Wisdom · Chapter 4 of 8

Song of Solomon 4

The beloved sings an extended praise of the bride's beauty, admiring her eyes, hair, lips, and neck with rich images. He calls her all fair, with no spot in her, and invites her to come away from the mountains. Growing tender, he names her a garden enclosed, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed, an orchard of choice spices and living waters. She bids the winds blow that her beloved may come into his garden.

What happens in Song of Solomon 4

The beloved praises the bride in a sequence of admiring images: her dove-like eyes, hair like a flock of goats, scarlet lips, and a neck like the tower of David (verses 1-5). He resolves to go to the mountain of myrrh until day breaks, then declares that she is all fair, with no spot in her (verses 6-7). He calls her to come with him from Lebanon, addressing her as my sister, my spouse, whose love has ravished his heart (verses 8-9).

He praises her love as better than wine and her lips as dropping honey and milk (verses 10-11). Tenderly he names her a garden enclosed, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed, an orchard of choice spices, a well of living waters and streams from Lebanon (verses 12-15). She answers, calling the winds to blow upon her garden so its spices may flow, inviting her beloved to come and eat its pleasant fruits (verse 16).

Song of Solomon 4 in context

This chapter is a wasf, a song describing the beloved's beauty part by part, followed by intimate invitation. Traditionally Solomonic, it belongs to the Song's celebration of marital delight and mutual desire. On its plain level it honours the goodness of physical love within the wholehearted commitment of my sister, my spouse.

Jewish and Christian readers have also heard in the enclosed garden and the flawless bride images of the exclusive love between God and His people.

Main themes of Song of Solomon 4

Song of Solomon 4 (KJV)

1Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead. 2Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them. 3Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely: thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks. 4Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men. 5Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies. 6Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense. 7Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee. 8Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions’ dens, from the mountains of the leopards. 9Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck. 10How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices! 11Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon. 12A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. 13Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, 14Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices: 15A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon. 16Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.

Verses to carry from Song of Solomon 4

“Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.”Song of Solomon 4:7

“A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.”Song of Solomon 4:12

“A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.”Song of Solomon 4:15

Reflection

This chapter dares to call love beautiful and to guard it as an enclosed garden. Consider the treasure of exclusive, faithful love, whether in marriage or in your devotion to Christ.

And if you belong to Him, hear the astonishing verdict thou art all fair: not because you are flawless in yourself, but because grace has made you lovely to your Beloved.

A prayer from Song of Solomon 4