v1: The Beloved delights in the beauty of his bride, "How beautiful you are...Oh, how beautiful!"The word used, 'fair' in the RAV, means to shine; see also 1.15.

Dove's eyes, with singleness of vision.

The veil, a covering; Jesus Christ is the glory of the church (1 Cor 10.7; Eph 5.23), and it is His glory that must be declared, not His people's.

Her hair speaks of consecration and obedience (Num 6). The flock is a single patch of colour, rather than lots of individuals.

v2: Her teeth; feeding on Christ (John 6.54-56), our constant enjoyment of Him brings fruitfulness, for none is barren. Just as teeth are twinned, and therefore orderly, so our fruit for Christ reflects His order.

v3: Lips and mouth, our spiritual speech; Gen 38.28; Josh 2.21, the scarlet thread of Christ's sacrifice.

Temples, or cheeks, the radiance of Christ, and hence the veil.

v4: The neck, the seat of the mind, which is fixed on Christ; in our decisions we have integrity and strength.

v5: The breasts, where the heart is, speaking of love for Christ, our deep affection for Him.

v6: The shadows flee away at midday, pointing to the day of God's blessing, the day of victory, where there is no darkness, only light.

The mountain of myrrh, Gethsemane and Calvary, places of sorrow and distress. The plant had first to be crushed, even as Christ was crushed for our iniquities. Myrrh is both bitter and sweet; the bitterness of suffering brings the sweetness of deliverance.

The hill of frankincense, the sweet aroma, Eph 5.2; John 10.17, the offering of Christ to the Father.

v7: What Christ has made His church, "all beautiful...no flaw."We are sanctified and cleansed by Him; He calls us His "bride"for there is a mutual belonging, and we enjoy the privilege of direct access in Him.

v8: The Beloved, having described his bride, wants to be with her, and will enjoy being with her. They will share the heights together, viewing the land around and ahead.

The places mentioned are north, south, east and west; for from all points, people come to be with Christ; His church is worldwide. With Him, we learn to see as He sees. He is willing to reveal His plans, as in Gen 18.17; Eph 3.8-11; there is a glorious future, and not just in geographic terms, as Christ makes His church radiant.

v9-11: The Beloved delights in his bride; she manifests a growing likeness to his character. In a similar way, Christ delights in His church.

Her beauty has captured his heart; her love is better than wine (compare 1.2, where similar words are used by the bride); and her lips are beautiful. She is her "sister,"an expression of love and intimacy.

v12-15: Looking for fruit, but a garden locked up, a spring enclosed, a fountain sealed; a picture of virginity; there is an unwillingness to respond to the Beloved's affections. We must let the Lord do His work in our lives, laying aside our fears, and trusting afresh in Him.

The fruits of the orchard need to be displayed, and their fragrance dispersed; the fruit of our lives is in blessing others.

v16: The bride's request, following the concerns of v12-15; our fruitfulness is not to be a secret thing; first it is for Him, and then for others. We must invite the wind of God's Spirit to blow upon His garden.

The language here is quite erotic, with the invitation to consummate the marriage. The woman is to open herself up to passion. Earlier, her garden was enclosed, shut up (v12); but now the groom arrives (5.1).