Meditations on Song of Solomon

From: Things New and Old: Volume 5

Song of Solomon 1:13 • 12 min. read • grade level: 6

Ver. 13. “A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.” If the chariot-horse suggests the thought of willing service, and the “spikenard” he the symbol of divine worship, may not the “bundle of myrrh” be the emblem of a daily and hourly testimony for Christ? And what more natural, as a consequence of deep and solid communion with the Lord? Is not the heart strengthened for testimony in such happy seasons? Uninteresting and powerless will all our services become, if personal communion be neglected. How was it that David displayed such courage in the valley of Elah? Was it the rashness of youthful inexperience? Oh no, not at all! His faith, through communion in secret, had been raised to the very thoughts of God Himself about his people. Hence his valor in the open field. “Blessed be the Lord my strength,” he could sing, “which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight.” Psalm 144:1¹<<A Psalm of David.>> Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight: (Psalm 144:1).

We are taught the same truth by our blessed Lord in John 7:37³⁷In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. (John 7:37). “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” In vain will we seek to become the means of refreshing and blessing to others, unless we drink, and drink daily and deeply, at the fountain-head for ourselves. Every fresh testimony for Christ, should be the result of fresh communion with Him. Oh! how needful for the servants of the Lord to remember this. Forget it not, Ο my soul, but like Moses in the land of Midian, sit down by the well—the well of living waters. “And he sat down by a well.” (Exod. 2) Thus close to the well, he was in a position to be helpful to the seven daughters of the priest of Midian and to his flock. This scene may speak of Christ opening the fountain of redeeming love to His Bride, but surely it is a most instructive lesson for an evangelist! Oh! to be thus, in heart near to the well of life—heaven’s water springs, and so become the channel of these living waters to others.

“Whom have we Lord but Thee,

Soul thirst to satisfy,

Exhaustless spring! the waters free!

All other streams are dry.”

The heart of the spouse, like the woman at the well of Sychar, is overflowing. She must spread abroad the glory of her Savior’s name. More precious to her heart, than a bundle of this costly spice to the merchant is her well-beloved. “A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me.” Blessed appreciation of Christ! Happy fruit of nearness, in communion, to Him! And mark, too, my soul, the affection which He creates in the heart. She can say in truth, “my well-beloved.” Oh! happy, privileged spouse! I wonder not at thy holy and good resolution, “He shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.” There, nearest to her heart, she places her sweet-smelling myrrh—her disinfecting spice. And now, wherever she goes, the odor of her precious treasure is spread abroad.

A bundle, or little bag, of myrrh, carried in the bosom, scents the garments, and diffuses its fragrance all around, whether at home or abroad, at work or resting, in the sanctuary or the social circle, silently but surely, the fragrance of the perfume, like the air, fills the scene. And even after the person has left, the sweet odor remains, as a testimony to the value of that which lay nearest her heart. Oh! exquisite emblem! Is this thy faithfulness to Jesus, Ο my soul? Does He lie embalmed in thy heart, and does the sweet savor of His name go with thee, whithersoever thou goest, and remain when thou art gone?

Soul-searching truth! “Occupy till I come” were the farewell words of the rejected Jesus to His disciples; and over the memorials of His dying love, He has written in wondrous grace, “This do in remembrance of me.” He has not asked us to do some great thing for Him, or to lay on his altar some costly sacrifice? No; but simply to be occupied with Himself as earth’s rejected Christ, during His absence, and to give Him a place in our hearts. “Remember me,” was His last request—think of Me—refer everything in your hearts to Me. Have we done so? Have I done so? Do I now do so? Has the affianced Bride of the Lamb, thus placed Him in her bosom, and carried Him there during the long, long dark night of His absence? Alas, alas, the requests of thy love have been forgotten! Rivals have been admitted and entertained; and sorrowful it is to find thee outside, in thine unwearied love, knocking at the door, until, in the mystic language of the song of songs, thy head is filled with dew, and thy locks with the drops of the night. “But the night is far spent, the day is at hand.” Yes, the happy day draws near, when, through thy patient grace, the affections of thy heavenly and earthly people shall perfectly answer to thine own.

Thine eye in that bright cloudless day,

Shall, with supreme delight,

Thy fair and glorious Bride survey,

Unblemished in thy sight.

Ver. 14. “My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire from the vineyards of En-gedi.” The bundle of myrrh is hidden from the eye in the breast, but the cluster of camphire is an object for the eye, and carried openly in the hand. Myrrh is the living juice of the tree, which flows in drops through broken parts of the bark, something like blood from the veins, or tears from the eye. The flowers of the camphire tree grow in dense clusters, and are beautiful as well as fragrant. “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith” is the prayer of the apostle. And we are to be “Always bearing about in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” 2 Cor. 4:10¹⁰Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. (2 Corinthians 4:10).

“As myrrh new bleeding from the tree,

Such is a dying Christ to me.”

How widely different the line of thought suggested by a tree in full blossom, and one, wounded and bruised, and the life juice flowing from its veins. The one is the symbol of death, the other the power of life. The tender bud finding its way through the hard bark of winter, is always a striking, and interesting illustration of resurrection; the blossoms and the fruit are the manifestations of the power of life, and of rich blessings to man. The little seed that is cast into the ground, and upon which the clods are heaped, may seem for a time, hopelessly lost; but the reviving spring comes round, and through the energy of life, every surrounding circumstance is mastered; the tender blade appears, and in due time waves its golden grain in triumph over them all.

How sweetly all this, and more than this, was shadowed forth in Aaron’s rod that budded, through the intervention of God in grace. (Num. 17) In one night the dry rod of Aaron—a piece of dead wood, budded, bloomed, and bore fruit. Precious type of the risen Jesus, fruitful now in resurrection! Here in types and shadows, we are taught that we need the risen Jesus, as our Great High Priest to take us through the wilderness, and into the land of Canaan. Grace reigns in Priesthood and saves the people. Nothing short of the priestly ministry of Jesus can meet our need. He who died to make us clean, now lives to keep us clean. (John 13:1-17¹Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. ²And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; ³Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; ⁴He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. ⁵After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. ⁶Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? ⁷Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. ⁸Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. ⁹Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. ¹⁰Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. ¹¹For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. ¹²So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? ¹³Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. ¹⁴If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. ¹⁵For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. ¹⁶Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. ¹⁷If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. (John 13:1‑17).) He is both our sacrifice and our priest. The blood of atonement, and the water of purification, both flowed from the wounded side of Jesus. This was the opening of the fountain for sin and for uncleanness.

How lovely to the eye as well as fragrant to the heart is our risen, exalted, and glorified Lord! His Person—His ministry—His relationships are infinitely precious; and ever the same. “My beloved is white and ruddy; the chiefest among ten thousand—... yea, he is altogether lovely.” (Chap, 5.) “For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” (Col. 2:9⁹For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (Colossians 2:9).) The fullness of grace and glory dwell in Him. “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Col. 3:1, 2¹If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. ²Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (Colossians 3:1‑2).) Oh! what clusters of attractions are there, had we only eyes to see them, and hearts to value them!

The vineyards of En-gedi, we are told, were celebrated for their rich fruits, and costly spices. That which is beautiful to the eye, sweet to the taste, and fragrant to the senses, was to be found there in abundance. And famous too, are these scenes, as having furnished a hiding place for David and his men when persecuted by Saul. (1 Sam. 24:1-4¹And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi. ²Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. ³And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. ⁴And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily. (1 Samuel 24:1‑4).) The fruitful valleys below, and the strongholds in the mountains around, provided both shelter, nourishment, and refreshment, for God’s anointed King, and those who had cast in their lot with him.

Yet, oh! how faintly do all the good things of earth shadow forth the unsearchable riches of Christ. All abundance comes from Him. There is nothing rich that He has not enriched. Nothing sweet that He has not sweetened—nothing full that He has not filled, and yet all that we now know of His fullness, is but as a drop to the ocean. Every good thing cometh down from above; and all speak of Him. The really good thing that is found in the creature, reminds thee, Ο my soul, of Him, in whom all perfection centers, as the Man Christ Jesus—God with us. As thou walkest in the field or in the garden, in the valley or on the mountain, or in thy usual round of daily duty: every second thought may be of the “well-beloved” absent One. The bleeding myrrh and the blooming camphire, may well recall to thy mind the cross and the glory, and lead thee to think of Him “ who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.” Rom. 4:25²⁵Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:25).

No tree ever bore such fruit for God and man as the cross of Calvary. There, sin was put away according to the claims of the glory of God; and there, too, the enemy was vanquished and his whole power completely destroyed. The cross is the foundation of our pardon, peace, reconciliation, acceptance, and every blessing, both in time and in eternity. It is the procuring cause of all. There, God has been revealed in perfect love, and perfect righteousness. As hating sin, yet loving the sinner. Love triumphed in the cross; yet holiness and justice, truth and righteousness, were displayed and glorified. On this solid foundation, the chief of sinners is fully and freely forgiven, the same moment he believes in Christ; and his pardon is as perfect as the work of the cross. Sin, and sins, were “put away” on the cross—by the blood of the cross; and on that ground, the sin of our nature, and the many sins of the life, are all forgiven through faith in that precious blood.

Faith can say, in holy triumph, “He was delivered for our offenses.” And where are they? Abolished—gone—and gone forever. “He made an end of sin.” He who died for our sins, has been “raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father,” and that is the eternal settlement of the question of sin. “He was raised again for our justification.” The risen Jesus is God’s own witness that the believer is justified. This is faith’s sure, unfailing ground. All is peace. “It is finished.” Christ is risen.