Charles Spurgeon Commentary Song of Solomon 4

Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; Song of Solomon 1:15

"Twice fair, first, through being washed in my blood, and next, through being sanctified by my Spirit!"

Thou hast doves' eyes within thy locks:

Jesus prizes the love of his people which flashes forth from their eyes as they look upon him. The good works of his people, like the locks of hair which are the beauty and glory of the female form, are the beauty of the Church, and of every individual believer. It is a beautiful thing to have the eyes of faith glistening between the locks of our good works to the praise and glory of God.

Thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead.

O my soul, see that you have many such acceptable works of faith and labours of love!

Thy teeth—

Those parts of our spiritual being with which we feed upon Christ, and masticate and assimilate the Word: 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.

We should seek to so feed upon the Word as to become fruitful by it. If we spiritually feed upon the flesh of Christ, we shall afterwards be the means of bringing forth an abundant harvest of holiness to his praise and honour.

Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet,

And well they may be, for what is there for the believer to talk about but the scarlet of the Saviour's blood, that matchless bath in which we are washed whiter than snow? My mouth, be filled with the praises of the Lord, that my lips may be like a thread of scarlet!

And your speech is comely:

There is always a comeliness in that conversation which is full of Christ, so, beloved, let your conversation always be such as is fitting for the gospel of Christ; but that cannot be the case unless there is much of Christ in it.

Thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks.

Those parts of us with which we think upon God's Word should ever be surrounded by good works. Doctrines in the head, without holiness in the life, are of no service, but when the temples are covered with the locks of righteousness, then are they like a piece of a pomegranate, acceptable both to God and men.

Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury,

And what is this but our faith? Does not the neck join the body to the head, and is not faith that connecting link by which we are united to Christ? Oh, for that faith which is like the tower of David builded for an armoury! It is sure to be assaulted; let it, therefore, be firmly founded, and fully armed.

Whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.

They hung up their bucklers in memory of their triumphs. Read Hebrews 11, which is a record of the victories of faith. The promises of God are also like these bucklers which are hung up in the armory; let us be so familiar with them that we will have them ready for use in every emergency.

Your two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies.

The ordinances of God's house are very delightful to Christ, and to his people too; and, consequently, that part of our spiritual being which seeks to feed others, and especially to nourish the young believer, is very precious in Christ's esteem. When he has finished the description of his Church, Christ says: –