Song of Solomon 6:5

5 Your beauty is too much for me - I'm in over my head. I'm not used to this! I can't take it in. Your hair flows and shimmers like a flock of goats in the distance streaming down a hillside in the sunshine.

Song of Solomon 6:5 Meaning and Commentary

Song of Solomon 6:5

Turn away thine eyes from me
Her eyes of faith and love; not through dislike of them, but as ravished with them; his passions were so struck by them, and his heart pierced with them, that he could stand it out no longer against her; see ( Song of Solomon 4:9 Song of Solomon 4:10 ) . Some render the words, "turn about thine eyes over against me" F2; this being the first time of meeting, after her ungrateful treatment of him, she might be filled with shame and confusion for it, and therefore hung down her head, or looked on one side; wherefore he encourages her to look him full in the face, with a holy confidence; for such looks of faith are very agreeable to Christ; see ( Song of Solomon 2:14 ) ; for they have overcome me;
that is, her eyes, they had made a conquest of his heart; which does not imply weakness in Christ, but condescending grace, that he should suffer himself, as it were, to be overpowered by the faith and love of his people, who has conquered them and all their enemies. This clause is very differently rendered: by some, "they have strengthened me" F3; his desire towards his church, and the enjoyment of her company: by others, the reverse, "are stronger than me", or "have taken away my strength" F4; so that he was spiritless, and as one dead, or in an ecstasy: by others, "they have made me fly away" F5; that is, out of himself; so that he was not master of himself, could not bear the force and brightness of her eyes: by others, "they have lifted me up" F6; revived, cheered, and comforted him, through sympathy with her, in virtue of their near union: by others, "they have made me proud", or "prouder" F7; see ( Isaiah 3:5 ) . Christ has a kind of pride as well as pleasure in his church; he is proud of the beauty he has put upon her, of the graces he has wrought in her; and especially of her faith, when in exercise; see ( Matthew 8:10 ) ; and by others, "they have made me fiercer" F8; not with anger and indignation, but with love; there is a force, a fierceness in love, as well as in wrath: "love [is] strong as death, [and] jealousy [is] cruel as the grave", ( Song of Solomon 8:6 ) ; it is so in the church, much more in Christ. All which shows the power of faith, to which mighty things are ascribed, ( Hebrews 11:1-40 ) ; and here the conquest of Christ himself; thy hair [is] as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead;
from Mount Gilead, (See Gill on Song of Solomon 4:1).


FOOTNOTES:

F2 (ydgnm) (apenantion mou) , Sept. "ex adverso mei"; Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Marckius; so Montanus and Ainsworth.
F3 (ynbyhrh) "corroborant me", Marckius; so Kimchi, and Ben Melech.
F4 "Fortiores fuerunt me", Pagninus; so Aben Ezra.
F5 So the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions.
F6 Mercerus, Ainsworth.
F7 Tigurine version, Piscator; so Jarchi.
F8 Montanus, Cocceius.

Song of Solomon 6:5 In-Context

3 I am my lover's and my lover is mine. He caresses the sweet-smelling flowers.
4 Dear, dear friend and lover, you're as beautiful as Tirzah, city of delights, Lovely as Jerusalem, city of dreams, the ravishing visions of my ecstasy.
5 Your beauty is too much for me - I'm in over my head. I'm not used to this! I can't take it in. Your hair flows and shimmers like a flock of goats in the distance streaming down a hillside in the sunshine.
6 Your smile is generous and full - expressive and strong and clean.
7 Your veiled cheeks are soft and radiant.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.