Song of Solomon 5:16, commentary and pictures

The verse describes a beloved whose speech is most sweet and who is altogether lovely, claimed personally as beloved and friend before others. In its marriage imagery the bride's devotion pictures the sacred union between Christ and his redeemed people, and the title chiefest among ten thousand belongs to this same beloved. It presents Christ as supremely beautiful and perfect, without stain or imperfection in character, worthy of love. Beholding him and studying his life awakens love and changes believers into his image, making them like him in spirit and purity. He is therefore to be lifted up openly as supremely lovely, and his followers are to reveal his loveliness in life and speech rather than veil it.

Words Describing Beloved

The beloved is described as completely lovely, and his mouth as sweetest of all. He is addressed as both beloved and friend, in words spoken to the daughters of Jerusalem. He is a familiar friend to those whose hearts are joined to him, transforming them into the image of his purity. Those who receive his religion gain from his loveliness a deep desire to become like him. Teachers are to keep continually uplifting him in this character and directing students to him as their pattern.

The same beloved who is altogether lovely is also the chiefest among ten thousand. He is precious to his followers, and as they become like him they recognize his character, see new attractions in him, and delight to do his will. His attractive character and attributes belong to the truth about redemption. His goodness and beauty stood in sharp contrast to the mockery and violence endured at his trial. The redeemed rejoicing in his presence declare their love and belonging to him under these same titles. Workers are to keep this One before discouraged people, pointing them to his love and power to save.

In its marriage imagery, the bride's devotion to her beloved represents the sacred union between Christ and his redeemed people. He is more beautiful than the flowers he made. Through their beauty children can learn of God's love, have their natures changed into harmony with him, and have their lives made beautiful with the graces of the flowers. As they learn his beauty their hearts become entwined about him, and he becomes to them a daily companion and familiar friend.

Perfect Beauty of Christ

The verse presents the Messiah as entirely delightful and supremely beautiful, worthy of love, and its beloved companion who sustains servants turns toil and care into blessing as seen in the life of Moses. The weight of many witnesses holds this, more than a hundred besides those detailed here, that the description of sweetness of mouth and complete loveliness belongs to Jesus as the perfect one to be contemplated rather than any human pattern. He is perfect, with no stain upon character and without imperfection. Continually looking to him brings new delight and reveals new beauty in the truths of Scripture.

His delightfulness is seen in divine compassion, purity, grace and divine love revealed in words and actions. Tenderness, holiness, meekness, mercy and truth are to be reflected in disciples as witness to grace rather than merely described in words. Meekness and gentleness, long-suffering, compassion and immeasurable love mark him, with sweetness and humility that make him first among ten thousand, exalted by grace itself. His character is the perfect expression of divine character and of the spiritual principles of the law, with which no other character can compare. Even those called excellent, loving, beautiful, noble and gentle bear only a faint likeness to that beauty.

He is complete, loving and sympathetic, and his life was free of anything the tempter could use for destruction. The truth in him brings health to soul and body and beautifies whatever it touches, and is to shape everything done. His earthly words were so simple and plain that the most unlearned could understand, and multitudes listened as if spellbound. He is wholly delightful beyond what language can fully picture. Known through personal experience as the loving and compassionate Redeemer, he is worthy of everyone's love and is the most prized treasure of heaven.

Saving Work and Gifts

He is to be held up openly and with gladness as altogether lovely and worthy of love, as the Chiefest among ten thousand, the source of true pleasure and satisfaction, the giver of every good and perfect gift and the author of every blessing, the one who satisfies the soul's deepest longings as the all in all and in whom all hope of eternal life is centered. He is to be trusted with increasing faith and confidence, acknowledged in all ways, and thanked for his benefits. Home worship morning and evening, Sabbath meetings, chapel services, and all social meetings and religious exercises are to be vitalized by his Spirit, with each person confessing him openly and bravely and with meekness, expressing the joy and comfort and hope and love written in the soul with deep earnestness, setting aside all narrowness, calling his love into exercise, and gaining strength through earnest seasons of prayer so that experienced joy becomes a blessing binding heart to heart.

The altogether lovely one is the Maker and the Holy One of Israel, learned to be loving and merciful and tenderly compassionate, supreme above all as the Authority. It is his character, not human power or effort, that draws people to faith through the work of the Holy Spirit. Beholding him turns people from idolatry to worship Jehovah, and through that redemption their sins are forgiven so that they boast in God alone. Knowing him personally as the beloved and Chief among ten thousand makes his service a joy.

He is the Great Physician, worthy of the fixed minds of the sick and suffering, able to heal both physical and spiritual disease, whose love and power to save invite entrusting self to him who gave his life so people may have eternal life and died that the faithful might live in the earth made new. He is to be revealed as he is and lifted up before people, his love talked of and his power told of, with self lost behind the glory of his person and the mighty power of the cross, beheld with spiritually anointed eyes in glory as the Word made flesh full of grace and truth of whose fullness all receive grace for grace. His loveliness is revealed when ministers feel their inefficiency and entire dependence on him for success, hide self in him instead of seeking to be above their brethren, and make his sacrifice on the cross of Calvary as an atonement for sin the theme of every discourse and the central light for understanding every truth from Genesis to Revelation. Those who know him as altogether lovely depart from all iniquity, search and try their hearts before God, rejoice in his gospel by whomsoever preached, love him, labor together with God, and draw souls to him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world so they in turn draw others. He is to be beheld by faith by resolutely turning from every worldly influence, for beside appearing with him in glory all worldly honor and glory is worthless since earthly things end in death.

He reveals himself and offers peace and joy, forgives, and makes the character of those who receive him like his own pure character. He reveals himself personally to those who seek him, and believing in him and committing the keeping of the soul to him as a faithful Creator and opening the door of the heart to let him in brings forgiveness, transformation of character into his own pure character, his peace and joy and comfort, and glorious triumph.

Suffering and Rejection Endured

The altogether lovely one was sent by God into the world to save men who because of their sins did not deserve such a revelation of love. At his trial the world mistreated this lovely one with mocking and smiting, with blindfolding and striking him on the face, with demanding that he prophesy who had smitten him, and with many other blasphemous things spoken against him, just as prophecy inspired by Christ himself had declared. His goodness and beauty stood in sharp contrast to that mockery and violence. In spite of such cruel treatment he came not to judge the world but to save the world, not to crush but to heal, not to judge but to save and uplift, to ennoble and bless.

He is the chiefest among ten thousand and altogether lovely, the very embodiment of virtue, the Majesty of heaven, better than others. His words on earth were so simple and plain that the most unlearned could understand, and multitudes listened as if spellbound. Despite his loveliness, scribes and Pharisees filled with envy sought to break his hold on the people by attacking his character, saying he was born in sin and cast out devils through the prince of devils, and Jewish leaders persecuted him. The world hated him because he was better. Separating from the world and its customs brings the displeasure and hatred of worldlings, and if ways please God the world will hate, while obedience involves a cross of humiliation and shameful death from which followers must not shrink, since the servant is not greater than his Lord.

His presence irradiates a life of toil, heart-burdening care, renunciation and sacrifice in God's service, making such a life of toil and care a life of blessing, for he is the beloved companion who sustains his servants. Moses chose binding his life to God's purpose and to durable riches and righteousness instead of the palace of the Pharaohs, the monarch's throne, the sinful pleasures of lordly courts, giving laws to Egypt, and linking himself with the greatness of Egypt. He became God's instrument to enact for the world the eternal principles of righteousness that safeguard home and society and underlie prosperity and good government, while Egypt's power passed into dust and his work can never perish. With Christ in the wilderness wandering, with Christ on the mount of transfiguration, and with Christ in the heavenly courts, his earthly life was blessing and blessed and in heaven honored, proving such renunciation is not real loss.

Future Joy of Redeemed

The verse is the song the redeemed will sing in Christ's presence, rejoicing in Him and declaring their love and belonging to Him by claiming Him as their own Beloved. They call Him the chief among ten thousand and altogether lovely, whose beauty is complete and precious. That acclamation is made to His face, in joyful belonging to Him as His people and as His friend.

When He comes the second time those redeemed by His blood will be called from their graves to behold Him as the glorified Son of God upon the throne. They will see in His glorified body the marks of Calvary still visible, and there their greatest joy will be found in Him who sits upon the throne. Enraptured, they will exclaim to Him as their Beloved that He is the chief among ten thousand and altogether lovely, rejoicing in His beauty.

Heaven's attraction rests chiefly in Jesus Himself, the One altogether lovely and above all others in worth and beauty, the most prized treasure of heaven. The redeemed will see Him plainly and delight in His presence forever, for He is a constant source of rejoicing. Seeing the beauty in Him even now makes believers rejoice in God with joy and happiness in anticipating the heaven of bliss awaiting the faithful.

Changed by Beholding Him

Fixing the attention on the altogether lovely one and becoming familiar with his words, habits, and teachings causes his pure image to take root in the heart. Studying his life reveals his perfections and makes him the supreme object of admiration and imitation. Beholding him through Scripture awakens faith, adoration, and love, and fixing the gaze upon him causes the beholder to grow into his likeness. Through faith the soul becomes familiar with the divine presence and increasingly sees the beauty of his character and the excellence of his grace. That same close study shows believers their own flaws and their need to change, so that by keeping attention on him and seeking to become like him through faith, love, and persevering effort they take on his virtues and spirit.

By beholding him and seeking to imitate him, believers are changed to reflect his character and are transformed into the image of his purity. Divine compassion, purity, grace, and love are revealed in his words and actions, and looking to him as beloved and friend transforms the character of those who look. He is more beautiful than the flowers he made, and children can learn of divine love through their beauty, having their hearts joined to him and their lives changed into the image of his purity. Because of great love their natures may be changed and brought into harmony with God, their lives made beautiful with the graces of the flowers, and as they learn his beauty their hearts are entwined about him so that he becomes a daily companion and familiar friend. That beholding elevates moral taste and controls and sanctifies the passions, so that duty becomes delight and sacrifice becomes pleasure, and young people are drawn from lesser pursuits to nobler aims and to devotion in honoring, becoming like, and working for him.

No external representations of his person are needed. The Holy Spirit takes his most attractive excellencies and presents them in a way that engages and holds the best attention of the renewed heart, keeping attractive scenes before the mind's eye that absorb all there is of the newborn soul. The mind is to take in by faith the only begotten Son full of grace and truth as the one altogether lovely and chiefest among ten thousand, with none of self and all of Christ, so that he is all and in all to the believer.

Seeing him as he is, full of grace and truth and the one who first loved us, leads a person to humble self and exalt him as supremely excellent and altogether lovely. As followers become like him they recognize his character and Spirit, see new attractions in him, value his ways, and delight to do his will. Those converted delight in his mercy and goodness and find him lovely, their hearts yearn after him, and they learn the language of heaven. Those who know him feel heavenly peace, every lingering doubt is swept away, their hearts burn with divine love, and their characters are transformed.

Turning from him to earthly, sensual pleasures withdraws the eyes from the lovely one and fixes them on earthly things. He is to be beheld by faith by resolutely turning from every worldly influence. In comparison with appearing with him in glory all worldly honor and glory is worthless, since earthly things end in death.

Proclaiming and Reflecting Christ

He is to be lifted up openly and with gladness as supremely lovely and altogether worthy of love, holding the attention of students as their pattern of moral excellence. Teachers whose hearts are warm with God's love are to uplift Him constantly and direct minds to recognize His beauty, not mention Him only by casual reference. His loveliness is the standard Christians must represent in words, attitudes, and actions.

He appears as chiefest among ten thousand and altogether lovely when self is hidden in Him and the whole person — body, mind, and soul — is surrendered to Him. When self is crucified and no longer strives for mastery, when workers cling to the Mighty One, live in God, rest their whole weight on His promises and prove them unfailing, He rather than man or the minister is exalted. Then His words carry power from a pure heart filled with love, sympathy, beneficence, and truth, as believers lay hold of Him by faith, practice His virtues, let Jesus be seen in His beauty, and reveal Him to the world while probationary time remains short, working as never before and rejoicing with heaven over souls saved through His mission.

Ministers and physicians reveal Him as altogether lovely when they adorn His teaching and show His healing grace in words, actions, and influence, with truth present in the inner life so the whole person represents His life. His beauty, love, and power to save are to be kept before discouraged, sick, suffering, and perishing people so they look to Him, trust Him, and are changed into His likeness. When their lives show they have been with Jesus and learned from Him, many may be turned to the Lord, and by cherishing His Spirit, practicing His meekness, exalting Him, and walking in His footsteps in humble united work for the cities, physicians gain right access to a world perishing in sin and difficulties over responsibility for the work are removed. He is the Great Physician able to heal physical and spiritual disease, who gave His life so people may have eternal life, and His love and power encourage the sick and suffering to fix their minds on Him and entrust themselves to Him.

Presenting Him to those who do not know Him as the sin-pardoning Saviour is the very highest work in which the talent of speech can be employed. Those who follow His example in doing good find hearts opened to them as hearts opened to Him, and then with tact born of divine love they can tell of Him. Recalling from personal experience the excellence of Christ, like precious gems, attracts sinners to Him, and He is to be urged upon many with deep earnestness as the reason to trust in God with increasing faith and confidence.

His followers are to reveal and represent His loveliness in life, speech, words, attitudes, and actions, contemplating His perfect character without imperfection rather than making any human being their pattern. They are not to give the impression He has no beauty to be desired, nor veil His mercy, patience, and love by earthly-mindedness, disobedience, ingratitude, unholiness, narrowness, misapprehension, unkindness, retaliation, strife, and words that separate friends, nor exalt self, personal traits, or any human pattern. Self and human doings are to be kept from eclipsing His beauty while the gospel invitation reveals His love for the world and directs people to the provision He has made, and the pleasantness of believers can melt prejudice and win souls to Him.

Sabbath meetings, morning and evening home worship, chapel services, and all social meetings and religious exercises are to be vitalized by His Spirit, with narrowness set aside, earnest prayer strengthening experience, and each person confessing Him openly and bravely and with meekness, expressing the joy, comfort, hope, and love of God written in the soul with deep earnestness so that joy blesses others and binds heart to heart. He is the Chiefest among ten thousand in whom hopes of eternal life are centered and the Giver of every good and perfect gift, and believers are called to dwell on His perfections and character as the source of hope and healing rather than fixing attention on a lost loved one, and to speak of His goodness and make melody in the heart rather than dwell on trials. Seeing the beauty in Him makes believers rejoice with joy in anticipating the heaven of bliss awaiting the faithful, makes the soul radiant in the presence of His glory, and should move them not to serve and please themselves in indolence but to arise and shine, present the truth, raise souls ready to perish, and carry faith and prayer to souls enslaved by Satan and sickening and dying without a ray of saving light or pardon.