Your neck is like the tower of David, built in rows of stone; on it hang a thousand shields, all of them shields of warriors.
In chapter 4 the King praises His bride, feature by feature. For her neck He picks a landmark of war: a fortified tower hung with a thousand shields. Why would a stronghold full of weapons be a compliment to a bride?
The King describing His own bride
The praise here runs one way. He tells her what she is in His sight, even after all she has been through:
J. N. DarbyAnd now, in Song of Solomon 4, He declares all that she is in His sight, although she has been in the lion's den. From there He calls her, all fair and without spot in His eyes; His heart expressing His delight in her. I think it shows a fine moral perfection of thought that the bride never speaks of the Bridegroom's perfections to Himself, as if it were her place to approve Him. She speaks of Him fully, as expressing her own feelings, and she speaks to others — but not to Him. He speaks freely and fully of her to herself, assuring her of His delight in her.
Hamilton Smith draws out what that means for our own peace:
Hamilton SmithIt is a blessing to tell others about the glories of Christ. But if our hearts are to be settled in solid peace and joy, we need to hear from the lips of Christ His own thoughts about His people.
The tower of David and its shields
The ESV says the tower was "built in rows of stone." Older translations read "built for an armoury," and that is the sense the writers below follow:
Morrish Bible DictionaryIt was surely part of the castle in Zion, a store for armour. The Bible mentions it only as a picture, in Song of Solomon 4:4.
David's trophies and greater victories
Weapons hung on a wall are not weapons in use. They are captured arms, kept on display. The armoury of Israel's warrior king was a record of battles already won — and that record is dwarfed by the One who comes after him:
Andrew MillerDavid's armoury was decorated with the trophies of his victories. He was a mighty man of war. The Lord rescued him from all his enemies, and from Saul. He subdued his enemies on every side, and paved the way for the reign of peace under Solomon, his son. But what were these compared with the victories of King Messiah? We may read the whole book of God as the record of the victories of Christ. But the tower-like neck of the bride, adorned with many jewels, stands for the trophies He has won within the land of Judah.
From a stiff neck to a stately tower
The neck is the very part of Israel that Scripture had faulted again and again. That is what makes this a compliment:
The Emmaus Correspondence HelpsScripture often calls Israel a stiff-necked people (Exodus 32:9; 2 Chronicles 30:8; Jeremiah 17:23). The figure comes from the rebellious ox that stiffens its neck so the yoke will slip off. But now the Lord describes His beloved one as having a neck like the tower of David. On it hang a thousand shields, all trophies of His victory over those mighty enemies who had dared to fight against Him. What greater display of the victory of the Lord's grace could there be? Those who once worked with a stiff neck in rebellion against Him now show happy obedience to Him. So they now become the trophies of His victory over their once rebellious hearts.
Miller names the change simply: the neck that was once "obstinate as an iron sinew" is now "graceful, beautiful, and stately, like the tower of David."
Shields on display in a coming day
The shields on the tower were there to be seen. Hamilton Smith carries the picture into a coming day:
Hamilton SmithThe King views the neck of the bride, adorned with precious jewels, and likens it to the tower of David, hung with a thousand shields that spoke of David's victories. In the same way, Christ is going to be glorified in His saints and admired in all those who believe.
Summary
- Speaker — The praise comes from the Bridegroom's own lips. He tells the bride what she is to Him, and hearing His thoughts is what settles the heart.
- Tower — The tower of David was part of the fortress in Zion, a store for armour. Scripture uses it here only as a picture.
- Trophies — Shields hung on a wall are captured weapons from finished battles. David's armoury recorded his victories; the victories of Christ are far greater.
- Turnaround — Israel's neck was stiff, like an ox refusing the yoke. Grace turns that same neck into a tower, and the rebels themselves become the trophies.
- Display — Trophies are hung up to be seen. Christ will be glorified in His saints and admired in all who believe.