Cantares 5:3

3 Me he desnudado mi ropa; ¿cómo me lo vestiré de nuevo? He lavado mis pies; ¿cómo los ensuciaré otra vez

Cantares 5:3 Meaning and Commentary

Song of Solomon 5:3

I have put off my coat
In order to lie down on her bed at night, and take her ease; meaning her conversation garments, which she had not been careful of to keep, but had betook herself to carnal ease and rest, and was off her watch and guard, ( Nehemiah 4:23 ) ( Revelation 16:15 ) ; and being at ease, and free from trouble, affliction, and persecution, was unwilling to arise and go with her beloved, lest she should meet with the same trials and sufferings as before, for the sake of him and his Gospel; which may be greatly the sense of her next words; how shall I put it on?
which suggests an apprehension of difficulty in doing it, it being easier to drop the performance of duty than to take it up again; and shows slothfulness and sluggishness, being loath and not knowing how to bring herself to it; and an aversion of the carnal and fleshly part unto it; yea, as if she thought it was unreasonable in Christ to desire it of her, when it was but her reasonable service; or as if she imagined it was dangerous, and would be detrimental to her rest, and prejudicial to her health; I have washed my feet;
as persons used to do when come off of a journey, and about to go to bed ^F5, being weary; as she was of spiritual exercises, and of the observance of ordinances and duties, and so betook herself to carnal ease, and from which being called argues, how shall I defile them?
by rising out of bed, and treading on the floor, and going to the door to let her beloved in; as if hearkening to the voice of Christ, obeying his commands, and taking every proper step to enjoy communion with him, would be a defiling her; whereas it was the reverse of these that did it: from the whole it appears, that not only these excuses were idle and frivolous, but sinful; she slighted the means Christ made use of to awaken her, by calling and knocking; she sinned against light and knowledge, sleeping on, when she knew it was the voice of her beloved; she acted a disingenuous part in inviting Christ into his garden, and then presently fell asleep; and then endeavoured to shift the blame from herself, as if she was no ways culpable, but what was desired was either difficult, or unreasonable, or unlawful; she appears guilty of great ingratitude, and discovers the height of folly in preferring her present ease to the company of Christ.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 Homer. Odyss. 19. v. 317.

Cantares 5:3 In-Context

1 Yo vine a mi huerto, oh hermana, esposa mía; he cogido mi mirra y mis aromas; he comido mi panal y mi miel, mi vino y mi leche he bebido. Comed, amigos; bebed, amados, y embriagaos

2 Yo duermo, pero mi corazón vela por la voz de mi amado que toca a la puerta: Abreme, hermana mía, compañera mía, paloma mía, perfecta mía; porque mi cabeza está llena de rocío, mis cabellos de las gotas de la noche

3 Me he desnudado mi ropa; ¿cómo me lo vestiré de nuevo? He lavado mis pies; ¿cómo los ensuciaré otra vez

4 Mi amado metió su mano por el agujero, y mis entrañas se conmovieron dentro de mí

5 Yo me levanté para abrir a mi amado, y mis manos gotearon mirra, y mis dedos mirra que corría sobre las aldabas del candado