Ver. 1. “Behold, thou art fair, my love, behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes, within thy locks; thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from mount Gilead.” When the woman touched the hem of the Redeemer’s garment, the virtue that was in him flowed out to her. (Mark 5) The finger of faith not only touched the border of His garment, but it touched the secret spring of His heart, which faith only can reach. All the treasures of that heart were thrown open to faith. Her case was “immediately” and perfectly met. The fountain of her disease was dried up, and all the streams cut off. “She felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.” Yet she was without peace or rest of soul, to say nothing of joy. She fell at the feet of Jesus “fearing and trembling.” Here, Ο my soul, pause a little, meditate, in the solitude of the sanctuary, on this instructive scene.
Is it possible, I ask, that all the virtue that is in the blessed Lord, may be possessed by a believer, and yet that believer be a stranger to peace? So it was with this dear woman before us, whose faith was great. And so it is, alas! with thousands of the Lord’s dear people now. Herein is a mystery unto many. How is it to be accounted for? The case of the woman is plain enough? and also gives the explanation of every other case. Although she had received for her need, all the virtue that was in Him, she was still a stranger to the thoughts of His heart towards her. She needed the revelation of His heart to herself, to give her full peace in His presence. What she wanted, was the knowledge of what He thought about herself. And this is what every sinner needs, as well as the woman. He withholds nothing from the touch of faith. The first touch of faith secures for the soul all that He is Himself, and ail that He has to bestow. But full repose of soul is only found in knowing the heart that surrendered all to win us for Himself. Then, but not till then, shall we be in the full repose of His love. Oh! to know His own thoughts about us! Oh! to know His love for us! “He loved me and gave Himself for me” are the highest notes we shall ever sing.
But, one glance more at this blessed scene before leaving it. Only watch, for a moment, the outgoings of the Savior’s love, to this poor woman. Oh! who can understand the love that breathes in these words? “And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.” What love! His heart rejoices! He has gained His prize! From all eternity He had looked forward to that happy moment. The works of Satan are destroyed, God is glorified — grace shines, and faith triumphs. But His eyes must rest upon her. “Where is the one that has done this thing?” With what interest His eyes behold her! And now He reveals Himself to her heart, and fills her soul with the peace and joy of His salvation. “Daughter” — nearest and dearest of kindred — tenderest of human ties — thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
These reflections have been suggested while meditating on the first seven verses of this wonderful chapter. Here, the Beloved reveals to His loved one, in a remarkable way, the thoughts of His heart about herself—about her matchless beauty in His sight. Oh! for a circumcised ear and heart, to receive and retain forever, the words He has chosen to express His admiration of His Bride. He sits, as it were, and gazes with enraptured delight, on each feature of His fair and beautiful spouse. He then speaks plainly to herself of His admiring love. “Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse.” Such praise from man would be most injurious, but when it comes from His lips, it only deepens our humility, and makes us more like Himself. It fills the soul with a calm and peaceful joy; it unites us more closely to His heart, and transforms us more into His image. It is the blessed foundation of closest fellowship.
After assuring her heart, in general terms, that she is “fair” in His sight, He enumerates seven distinct features, which He has been contemplating, separately, and minutely, with great delight. The eyes, the hair, the teeth, the lips, the temples, the neck, and the breasts. Each feature being perfect in itself He sees in her the assemblage of perfection and beauty. “Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.” The minuteness of the inspection manifests the boundless interest and delight He has in her. The number seven, too, gives the idea of fullness and completeness. But need we wonder? “The beauty of the Lord our God is upon us.” In all parts and proportions, the believer is perfect in Christ’s perfectness, and comely in His comeliness. He has put away all that was ours, and given us all that is His own. Hence we are exhorted to put off the old man, and to put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (Eph. 4:22, 23, 2422That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (Ephesians 4:22‑24).) We will now briefly glance at the seven features separately.
“Thou hast doves’ eyes within thy locks.” The dove was ceremonially clean. It only, of all the feathered tribe, was offered in sacrifice on God’s altar. (See Meditations, chap. 1: 14.) It is the understood emblem of humility, chastity, and harmlessness. “Thou hast doves’ eyes.” The eye is a term often used in scripture for spiritual light and understanding. “If therefore thine eye be single thy whole body shall be full of light.” But there is ore peculiarity about the dove’s eyes which may be designed to teach the believer a needed lesson. It has a wonderful power of distant vision. It is supposed to see from an immense distance, its own dove-cot. Having been taken far from home, it may be seen, when liberated from its cage, ascending very high — steadying itself in the air, until it has discovered its way back: it then flies straight and rapidly home. Oh! for this power of distant and heavenly vision, that, having seen by faith the Risen Jesus, we may forget the things that are behind, and press on to those that are before. Christ, Himself, is the Christian’s mark — but the “mark” must be seen, before we can take our aim. First, fix thine eye, Ο my soul, on the risen, exalted Man in glory. Then, “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3.) The similitude is easily understood — is it true of thee, my soul? This is the question, what is thine aim? what is thy course? what is thy progress? Observe, the beautiful, bright eye of the Bride, glancing through her flowing tresses, meets the admiring eye of the Beloved, and ravishes His heart, “Thou hast doves’ eyes within thy locks.”“Her locks soften their brightness.
“Thine are the locks, of which each single hair
Draws nourishment distinctly, and has root
In Him, the Head: of which not e’en the least
Can e’er be injured to that Head unknown;
Thine are the congregated ringlets, diverse each
In form or fullness, yet containing each
Units all separable; vital all
And individual, howe’er amassed
In throngs collective, and those throngs themselves
Parts of a whole in fellowship with Christ,
Round whom His people cluster; and from whom
Derive those eyes of dove-like gentleness,
That look benignant on the world around.”
“Thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead” The comparison here, may be to the long, glossy hair of the goats that graze on Mount Gilead, and to the circumstance of their appearance as a flock, or one united company, feeding on the rich pastures of the high places. The effect, to the eye, must have been profusion in each, and unity in the whole. “Long hair,” the apostle tells us, is the covering, and glory of the woman, 1 Cor. 11:1515But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. (1 Corinthians 11:15).
But may there not also be a reference in this comparison, to the long hair of the Nazarite, which was the type of power in the Spirit? Samson’s great strength lay in his seven locks. They were the symbol of his unbroken vow — of his consecration to God. Every believer is a Nazarite to God, in Christ, and ought to be one in practice. “I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.” (Luke 22:1818For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. (Luke 22:18).) This is the Nazarite vow of the blessed Lord; and every believer, being one with Christ, is under His vow. Herein lies the believer’s strength, namely, in separation according to the law of the Nazarite. While Samson’s seven locks were unshorn, the enemy could gain no advantage over him. The Spirit remained in power with him, so long as he kept the secret of his communion with God. But, alas, alas, how difficult for a Nazarite to retain his locks in the lap of Delilah. Alas, alas, that the foul fingers of a harlot should ever touch the locks of God’s Nazarite! Seek, then, Ο my soul, by diligence, watchfulness, and prayer, to live, and walk, in separation from the world, in fellowship with Christ, and in the power of the Spirit; that thy locks may never be shorn, and that the secret of thy communion may never be broken.
“Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing: whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them.” Here, the comparison fitly represents every point of the feature, with great perfection. In the sheep, even shorn, we have the encumbrance of nature removed regularity, evenness.
“Coming up from the washing” — cleanness, whiteness. They have been washed in the fountain which removes all uncleanness. The upper and under rows exactly correspond. They are “twins.” “None is barren among them.” There is none wanting. The Bride can now eat the bread of life — the old corn of the land. She is of full age. The risen, exalted, glorified, and coming Messiah, is the food and nourishment of her soul. In the Lord’s sight there is evenness, purity, fruitfulness, nothing lacking, in the one He loves. What a mercy it is so, and that He tells us, Himself, that it is so. “Bless the Lord; Ο my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”
“Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely” As the river of God’s grace which flows through this world, is deeply tinged with the blood of the cross, so should the conversation of the believer be. “I determined,” says Paul, “not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified,” and again, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 2:22For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. (1 Corinthians 2:2); Gal. 5:1414For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. (Galatians 5:14).) Observe carefully, Ο my soul, the significance of this feature in holy scripture. And, oh! may a deep scarlet line thread its way through all thy conversation; so shall thy “speech be comely” to thy well-beloved.
Nothing could be more loathsome, to the eye, than the lips of the leper; such are the lips of nature to God. Leprosy is typical of the sin of our nature. The leper was to “put a covering upon his upper lip, and cry, unclean, unclean,........he shall dwell alone; outside the camp shall his habitation be.” (Lev. 14) Such, alas, is the representation of man’s sad moral condition —before God, however fragrant the lips, or comely the speech, to our common nature. But, oh! how changed when washed in the blood of the Lamb! In place of the white scaly lips of the leper, there is the pure, deep scarlet color of the pardoned, healed, and purified believer. “And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Cor. 6:1111And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11).
When Isaiah saw the glory of the Lord in vision, he was brought to see himself, morally, as a leper, and exclaimed, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Then flew one of the Seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar; and he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.” Isa. 6.
The bright scarlet thread that was bound in the window of Rahab, invites thy meditations. It speaks loudly, and distinctly, of the power of the blood of Christ; but, for the present, it may be left. More than ever, Ο my soul, let thy lips be preserved from everything that would mar their living freshness to the eye of Jesus, and also, in the sight of others. “Let your speech,” says the apostle, “be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Col. 4:66Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. (Colossians 4:6).
“Thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks.” The heart of the pomegranate is chosen to represent the temples of the Bride. “A piece,” or broken part, “of a pomegranate,” is the emblem. The fruit is said to be delicious to the taste; and when thus broken it presents a bright red color, mingled with white. This comparison, I suppose, gives us the idea of modesty, shamefacedness, or blushing. Blessed change for the house of Jacob, whom the spouse represents. There was a time when the Lord had to say, of His ancient people, “I know that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is as an iron sinew, and thy brow brass.” (Isa. 48:44Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass; (Isaiah 48:4).) What a change, now! What has grace wrought? Now, the Lord sees in His loved one, the perfection of meekness, and lowly grace. Even her blushing temples are hidden by her flowing tresses. “Thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks.” What sayest thou to this feature, my soul? Meditate thereon, and pray that thine adorning may “be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” 1 Pet. 3:3, 43Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. (1 Peter 3:3‑4).
“Thy neck is like the tower of David, builded for an armory, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men” The armory of David was adorned with the trophies of his victories. He was a mighty man of war. The Lord delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul.” He subdued his enemies on all sides, and paved the way for the reign of peace, under Solomon, his son. But what were these compared with the victories of King Messiah? The entire book of God, may be considered as the record of the victories of Christ. But the tower-like neck of the Bride, adorned with many jewels, symbolizes the trophies He has won, within the land of Judah. We read of Israel, as a stiff-necked people —as wreathed about the neck with the yoke of transgression — and as walking wantonly with stretched forth necks. Such illustrations represent a sad moral condition. But now, through the Lord’s grace, the change is complete — the triumphs of His love are perfect. The yoke of transgression is broken from off the neck of the daughter of Zion. In place of being obstinate as an iron sinew, it is graceful, beautiful, and stately, like the tower of David. “Awake, awake, put on thy strength, Ο Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, Ο Jerusalem;......
Loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, Ο captive daughter of Zion.” (Isa. 3:1, 21For, behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water, 2The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient, (Isaiah 3:1‑2).) And now the Lord delights to contemplate this beautiful feature of His Bride — graced, with many chains of honor; “Meet for the necks of them that take the spoil.” The holy liberty, and perfect happiness of His people, will commemorate forever, the victories of His love.
“Thy two breasts are like two young roes, that are twins, which feed among the lilies” This beautiful feature, the seventh in number, is the emblem, 1St, Of moral development — the formation of the heart for Christ — the affections drawn out to Him. 2nd, Of nourishment — the means of growth and blessing to others. The contrast between the spouse and “the little sister,” of chap. 8: 8, is marked and instructive. “We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts.” It is thought, by some, that the perfect development of the Bride, and its absence in “the little sister,” represent the moral condition of Judah and Ephraim, or the two tribes and the ten. When the twelve are restored, the difference will be manifest. Nevertheless, the ten tribes will enjoy the blessed results of what has been done. Ephraim, however, will be a stranger to those deep exercises of heart, through which Judah has passed, in connection with the Messiah; and, consequently, to the moral development which these experiences give. It was after the captivity of the ten tribes, that Christ appeared and was rejected and crucified. And before they are gathered out of all countries and brought into their own land, He will have made Himself known to Judah as coming again in power and glory. The remnant, when the Messiah returns, will be chiefly composed of the tribe of Judah. The twin roes may represent the unity of mind and heart which now prevails amongst the Jews, towards their long-looked for Messiah. In feeding “among the lilies” they now find their delight, where He finds His. “He feedeth among the lilies.” The heart is drawn out, and the affections, are formed for Christ, through the manifestation of Himself to us, by the Holy Spirit. Oh! that our hearts — my heart — may desire this, more and more, that there may be a more perfect development of His love there.
Judah will thus become the means of nourishment and blessing, not only to the ten tribes, but to all the nations of earth. “Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her; rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her; that ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations, that ye may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled on her knees. As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” Isa. 66:10-1310Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: 11That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. 12For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees. 13As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. (Isaiah 66:10‑13).
The Bridegroom, having thus surveyed, with great delight, the faultless beauty of His Bride, proposes to retire to His favorite scenes of resort — the mountain of myrrh, and the hill of frankincense. It would appear, that she accompanies Him on this occasion. But whether she goes with Him, or remains behind, He drops into her heart this blessed word, “Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.”
“Thy warfare is accomplished.” “Christ has died!”
Thy sins, though scarlet, have been covered o’er
With His free pardon and His snow-white robes;
Cast into ocean is thy hated guilt;
Abhorring evil, cleaving unto good,
Lo! thou art fair! there is no spot in thee!”