Song 4:5 | KingComments | STEP | The neck ( ) is a symbol of man’s will, which is naturally rigid and obstinate ( ). But this can change by bowing the neck before God. Jerusalem has proved to be stubborn ( ), but has bowed the neck under the discipline of God. Now the neck is an ornament of strength and victory, which is expressed in the comparison to “the tower of David”. In it, not one’s own strength, but the strength of God becomes apparent. A neck like a tower indicates steadfastness and a lifted gaze. It is not a power of its own or a haughty gaze. The steadfastness is that of faith in God, and the gaze that is lifted up is directed toward Him. There is spiritual maturity that no longer seeks strength in itself, but has found everything in Christ. By this the temptations of the world and the temptations of satan can be resisted. The tower is not just any tower. It is ‘the tower of David’, the tower that David built or the tower that came into his possession. It is a defense work in times of war. The bride has now become like a bulwark against any hostile attack. She looks like David. The tower has been David’s refuge in times of need. He who is spiritually mature realizes that there is battle and that there is no strength for that battle in himself, but that all strength and protection are to be found in God ( ). This is not the end of the description of the tower. On the tower “are hung a thousand shields”. It emphasizes that someone who has bowed before God has abundant protection. Whoever is powerful in knowing and doing the will of the Lord, will experience difficult times and great resistance. In order not to give in to the pressure of the enemy, it is important to make a decision of the will not to bow the neck to the difficulties and resistance and to do only the will of God. Those who do, have an inner protection as “thousand shields” belonging to “mighty men”. Those who bow before God behave like mighty men. The groom ends his description of the bride with her “two breasts”, which he compares to “two fawns” ( ). Breasts are a picture of spiritual maturity and the ability to pass on food to little children. The fawns seem to allude to this. Fawns drink from their mother’s milk. The milk that is passed on by the breasts speaks of the Word of God through which believers can grow spiritually ( ). It is beautiful when believers grow in such a way that they not only personally live with the Lord, but are also able to help others by giving them balanced teaching. This is expressed in the picture of “the twins of a gazelle”. The original word means ‘two young deer born from the same mother’. They are identical in size, one is not bigger than the other. It’s about a balanced life. Doctrine and life must be in balance. Young believers, but also the elderly, are in danger of falling into extremes. Then some are one-sidedly concerned with doctrine and others one-sidedly concerned with practice. We must not set these two sides of religious life against each other, but develop them side by side. The task of adult believers in the education of young believers is to give them room for spiritual growth and to give them directions that stimulate their personal faith life. The danger of the older believer is to instruct young believers in such a way that they meet their own preferences. The older believer who is spiritually mature, balanced in his faith, will follow the advice for education: “Train up a child in the way he should go” ( ). The training must be in accordance with “the way he should go”, i.e. he must be raised in accordance with his qualities and abilities. These must be formed in such a way that he becomes useful to God. There must be an insight into the individuality of the newly converted person with which the upbringing must be in tune. Nothing impossible should be demanded, but tasks should be given that are appropriate to gender, age, mental capacity and abilities. It is mainly about giving instructions for the direction of the path the child should go. It is about “the way he should go”, his way of life and the purpose of his life. His life path is not so much determined by his talent and abilities, but more by the choices he makes. The spiritual parent will teach him to make the right choices, choices that will bring and keep him on a path of dedication to God (cf. ). In the book of Proverbs there are only two ways a child can go, that is either the way of the wise and the righteous or the way of the fool and the wicked. “Feed among the lilies” indicates the appropriate environment where the bride is. The lily indicates delicate, breakable, fragile beauty. We can apply this to a sensitive conscience. He who really wants to live in a sound spiritual balance will exercise himself “to maintain always a blameless conscience [both] before God and before men” ( ). Doctrine and life can only come to a sound and balanced development if the conscience is clear, if there is nothing that makes it restless. Prophetically, what the groom says of the bride’s breasts points to the future of Jerusalem. When the city has returned to the LORD, it will become a source of blessing for all the earth: ““Be joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who love her; be exceedingly glad with her, all you who mourn over her, that you may nurse and be satisfied with her comforting breasts, that you may suck and be delighted with her bountiful bosom.” For thus says the LORD, “Behold, I extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you will be nursed, you will be carried on the hip and fondled on the knees”” ( ).

‏ Song of Solomon 4:5

Neck and Breasts

The neck (Song 4:4) is a symbol of man’s will, which is naturally rigid and obstinate (Isa 3:16 ; Isa 48:4). But this can change by bowing the neck before God. Jerusalem has proved to be stubborn (2Chr 30:8), but has bowed the neck under the discipline of God. Now the neck is an ornament of strength and victory, which is expressed in the comparison to “the tower of David”. In it, not one’s own strength, but the strength of God becomes apparent.

A neck like a tower indicates steadfastness and a lifted gaze. It is not a power of its own or a haughty gaze. The steadfastness is that of faith in God, and the gaze that is lifted up is directed toward Him. There is spiritual maturity that no longer seeks strength in itself, but has found everything in Christ. By this the temptations of the world and the temptations of satan can be resisted.

The tower is not just any tower. It is ‘the tower of David’, the tower that David built or the tower that came into his possession. It is a defense work in times of war. The bride has now become like a bulwark against any hostile attack. She looks like David. The tower has been David’s refuge in times of need. He who is spiritually mature realizes that there is battle and that there is no strength for that battle in himself, but that all strength and protection are to be found in God (Psa 61:4).

This is not the end of the description of the tower. On the tower “are hung a thousand shields”. It emphasizes that someone who has bowed before God has abundant protection. Whoever is powerful in knowing and doing the will of the Lord, will experience difficult times and great resistance. In order not to give in to the pressure of the enemy, it is important to make a decision of the will not to bow the neck to the difficulties and resistance and to do only the will of God. Those who do, have an inner protection as “thousand shields” belonging to “mighty men”. Those who bow before God behave like mighty men.

The groom ends his description of the bride with her “two breasts”, which he compares to “two fawns” (Song 4:5). Breasts are a picture of spiritual maturity and the ability to pass on food to little children. The fawns seem to allude to this. Fawns drink from their mother’s milk. The milk that is passed on by the breasts speaks of the Word of God through which believers can grow spiritually (1Pet 2:2).

It is beautiful when believers grow in such a way that they not only personally live with the Lord, but are also able to help others by giving them balanced teaching. This is expressed in the picture of “the twins of a gazelle”. The original word means ‘two young deer born from the same mother’. They are identical in size, one is not bigger than the other.

It’s about a balanced life. Doctrine and life must be in balance. Young believers, but also the elderly, are in danger of falling into extremes. Then some are one-sidedly concerned with doctrine and others one-sidedly concerned with practice. We must not set these two sides of religious life against each other, but develop them side by side.

The task of adult believers in the education of young believers is to give them room for spiritual growth and to give them directions that stimulate their personal faith life. The danger of the older believer is to instruct young believers in such a way that they meet their own preferences. The older believer who is spiritually mature, balanced in his faith, will follow the advice for education: “Train up a child in the way he should go” (Pro 22:6a).

The training must be in accordance with “the way he should go”, i.e. he must be raised in accordance with his qualities and abilities. These must be formed in such a way that he becomes useful to God. There must be an insight into the individuality of the newly converted person with which the upbringing must be in tune. Nothing impossible should be demanded, but tasks should be given that are appropriate to gender, age, mental capacity and abilities.

It is mainly about giving instructions for the direction of the path the child should go. It is about “the way he should go”, his way of life and the purpose of his life. His life path is not so much determined by his talent and abilities, but more by the choices he makes. The spiritual parent will teach him to make the right choices, choices that will bring and keep him on a path of dedication to God (cf. Gen 18:19a). In the book of Proverbs there are only two ways a child can go, that is either the way of the wise and the righteous or the way of the fool and the wicked.

“Feed among the lilies” indicates the appropriate environment where the bride is. The lily indicates delicate, breakable, fragile beauty. We can apply this to a sensitive conscience. He who really wants to live in a sound spiritual balance will exercise himself “to maintain always a blameless conscience [both] before God and before men” (Acts 24:16). Doctrine and life can only come to a sound and balanced development if the conscience is clear, if there is nothing that makes it restless.

Prophetically, what the groom says of the bride’s breasts points to the future of Jerusalem. When the city has returned to the LORD, it will become a source of blessing for all the earth: ““Be joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who love her; be exceedingly glad with her, all you who mourn over her, that you may nurse and be satisfied with her comforting breasts, that you may suck and be delighted with her bountiful bosom.” For thus says the LORD, “Behold, I extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you will be nursed, you will be carried on the hip and fondled on the knees”” (Isa 66:10-12).