SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:6
Abrí yo a mi amado; mas mi amado se había ido, había ya pasado; y tras su hablar salió mi alma: lo busqué, y no lo hallé; lo llamé, y no me respondió.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 6. I opened to my beloved , etc.] Which was what he desired, and was done in virtue of his putting in his hand by the hole of the door; or by the exertion of his efficacious grace, working in her both to will and to do, without which it would not have been done; namely, her heart dilated, the desires and affections of her soul enlarged towards Christ, and every grace drawn forth and exercised on him; and though the heart of a believer is sometimes shut to Christ, yet when it is opened, it is only patent to him; the church thought Christ was still at the door, and might be the more confirmed in it by what she found on the handles of the lock; but lo her mistake, but my beloved had withdrawn himself, [and] was gone : a sad disappointment this! she expected to have seen him, and been received in his arms and embraced in his bosom; but instead of that, he was gone out of sight and hearing: this withdrawing was to chastise her for her former carriage, and to show her more the evil of her sin, and his resentment of it; to try the truth and strength of her grace to inflame her love the more, and sharpen her desires after his presence, to prize it more when she had it, and be careful not to lose it: her using two words of the same import, “he turned himself” f322 , and was gone, signifies that he was really gone, and not in her imagination only; and that he was gone suddenly, at an unawares, and, as she might fear, would never return; and these words being without a copulative, “had withdrawn himself, he was gone”, show her haste in speaking, the confusion she was in, thee strength of her passion, the greatness of her disappointment and sorrow; it is as if she was represented wringing her hands and crying, He is gone, he is gone, he is gone; my soul failed when he spake ; or “went out” f323 ; not out of her body, but she fell into a swoon, and was as one dead; for a while; and this was “at” or “through his word” f324 , as it may be rendered; through what he said when he turned about and departed, expressing his resentment at her behavior; or rather at the remembrance of his kind and tender language he used when he first called her to arise, “saying, open to me, my sister, my spouse”, etc. ( Song of Solomon 5:2); and when she called to mind how sadly she had slighted and neglected him, it cut her to the heart, and threw her into this fainting fit; I sought him, but I could not find him ; in the public ordinances of his house; (see Gill on “ Song of Solomon 3:2”); I called him, but he gave me no answer ; called him by his name as she went along the streets and broad ways of the city, where she supposed he might be; praying aloud, and most earnestly and fervently, that he would return to her; but had no answer, at least not immediately, and thus be treated her in the same manner she had treated him; he had called to her and she disregarded him, and now she calls to him, and he takes no notice of her; but this was not in a way of vindictive wrath and punishment, as in ( Proverbs 1:24,28); but of chastisement and correction.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Christ's answer. (Song 5:1) The disappointments of the church from he own folly. (Song 5:2-8) The excellences of Christ. (Song 5:9-16) Song 5:1 See how ready Christ is to accept the invitations of his people. What little good there is in us would be lost, if he did no preserve it to himself. He also invites his beloved people to eat an drink abundantly. The ordinances in which they honour him, are means of grace.
Song 5:2-8 Churches and believers, by carelessness and security provoke Christ to withdraw. We ought to notice our spiritual slumber and distempers. Christ knocks to awaken us, knocks by his word an Spirit, knocks by afflictions and by our consciences; thus, Rev. 3:20 When we are unmindful of Christ, still he thinks of us. Christ's love to us should engage ours to him, even in the most self-denyin instances; and we only can be gainers by it. Careless souls put slight on Jesus Christ. Another could not be sent to open the door. Chris calls to us, but we have no mind, or pretend we have no strength, or we have no time, and think we may be excused. Making excuses is makin light of Christ. Those put contempt upon Christ, who cannot find in their hearts to bear a cold blast, or to leave a warm bed for him. Se the powerful influences of Divine grace. He put in his hand to unbol the door, as one weary of waiting. This betokens a work of the Spiri upon the soul. The believer's rising above self-indulgence, seeking by prayer for the consolations of Christ, and to remove every hinderanc to communion with him; these actings of the soul are represented by the hands dropping sweet-smelling myrrh upon the handles of the locks. But the Beloved was gone! By absenting himself, Christ will teach his people to value his gracious visits more highly. Observe, the sou still calls Christ her Beloved. Every desertion is not despair. Lord, believe, though I must say, Lord, help my unbelief. His words melte me, yet, wretch that I was, I made excuses. The smothering and stiflin of convictions will be very bitter to think of, when God opens ou eyes. The soul went in pursuit of him; not only prayed, but used means sought him in the ways wherein he used to be found. The watchme wounded me. Some refer it to those who misapply the word to awakene consciences. The charge to the daughters of Jerusalem, seems to mea the distressed believer's desire of the prayers of the feebles Christian. Awakened souls are more sensible of Christ's withdrawing than of any other trouble.
Song 5:9-16 Even those who have little acquaintance with Christ, cannot but see amiable beauty in others who bear his image. There are hopes of those who begin to inquire concerning Christ and his perfections Christians, who are well acquainted with Christ themselves, should d all they can to make others know something of him. Divine glory make him truly lovely in the eyes of all who are enlightened to discer spiritual things. He is white in the spotless innocence of his life ruddy in the bleeding sufferings he went through at his death. Thi description of the person of the Beloved, would form, in the figurativ language of those times, a portrait of beauty of person and of grace of manners; but the aptness of some of the allusions may not appear to us He shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all that believe. May his love constrain us to live to his glory __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
פתחתי 6605 אני 589 לדודי 1730 ודודי 1730 חמק 2559 עבר 5674 נפשׁי 5315 יצאה 3318 בדברו 1696 בקשׁתיהו 1245 ולא 3808 מצאתיהו 4672 קראתיו 7121 ולא 3808 ענני׃ 6030
