Songs 1:5-6 I am black, but comely, O you daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.… By the "daughters of Jerusalem," Jewish expositors understand the Gentiles, Jerusalem being the spiritual metropolis and mother of us all. And, in substance, most Christian expositors agree with them — that is, they suppose the persons addressed to be some who are not yet openly joined to Christ; who are halting and undecided; seeing much of power and grace in Christ, but discouraged and driven back, either by the remaining infirmities of His followers, or by the persecutions to which they see them to be exposed. Hence the Church proceeds to vindicate herself against any suspicions arising out of these adverse appearances. "True, in one sense I am 'black'; judged of externally, and seen only as man seeth, I am as dark and swarthy as the skins with which the wild Arab roofs his tent. But, in another sense, I am 'comely'; my 'clothing is of wrought gold,' my raiment 'is of finest needlework'; my soul, embroidered and enriched with the graces of the Eternal Spirit, makes me beautiful as the hangings in king's palaces, gorgeous 'as the curtains of Solomon.'" "Black, but comely." The words may be taken, and by the Jews are taken, as anticipative of the glory of the Church in the latter days. In her present state she may be considered as dark as the Ethiop's skin. Her heresies, her divisions, her heart-burnings, the spots in her feasts of charity, the scandals among men professing godliness, make the saying to be true of her which Jeremiah witnesses, that her "visage is blacker than a coal." But how does Ezekiel speak of what her glory shall be (Ezekiel 16:9-14)? Again, the expression, "I am black," may be taken to refer to the many sins of the believer. In the eyes of no one is he so black as he is in his own. He is covered over with blemishes, and spots, and soils. There are stains upon his duties, stains upon his repentances, stains upon his prayers. But look we again. We have seen the picture but from one side. On looking at it from the other, this stained and darkened thing is beautiful as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, "terrible as an army with banners." Thus, while the believer is both "black and comely," he is neither all the one, nor all the other. There is a strife for mastery always going on between the elements of his inner life — the grace reigning, but the sin not expelled — the flesh disputing inch by inch the claims of the Spirit, and iniquity forcing its presence into the shrine of his holiest things. Still, comely he is, and that through Christ's comeliness. The world sees only the "tents of Kedar," but cannot discern the "curtains of Solomon." (D. Moore, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.WEB: I am dark, but lovely, you daughters of Jerusalem, like Kedar's tents, like Solomon's curtains. |
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