6 I opened to my beloved, But my beloved withdrew -- he passed on, My soul went forth when he spake, I sought him, and found him not. I called him, and he answered me not.
I am sleeping, but my heart waketh: The sound of my beloved knocking! `Open to me, my sister, my friend, My dove, my perfect one, For my head is filled `with' dew, My locks `with' drops of the night.'
And thou hast said in that day: `I thank thee, O Jehovah, Though Thou hast been angry with me, Turn back doth Thine anger, And Thou dost comfort me.
And the Lord having turned did look on Peter, and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he said to him -- `Before a cock shall crow, thou mayest disown me thrice;' and Peter having gone without, wept bitterly.
and a second time a cock crew, and Peter remembered the saying that Jesus said to him -- `Before a cock crow twice, thou mayest deny me thrice;' and having thought thereon -- he was weeping.
and lo, a woman, a Canaanitess, from those borders having come forth, did call to him, saying, `Deal kindly with me, Sir -- Son of David; my daughter is miserably demonized.' And he did not answer her a word; and his disciples having come to him, were asking him, saying -- `Let her away, because she crieth after us;' and he answering said, `I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.' And having come, she was bowing to him, saying, `Sir, help me;' and he answering said, `It is not good to take the children's bread, and to cast to the little dogs.' And she said, `Yes, sir, for even the little dogs do eat of the crumbs that are falling from their lords' table;' then answering, Jesus said to her, `O woman, great `is' thy faith, let it be to thee as thou wilt;' and her daughter was healed from that hour.
And it cometh to pass, as He called, And they have not hearkened, So do they call, and I do not hearken, Said Jehovah of Hosts.
With their flock and with their herd, They go to seek Jehovah, and do not find, He hath withdrawn from them.
Also when I call and cry out, He hath shut out my prayer.
For, not to the age do I strive, nor for ever am I wroth, For the spirit from before Me is feeble, And the souls I have made.
For, as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, Called thee hath Jehovah, Even a youthful wife when she is refused, said thy God. In a small moment I have forsaken thee, And in great mercies I do gather thee, In overflowing wrath I hid my face `for' a moment from thee, And in kindness age-during I have loved thee, Said thy Redeemer -- Jehovah!
Wherefore have I come, and there is no one? I called, and there is none answering, Hath My hand been at all short of redemption? And is there not in me power to deliver? Lo, by My rebuke I dry up a sea, I make rivers a wilderness, Their fish stinketh, for there is no water, And dieth with thirst.
and he saith unto his brethren, `My money hath been put back, and also, lo, in my bag:' and their heart goeth out, and they tremble, one to another saying, `What `is' this God hath done to us!'
And I have waited for Jehovah, Who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob, And I have looked for Him.
My beloved sent his hand from the net-work, And my bowels were moved for him.
On my couch by night, I sought him whom my soul hath loved; I sought him, and I found him not! -- Pray, let me rise, and go round the city, In the streets and in the broad places, I seek him whom my soul hath loved! -- I sought him, and I found him not.
Mine eye hath grieved because of affliction, I called Thee, O Jehovah, all the day, I have spread out unto Thee my hands. To the dead dost Thou do wonders? Do Rephaim rise? do they thank Thee? Selah. Is Thy kindness recounted in the grave? Thy faithfulness in destruction? Are Thy wonders known in the darkness? And Thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? And I, unto Thee, O Jehovah, I have cried, And in the morning doth my prayer come before Thee. Why, O Jehovah, castest Thou off my soul? Thou hidest Thy face from me.
Jehovah, God of Hosts, till when? Thou hast burned against the prayer of Thy people.
I have been wearied with my calling, Burnt hath been my throat, Consumed have been mine eyes, waiting for my God.
O Jehovah, in Thy good pleasure, Thou hast caused strength to remain for my mountain,' Thou hast hidden Thy face -- I have been troubled.
To the Overseer, on `The Hind of the Morning.' -- A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? Far from my salvation, The words of my roaring? My God, I call by day, and Thou answerest not, And by night, and there is no silence to me.
And the king saith, `What -- to me and to you, O sons of Zeruiah? for -- let him revile; even because Jehovah hath said to him, Revile David; and who saith, Wherefore hast Thou done so?'
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,