Clarke's Bible Commentary - Song of Solomon 4:11
Verse 11. Thy lips-drop as the honey-comb - Thy words are as delicious to my heart as the first droppings of the honey- comb are to the palate. Honey and milk are under thy tongue - Eloquence and persuasive speech were compared among the ancients to honey and milk.
Thus Homer, Iliad, lib. i., ver. 2xl7: - toisi de nestwr hduephv anorouse, liguv puliwn agorhthv.
tou kai apo glwshv melitov glukiwn reen audh.
Experienced Nestor, in persuasion skill'd, Words sweet as honey from his lips distill'd.
But the figure is common to all writers and languages. A similar expression will be seen in the Gitagovinda.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 11. Thy lips, O [my] spouse, drop [as] the honeycomb , etc.] Words, for sweetness, delight, and pleasure, like that; so the speech of persons, flowing from their mouth and tongue, is said to be sweeter than the honeycomb f260 ; and lovers are said to be sweeter to one another than the sweet honey f261 : so the lips or words of the church in prayer, as the Targum; or in praise of Christ, and thankfulness to him; or in the ministration of the doctrines of the Gospel, which are pleasant words; or in common conversation, are pleasing to Christ; when, like the honey, they drop freely and without constraint; gradually, at proper seasons and opportunities, as prudence directs; and continually, more or less, ever dropping something to the glory of divine grace, and the good of souls; honey and milk [are] under thy tongue ; rolled, as a sweet morsel, there: the ancients had a sort of food of this mixture, a cake made of honey and milk, called by the Greeks “meligala” f262 , and sometimes “candylos” f263 , which was the same composition; Galen says, it was not safe to take goats’ milk without honey; Jove is said to be nursed with such a mixture: and this being very grateful to the taste, the speech of the church for pleasantness is compared unto it; so Pindar compares his hymn or ode to honey mixed with milk, as being sweet and grateful; and in Plautus f267 , “your words are honey and milk:” and, it may be further observed, that such a mixture of milk and honey, with poppies in it, was given to the newly married bride, and drank when brought home to her husband f268 ; which was now the case of the church.
The doctrines of the Gospel may be meant, comparable to honey and milk; to “honey”, for their sweetness and acceptableness: for their nourishing nature; and for, their being gathered out of the choice flowers of the Scriptures, by the laborious ministers of the word, who are like to bees; (see Psalm 19:10 <19B9103> Psalm 119:103); to “milk”, for the purity of them and the nourishment had by them; for their being easy of digestion, when mixed with faith; and for their being of a cooling nature, to allay the heat of a fiery law in the conscience; and for the recovery and restoration of souls by them, in a declining condition; (see 1 Peter 2:2); these may be said to be “under the tongue”, when they have a place in the heart, are the subject of constant meditation, a sweetness is tasted in them; and they are had in readiness to speak of them upon all occasions; and the smell of thy garments [is] like the smell of Lebanon ; the ancients formerly scented their garments; Calypso gave to Ulysses sweet smelling garments f269 : such are Christ’s robe of righteousness, and garments of salvation, which are said to “smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia”; with which the saints being arrayed, the smell of their raiment is as “the smell of a field the Lord has blessed”, and so like the smell of Lebanon, a mountain abounding with odoriferous trees and plants; (see Psalm 45:8 Genesis 27:27 Hosea 14:6). Or the outward conversation garments of the saints may be designed, the mention of which fitly follows the lips and tongue; for when works go along with words, and practice with profession; when to lips dropping the doctrines of the Gospel, like the honeycomb, are joined the sweet smelling garments of an agreeable life and conversation; the Christian is very much ornamented, and becomes lovely and amiable.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Christ sets forth the graces of the church. (Song 4:1-7) Christ's love to the church. (Song 4:8-15) The church desires further influences of Divine grace. (Song 4:16)
Song 4:1-7 If each of these comparisons has a meaning applicable to the graces of the church, or of the faithful Christian, they are no clearly known; and great mistakes are made by fanciful guesses. The mountain of myrrh appears to mean the mountain Moriah, on which the temple was built, where the incense was burned, and the people worshipped the Lord. This was his residence till the shadows of the la given to Moses were dispersed by the breaking of the gospel day, an the rising of the Sun of righteousness. And though, in respect of his human nature, Christ is absent from his church on earth, and wil continue to be so till the heavenly day break, yet he is spirituall present in his ordinances, and with his people. How fair and comely ar believers, when justified in Christ's righteousness, and adorned with spiritual graces! when their thoughts, words, and deeds, thoug imperfect, are pure, manifesting a heart nourished by the gospel!
Song 4:8-15 Observe the gracious call Christ gives to the church. I is, 1. A precept; so this is Christ's call to his church to come of from the world. These hills seem pleasant, but there are in them lions dens; they are mountains of the leopards. 2. As a promise; many shal be brought as members of the church, from every point. The church shal be delivered from her persecutors in due time, though now she dwell among lions, Ps. 57:4. Christ's heart is upon his church; his treasur is therein; and he delights in the affection she has for him; it working in the heart, and its works in the life. The odours wherewit the spouse is perfumed, are as the gifts and graces of the Spirit. Love and obedience to God are more pleasing to Christ than sacrifice of incense. Christ having put upon his spouse the white raiment of his ow righteousness, and the righteousness of saints, and perfumed it with holy joy and comfort, he is well pleased with it. And Christ walks in his garden unseen. A hedge of protection is made around, which all the powers of darkness cannot break through. The souls of believers are a gardens enclosed, where is a well of living water, John 4:14; 7:38, the influences of the Holy Spirit. The world knows not these wells of salvation, nor can any opposer corrupt this fountain. Saints in the church, and graces in the saints, are fitly compared to fruits an spices. They are planted, and do not grow of themselves. They ar precious; they are the blessings of this earth. They will be kept to good purpose when flowers are withered. Grace, when ended in glory will last for ever. Christ is the source which makes these garden fruitful; even a well of living waters.
Song 4:16 The church prays for the influences of the blessed Spirit, to make this garden fruitful. Graces in the soul are as spices in thes gardens, that in them which is valuable and useful. The blessed Spirit in his work upon the soul, is as the wind. There is the north wind of conviction, and the south wind of comfort. He stirs up good affections and works in us both to will and to do that which is good. The churc invites Christ. Let him have the honour of all the garden produces, an let us have the comfort of his acceptance of it. We can invite him to nothing but what is his own already. The believer can have no joy of the fruits, unless they redound some way or other to the glory of Christ. Let us then seek to keep separate from the world, as a garde enclosed, and to avoid conformity thereto __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
נפת 5317 תטפנה 5197 שׂפתותיך 8193 כלה 3618 דבשׁ 1706 וחלב 2461 תחת 8478 לשׁונך 3956 וריח 7381 שׂלמתיך 8008 כריח 7381 לבנון׃ 3844
