Song 3 The church seeking Christ, Song 3:1–3. Her great joy; she findeth him, Song 3:4. Her charge to the daughters of Jerusalem not to awake her Beloved, Song 3:5. The manner of Christ’s coming out of the wilderness, Song 3:6. His bed, guard, and chariot, Song 3:7–9.

By night on my bed; either, 1. In a time of tribulation, which is commonly signified by the night, and sometimes by a bed, as Rev. 2:22. Or, 2. When I expected to find him; for the husband who by his occasions is oft forced to be absent from his wife in the day time, but at night returns to her,…

I will rise now; I will immediately apply myself to seek him, without whom my bed can give me no rest nor comfort. The city; the city of God, the church, in which Christ resides.

The watchmen; the ministers of Christ, and rulers of the church, who are oft called watchmen, as Isa. 62:6, Ezek. 3:17, and elsewhere. That go about the city, to prevent disorders and dangers by night. Found me, whilst they walked round about the city, according to their duty.

I found him; Christ met me, and manifested his love to me, according to his promise made to those that seek him constantly and diligently, Prov. 8:17, Matt. 7:7;c.

This verse is repeated from Song 2:7, where it is explained. The spouse exhorts herself and all her fellow members to be very circumspect, lest by any unkind or provoking carriage they should give Christ any cause to depart from them.

Who is this? the persons speaking seem to be the daughters of Jerusalem, who, upon occasion of the bride’s speech to them, make this reply; or the friends of the Bridegroom. The person spoken of is the spouse or bride.

Behold his bed: these are the words either, 1. Of the bridemen, who spake Song 3:6, and here continue their speech, and from the admiration of the bride proceed to the admiration of the Bridegroom. Or, 2.

Hath his sword upon his thigh; is prepared and ready to fight, as this phrase notes, Ex. 32:27, Ps. 45:3. Because of fear in the night; to prevent those dangers and mischiefs which are most frequent and most dreadful in the night season. The night may note either, 1.

A chariot, in which the royal Bridegroom and bride might ride together in state, as the manner was in the nuptial solemnities of such persons. By this chariot he seems to understand the word of Christ dispensed by his ministers in the church, whereby both Christ is exalted and rides triumphantly in…

The pillars thereof; whereby the chariot is either supported or adorned; which may signify either, 1. Ministers, who are called pillars, Gal. 2:9, and that of silver, because they are, or should be, pure and precious, like silver. Or, 2.

Go forth; the bride, to wit, the church, bids particular believers go forth to see this sight; whereby is implied that Christians must go out of the world, to wit, in affection, and out of themselves, by denying themselves, and putting off the old man, their corrupt nature, if they desire to see…