Section 726
II. In verse 6, Christ gives a general and comprehensive summary of his church's beauty
And at the same time expresses the strongest affection for her, saying, "How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights." Where may be observed,
1st, The title he gives her, "O love." The church is Christ's love, both objectively and subjectively; she is the object of his love, who he loved from all eternity; loves in time without any change or variation, and will love to all eternity, without the least interruption: she is also one who dearly loves Christ, in whose heart that grace dwells and reigns; which she discovers by her regard to his person, value for his ordinances, and respect to his commands: of this title, see more on chapter 1:9, though indeed a different word is here made use of, and that more full and expressive, both of Christ's love to her, and hers to Christ, than is there; she is called love in the abstract; as being all over love, love itself, nothing else but love, and altogether lovely in his esteem.
2dly, The commendations that are given of her are, 1. That she is fair; and so she is, not in herself, but in Christ; not in her own nature and righteousness, which are unclean, but in his own person and righteousness, which are without spot and blemish; not as she is now considered in this imperfect state, but as she shall he hereafter, when she shall be presented "a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing:" though now; in Christ's eye; she is all fair, and there is no spot in her; but this commendation we have frequently met with. 2. She is also said to be pleasant; which epithet is by her given to Christ, in 11:16, which he here returns to her; it being usual in this song for these two excellent lovers so to do. The church now was pleasant to Christ, and that for delights; he having loved her, not only with a love of benevolence, but with a love of complacency and delight; and that before the foundation of the world, as appears from Proverbs 8:31. The church, I say, is pleasant to him, as she is his spouse and bride; for though she is as the loving hind, and pleasant roe unto him; and as she is the portion and inheritance, of which he says, "the lines are fallen to me in pleasant places;" and also as she is his friend and intimate acquaintance, she is pleasant to him, as Jonathan was to David. Moreover, she is so as she is clothed with his righteousness, and adorned with the graces of his Spirit; her countenance is comely; her voice, both in prayer and praise, is sweet; her faith and love are ravishing, and her company delightful; in short, he takes abundance of satisfaction and pleasure in her: she was all delight[4156] to him; her countenance, some, actions, and gesture. And therefore,
3dly, Expresses it after the manner he does, "How fair and how pleasant art thou!" that is, thou art incomparably and inexpressibly so; none can tell how fair thou art in my eye, and how pleasant and delightful thou art unto me; it is beyond all human thought and expression: What astonishing love and grace now appears in all this, that one so great and glorious, as this royal person is, should be so much in love and pleasure in such poor, vile, with, and take so much delight and sinful creatures, as we are!