Song of Solomon 1:12

“While the King [sitteth] at his table, etc.] These are the words of the church, relating what influence the presence of Christ, her Lord and King, had upon the exercise of her graces, while he was keeping the nuptial feast, on account of his marriage with her. He was anointed King of saints from eternity, before his incarnation, when he was rejoicing before God his Father, as if at a feast; and while he was thus distant, the faith, hope, desire, and expectation of the saints, were exercised on him, as their Lord and King, that was to come: when he did come, he came as a King, as was foretold of him, though his kingdom was not of this world; and while he was here, the Gospel of the kingdom of…”

“This and the next Song of Solomon 1:15-7 sections are regarded by ancient commentators (Jewish and Christian) as expressing “the love of espousals” Jeremiah 2:2 between the Holy One and His Church, first in the wilderness of the Exodus, and then in the wilderness of the world Ezekiel 20:35-36. Song of Solomon 1:9 Or, to a mare of mine in the chariots of Pharaoh I liken thee, O my friend. (The last word is the feminine form of that rendered “friend” at Song of Solomon 5:16.) The comparison of the bride to a beautiful horse is singularly like one in Theocritus, and some have conjectured that the Greek poet, having read at Alexandria the Septuagint Version of the Song, may have borrowed these…”

“The king - My royal husband. Sitteth - With me in his ordinances. Spikenard - The graces of his spirit conferred upon me, here compared to those sweet ointments, which the master of the feast caused to be poured out upon the heads of the guests, Luk 7:38, in which ointments, spikenard was a chief ingredient. Sendeth - This denotes the exercise and manifestation of her graces, which is a sweet smelling savour in the nostrils of her husband, and of her companies. Song of Solomon (Canticles) 1:13”

“1:12-14 In the dramatic view, it appears that although the woman is physically in the king’s palace (1:4, 12), her heart is with her shepherd lover (1:13-14). • In the anthology view, this is a short poem on intimate fragrances. 1:12 The meaning of the word translated couch is uncertain, and the word lying is not found in the Hebrew, so the king and the woman could be lying together on a couch or bed, or simply sitting at a table in one of the palace rooms. • The interpretation that sees the Song as a collection of love songs is not concerned with whether the man is literally a king.”

“the king: Sol 7:5; Psa 45:1; Mat 22:11, Mat 25:34 sitteth: Sol 4:16; Mat 22:4, Mat 26:26-28; Luk 24:30-32; Rev 3:20 my: Sol 4:13-16; Joh 12:3; Phi 4:18; Rev 8:3, Rev 8:4 Song of Solomon (Canticles) 1:13”

“Now for the first time Shulamith addresses Solomon, who is before her. It might be expected that the first word will either express the joy that she now sees him face to face, or the longing which she had hitherto cherished to see him again. The verse following accords with this expectation: 12 While the king is at his table, My nard has yielded its fragrance. שׁ עד or אשׁר r עד, with fut. foll., usually means: usque eo, until this and that shall happen, Sol 2:7, Sol 2:17; with the perf. foll., until something happened, Sol 3:4. The idea connected with "until" may, however, be so interpreted that there comes into view not the end of the period as such, but the whole length of the period. So…”