2 I was asleep, but my heart was awake. It is the voice of my beloved who knocks: Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled; For my head is filled with dew, My hair with the dampness of the night.
My dove in the clefts of the rock, In the hiding places of the mountainside, Let me see your face. Let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.
My dove, my perfect one, is unique. She is her mother's only daughter. She is the favorite one of her who bore her. The daughters saw her, and called her blessed, The queens and the concubines, and they praised her.
Many waters can't quench love, Neither can floods drown it. If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love, He would be utterly scorned. Friends
but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in; naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink? When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you? When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?' "The King will answer them, 'Most assuredly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers{The word for "brothers" here may be also correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."}, you did it to me.' Then he will say also to those on the left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you didn't give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and you didn't take me in; naked, and you didn't clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn't visit me.' "Then they will also answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn't help you?' "Then he will answer them, saying, 'Most assuredly I tell you, inasmuch as you didn't do it to one of the least of these, you didn't do it to me.'
He came to the disciples, and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "What, couldn't you watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray, that you don't enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
It happened in these days, that he went out to the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God.
Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory, and the two men who stood with him.
Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
For the love of Christ constrains us; because we judge thus, that one died for all, therefore all died. He died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again.
Therefore he says, "Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
Nevertheless you have a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.
You are all beautiful, my love. There is no spot in you.
Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from my eyes. These twenty years have I been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.
Lift up your heads, you gates; Be lifted up, you everlasting doors: The King of glory will come in. Who is the King of glory? Yahweh strong and mighty, Yahweh mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, you gates; Yes, lift them up, you everlasting doors: The King of glory will come in. Who is this King of glory? Yahweh of Hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah.
I am Yahweh, your God, Who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
> Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, Who walk according to Yahweh's law.
The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes, Leaping on the mountains, Skipping on the hills.
My beloved spoke, and said to me, Rise up, my love, my beautiful one, and come away.
Jacob served seven years for Rachel. They seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her.
You have ravished my heart, my sister, my bride. You have ravished my heart with one of your eyes, With one chain of your neck.
Your mouth like the best wine, That goes down smoothly for my beloved, Gliding through the lips of those who are asleep.
I gave my back to the strikers, and my cheeks to those who plucked off the hair; I didn't hide my face from shame and spitting.
He was despised, and rejected by men; a man of suffering, and acquainted with disease: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we didn't respect him. Surely he has borne our sickness, and carried our suffering; yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed.
Now as he was speaking with me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face toward the ground; but he touched me, and set me upright.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Song of Songs 5
Commentary on Song of Songs 5 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 5
In this chapter we have,
Sgs 5:1
These words are Christ's answer to the church's prayer in the close of the foregoing chapter, Let my beloved come into his garden; here he has come, and lets her know it. See how ready God is to hear prayer, how ready Christ is to accept the invitations that his people give him, though we are backward to hear his calls and accept his invitations. He is free in condescending to us, while we are shy of ascending to him. Observe how the return answered the request, and outdid it.
Sgs 5:2-8
In this song of loves and joys we have here a very melancholy scene; the spouse here speaks, not to her beloved (as before, for he has withdrawn), but of him, and it is a sad story she tells of her own folly and ill conduct towards him, notwithstanding his kindness, and of the just rebukes she fell under for it. Perhaps it may refer to Solomon's own apostasy from God, and the sad effects of that apostasy after God had come into his garden, had taken possession of the temple he had built, and he had feasted with God upon the sacrifices (v. 1); however, it is applicable to the too common case both of the churches and particular believers, who by their carelessness and security provoke Christ to withdraw from them. Observe,
Sgs 5:9-16
Here is,