22007 Commentary on the Song of Songs
A Moment of Indecision
The Song of Songs 5:2-8

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All the Bible verses quoted in this article are from the King James Version, unless otherwise noted.

The Song of Songs 5:2-8

2 I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.

3 I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?

4 My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him.

5 I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.

6 I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.

7 The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.

8 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love.

The Song of Songs 5:2-6:3 records a troubling incident in the marital life of Solomon and Shulamite, where the fault lay with Shulamite. The incident can be summarized as follows: Although Shulamite loved her husband dearly, there was a moment when she did not fully reciprocate Solomon’s affection. One early morning, while Shulamite was asleep, Solomon came and knocked on the door. Shulamite did not get up immediately to open the door, thinking of having to put her clothes back on and wash her feet again. When Shulamite heard Solomon reaching through the door hole, trying to open the latch, her heart was stirred, and she got up to open the door for her husband. But when the door was opened, Solomon was no longer there. Shulamite hurried outside to look for her husband, but she couldn’t find him and was instead beaten by the watchmen, who mistook her for a prostitute. When Shulamite inquired about Solomon from his queens and concubines, they mocked her. However, Shulamite did not mind their mockery and fervently praised her husband. Then, Shulamite suddenly realized that Solomon had gone into his garden, and she went there to find him.

Many Bible commentators believe that the Song of Songs 5:2-6:3 records a dream of Shulamite. However, we lean towards the idea that this is an actual event that occurred in the marital life of Solomon and Shulamite. This serves as an example of the small faults that commonly happen in married life. If the offending party does not know how to change and the offended party lacks empathy and forgiveness, small faults will become large ones, seriously affecting marital happiness. This is also one of the events in married life, exemplified by the little foxes in the vineyard of love, mentioned by Solomon and Shulamite in the Song of Songs 2:15.

In this article, we will explore the Song of Songs 5:2-8, which is the first part of the story “Small Faults in Love.” In the next article, we will examine the second part of the story in the Song of Songs 5:9-6:3.

Below is the verse breakdown according to the context of the Song of Songs 5:2-8.

I. The Engagement Stage (1:2-3:5)

A. Love for Each Other (1:2-2:7)

1. Shulamite’s Love for Solomon (1:2-8)

2. The Language of Love (1:9-2:7)

B. The Maturity of Love (2:8-3:5)

1. The Springtime of Love (2:8-17)

2. The Anxiety in Love (3:1-5)

II. The Wedding (3:6-5:1)

A. The Procession of Fetching the Bride (3:6-11)

B. The wedding night (4:1-5:1)

III. Marital Life (5:2-8:14)

A. Small Faults in Love (5:2-6:3)

1. A Moment of Indecision (5:2-5:8)

(1) Shulamite: I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying,

(2) Solomon: Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.

(3) Shulamite: I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer. The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.

(4) Shulamite: I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love.

Next, let’s explore the meaning of each verse together:

(1) Shulamite: “I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying,”

The idiom “sleep but heart awake” can have two meanings as follows:

• The body is ready for sleep, but the mind is contemplating or thinking about something.

• The body is deeply asleep, unaware of the surroundings, but the mind is alert, clearly perceiving events in a dream.

We do not know if Shulamite was trying to fall asleep by thinking about Solomon or if she was deeply asleep and dreaming. If Shulamite was deeply asleep and dreaming, we do not know what she was dreaming about. We only know that while Shulamite was sleeping, she heard a noise, which startled her awake, and she realized it was the sound of knocking and Solomon calling to open the door. It is also possible that Shulamite was sleeping, but her heart was still focused on Solomon, so she dreamed of Solomon, and the knocking and Solomon’s call to open the door woke her up.

The context of the story makes it likely that Solomon was too busy with state affairs that evening and had not yet come to Shulamite late into the night. After a long wait, Shulamite grew tired, so she changed clothes, washed her feet, and went to bed. While she was either thinking about Solomon to lull herself to sleep or deeply asleep and dreaming, Solomon arrived at the door, knocked, and called for her to open the door.

Verse (1) can be paraphrased as follows: Shulamite said to the queens and concubines, “I was asleep, but my heart was awake, and I suddenly heard a noise. It turned out to be the sound of knocking and the voice of the one I love calling at the door.”

Spiritual lesson: Sleeping is a physical need. Having an awakened heart is a state of spiritual readiness. Although we have physical needs that must be addressed, because we live in the flesh, we need to have a vigilant spirit to quickly recognize the Lord’s call and His coming. Do not become so engrossed in the world and worldly things (including your own self or the one you love most in life) that you fail to hear the Lord’s call and do not recognize Him when He comes.

God’s people live in the world but do not belong to the world; they should not set their hearts on the world or be enamored with the world and worldly things. The Word of God teaches:

“And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.” (1 Corinthians 7:31)

God created the world for us to manage and use, bringing happiness to us in His love and providence. But if we become so enamored with the world that we no longer recognize or hear God’s voice, we become sinful because we have placed the world before God. Therefore, let us live and enjoy what God has given us in the world, but let our hearts always be directed towards Him, trusting in Him, loving Him, being grateful to Him, and obeying Him above all else.

(2) Solomon: “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.”

We do not know how long Solomon and Shulamite had been living together when this story took place. Although they had passed the honeymoon period, Solomon still used affectionate, endearing, and tender terms to call Shulamite: “My sister!” “My beloved!” “My dove!” “My undefiled!”

Solomon might have been occupied with state affairs, meeting with advisors until late at night, or he might have been traveling to distant regions to inspect the country’s activities and returned to the capital very late. Regardless of the circumstances, Solomon remembered Shulamite and sought her out.

Dew is water vapor in the air that condenses into very small droplets floating in space, also known as mist or fog. “Dewdrops” are the droplets of dew that settle on plants and other surfaces. In the late night, amidst the mist, Solomon came to Shulamite. On his way, the dew had settled heavily on Solomon’s hair, making it wet.

Solomon arrived at the main door, where Shulamite lived, called out to her, and knocked, asking her to open the door for him.

Verse (2) can be paraphrased as follows: The words Solomon spoke to Shulamite are recounted by Shulamite to the queens and concubines. “O my beloved sister, the one I deeply cherish! You are the joy and the simple and pure happiness of my life! O, my perfect one! Open the door for me! My head is drenched with dew, and my locks are wet with the night’s moisture.”

Spiritual lesson: We need to remember this: In the loving relationship between God and us, God always loves us, and His love for us never changes. However, God also always respects our freedom of choice. He desires to have a relationship with us and to bless us, but we must actively receive Him and all His blessings.

Receiving God and His blessings often requires us to pay a price, just as God paid a price when He loved us. Normally, we easily express our love and reverence for God, but when it comes to paying the price to affirm our love, we often fail. The harsh reality is that most of us love ourselves more than we love God! It’s not that we do not love God, but that we do not love Him enough; we do not love Him more than we love ourselves. Therefore, many times in our lives, we choose not to pay the price to be close to God and to be in intimate fellowship with Him.

How many times have we hesitated before the loving call of God? How many times have we neglected gathering for worship, missed opportunities for fellowship with God, or overlooked chances to serve Him? How many times have we betrayed God’s love? Is God foremost in our lives, or are material comforts, worldly pleasures, our jobs, or the affections of loved ones placed above Him in our lives?

(3) Shulamite: “I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer. The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.”

From her bedroom, Shulamite heard Solomon’s call and the knocking at the door, and she intended to get up, go out, and open the door for her husband. However, to do so, Shulamite would have to put on her clothes again and then wash her feet. Perhaps as Shulamite hesitated in silence, she thought that Solomon had many queens and concubines and even his own private chamber, so Solomon might visit one of the other queens and concubines or return to his room. But then, when she heard Solomon’s hand reaching through the door hole, trying to open the latch, Shulamite’s heart was stirred by Solomon’s eagerness and earnest desire to see her. Therefore, she got up, got out of bed, and went to open the door for her husband.

We need to understand this: King Solomon’s palace, which he designed and oversaw the construction of for 13 years, was a magnificent palace with many large rooms. We can assume that the quarters reserved for Shulamite, whom King Solomon cherished most among his queens and concubines, must have been a significant area. The distance from Shulamite’s bedroom door to the main entrance of her quarters could have been considerable, possibly through a flower garden. Thus, Shulamite hesitated to get her feet dirty by walking through the garden to reach the main door to open it for Solomon. We can also understand that before going to bed, Shulamite had removed all her clothes, including her undergarments, and had washed her feet, possibly with the help of a maid. If Shulamite had to get up to open the door for Solomon, she would have to put on her undergarments again and call for a maid to help wash her feet. This helps clarify the meaning of the verse: “I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?”

Solomon’s action of reaching through the doorhole expresses his longing while he waited for Shulamite’s response. Solomon reached through the door hole to try to open the latch himself. However, Solomon was unable to open the door on his own, and he eventually left.

When Shulamite heard the noise of Solomon reaching through the door hole, trying to open the door, her heart was stirred by her husband’s enthusiasm. Shulamite immediately got up to go and open the door for him. It is possible that Shulamite applied a fragrance or ointment before going out to open the door, so when she touched the door latch, the ointment was still moist on her fingers and had soaked into the latch. However, it is also possible that Solomon reached through the door hole not to try to open the door himself but to apply fragrant oil to the latch. He wanted to leave a sign for Shulamite to know that he had come to find her. Therefore, when Shulamite touched the latch, her hand was wet with the ointment. In ancient Middle Eastern customs, it was common for a man to pour perfume on the door of his beloved’s house when visiting and finding her absent.

However, when Shulamite opened the door, Solomon had already left, as he had waited for quite some time and was unable to open the door himself.

The verb “יָצָא” (yāṣā’) /yaw-tsaw’/ (H3318), translated as “failed” in the phrase “my soul failed when he spake,” literally means to go out, leave, exit, or cause to escape. When “yāṣā’” is used for the soul, it describes a state where a person is: stunned (losing mental awareness), fainting, collapsing, or experiencing a state of shock. The phrase “my soul failed when he spake” (or “my soul failed through his word”) means that after Shulamite realized Solomon was no longer waiting for her at the door and had left, she was heartbroken as she remembered the sweet, tender words of her husband earlier, causing her to feel as if she were dead or fainting, with her body no longer aware.

Afterward, Shulamite regained her composure and went in search of her husband. Not finding him within the palace, she went outside the palace to look for him. She called for her husband but received no response. Since it was still dark, when the guards encountered her in the streets, they beat her and injured her, thinking she was a prostitute. Perhaps it was only when they removed the veil from her face that they recognized her as the beloved queen of King Solomon.

Regardless of the reason for Shulamite’s hesitation in not opening the door for Solomon immediately, causing him to leave after waiting, this situation created tension and unhappiness in their marriage. A wife should not make her husband wait for any reason when he comes to her with enthusiasm, love, affection, and sweetness.

When a husband is rejected by his wife, even if he does not react strongly, he feels deeply offended and hurt. Especially if the wife uses the denial of sexual relations as a way to “punish” her husband for his faults or for not meeting her wishes. If the husband has wronged the wife, she should clearly communicate the issue to him so he can acknowledge his mistake and apologize. If the husband does not meet the wife’s wishes, she should respect him and not harbor anger, unless his actions contradict God’s Word, in which case she should clearly present the issue to him so he can act according to God’s Word. Any discord between husband and wife should be resolved on the same day to avoid prolonged anger the next day:

“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:” (Ephesians 4:26)

Additionally, if the husband and wife have not reconciled, they cannot worship the Lord:

“Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.” (Matthew 5:23-24)

A husband should not use force to compel his wife to meet his desires. He should give her time to think. In matters of sexual relations, husband and wife should be entirely attentive to each other’s needs, and neither should use dishonest or unjust reasons to refuse the other, such as pretending to be ill or wanting to spend time in fellowship with the Lord. The Word of God teaches:

“Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.” (1 Corinthians 7:3-5).

Even if a husband and wife both agree to set aside time for fasting and prayer, refraining from intimate relations during that period is something they can do and are allowed to do. However, it is not a command from the Lord that couples must follow in their relationship with Him.

“But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.” (1 Corinthians 7:6).

Sexual instincts between men and women are different. Typically, men are strongly oriented toward sex, while women are more focused on feeling cared for and being prioritized in their partner’s heart. Therefore, when a husband is denied sexual relations by his wife, he may feel neglected and rejected; conversely, when a wife sees her husband interested in something or someone else more than her, she feels offended and abandoned. Additionally, the timing of sexual desire between men and women can differ. For a husband, after a day of stress and fatigue from work, sexual relations with his wife provide relaxation. However, for a wife, after a day of stress and fatigue, sexual relations might not be something she thinks about.

The following “cracks” in the marital relationship, if not promptly addressed, can sink the marriage:

• Consider whether you respect your husband or wife more than yourself.

• Holding onto anger instead of resolving conflicts and disagreements together in the name of the Lord, based on His Word.

• Unwillingness to forgive each other according to the teachings of the Word of God.

• Forcing your husband or wife to comply with your wishes without giving them time to reflect.

• Refusing or delaying the fulfillment of sincere and just demands from your husband or wife.

Verse (3) can be paraphrased as follows: I hesitated at the thought of having to put my clothes back on and wash my feet again if I got out of bed to open the door for my beloved. I heard a noise when my beloved reached his hand through the keyhole. Was he trying to open the door himself? My heart stirred with excitement at his eagerness. So, without further thought, I quickly got up, went out, and opened the door for my beloved. My hand touched the bolt, and the fragrant oil was still wet on my fingers and the bolt. I opened the door for my beloved, but he had gone away. Thinking of his call, I was heartbroken, feeling as if I were fainting. I searched everywhere for him but found no trace. I called out for him desperately, but no one answered. The guards around the city found me wandering the streets. They beat me and wounded me until they removed their veils from me and recognized who I was.

Spiritual Lesson: For many of God’s people, as the days go by in our lives, the Lord stands waiting anxiously outside the door of our hearts, knocking and calling with gentle and loving words, inviting us to open our hearts for a close relationship with Him. Yet, most of us are inattentive to the Lord because we are preoccupied with many other things. By the time we turn back to God, He may have departed from us. The evidence of God’s love may still be present in our lives, but we may no longer find Him. We call out to Him, but He does not answer!

At some point in our walk with the Lord, when we realize that God has left our lives because we have not loved Him enough to respond to His call, we may risk everything to regain our first love. At that time, we might have to pay a very high price to find the Lord again. We may face misunderstandings, humiliation, and significant losses.

The initial price to follow the Lord, when He invites us, is certainly lighter than the price we must pay to regain our first love with Him, especially when He has departed from us because of our lukewarm hearts!

When the Lord has left our lives, we come to realize how much we need Him. The Lord departs from us because we have not wholeheartedly loved and honored Him, because we have not responded to His call.

When we no longer have the opportunity to gather for worship and study His Word, we will regret the times we were late or missed gathering together.

(4) Shulamite: “I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love.”

After searching all over the city for her husband without success and being misunderstood and beaten by the guards, Shulamite returned to the palace and told the queens and concubines what had happened. Shulamite pleaded with them to relay a message to Solomon if they encountered him, saying that she was in great distress because she had not been wholehearted with her husband and that she was longing for him.

Verse (4) can be paraphrased as follows: Shulamite’s plea to the queens and concubines: “O my sisters! I beseech you, if you encounter my beloved, please tell him that I am in great distress because I have wronged him and because I love and miss him so much.”

Spiritual Lesson: When we miss the opportunities that God gives us, we will certainly have to pay a very high price to regain the chance to seek Him and return to fellowship with Him. At that point, we will realize how much we love and need God. Let us remember the lesson from this story to understand how we should behave in our relationship with God.

We will summarize the paraphrased thoughts on Song of Songs 5:2-8 as follows:

I was asleep, but my heart was awake, and I suddenly heard a sound. It was the sound of knocking and calling at the door from the one I love.

Oh, my beloved sister, the one whom I deeply cherish! You are my joy, my simple and pure happiness! Oh, my perfect one! Please open the door for me! My head is covered with dew, and my locks are wet with the droplets of the night.

I hesitated at the thought of putting on my robe again and washing my feet if I were to get up from the bed and open the door for my beloved. I heard the sound of my beloved stretching his hand through the opening of the door. Was he trying to open the door himself? My heart was stirred by his eagerness. So, without thinking further, I hurriedly got up, went out, and opened the door for my beloved. My hand touched the latch, and the oil of myrrh was still wet on my fingers and on the latch. I opened the door for my beloved, but he had turned away and gone. Thinking of his call, I was in pain in my heart, as if I had fainted. I searched everywhere for him but could not find him. I earnestly called for him, but there was no response. The watchmen who went about the city found me wandering the streets. They beat me and wounded me. Until they removed the veil from my face and recognized me.

Oh, my sisters! I beseech you, if you find my beloved, to tell him that I am in distress in my heart because I have wronged him and that I love and miss him greatly.

Thus, we have completed our exploration of the meaning of Song of Songs 5:2-8.

And here is the poem:

The Midnight Plea

A sound at the door, my love’s voice calls clear,
“Beloved sister, cherished and dear,
My joy, my perfection, please open the door,
Dew-kissed head, night’s droplets in hair,
Let me in, my darling, I long to be there.”

Hesitant, I pondered my state of repose,
Robe discarded, feet cleansed of woes.
His hand through the opening, eager to enter,
My heart leapt with passion, its core at the center.

Rising in haste, I rushed to receive,
Myrrh-scented fingers, the latch to relieve.
But alas! He had vanished, turned away in the night,
My heart nearly fainted, gripped by love’s plight.

Searching the streets, calling his name,
No answer returned, deepening my pain.
City watchmen found me, wandering alone,
They beat and they wounded, my veil they had thrown.

“Oh sisters,” I plead, “if you see my beloved,
Tell him I’m sorry, my heart is subdued.
For love and for longing, I ache in distress,
Yearning for him, my soul to caress.”

May the love, grace, and fellowship of God forever cover each of us. Amen!

Timothy Christian Huynh
Priscilla Christian Huynh
10/13/2018

Note:

About Using “*God” and “holy spirit”

Wherever the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts of the Bible uses a definite article with a noun to denote GOD, we translate it into English as *God or “the God” to refer to God the Father. We understand that “God,” without a definite article, was used as a collective noun for all and any of the three Persons of the Godhead. And “God,” with a definite article, was used to refer to God the Father.

In the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, the term “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) without the definite article “the” (το) is used to denote the power of God, which is given by God the Holy Spirit. “The Holy Spirit” (το πνευματι το αγιω) is God, and “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) is the power that comes from God.