness, for they are blind, but you
can at leastbe justified in the ears of those who have understanding; for
doubtless the virgins will love him, if you will tell to them why you love him.
Our hearts give for their reasonwhy they love him, first, this: We love him for
his infinite loveliness.
If there were no other reason, if Christ had not bought us with his blood, yet
sometimes we feel if we had renewedhearts, we must love him for having died
for others. I have sometimes felt in my own soul, that setting aside the benefit
I receivedfrom his dear cross, andhis most precious passion, which, of
course, must ever be the deepestmotive of love, "for we love him because he
first loved us;" yet setting aside that, there is such beauty in Christ's
character suchloveliness in his passion such a glory in that self-sacrifice,that
one must love him.
Can I look into your eyes and not be smitten with your love? Can I gaze
upon your thorn-crowned head, and shall not my heart feel the thorn within
it? Can I see you in the fever of death, and shall not my soulbe in a fever of
passionate love to you. It is impossible to see Christ and not to love him; you
cannot be in his company without at once feeling that you are wedded to him.
Go and kneel by his side in Gethsemane's garden, and I am persuadedthat
the drops of gore as they fall upon the ground, shall eachone of them be
irresistible reasons whyyou should love him. Hear him as he cries "My God,
my God, why have you forsakenme?" Rememberthat he endures this out of
love to you, and you must love him.
If you ever read the history of Mosesyou believe him to be the grandest of
men, and you admire him, and look up to him as to some huge colossus, some

mighty giant of the olden times. But you never feel a particle of love in your
hearts towards Moses;you could not- his is an unlovable character;there is
something to admire, but nothing to win affection. When you see Christ you
look up, but you do more, you feel drawn up, you do not admire so much as
love, you do not adore so much as embrace; his characterenchants, subdues,
overwhelms, and with the irresistible impulse of its own sacredattraction it
draws your heart to himself. Well did Dr. Watts say
"His worth, if all the nations knew,
Sure the whole earth would love him too."
But still, love has another argument why she loves Christ, namely, Christ's
love to her. Did you love me Jesus, King of heaven, Lord of angels, Masterof
all worlds, did you setyour heart on me? What, did you love me from of old,
and in eternity choose me to yourself? Did you continue to love me as the ages
rolled on? Did you come from heavento earth that you might win me to be
your spouse, and do you love me so that you do not leave me alone in this poor
desertworld; and are you this very day preparing a house for me where I
shall dwell with you forever?
A very wretch Lord I should prove had I no love to you. I must love you, it is
impossible for me to resistit, that thought that you love me has compelled my
soul to love you. Me! me! what was there in me, could you see beauties in me?
I see none in myself; my eyes are red with weeping, because ofmy blackness
and deformity; I have said even to the sons of men, "Look not upon me, for I
am black, because Iam darkenedby the sun." And do you see beauties in
me? What a quick eye must you have, no, rather it must be that you have
made my eyes to be your mirror, and so you see yourself in me, and it is your
image that you love; surely you could not love me.
Remember that ravishing text in the Canticles, where Jesus says to the
spouse, "You are all fair my love, there is no spot in you." Can you imagine
Christ saying that to you; and yet he has said it, "You are all fair my love,
there is no spot in you, "he has put awayyour blackness, andyou stand in his
sight as perfect as though you had never sinned, and as full of loveliness as
though you were what you shall be, when made like unto him at last. Oh

brothers and sisters, some ofyou can saywith emphasis, "Did he love me,
then I must love him." I run my eye along your ranks, there sits a brother
who loves Christ who not many months ago cursedhim. There sits a
drunkard there another who was in prison for crimes, and he loved you, even
you, and you could abuse the wife of your bosom, because she loved the dear
name, you were never happier than when you were violating his day, and
showing your disrespectto his ministers, and your hatred to his cause, yet he
loved you.
And me! even me! forgetful of a mother's prayers, regardlessofa father's
tears, having much light, and yet sinning much; yet he loved me, and has
proved his love. I charge you, oh my heart, by the roes and by the hinds of the
field that you give yourself wholly up to my Beloved, and that you spend and
be spent for him. Is that your charge to your heart this morning? Oh! it must
be if you know Jesus, and then know that Jesus loves you.
One more reasondoes love give us yet more powerful still. Love feels that she
must give herself to Christ, because ofChrist's suffering for her.
"CanI Gethsemane forget?"
Or there your conflictsee,
Your agony and bloody sweat,
And not remember you?"
"When to the cross I turn mine eyes,
And rest on Calvary
O Lamb of God! my sacrifice!
I must remember you."
My life when it shall ebb out may cause me to lose many mental powers, but
memory will love no other name than is recordedin it. The agonies ofChrist
have burned his name into our hearts- you cannot stand and see him mocked
by Herod's men of war, you cannotbehold him made nothing of, and spit
upon by menial lips, you cannot see him with the nails pierced through his

hands and through his feet, you cannotmark him in the extreme agonies ofhis
awful passionwithout saying, "And did you suffer all this for me? then I must
love you, Jesus.
My heart feels that no other canhave such a claim upon it as you have, for
no other has spent themselves for me as you have done. Others may have
sought to buy my love with the silver of earthly affection, and with the gold of
a zealous and affectionate character, but you have bought it with your
precious blood, and you have the richest claim to it- yours shall it be, and that
forever." This is love's logic. I may wellstand here and defend the believer's
love to his Lord. I wish I had more to defend than I have. I dare stand here
and defend the utmost extravaganciesofspeech, and the wildest fanaticisms of
action, when they have been done for love to Christ. I say again, I only wish I
had more to defend in these degenerate times.
Has a man given up all for Christ? I will prove him wise if he has given up
for such an one as Christ is. Has a man died for Christ? I write over his
epitaph that he surely was no foolwho had but the wisdom to give up his
heart for one who had his heart pierced for him. Let the Church try to be
extravagantin her love for Christ for once, let her break the narrow bounds
of her conventionalprudence, and for once arise and dare to do wonders let
the age ofmiracles return to us let the Church make bare her arm, and roll
up from her the sleeves ofher formality, let her go forth with some mighty
thought within her, at which the worldling shall laugh and scoff;and I will
stand here, and before the bar of a scoffing world, dare to defend her. Oh
Church of God, you can do no extravagance forChrist. You may bring out
your Marys, and they may break their alabasterboxes, but he well deserves
the breaking. You may shed your perfume, and give to him rivers of oil, and
ten thousands of the fat of fed beasts, but he deserves it well.
I see the Church as she was in the first centuries, like an army storming a
city a city that was surrounded with a vast moat, and there was no means of
reaching the ramparts except by filling up the moat with the dead bodies of
the Church's own martyrs and confessors. Do you see them? A martyr has
just now fallen in, his head has been smitten off with the sword. The next day
at the tribunal there are twenty wishing to die that they may follow him; and

on the next day twenty more; and the stream pours on until the huge moat is
filled. Then, those who follow after, scale the walls and plant the blood-red
standard of the cross, the trophy of their victory upon the top thereof.
Should the world say, "Why this expense of blood?" I answer-he is worthy
for whom it was shed. The world says, "Why this waste of suffering? why this
pouring out of an energy in a cause that at best is but fanatical?" I reply, "He
is worthy, he is worthy, though the whole world were put into the censer, and
all men's blood were the frankincense, he is worthy to have it all sacrificed
before him. Though the whole Church should be slaughtered, he is worthy
upon whose altar it should be sacrificed. Thoughevery one of us should lie
and rot in a dungeon, though the moss should grow upon our eyelids, though
our bodies should be given to the kites and the carrioncrows, he is worthy to
claim the sacrifice;and it were all too mean a gift for such an one as he is."
Oh Master, restore unto the Church the strength of love which can hear such
language, and feelit to be true.
III. Now I come to my last point, upon which I must dwell but briefly.
Rhetoric is good, logic is better, but A POSITIVE DEMONSTRATIONis the
best. I sought to give you rhetoric when I expounded the words of the text. I
have tried to give you logic now that I have given you the reasons forthe love
in the text. And now I want you to give I cannot give it I want you to give,
eachfor himself, the demonstration of your love for Christ in your daily lives.
Let the world see that this is not a mere label to you a label for something
that does not exist, but that Christ really is to you "him whom your soul
loves."
You ask me how you shall do it, and I reply thus: I do not ask you to shave
your head and become a monk, or to cloisteryourself, my sister, alone, and
become a nun. Such a thing might even show your love to yourself rather than
your love to Christ. But I ask you to go home now, and during the days of the
week engagein your ordinary business; go with the men of the world as you
are calledto do, and take the calling which Christ has given to you, and see if
you cannothonor him in your calling. I, as a minister of course, must find it to
some degree less honorable work to serve Christ than you do, because my
calling does as it were supply me with gold, and for me to make a golden

image of Christ out of that is but small work, though God knows I find it more
than my poor strength could do apart from his grace.
But for you to work out the image of Christ in the iron, or clay, or common
metal of your ordinary lives, Oh, this will be glorious indeed! And I think you
may honor Christ in your sphere as much as I can in mine; perhaps more, for
some of you may know more troubles, you may have more poverty, you may
have more temptation, more enemies;and therefore you, by loving Christ
under all these trials, may demonstrate more fully than ever I can, how true
your love is to him, and how soul-inspiring is his love to you.
Away, I say, and look out on the morrow, and the next day, for opportunities
of doing something for Christ. Speak up for his dear name if there be any that
abuse him; and if you find him wounded in his members, be as Eleanor,
Queen of England did for the king- suck the poison out of his wounds. Be
ready to have your name abused rather than he should dishonored; stand up
always for him, and be his champion. Let him not lack a friend, for he stood
your friend when you had none beside. If you meet with any of his poor
people, show them love for his sake, as David did to Mephibosheth out of love
to Saul. If you know any of them to be hungry, set food before them; you had
as goodset the dish before Jesus Christhimself! If you see them naked, clothe
them; you clothe Christ when you clothe his people.
No, do not only seek to do this goodtemporally to his children, but seek you
evermore to be a Christ to those who are not his children as yet. Go among the
wickedand among the lost, and the abandoned; tell them the words of Christ;
tell them Jesus Christcame into the world to save sinners, go after his lost
sheep, be a shepherd as he was a shepherd, so will you show your love. Give
what you can to him; when you die, make him heir of some of your estate.
I should not think I loved my friend, if I did not sometimes give him a
present; I should not think I love Christ if I did not give him somewhat, some
sweetcane with honey, some fat of my burned sacrifices. Iheard the other day
a question askedconcerning an old man who had long professedto be a
Christian. They were saying he left so much and so much, and one said, "But
did he leave Christ anything in his will?" Some one laughed and thought it

ridiculous. Ah! so it would be, because men do not think of Christ as being a
person; but if we had this love it would be but natural to us to give to him, to
live for him, and perhaps if we had anything at the end, to let him have it,
that so even dying we might give our friend in our dying testament a proof
that we remembered him, even as he remembered us in his last testamentand
will.
Oh brothers and sisters whatwe want more of in the Church is, more
extravagantlove to Christ. I want eachof you to show your love to Jesus,
sometimes by doing something the like of which you have never done before. I
remember saying one Sabbath morning that the Church ought to be the place
of invention as much as the world. We do not know what machine is to be
discoveredyet by the world, but every man's wit is at work to find out
something new. So ought the wits of the Church to be at work to find out some
new plan of serving Christ. Robert Raikes found out Sabbath-schools, John
Pounds the Ragged-school:but are we to be content with carrying on their
inventions? No; we need something new. It was in the Surrey Hall, through
that sermon, that our brethren first thought of the midnight meetings that
were held, an invention suggestedby the sermon I preached upon the woman
with the alabasterbox.
But we have not come to the end yet. Is there no man that caninvent some
new deed for Christ? Is there no brother that cando something more for him
than has been done today, or yesterday, or during the lastmonth? Is there no
man that will dare to be strange and singular and wild, and in the world's eye
to be fanatical for that is no love which is not fanaticalin the eye of man.
Depend upon it, that is no love that only confines itself to propriety. I wish the
Lord would put into your heart some thought of giving an unasked thank-
offering to him, or of doing an unusual service, that so Christ might be
honored with the bestof your lambs, and that the fat of your bullocks might
be exceeding glorified by your proof of love to him.
God bless you as a congregation. Ican only invoke his blessing, for O these
lips refuse to speak of love which I trust my heart knows, and which I desire
to feel more and more. Sinner, trust Christ before you seek to love him, and
trusting Christ you will love him.

BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
The Soul's Joy in the Love of God
S. Conway
Songs 1:4-7
Draw me, we will run after you: the king has brought me into his chambers:
we will be gladand rejoice in you…
The king hath brought me into his chambers, etc. If we may take this book as
only an allegory, we find suggestedin these verses this subject of the soul's
joy.
I. SUCH JOY IS BECAUSE OF THE KING'S CHAMBERS. He has opened
for her the unsearchable riches of his grace, "filled with all pleasantand
precious riches" (cf. Proverbs 24:4).
II. IS VERY GREAT. She will be glad and rejoice. She will "remember" his
"love more than wine." That is, the soul's joy is more than any earthly means
of delight and exhilaration can afford.

III. IS SHARED IN BY ALL THE SAINTS OF GOD. "The upright love
thee." "No goodthing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly." Our
joy is heightened by the fact that those whom we most esteemcount it their
joy also.
IV. HER OWN UNWORTHINESSDOES NOT SHUT HER OUT FROM IT.
"I am black."
"Since therefore I canhardly bear
What in myself I see,
How vile, how black, I must appear,
Mostholy God, to thee!
"But oh! my Saviour stands between,
In garments dyed in blood;
Tis he instead of me is seen
When I approach to God." The remembrance of her own unworthiness serves
as a foil to set off the comeliness withwhich inwardly he has endowedher.
"The king's daughter is all glorious within" (cf. Ezekiel16:14). And as she
thinks of her unworthiness she tells how it came to be so with her - by the
cruelty of others and her own neglect. Theymade her serve in such way that
she became "black."How often our foes are they of our own household! But
she, too, was neglectful. "Myown vineyard have I not kept." Nevertheless,the
king loved her.
V. HENCE SHE WILL BE SATISFIED WITH NOTHING LESS THAN
HIMSELF. "Tell me where thou feedest?"etc. (ver. 7). She appeals to him to

bring her where he is. She desires to know the rest he can give. His
"companions" will not compensate for him (cf. "Whom have I in heaven but
thee?" etc.;cf. Psalm42:9; Ezekiel34.;Psalm 25:4, 5; Psalm16:2, 3). - S.C.
The Shepherd's Care
J.R. Thomson
Songs 1:7, 8
Tell me, O you whom my soul loves, where you feed, where you make your
flock to rest at noon…
As the beloved maiden or bride seeks hershepherd lover who is yet the king,
she makes use of language which gives an insight into pastoralduty and care,
and which serves to suggestthe relations borne by the flock to the good
Shepherd who gave his life for the sheep.
I. THE GOOD SHEPHERD FEEDSTHE FLOCK.
II. THE GOOD SHEPHERD PROVIDES NOONDAYREST FOR THE
FLOCK.
III. THE GOOD SHEPHERD PROTECTSTHE FLOCK, KEEPING HIS
SHEEP NEAR THE WELL-GUARDED TENTS.

IV. THE GOOD SHEPHERD GUIDES HIS SHEEP, LEADING THE
FOOTSTEPSOF THE FLOCK ACCORDING TO HIS OWN
KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM.
V. THE GOOD SHEPHERD CARES FOR THE KIDS - THE YOUNG OF
THE FLOCK. - T.
Seeking and Finding
J.D. Davies
Songs 1:7-9
Tell me, O you whom my soul loves, where you feed, where you make your
flock to rest at noon…
The Christian pilgrim has to pass through a variety of fortunes in his passage
to the celestialcity. His fluctuations of joy and sorrow, hope and fear,
resemble an April day. Sunshine alternates with storm. Now he is on the
mountain top; now in the valley of humiliation. Now he looks into his Master's
face, and sees a smile of heavenly love; now that gracious face is hid, like the
sun during eclipse.
I. WE HAVE A SENSE OF DESERTION.This is a matter of personalfeeling,
not an external reality. God does not undergo any change, nor does he ever
forsake his friends. But it sometimes happens that we ceaseto realize our vital
interest in Jesus;we lose for a seasonthe enjoyment of his favours. The sun is
as near the earth - yea, nearer - in Decemberas in June; yet, because our
northern hemisphere is turned awayfrom the sun, flowers do not bloom, nor

do fruits ripen, on our side the globe. So we may unintentionally have drifted
awayfrom Christ; our hearts may have flaggedin devotion or in zeal; the
bloom of our love may have vanished; some cloud of earthliness may have
intervened, some mist of doubt may have risen up, and we no longersee the
radiant face of our Beloved. In proportion to our appreciation of our heart's
best Friend will be the sorrow we shall endure. No earthly goodwill
compensate for the loss. No other joy cantake its place. It seems as if the
natural sun were veiled; as if earth were clad in mourning; as if all music had
ceased, becauseJesus is not a Guestin the soul.
II. HERE, NOTWITHSTANDING, THERE IS AN UNDERCURRENTOF
HOPE. We find yet, within the soul, strong love to Jesus, althoughwe no
longerrealize his love to us. This is solid comfort; for it is evident that our love
is real, and not simply a desire for self-advantage. It is not a refined form of
selfishness, inasmuchas our love to him abides, although it brings no
enjoyment. And we still perceive and appreciate his office. We still regardhim
as the greatShepherd of the sheep. As such he will not allow a single lamb to
stray. It is the part of a goodshepherd to care for eachmember of the flock,
and to restore the wanderer. Though we no longer bask in the sunshine of his
favour, we are sure that others do, and we love him for his compassionto
them. Further, we are sure that he is not far away. He is busy with his flock,
feeding them, caring for their needs;so we will seek him out. We will not
sullenly wait until he shall come to us; we will searchfor him, for we are sure
that he will approve our search. If we heartily desire him, this is hopeful.
III. WE HAVE ALSO AN EAGER INQUIRY. "Tellme where thou feedest,
where thou makestthy flock to rest at noon." So fully consciousis the soul of
its loss and injury, that it longs to end this sadexperience. Its main difficulty is
what to do, what step to take. No hindrance in the way of finding Jesus shall
be allowedto remain. If we have been guilty of any misdeed or neglect, we will
confess it honestly. One question only perplexes us - Where shall we find our
Well-beloved? We want information, guidance, light. Yet this same Jesus is

our All in all. He is our Light. He will revealhimself. In due time he will give
us light. So we speak to him directly, and we employ a very discreet
argument: "Forwhy should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy
companions?" In other words, "Why should I seek for satisfactionelsewhere
but in thee?" If I seek,I shall find only disappointment. These fanciedjoys
will be as apples of Sodom, as the grapes of Gomorrah. I must have some
objecton whom to expend my love. Let it be no other object, no inferior
object, than thyself. Only show me thy chosenhaunt, and I will find. thee out.
Distance shallbe annihilated. Mountains shall be levelled.
IV. A GRACIOUS RESPONSE. "Go thy way forth by the footsteps ofthe
flock, and feedthy kids beside the shepherds' tents." Prayerfor light is
especiallyacceptableto God. In him is no darkness, andnothing is further
from him than to keepus in darkness. Mostofall does he delight in the prayer
which yearns after him. It has been his business all through the past eternity
to reveal himself, and to come into nearer union with the human soul; hence
our prayer is only the echo of his ownwish, our desire is his desire, and
response is ready. How tender is his rebuke of our ignorance!"If thou know
not." It is as if he said, "Yet surely you ought to know. You have found the
way to me aforetime. It is the same waystill, for I change not." Or, "If thou
canstnot find the way to me directly, then act as my friends act. Learn from
the successesofothers. I have instructed others how to find me. They have
found me, and now they are patterns and helpers for all seekers. Observe the
'footsteps of the flock.'" If we are earnestin our searchafter Christ, we shall
use all and every means likely to ensure our success. Very often it is not more
light we want, but a humble and diligent readiness to use the light we have.
Unfaithfulness to our light is a common failing. The instruments employed to
convey the electric current must be scrupulously clean, and every law must be
delicatelyobserved, or the mystic force refuses to act. Our spiritual
sensibilities are far more delicate, and a neglect, whichmay seemminute or
insignificant, will defeatour purpose, and rob us of our joy. They who desire
intimate fellowship with Jesus must be companions of the friends of Jesus, and
must learn lessons in the humblest school. The footprints of other pilgrims we
must carefully note and faithfully follow. Jesus is no respecterof persons.

Others have found him: why should not we? They have not exhaustedhis
love; they have merely tasteda sip of the infinite ocean. I may, if I will, drink
more deeply than any mortal yet has done. - D.
STUDYLIGHTRESOURCES
Adam Clarke Commentary
Tell me - where thou feedest - This is spokenas if the parties were shepherds,
or employed in the pastorallife. But how this would apply either to Solomon,
or the princes of Egypt, is not easyto ascertain. Probablyin the marriage
festival there was something like our masks, in which persons of quality
assumedrural characters and their employments. See that fine one composed
by Milton, calledComus.
To rest at noon - In hot countries the shepherds and their flocks are obligedto
retire to shelter during the burning heats of the noon-day sun. This is common
in all countries, in the summer heats, where sheltercan be had.
One that turneth aside - As a wanderer; one who, not knowing where to find
her companions, wanders fruitlessly in seeking them. It was customary for
shepherds to drive their flocks togetherfor the purpose of conversing, playing
on the pipe, or having trials of skill in poetry or music. So Virgil: -
Forte sub arguta consederatilice Daphnis
Compulerantque gregesCorydonet Thyrsis in unum:
Thyrsis oves, Corydon distentas lacte capellas;
Ambo florentes aetatibus, Arcades ambo,

Et cantare pares, et respondere parati.
Ecclesiastes7:1.
"Beneatha holm repair'd two jolly swains:
Their sheep and goats togethergrazedthe plains;
Both young Arcadians, both alike inspired
To sing and answeras the song required."
Dryden.
This does not express the sense ofthe original: from the different pastures in
which they had been accustomedto feed their flocks, they drove their sheep
and goats togetherfor the purpose mentioned in the pastoral;and, in course,
returned to their respective pasturages, whentheir business was over.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Bibliography
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on Song of Solomon1:7". "The Adam Clarke
Commentary". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/song-of-
solomon-1.html. 1832.
return to 'Jump List'
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth,.... With all her heart, cordially and
sincerely;for, notwithstanding her sinful compliance with others, and neglect
of her own affairs, she had not lost her love to Christ; and, being sensible of
her sin and folly, whereby she was deprived of his company, and communion
with him, applies to him to guide, direct, and restore her wandering soul; and
particularly inform her

where, says she,
thou feedest;that is his flock, like a shepherd: for this phrase supposes him to
be a shepherd, as he is, of God's choosing, appointing, and setting up, the
chief, the good, the great, and only Shepherd of the sheep; and that he has a
flock to feed, which is but one, and a little one, is his property, given him by
God, purchasedby his blood, called a flock of slaughter, and yet a beautiful
one, he has undertook to feed; and feeding it includes the whole business of a
shepherd, in leading the sheepinto pastures, protecting them from all
enemies, restoring them when wandering, healing their diseases,watching
over them in the night seasons, andmaking all necessaryprovisions for them.
Or, "tell me how thou feedest"F6;the manner of it, and with what; which he
does by his ministers, word, and ordinances; with himself, the bread of life;
with the doctrines and promises of the Gospel, and with the discoveries ofhis
love;
where thou makestthy flocks to rest at noon, either at the noon of temptation,
when Satan's fiery darts fly thick and fast;when Christ is a shadow and
shelter in his person, grace, blood, righteousness, and sacrifice, Isaiah25:4;or
the noon of affliction, when he makes their bed in it, and gives them restfrom
adversity; or the noon of persecution, when Christ leads his flocks to cooling
shades, and gives them rest in himself, when troubled by others: the allusion,
is to shepherds, in hot countries, leading their flocks to some shady place,
where they may be shelteredfrom the scorching heat of the sun; which, as
Virgil saysF7, was atthe fourth hour, or ten o'clock, two hours before noon;
we read of προβατια μεσημβριαζονταF8, sheepnooning themselves, orlying
down at noon, under a shade, by a fountain, asleep;
for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?
not realassociateswith Christ, that keepcompany with him, and are attached
to his word and ordinances;but false friends, hypocrites and hereticsF9, rivals
with him, who set up schemes ofworship and doctrine in oppositionto his;
such as Papists, Socinians, &c. now such false teachers have had their flocks
in all ages, suchas have followed them, and have formed separate societies;
and therefore the church, sensible of their craftiness, and her own weakness,
and liableness to go astray, desires she might not be under, and left to such a

temptation, as to apostatize from Christ, and join to such persons and their
flocks, orseemto do so: or, "be as one that coverethherself", or "is
covered"F11;as a harlot; so Tamar, Genesis 38:14;or as a widow in
mourning; she chose not to be, or to be thought to be, either as one that left
her husband, an unchaste woman; or had lost her husband, or as if she had
none, when neither was the case:or, "as one that spreads the tent"F12;by the
flocks of such; as if in communion with them, and joining with them in feeding
their flocks;and therefore desires she might speedily know where Christ was,
and go to him, that such an aspersionor suspicionmight at once be wiped
from her.
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.
A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliography
Gill, John. "Commentary on Song of Solomon1:7". "The New John Gill
Exposition of the Entire Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/song-of-solomon-1.html.
1999.
Geneva Study Bible
Tell me, n O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou
makest[thy flock]to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth
aside by the flocks of o thy companions?
(n) The spouse feeling her fault flees to her husband only for comfort.

(o) Whom you have calledto the dignity of pastors, and they setforth their
own dreams insteadof your doctrine.
Copyright Statement
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Beza, Theodore. "Commentaryon Song of Solomon 1:7". "The 1599 Geneva
Study Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/gsb/song-of-
solomon-1.html. 1599-1645.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
my soulloveth — more intense than “the virgins” and “the upright love thee”
(Song of Solomon1:3, Song of Solomon 1:4; Matthew 22:37). To carry out the
design of the allegory, the royal encampment is here representedas moving
from place to place, in searchofgreen pastures, under the Shepherd King
(Psalm 23:1-6). The bride, having first enjoyed communion with him in the
pavilion, is willing to follow Him into labors and dangers;arising from all
absorbing love (Luke 14:26);this distinguishes her from the formalist (John
10:27;Revelation14:4).
feedest— tendest thy flock (Isaiah 40:11; Hebrews 13:20;1 Peter2:25; 1
Peter5:4; Revelation7:17). No single type expresses allthe office of Jesus
Christ; hence arises the variety of diverse images usedto portray the manifold
aspects ofHim: these would be quite incongruous, if the Song referred to the
earthly Solomon. Her intercourse with Him is peculiar. She hears His voice,
and addresses none but Himself. Yet it is through a veil; she sees Him not (Job
23:8, Job23:9). If we would be fed, we must follow the Shepherd through the
whole breadth of His Word, and not stayon one spotalone.

makest… to rest — distinct from “feedest”;periods of rest are vouchsafed
after labor (Isaiah 4:6; Isaiah49:10; Ezekiel34:13-15). Communion in private
must go along with public following of Him.
turneth aside — rather one veiled, that is, as a harlot, not His true bride
(Genesis 38:15), [Gesenius];or as a mourner (2 Samuel 15:30), [Weiss];or as
one unknown [Maurer]. All imply estrangementfrom the Bridegroom. She
feels estrangedevenamong Christ‘s true servants, answering to “thy
companions” (Luke 22:28), so long as she has not Himself present. The
opposite spirit to 1 Corinthians 3:4.
Copyright Statement
These files are a derivative of an electronic edition prepared from text
scannedby Woodside Bible Fellowship.
This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-BrownCommentary is in the
public domain and may be freely used and distributed.
Bibliography
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on Song
of Solomon1:7". "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfb/song-of-solomon-
1.html. 1871-8.
Keil & DelitzschCommentary on the Old Testament
These words (Song of Solomon 1:5-6) are addressedto the ladies of the palace,
who look upon her with wonder. That which now follows is addressedto her
beloved:
7 O tell me, thou whom my soul loveth: where feedestthou?
Where causestthou it (thy flock) to lie down at noon?

Among the flocks of thy companions!
The country damselhas no idea of the occupationof a king. Her simplicity
goes not beyond the calling of a shepherd as of the fairest and the highest. She
thinks of the shepherd of the people as the shepherd of sheep. Moreover,
Scripture also describes governing as a tending of sheep; and the Messiah, of
whom Solomon is a type, is specially representedas the future Good
Shepherd. If now we had to conceive ofSolomonas present from the
beginning of the scene, then here in Song of Solomon1:7 would Shulamith say
that she would gladly be alone with him, far awayfrom so many who are
looking on her with open eyes;and, indeed, in some country place where alone
she feels at home. The entreaty “O tell me” appears certainly to require (cf.
Genesis 37:19)the presence ofone to whom she addresses herself. But, on the
other hand, the entreaty only asks thathe should let her know where he is; she
longs to know where his occupationdetains him, that she may go out and seek
him. Her request is thus directed toward the absent one, as is proved by Song
of Solomon1:8. The vocat., “O thou whom my soulloveth,” is connectedwith
‫הּתא‬ , which lies hid in ‫ּתדיּגּת‬ (“inform thou”). It is a circumlocution for
“beloved” (cf. Nehemiah13:26), or “the dearly beloved of my soul” (cf.
Jeremiah12:7). The entreating request, indica quaeso mihi ubi pascis ,
reminds one of Genesis 37:16, where, however, ubi is expressedby ‫אייּת‬ , while
here by ‫אייּת‬ , which in this sense is hap leg For ubi = ‫אייּת‬ , is otherwise
denoted only by ,( ‫איי‬ ) ‫2אייּת‬ Kings 6:13, and usually ‫אּיּת‬ , North Palest., by
Hosea ‫יּתא‬ . This ‫ּתייא‬ elsewhere means quomodo , and is the key-wordof the
Kîna , as ‫איא‬ is of the Mashal(the satire); the Song uses for it, in common with
the Book ofEsther, ‫איייּת‬ . In themselves ‫יּת‬ and ‫יּת‬ , which with ‫אי‬ preceding,
are stamped as interrog. in a sense analogous to hic , ecce , κεῖνος , and the
like; the local, temporal, polite sense rests only on a conventionalusus loq .,
Böttch. §530. She wishes to know where he feeds, viz., his flock, where he
causes it (viz., his flock)to lie down at mid-day. The verb ‫ץבר‬ (R. ‫בר‬ , with the
root signif. of condensation)is the proper word for the lying down of a four-
footedanimal: complicatis pedibus procumbere ( cubare ); Hiph . of the
shepherd, who causes the flock to lie down; the Arab. rab'a is the name for the
encampment of shepherds. The time for encamping is the mid-day, which as
the time of the double-light, i.e. , the most intense light in its ascending and

descending, is called‫ירהּת‬ . ‫הּתרי‬ , occurring only here, signifies nam cur , but
is according to the sense = ut ne , like ‫איר‬ ‫רׁשּת‬ , Daniel 1:10 (cf. Ezra 7:23);
‫רׁשּת‬ , without Dag. forte euphone ., is, with the single exceptionof Job 7:20,
always milra , while with the Dag . it is milel, and as a rule, only when the
following word begins with ‫עּת‬ '' ‫א‬ carries forward the tone to the ult .
Shulamith wishes to know the place where her belovedfeeds and rests his
flock, that she might not wander about among the flocks ofhis companions
seeking and asking for him. But what does ‫העטיּת‬ mean? It is at all events the
part. act. fem . of ‫יטע‬ which is here treated after the manner of the strong
verb, the kindred form to the equally possible ‫עטּת‬ (from 'âṭaja ) and ‫עטּיּת‬ . As
for the meaning, instar errabundae (Syr., Symm., Jerome, Venet., Luther)
recommends itself; but ‫ּתטע‬ must then, unless we wishdirectly to adopt the
reading ‫הטעיּת‬ (Böttch.), have been transposedfrom ‫ּתעט‬ ( ‫ּתעת‬ ), which must
have been assumedif ‫ּתטע‬ , in the usual sense of velar e (cf. ‫ףטע‬ ), did not
afford an appropriate signification. Indeed, velans , viz., sese , cannot denote
one whom consciousnessveils, one who is weak or fainting (Gesen. Lex .), for
the part. act . expresses action, notpassivity. But it candenote one who covers
herself (the lxx, perhaps, in this sense ὡς περιβαλλομένη ), because she
mourns (Rashi); or after Genesis 38:14 (cf. Martial, 9:32) one who muffles
herself up, because by such affectedapparent modesty she wishes to make
herself knownas a Hierodoule or harlot. The former of these significations is
not appropriate; for to appearas mourning does not offend the sense of
honour in a virtuous maiden, but to create the appearance of an immodest
woman is to her intolerable; and if she bears in herselfthe image of an only
beloved, she shrinks in horror from such a base appearance, notonly as a
debasing of herself, but also as a desecrationof this sanctuary in her heart.
Shulamith calls entreatingly upon him whom her soul loveth to tell her how
she might be able directly to reach him, without feeling herself wounded in the
consciousnessofher maidenhood and of the exclusiveness ofher love. It is
thereby supposedthat the companions of her only belovedamong the
shepherds might not treat that which to her is holy with a holy reserve, - a
thought to which Hattendorff has given delicate expressionin his expositionof
the Song, 1867.If Solomonwere present, it would be difficult to understand
this entreating call. But he is not present, as is manifest from this, that she is
not answeredby him, but by the daughters of Jerusalem.

Copyright Statement
The Keil & DelitzschCommentary on the Old Testamentis a derivative of a
public domain electronic edition.
Bibliography
Keil, Carl Friedrich & Delitzsch, Franz. "Commentary on Song of Solomon
1:7". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/kdo/song-of-solomon-
1.html. 1854-1889.
Wesley's ExplanatoryNotes
Tell me - Notwithstanding all these discouragements andafflictions which I
suffer for thy sake, and for my love to thee. Being reproachedand persecuted
by others, I flee to thee, O my only refuge and joy. Feedest - Thy flock,
discoverto me which is thy true church, and which are those assemblies and
people where thou art present. This is the requestof particular believers. At
noon - In the heat of the day, when the shepherds in those hot countries used
to lead their flocks into shady places. Wherebyhe means the time of
persecution, when it is hard to discoverthe true church, because she is
deformed by it, and because she is obscuredand driven into the wilderness.
That turneth - Or, a wanderer, or vagabond; like a neglectedand forlorn
creature exposedboth to censure and danger. The flocks - The assemblies of
corrupt teachers and worshippers. These he calls Christ's companions
because they profess the name of Christ, and their conjunction with him in
God's worship.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Bibliography

Wesley, John. "Commentary on Song of Solomon1:7". "JohnWesley's
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wen/song-of-solomon-1.html.
1765.
John Trapp Complete Commentary
Song of Solomon 1:7 Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou
feedest, where thou makest[thy flock] to rest at noon: for why should I be as
one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?
Ver. 7. Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth.] The sins of God’s electturn to
their good- Venenum aliquando pro remedio fuit, saith Seneca, (a)poison is
by art turned into a medicine - make them cry more upon Christ, love him
more with all their soul, desire more earnestlyto be joined unto him, use all
holy means of attaining thereunto; and that with such affection, that when
others are at their rest or repast, the Christian can neither eatnor rest, unless
he be with Christ.
Where thou feedest.]This Book ofCanticles is a kind of pastoral, a song of a
beloved concerning a beloved. The Church therefore gives, and Christ takes
oft herein upon himself, the term and office of a loving and skilful Shepherd,
that feeds his flock daily and daintily, feedeth them among the lilies and beds
of spices, makes them to "lie down in green pastures, and leads them beside
the still waters" [Psalms 23:2] - his Word and sacraments;makes them also to
lie down at noon, i.e., as the chief pastorof his sheep, he wholly ordereth them
in all their spiritual labours, toils, and afflictions, giving them safe repose in
the hottestseasons. [Isaiah49:10]See Ezekiel34:13, John10:1-2, 1 Peter 5:2,
Jeremiah30:10; Jeremiah30:13.
For why should I be as one that turneth aside,]q.d., This would be no less to
thy dishonour than my disadvantage, if I miscarry, thou wilt be no small loser

by it. To urge Godwith the respectof his own glory lying now at stake, is a
most effectualway of speeding in prayer. "If thou destroy this people, what
will the Egyptians say?" [Exodus 32:12] how will the very banks of blasphemy
be broken down, and they speak evil of thee with open mouth? If the
Canaanites beatus, "whatshall become of thy greatname,." [Joshua 7:9]
Interpone, quaeso, tuas preces, apud Deum pro me, et ora Christum cuius est
causa haec, ut mihi adsit: quam si obtinuerit, mihi obtenta erit: sin veto causa
exciderit, nec ego eam obtinere potero: atque ita ipse solus ignominiam
reportabit. (b) Please prayfor me, saith Luther to a friend of his that feared
how it would fare with him when he was to appearat Augsburg before the
cardinal; pray for me to Jesus Christ, whose the cause is, that he would stand
by me: for if he carry the day, I shall do wellenough; as, if I miscarry, he
alone will undergo the blame and shame of it.
By the flock of thy companions.]Why should I have fellowshipwith thy
pretended fellows, and so incur the suspicionof dishonesty. Christians must
"abstainfrom all appearance ofevil," [1 Thessalonians 5:23]shun and be shy
of the very shows and shadows ofsin, Quicquid fuerit male coloratum, as
Bernard hath it, whatsoeverlooksbut ill favouredly; "providing for things
honest, not only in the sight of the Lord, but in the sight of men; and avoiding
this, that no man should blame us," [2 Corinthians 8:20-21]avoiding it,
στελλομενοι, as shipmen shuns a rock or shelf, with utmost care and
circumspection. Josephwould not breathe in the same air with his mistress,
nor John the evangelist with the heretic Cerinthus, but "sprang out of the
bath" (c) as soonas he came into it. St Paul would not give place by subjection
to those false brethren, "no, not for an hour," [Galatians 2:5] lestthe truth
thereby should suffer detriment. Constantine would not read the Arians’
papers, but tear them before their eyes. And Placilla the empress besought her
husband, Theodosius senior, not once to conferwith Eunomius, lest being
perverted by his speeches he might fall into heresy. (d) Memorable is the story
of the children of Samosata, thatwould not touch their ball, but burnt it,
because it had touched the toe of a hereticalbishop, as they were tossing it and
playing with it.

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Trapp, John. "Commentary on Song of Solomon1:7". John Trapp Complete
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/song-of-
Hawker's PoorMan's Commentary
Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest
thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the
flocks of thy companions?
There is a greatbeauty in this verse. The Church had been speaking in the
preceding to the daughters of Jerusalem. She now turns from them to speak to
Jesus. The communion of saints is sweet:but, oh! how infinitely sweeteris
fellowship and communion with the Father, and with his SonJesus Christ. 1
John 1:3. But what doth thee Church say to Jesus? She considers him under
one of his precious characters,as the greatShepherd of his fold, the Church;
and viewing herselfas his property, both by the Father's gift, his own
purchase, and the conquests of his grace by his Holy Spirit, she earnestly
desires that he would tell her where it was that he fed his flock, and where he
causedit to rest at noon. Every word in this sweetverse is most highly
interesting; but it would swellthe Commentary to a length not admissible in a
work of this kind, to enlarge upon the severalportions of it. A few of the more
striking particulars must be sufficient.
In the first place, the cry of a truly awakenedsoul, for personalenjoyment of
Jesus and all his benefits, is here strongly expressed, Tellme, O thou, whom
my soulloveth! Reader!it is the truest sign of interest in Jesus, whenthe soul

is going out after him in longing desires. And do observe further, that the soul
may be going out in the most earnestdesires afterJesus, when, as in the
instance of the Church here, the soul may be at a loss where to find her
Beloved. There may be, and there sometimes is, in the best of Christ's
disciples, darkness upon the mind from the persecutionof the world, the
temptations of Satan, and from the body of sin and death they carry about
with them: but when Jesus, by his Holy Spirit, awakesanew this desire in the
soul, these desires plainly prove that the grace ofthe Lord Jesus remains
unextinguished.
In the next place, we may observe the unanswerable strength of the arguments
the Church makes use of to prevail with Jesus. He is her Beloved;and she is in
extreme need. Reader!it is a precious testimony in the soul, when, like Peter,
amidst the numberless circumstances ofunworthiness which are in me, I can
still say, Lord! thou knowestall things; thou knowestthat I love thee. And
shall one that loves Jesus, be as one that loves him not? Shall I be in doubt like
others, that know thee not; whether I am thine, or not? Shall I, whom thou
hast betrothed to thyself as thy spouse, be regardedas if I was an harlot?
Shall it be thought by others that are turned aside, and who are not of thy
fold, that I am like one of them? Oh! show me where thou feedest, where this
flock is; that, like a lamb of it, I may be found among thy fold, and fed from
thine own hand, and brought under thine own eye and care.
There is a very great beauty in this characterof the Lord Jesus,
consideredin his pastoraloffice, in which the Church here beholds him. And
if the Readerhath not been much accustomedto considerJesus under this
characterand office, I shall rejoice, if the reference to him, which the Church
makes in this most interesting point of view, should call up his attention.
Through the whole of the eventful history of the Church, from the very first
forming of it, to the ministry of Jesus at his incarnation, the Lord seems to
have been pleasedthat his people should considerhim under this character:
hence one of the sacredwriters cries out, Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou
that leadestJosephlike a flock:thou that dwellestbetweenthe cherubims,
shine forth. Psalms 80:1. And as if Godour Father meant to hold him forth to
his people in a yet more endearing point of view, it is remarkable that he is

calledGod's Shepherd. See Zechariah13:7. And that his people might know
him as such, as suited to all their wants and circumstances, he is expressly
distinguished under the various names of the greatShepherd, Hebrews 13:20;
the goodShepherd, John 10:11;the chief Shepherd, 1 Peter5:4, and the like;
intimating that he is exactly suited to every case of his flock. His greatness
becomes their security for all things: his goodness,neverto let them want: his
sovereignty, and being the only One, implies that every other is unnecessary.
And as the Father's Shepherd, coming in his name, appointed by his
authority, all his acts are valid, and his sheep cannotbut be eternally secure.
They shall never perish, nor any pluck them out of his hand; because his
Father gave them, who is greaterthan all, and none can pluck them out of his
Father's hand. I saith Jesus, and my Father are One. John 10:28-30.
I stay not to particularize the many precious things folded up in this one
characterof Jesus:I only refer the Readerto the severalpassagesin his
sacred
word, which confirm this glorious truth: and I beg of him, to read the same
with attention; and form, under the teaching of the Holy Ghost, his opinion of
their importance. John 10:16-18;Ps 23; Eze 34
throughout. Hebrews 13:20.
But beside the characterofJesus as a Shepherd, We must notice the office
also belonging to our dear Lord, of feeding. Tellme (saith the Church) where
thou feedest. Now this is a most delightful feature in the portrait of Jesus. It
was prophesied of him before his coming, that he should feed his flock like a
Shepherd. Isaiah 40:11. And it is affirmed of him after his return to glory,
that he is the Lamb in the midst of the throne to feed his Church. Revelation
7:17. So that this actof Christ is perpetual. And if we take into our
considerationwhat is evidently implied in feeding, we shall discoverthat it
intends everything necessaryto be done for the welfare of his flock. It is the
office of the Shepherd, not only to provide pasture, but to protect from
rapine; not only to guard the weak, but to restore wanderers, to heal the
diseased, to searchand seek out those that are scatteredin the dark and
cloudy day; or as Jesus mostgraciouslyexpresses ithimself: To seek that

which was lost, and bring back againthat which was driven away: to bind up
that which was broken, and strengthen that which was sick. Ezekiel34:16.
Reader!have you ever consideredyour Almighty Shepherd under this sweet
character? Have you yourself experiencedthe tenderness of your Shepherd?
Do you know him, of going in and out before you in the pastures of his holy
word, in the ordinances of worship, and in the gracious servicesofhis house of
prayer? Do you know him in his voice, in seasonsofwandering, in his
watchings overyou like the Shepherd of Bethlehem in right seasons;in his
deliverance of you from the lion's dens, and the mountains of the leopards.
Oh! the preciousness ofknowing the Redeemerunder this endearing
character!The sheep of Christ, who are the objects of his care, canbest
describe what is implied in this one feature of their Lord's love towards them.
The office of a Shepherd is distinguished in the freeness and graciousness of
his love. Though the sheepfail in their obedience, Jesusneverfails in his love.
It is his own grace, notour desert, which becomes the rule of his conduct.
Frequently the poor silly sheep is unconscious ofhis wants and weaknesses;
but doth the Shepherd wait to be informed? Is it needful that they should cry
before he relieves? Oh! no. Their need affords the opportunity for the display
of his grace;and his own love is the sole motive of all his mercy and
tenderness towards them. Precious Shepherdof thy blood-bought sheep!the
flock of slaughter? how delightful is it to my soul, that the needy as well as the
full, the distressedas well as the strong, the wandering as well as the restored,
are the peculiar objects of thy care. I have gone astray, dear Lord, like a sheep
that is lost: O seek thy servant, for I do not forget thy commandments. Psalms
119:176.
But we must not stop here. The Lord Jesus not only feeds his flock like a
shepherd; but in the act of feeding, the food with which he feeds them,
infinitely surpassethall other sustenance:for he not only feeds them in his
ordinances, by the ministry of his word, with the discoveries ofhis grace, the
precious nourishment of the gospel;but he himself gives them to eat of the
hidden manna, the bread of life, even his own body and blood, which is meat
and drink indeed. And his language is, Eat, O friends, drink, yea, drink
abundantly, O beloved. Reader!doth not your very soul cry out, in the
contemplation of this unequalled love of the Lord Jesus, Lord! evermore give

me this bread. John 6:27-58. Oh! dearest, merciful, gracious Redeemer!feed
my soulwith the manifestations of thy glory - give me to see what thou art in
thyself, what thou art to thy people, what thou hast done for thy Church, and
what relation thou standestin to them! Feedmy soul with the communications
of thy love - let my soul live upon thee in thy pardoning, refreshing, renewing,
strengthening, confirming grace. And let the consolationofthy Holy Spirit
become the perpetual nourishment of my soul, when, in all his blessedoffices,
he is taking of thine, and showing unto me.
There is anotherpoint to be consideredin this delightful verse; and that is the
question of the Church: Where Jesus feeds, andwhere he causethhis flock to
rest at noon? by which we may observe, that it is not enough for the seeking
soul to know how, and with what sweetand suitable food the Great Shepherd
supplies the necessities ofhis flock, but where the seeking soulis to come. To
this the answeris direct: whereverthe pure and unadulterated gospelis
preached, and gospelordinances are faithfully administered, there the
Redeemerhath promised his presence, wherevertwo or three are met in his
name. Matthew 18:20. There he will be found of them that seek him. And also
under the noon of persecution, the noon of temptation, the noon of affliction,
or any other seasonoftrial, like the scorching heatof a sultry day, in a dry
and barren land, where no wateris; there Jesus hath his resting places, and
deeply exercisedsouls may find a sweetresting place in him, through the
everlasting covenantlove, and faithfulness of the Father; the justifying blood
and righteousness ofthe Lord Jesus Christ; and the powerful efficacy,
strength, and aid of God the Holy Ghost. This is the rest(saith the Prophet, in
allusion to all these grand things) wherewithye may cause the weary to rest,
and this is the refreshing; Isaiah28:12. Reader!do you seek with the Church
to the GreatShepherd for this resting place? Here setup thy restin the
faithfulness of Jehovah, againstall the accusations ofconscience, the charges
of Satan, the arrestof justice, and the curse of God's brokenlaw. This is what
my soulwould plead, in the double plea, of the sovereigngrace ofGodthe
Father's covenantlove, and God the Redeemer's justifying blood and
righteousness:and sure I am, as Job justly argued; God will not plead against
me with his greatpower, when he hath put the strength of his own salvationin
me. There, in Jesus's finished work, the righteous might dispute with him; so

should I be delivered forever from my Judge. There can be no ground for fear
of a condemnation from God the Father;while my soul stands clothedand
justified before him in the appointed and approved righteousness ofGod the
Son. See Job 23:6.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Hawker, Robert, D.D. "Commentary on Song of Solomon1:7". "Hawker's
PoorMan's Commentary".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pmc/song-of-solomon-1.html.
1828.
Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible
Song of Solomon 1:7. Where thou makestthy flock to rest at noon— In the
hot countries, the shepherds and their flocks are always forcedto retire to
shelter during the burning heats of noon. One that turneth aside is rendered
by Houbigant and the New Translation, a wanderer. This verse contains a fine
apostrophe, and strongly marks the affection of the bride. See Virgil's Culex,
ver. 116.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography

Coke, Thomas. "Commentaryon Song of Solomon1:7". Thomas Coke
Commentary on the Holy Bible.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tcc/song-of-solomon-1.html.
1801-1803.
Matthew Poole's EnglishAnnotations on the Holy Bible
Whom my soul loveth, notwithstanding all these discouragements mid
afflictions which I suffer for thy sake, and for my love to thee. Being
reproachedand persecutedby others, I flee to thee, O my only refuge and joy,
and I beg direction and help from thee.
Where thou feedest, understand, thy flock, as Genesis 29:7 37:16. Seeing false
teachers and churches bear thy name, Mark 13:21,22,and thy true church
sometimes lies hid, Revelation12:14, discoverto me which is thy true church,
and which are those assemblies andpeople where thou art present, and where
thine ordinances are dispensedin purity and power, and where thou dost and
wilt command the blessing, evenlife for evermore, as it is expressed, Psalms
133:3, that I may join myself to them. This is the requestof particular
believers. For it must be minded, as that which will be useful to explain really
difficulties in this book, that the church in this book is sometimes considered,
and speaketh, oris spokenof, as one entire body, and sometimes with respect
unto and in the name of her particular members, and that promiscuously; and
in which of these capacities eachplace is to be understood is left to the
prudent and diligent readerto gather out of the words and context.
At noon; in the heatof the day, when the shepherds in those hot countries
used to carry their flocks into shady places;whereby he means the time of hot
persecution, when it is hard to find and discoverthe true church, partly
because she is deformed by it, and partly because she is obscuredand driven
into the wilderness, as is said, Revelation12:14.
Be as one, i.e. be really one, the particle as being here a note of truth, as it is in
many other places. Why wilt thou by withdrawing thyself from me, and

denying thy direction to me, suffer me, or give occasionto me, to be such a
one?
One that turneth aside;or, a wanderer, or vagabond, like a neglectedand
forlorn creature, exposedboth to censure and danger, from both which it
belongs to thee, my Husband, to protect and save me. By, or about, or
towards, as this particle is elsewhereused, the flocks of thy companions;the
assemblies ofcorrupt and false teachers andworshippers, by which I am like
to be insnared, if thou dostforsake me. These he calls Christ’s companions,
partly because they profess the name of Christ, and their conjunction with
him in God’s worship; and partly because they setthemselves up in Christ’s
stead, and usurp his powerin delivering and imposing their own laws and
doctrines upon men’s consciences, andbehave themselves like his equals or
companions, not as becomethhis subjects.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Poole, Matthew, "Commentaryon Song of Solomon 1:7". Matthew Poole's
English Annotations on the Holy Bible.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mpc/song-of-solomon-1.html.
1685.
PeterPett's Commentary on the Bible
“Tellme, O you whom my soul loves, Where you feed your flock, Where you
make it to restat noon, For why should I be as one who is veiled, Beside the
flocks of your companions?”
She calls on her beloved, the one whom her soulloves, to tell her where he is
feeding his flocks, and where he takes his noonday rest. For she does not want

to be wandering around the different encampments of his fellow-shepherds,
veiled againsttheir gaze while looking for him, in the meanwhile being
mistakenfor a loose woman. And especiallynot when she would rather be
with him and open to his gaze. Shepherd kings were not unknown in those
days and we must remember that Moses wasa shepherd prince. Mostkings
did have large flocks ofroyal sheepand would sometimes no doubt, especially
as young men, be found living in tents and ‘tending’ them along with their
‘companions’, as wellas their under-shepherds. It would be a change from life
in the palace, and would no doubt make them feel that they were being useful
and manly. It would not seemunusual to the young maiden because she was
probably of minor aristocratic stockofa type who may well have tended their
own sheep.
Israeltoo were being called on to seek out their God and not be led astrayby
other shepherds (Jeremiah25:36; Jeremiah50:6; Ezekiel34:5; 1 Kings
22:17), and lookedforward to one day seeing her shepherd king (Ezekiel
34:23;Ezekiel37:24), but sadly when He did come she was to be found
wandering around the tents of other shepherds. That was why she missed out
on His love. On the other hand there were, of course, always some who, like
this young maiden, soughtout ‘Him Whom their soul loved’ (1 Kings 19:18;
Isaiah8:16). And in the same way today the heart of His true people is called
on to continually seek Him in His ‘tent’ (Hebrews 8:1-2), desiring to look at
Him with unveiled face so that they may behold His glory and be made like
Him as they are in process ofbeing changedfrom glory into glory (2
Corinthians 3:18; 2 Corinthians 4:6).
We too may want to know where we canfind Him. But if we are really His we
should know where we canfind Him, for He is in our hearts (Ephesians 3:17-
19), and nearer than hands and feet, and we know that we can approachHim
constantly in prayer in the inner room (Matthew 6:6), and that where two or
three gather in His Name He is there among us (Matthew 18..20). So we too
should be desiring to be in His innermost tent, learning of Him (Matthew
11:28-30), and not be wanting to be found wandering among other tents,
loving the world and the things that are in the world (1 John 2:15-17). The
question that we must therefore ask ourselves is this. Do we have the same

urgency in seeking Him Whom our soul loves as this young maiden had as she
sought for her beloved? And only we can know the answerto that question.
THE YOUNG WOMEN now callto the maiden in her thoughts, in what is
probably ironic advice. They are probably jealous of her. The description
‘fairest among women’ is also found in Song of Solomon5:9; Song of Solomon
6:1, and indicates who the speakersare. Theyare the young women of the
land.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Pett, Peter. "Commentary on Song of Solomon1:7". "PeterPett's
Commentary on the Bible ".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pet/song-of-solomon-1.html.
2013.
JosephBenson's Commentaryof the Old and New Testaments
Song of Solomon 1:7. Tell me, &c. — Notwithstanding all these
discouragements andafflictions, which I suffer for thy sake, and for my love
to thee. Being reproachedand persecutedby others, I flee to thee, O my only
refuge and joy, and beg direction and help from thee; where thou feedestthy
flock — Discoverto me which is thy true church, and which are those
assemblies andpeople where thou art present. This is the request of particular
believers. Where thou makestthy flock to rest at noon — In the heat of the
day, when the shepherds, in those hot countries, used to lead their flocks into
shady places. Whereby he means the time of persecution, when it is hard to
discoverthe true church, because she is deformed by it, and because she is

obscuredand driven into the wilderness. Why should I be as one that turneth
aside? — Or a wanderer, or vagabond;like a neglectedand forlorn creature,
exposedboth to censure and danger. By the flocks of thy companions — The
assemblies ofcorrupt teachers and worshippers. These she calls Christ’s
companions, because they profess the name of Christ, and their conjunction
with him in God’s worship.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Benson, Joseph. "Commentaryon Song of Solomon 1:7". JosephBenson's
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rbc/song-of-
solomon-1.html. 1857.
George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary
If. Christ comforts his Church. (Worthington) --- He doubts not of her
fidelity. (Menochius) --- But the very insinuation, which she had made, causes
him to give her this sort of rebuke. God is jealous, Exodus xxxiv. 14. He
punishes the smallestfaults. The spouse perceives this, and runs towards him.
--- Thyself. He who is ignorant of himself, must be so likewise ofGod,
(Calmet) and will be sentencedto feed goats. (St. Jerome, ep. xxii. ad Eustoc.)
--- Kids. Which had been detained at home. They will naturally seek their
mothers. All creatures will raise the soul to God, Jobxii. --- Shepherds.
Though in the midst of a perverse generationof idolaters and philosophers,
the Church will continue steadfast. (Menochius)
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Haydock, George Leo. "Commentaryon Song of Solomon1:7". "George
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hcc/song-of-solomon-1.html.
1859.
E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes
Tell me, &c. Again soliloquizing. See Structure above.
soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.
feedest= shepherdest. This cannotrefer to Solomon!
rest = lie down.
turneth aside = strayeth, or wandereth.
by = to, or among.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Bullinger, Ethelbert William. "Commentary on Song of Solomon1:7". "E.W.
Bullinger's Companion bible Notes".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bul/song-of-solomon-1.html.
1909-1922.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged
My soulloveth - more intense than "the virgins" and "the upright love thee"
(Song of Solomon1:3-4; Matthew 22:37). To carry out the design of the
allegory, the royal encampment is here representedas moving from place to
place, in searchof greenpastures, under the Shepherd King, (Psalms 23:1-6.)
The bride, having first enjoyed communion with Him in the pavilion, is
willing to follow Him into labours and dangers;arising from all-absorbing
love (Luke 14:26); this distinguishes her from the formalist (John 10:27).
Feedest- tendestthy flock (Isaiah 40:11;Revelation7:17). No single type
expresses allthe office of Jesus Christ; hence, arises the variety of diverse
images used to portray the manifold aspects ofHim; these would be quite
incongruous if the song referred to the earthly Solomon. Her contactwith
Him is special. She hears His voice, and addressesnone but Himself. Yet it is
through a veil; she sees Him not (Job 23:8-9). If we would be fed, we must
follow the Shepherd through the whole breadth of His Word, and not stayon
one spot alone.
Makest... to rest - distinct from "feedest:" periods of rest are vouchsafed
after labour (Isaiah4:6). Communion in private must go along with public
following of Him.
As one that turneth aside , [ k
Copyright Statement
Bibliography

Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on Song
of Solomon1:7". "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
- Unabridged". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfu/song-of-
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(7) Where thou feedest. . . thy flock . . . For why should I be . . .?—The
marginal reading, that is veiled, follows the LXX. in rendering the Hebrew
literally. But it has been found somewhatdifficult to assigna meaning to a
literal translation. The suggestions=unknown(Ewald), veiled as a harlot
(Delitzsch, &c; comp. Genesis 38:15), fainting (Gesenius), seemall wide of the
mark, since the question only refers to the dangerof missing her beloved
through ignorance of his whereabouts. A transposition of two letters would
give a word with a sense required = erring, wandering about, a sense, indeed,
which old Rabbinical commentators gave to this word itself in Isaiah22:16
(Authorised Version, cover);and probably the idea involved is the obvious
one that a personwith the head muffled up would not find her wayeasily, as
we might say, “Why should I go about blindfold?”
The Rabbinical interpretation of this verse is a goodinstance of the fanciful
treatment the book has received:“When the time came for Moses to depart,
he said to the Lord, ‘It is revealedto me that this people will sin and go into
captivity; show me how they shall be governed and dwell among the nations
whose decrees are oppressive as the heat; and wherefore is it they shall
wander among the flocks of Esauand Ishmael, who make them idols equal to
thee as thy companions?’”
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Ellicott, Charles John. "Commentary on Song of Solomon1:7". "Ellicott's
Commentary for English Readers".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ebc/song-of-solomon-1.html.
1905.
Treasuryof Scripture Knowledge
O thou
2:3; 3:1-4; 5:8,10,16;Psalms 18:1;116:1; Isaiah5:1; 26:9; Matthew 10:37;
John 21:17; 1 Peter1:8; 2:7
thou feedest
Genesis 37:16;Psalms 23:1,2;80:1; Isaiah 40:11;Micah 5:4; John
10:11,28,29;Revelation7:17
for
1 Samuel 12:20,21;Psalms 28:1;John 6:67-69;1 John 2:19
turneth aside
or, is veiled.
Colossians 3:14-18
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Torrey, R. A. "Commentary on Song of Solomon1:7". "The Treasuryof
Scripture Knowledge".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tsk/song-of-solomon-1.html.
Commentary by J.C.Philpoton selecttexts of the Bible
Song of Solomon 1:7
"Tellme, O you whom my soul loves, where you feed, where you make your
flock to rest at noon—for why should I be as one that turns aside by the flocks
of your companions? If you know not, O fairest among women, go your way
by the footsteps ofthe flock, and feedyour young goats beside the shepherds"
tents." — Song of Solomon1:7-8
If you saythat you want food and rest, to know Christ for yourself and to
enjoy his presence and love, the Lord gives you two directions to attain to the
enjoyment of these two blessings—
1. to tread in the footsteps ofthe flock, to walk in the way in which the saints
of old have walked, in the path of tribulation and faith;
2. if you are favored in any way to live within reachof the shepherds" tents,
and have the privilege of hearing the gospelpreachedin its purity and power,
to bring your young goats in your arms beside the tent, and to put them down
to feed on the juicy herbage. And be assuredthat if you come to the
shepherds" tents with a prayerful spirit and a hungry soul, begging of God to
open your heart to receive the word with power, and to crownit with his
blessing, sooneror later you will find food and rest.
But these things go together. If you want food you will go where it is to be
obtained; if you want rest you will go where it is to be obtained. You will get
neither in the world. But as you get food and restbeside the shepherds" tents
you will find that it is really and truly Jesus himselfwho feeds, and Jesus

himself who makes you lie down and rest. The shepherds are but servants.
Christ is the Bridegroom, and he alone has the Bride. The shepherds" joy is to
bring the sheepto Christ that they may find food and rest in him; and as your
heart receives the joyful sound, and you feelthe powerof God"s truth in your
soul, there will be a doing what Christ bids as well as enjoying what Christ
reveals.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
BRUCE HURT MD
Shulammite (or young woman)
Song 1:7 "Tell(imperative = command) me, O you whom my soul loves,
Where do you pasture (feed) your flock, Where do you make it lie down at
noon? For why should I be like one who veils herself beside the flocks ofyour
companions?" (O you - Song 2:3 3:1-4 5:8,10,16)(You - Song 1:15 2:10
4:1,7,10 5:9 6:1,4-10 7:1-13)
NET Bible - Tell me, O you whom my heart loves, where do you pasture your
sheep? Where do you rest your sheepduring the midday heat? Tellme lest I
wander around beside the flocks ofyour companions!
NLT - Tell me, my love, where are you leading your flock today? Where will
you restyour sheep at noon? For why should I wanderlike a prostitute among
your friends and their flocks?
Where do you pasture your flock - Here the Shulammite turns her attention
from herself and addresses Solomon. Notonly was Solomona King, he was
also a shepherd (Song 1:7-8, 2:16; 6:2-3). In the OT times rulers were also

called"shepherds" (Jer 23:4; Ezek 34:23 "My servant David...will...be their
shepherd"). Historically Solomondid have many flocks and herds (Eccl. 2:7).
Whom my soul loves - This phrase conveys her deep sense of emotional
involvement (cf our modern term "soulmates").
NAB MarginalNote - Here and elsewhere in the Song (Song 3:1; 5:8; 6:1), the
bride expresses herdesire to be in the company of her lover. These verses
point to a certain tension in the poem. Only at the end (Song 8:5-14)does
mutual possessionof the lovers become final.
Longman - If the man does not give her directions, then she will have to
proceedfrom tent to tent and look like a prostitute who is trying to get a
customer. (Ibid)
One who veils herself - This phrase has two possible interpretations: (1) It
could refer to what a prostitute would do, chasing a man for his favor. (cf
Tamar with Judah in Ge 38:14-15)(NLT translates it "Forwhy should I
wander like a prostitute among the flocks of your companions?"). If this is the
picture, she is saying she is not a loose womanlooking for love in all the wrong
places. She clearlywants to find the one to whom she is committed. (2)
Alternatively, this picture could describe the Shulammite womanwho veiled
herself in mourning because she is missing her beloved.
Longman - The NLT rightly understands that the veil is a prostitute’s veil in
this context (Gen 38:14–15)and so makes the ancient implication clearto the
modern reader. An alternate understanding of the line is provided by G. R.
Driver (1974)and J. A. Emerton (1993). Preferring the other of the two
ancient Semitic roots spelledth as the source of the word otyah, they interpret
the phrase as indicating that the woman does not want to be left “picking
lice,” an expressionequivalent to our “twiddling thumbs.” The NEB has
adopted this reading. (Ibid)
Brian Bell - She changes the subject to him. She shows her king is also a
shepherd. Some believe here is why they cannotbe one in the same. (i.e. a king
can’t be a shepherd) Jesus was!{David was}He is our Good, Great, & Chief

Jesus was loved in the song of songs

Jesus was loved in the song of songs

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to Jesus was loved in the song of songs

Similar to Jesus was loved in the song of songs (20)

More from GLENN PEASE

More from GLENN PEASE (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Jesus was loved in the song of songs