3:1 By {a} night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

(a) The Church by night, that is, in troubles, seeks Christ, but is not incontinently heard.

3:2 I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will {b} seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

(b) Showing that although we are not heard at first, yet we must still continue in prayer, till we feel comfort.

3:3 The {c} watchmen that go about the city found me: [to whom I said], Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?

(c) Which declares that we must seek to all of whom we hope to have any help.

3:5 {d} I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake [my] love, till he please.

(d) Read Geneva So 2:7

3:6 Who [is] this that cometh out of the {e} wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?

(e) This refers to the Church of Israel which was led in the wilderness for forty years.

3:7 Behold his {f} bed, which [is] Solomon's; sixty valiant men [are] about it, of the valiant of Israel.

(f) By the bed is meant the temple which Solomon made.

3:8 They all hold swords, [being] expert in war: every man [hath] his sword upon his thigh because of fear {g} in the night.

(g) He alludes to the watch which kept the temple.

3:11 Go forth, O ye {h} daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the {i} crown with which his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.

(h) All you that are of the number of the faithful.

(i) Christ became man, was crowned by the love of God with the glorious crown of his divinity.