The Song of Songs, by Watchman Nee

II. PURSUIT (1:4)

Verse 4 says, "Draw me, we will run after thee." Although we have the desire and the willingness to pursue after Him, we cannot help but feel a lack of strength for the pursuit. This strength for the pursuit is not a mighty power from the Spirit that is given to us once for all. Rather, the Lord’s own beauty and glory draw us. His drawing power is our pursuing power. If the Lord has truly drawn us, it is very easy for us to pursue after Him.

If You draw us, "we will run after thee." Running after is pursuing something continuously. The power to run after the Lord comes from the drawing of the Lord. We must realize that no one can come before the Lord by himself. When we were sinners, we needed God’s drawing before we could come to the Lord. Similarly, after becoming believers, we need the Lord’s drawing before we can run after Him.

Here we see the relationship between an individual believer and other believers. "Me" is drawn, but "we" are running after the Lord. "Me" has been brought into the chambers, but "we" will rejoice and be glad. If a man receives grace before the Lord, others will surely be affected by him.

III. FELLOWSHIP (1:4)

Verse 4 continues, "The King hath brought me into his chambers." After the maiden prays, we see her prayer being answered: "The King hath brought me into his chambers." The "chambers" are the "secret place" (Psa. 91:1), which are the bedrooms. Unless we have very deep friendship with a person, we will not bring him into our chambers. Therefore, when the King brings her into the chambers, it signifies the beginning of fellowship and revelation. In the chambers she tastes of a fellowship that was previously unknown. But more than this, she sees something that she has not seen before.

The word "King" indicates that before we know the Lord as our Beloved, we must first know Him as our King. A life of consecration always comes before a life of love, and a satisfying experience always comes after an act of consecration. "The King hath brought me into his chambers." She has previously known Him as her King. But now the King will show her the experience of the chambers.

Those who are with the maiden can now lift up their heads as their future unfolds before them. There is no limit to their future. Once the experience of the chambers begins, hope abounds in a life of love. They know that since God has begun the work, He will surely complete it (Phil. 1:6). Therefore, they say, "We will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine." These are words for the future. Their present experience fills them with hope for the future (cf. Prov. 23:35 for an example of seeking associated with wine).

"The upright love thee" should be translated, "They love thee in uprightness." This means that their love comes out of a good conscience (1 Tim. 1:5).

(The Song of Songs, Chapter 1, by Watchman Nee)