Christ awakes the church with his calling, 1. The church, having a taste of Christ's love, is sick with love, 2-8. A description of Christ by his graces, 9-16.
[Gentleman:]
1 I have come into my garden, my sister, my spouse./
I have gathered my myrrh with my spice./
I have eaten my honey-comb with my honey./
I have drank my wine with my milk.
[Others:]
Eat, O friends./
Drink, yes, drink abundantly, O beloved.
[Lady:]
2 I sleep, but my heart wakes./
It is the voice of my beloved who knocks, saying,/
"Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled,/
for my head is filled with dew/
and my locks with the drops of the night."
3 I have put off my coat. How shall I put it on?/
I have washed my feet. How shall I defile them?
4 My beloved put his hand in by the hole of the door,/
and my heart was moved for him.
5 I rose up to open to my beloved./
And my hands dropped with myrrh/
and my fingers with sweet-smelling myrrh/
upon the handles of the lock.
6 I opened to my beloved,/
but my beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone./
My soul failed when he spoke./
I sought him, but I could not find him./
I called him, but he gave me no answer.
7 The watchmen who went throughout the city found me,/
they smote me, they wounded me./
The keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.
8 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,/
if you find my beloved,/
that you tell him that I am sick with love.
[Others:]
9 What is your beloved more than another beloved,/
O fairest among women?/
What is your beloved more than another beloved/
that you charge us so?
[Lady:]
10 My beloved is white and ruddy,/
the chief among ten thousand.
11 His head is as the most fine gold./
His locks are bushy and black as a raven.
12 His eyes are as the eyes of doves/
by the rivers of waters,/
washed with milk/
and set in fullness.
13 His cheeks are as a bed of spices,/
as sweet flowers./
His lips are like lilies/
dropping sweet-smelling myrrh.
14 His hands are as gold rings/
set with the beryl./
His belly is as bright ivory/
overlaid with sapphires.
15 His legs are as pillars of marble/
set upon sockets of fine gold./
His countenance is as Lebanon,/
excellent as the cedars.
16 His mouth is most sweet./
Indeed, he is altogether lovely./
This is my beloved and this is my friend,/
O daughters of Jerusalem.
Matthew Henry Commentary - Song of Solomon, Chapter 5[➚]
John Gill's Chapter Summary:
This chapter begins with Christ’s answer to the church’s request, in which he informs her that he had come into his garden, as she desired, and gives an account of what he had done there, and kindly invites his dear friends to feast with him there (Song of Solomon 5:1); Then she relates her case and circumstances, which followed upon this, her sleepy frame and ungrateful carriage to her beloved, which he resenting, withdrew from her and this gave her sensible pain (Song of Solomon 5:2-6); what treatment she met with from the watchmen, her charge to the daughters of Jerusalem, and the questions they asked about her beloved (Song of Solomon 5:7-9); which put her upon giving a large description of him by each of his parts, head, hair, etc. (Song of Solomon 5:10-15). And the chapter is concluded with a general commendation of him and his loveliness, and a claim of interest in him (Song of Solomon 5:16).