John Gill Commentary Song Of Solomon 6:10

"Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, Fair as the moon, Clear as the sun, Terrible as an army with banners?" — Song Of Solomon 6:10 (ASV)

Who is she [that] looketh forth as the morning? &c.] These words may be connected with the preceding, by a supplement of the word "saying"; and so may express what the daughters said, when they blessed and praised the church, wondering at her beauty, it being like the rising morning; so Helena is said to show her beautiful face, (awv) (antelloisa), as the morning, when it springs forth^F14: there was a city in the tribe of Reuben, called Zarethshahar, the beauty or splendour of the morning, (Joshua 13:19). Homer often describes the morning by her rosy fingers^F15, and as clothed with a saffron garment^F16, and as beautiful and divine^F17, and fair haired^F18; and as on a golden throne and beautiful^F19.

And as these words describe the progressive gradations of light, so they may set forth the state and condition of the church in the several ages of the world; its first state in this clause, which may reach from the first dawn of light to Adam, (Genesis 3:15); increasing in the times of the patriarchs, Noah, Abraham, and Jacob, and in which and to whom were various displays of Gospel light and grace; to the time of the giving of the law by Moses, when the church might be said to be fair as the moon;

which, though it receives its light from the sun, yet splendour and brightness are ascribed to it, (Job 31:26); and, by other writers^F20, is represented as fair and beautiful; and the beautiful form of persons is expressed by it^F21: and very fitly is the state of the church under the law signified by the moon, by which the ceremonial law seems intended, in (Revelation 12:1); that largely involving the observation of new moons, by which the several festivals under the law were regulated; and which law gave light in the night of Jewish darkness, into the person, offices, and grace of Christ; and though it was imperfect, variable, grew old, and at length vanished away, yet the church under it was "fair"; there being a beauty and amiableness in the worship of that dispensation, (Psalms 27:4) (84:1).

The next clause, "clear as the sun", may describe the church under the Gospel dispensation; when the "sun of righteousness" arose, and made the famous Gospel day; when the shadows of the old law fled away, Christ, the substance, being come; when there were more light and knowledge, and a clear discerning of spiritual and evangelic things: and, in all those periods, the church was "terrible as [an army] with banners"; to her enemies, being in a militant state; (See Gill on Song of Solomon 6:4).

The whole of this may be applied to particular believers; who, at first conversion, "look forth as the morning", their light being small, but increasing; and, as to their sanctification, are "fair as the moon", having their spots and imperfections, and deriving all their light, grace, and holiness, from Christ; and, as to their justification, clear as the sun, being clothed with Christ, the sun of righteousness, (Revelation 12:1); and so all fair and without spot; [and] terrible as [an army] with banners, fighting the good fight of faith, under the banners of Christ, against all spiritual enemies.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F14: Theocrit. Idyll. 18. v. 26.
• F15: (rododaktulov hwv), Iliad. 1. v. 477. & passim.
• F16: (hwv krokopeplov), Iliad. 8, v. 1. & 19. v. 1.
• F17: Iliad. 18. v. 255.
• F18: Odyss. 5. v. 390.
• F19: Odyss. 15. v. 56, 250.
• F20: "Tanto formosis, formosior omnibus illa est", Ovid. Leander Heroni, v. 73. "Pulchrior tanto tua forma lucet", Senecae Hippolylus, Act. 2. chorus, v. 740.
• F21: Vid. Barthii Animadv. ad Claudian. de Nupt. Honor. v. 243.