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Those who take the literal and historic view of this song see here a repetition of Solomon's attempts to bend to his will the maiden whom he sought to win. It is a repetition of Song of Solomon 4:1-5. And. in the extravagance of his flattery, his mention of her terribleness, his telling of his many queens and concubines, his huge harem, all of whom he says he will set aside for her - all this is like what he would say. Now, it all might be, as it generally has been, taken allegorically, as we have taken it in Song of Solomon 4:1-5, and as setting forth Christ's estimate of his Church. But here the representations are yet more extravagant and even gross, so that we prefer to take them as telling of that which is evil rather than good; as the language, not of Christ, but of the world, his foe, in attempting to win from him those who are his. Let it, then, teach us concerning this friendship of the world -

I. FLATTERY IS EVER ONE OF ITS FORMS. It is compelled to adopt this in order to hide away the fatal issue of its friendship. Like as the vampire is said to fan its victim with its wings, soothing and stupefying it so that it may the more surely destroy it, thus the world soothes and sends asleep by its flatteries the soul it would destroy.

II. THIS FLATTERY HAS MARKED CHARACTERISTICS.

1. It is extravagant. Of what is here said in the verses selected concerning her of whom they speak. How monstrous are the representations as addressed to any maiden! And are not the conceits the world engenders in men's souls of this order?

2. It is always fearful of losing its prey. (Ver. 4, "Terrible as an army;" also ver. 10.) These expressions seem to indicate consciousness that the soul was as yet anything but fully won.

3. Has no originality. It says the same things over and over again. See about her "hair," her "teeth," her "cheeks" (vers. 5, 6, 7; cf. Song of Solomon 4:1-5). And still every poor fool that the world successfully flatters is plied with the same worn-out arguments, and, alas! yields to them.

4. Sensuous and sensual. (Cf. ver. 8 and Song of Solomon 7:1-9.) The baser instincts are the world's happy hunting grounds. It knows that it can get a response there when there is none elsewhere.

5. Ruthless and cruel. (Ver. 9.) The flatterer professes, but let all such professions be doubted vehemently - that he would sacrifice all the rest for her whom he would now win. For her, the "dove," whom he, the hawk, would devour, the three score queens and the four score concubines and the virgins without number (ver. 8) should all be set aside and lose favour. Anything, no matter how unjust, so Solomon may please his sensual phantasy. They who are ruthless in winning will be ruthless when they have won (cf. poor Anne Boleyn). Oh, the all-devouring world! Its "words are smoother than butter," but "the poison of asps is under its lips."

III. TRUE LOVE WILL REJECT IT. Such love is the Ithuriel-like spear which detects at once what it is. So this maiden, type of the redeemed soul, will have none of it (cf. Song of Solomon 7:10). And here is suggested - what, indeed, is the theme of the whole song - the invincible strength of the true love of Christ in the soul. Let us have that, and no flatteries or blandishments of the world, nor its fierce frowns either, shall seduce us from him whose we are and whose we hope ever to be. Such love will he "terrible," must be so, to all who would come against it. Christ's love to us is so infinite that, therefore, nothing less than these many dread words of his about the everlasting fire can serve to tell of his wrath against that and those who would destroy us for whom he died. And if we love him as we should, we shall give no quarter to sin; it will be to us "the abominable thing which I hate," even as to him. Oh, may this love dwell in us richly and forevermore! - S.C.

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KJV: Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.

WEB: You are beautiful, my love, as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, awesome as an army with banners.