HIS LOCKS ARE BUSHY, AND BLACK AS A RAVEN

In this delightful section, perhaps the best known portion of the Song, the spouse is extolling the many and varied beauties of her Beloved. What an opportunity was that presented to her when the daughters of Jerusalem asked her, ‘What is thy Beloved more than another beloved?’ She does not hesitate. Again, as throughout the Song, the imagery is Oriental and must be understood accordingly.

His head is as the most fine gold. What is more precious than gold? And what can be more expressive than gold when think­ing of the deity, the divine glory of Christ the Beloved. The bride sees gold in His head and in His hands, and in the sockets on which He stands. He is all glory! In His holy mind and pure thoughts, in the works of His hands, and in His resolute walk and standing, there are evidences of His deity.

How exact and emphatic she is too. This is not only gold, but fine gold. Nor is it just fine gold but the most fine gold. Some translations say ‘the finest gold’ JND; NKJV. Only the very best symbolism will do to describe the excellencies of her Beloved to the daughters of Jerusalem.

Still contemplating the head of the Beloved the bride now exclaims that His locks are bushy and black. Her thought seems obvious enough. Here is beauty and unfading vigour. Of David, the shepherd boy who became king, it is said that he was ‘withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to’, 1 Sam. 16. 12. So it is with the Beloved of the Song, the greater Son of David. In the blackness of His curled locks there is indicated that in Him there is no decaying with age. If, in other places, His hair is ‘white like wool’ or ‘white as snow’, Dan. 7. 9; Rev. 1. 14, the sym­bolism there is different, portraying Him as the Ancient of Days, the eternal, the only wise, resplendent in glory and majesty, Rom. 16. 27; 1 Tim. 1. 17; Jude 25.

How different is Christ to that other head of gold, Dan. 2. 32, 38. With the proud king of Babylon, there was deterioration and decay. Not so with our Beloved. He is Jesus Christ the same yes­terday, and today, and forever, Heb. 13. 8.