Song of Solomon 5:5

Translation
King James Version
I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.
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KJV (with Strong's)
I rose up H6965 to open H6605 to my beloved H1730; and my hands H3027 dropped H5197 with myrrh H4753, and my fingers H676 with sweet smelling H5674 myrrh H4753, upon the handles H3709 of the lock H4514.
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Complete Jewish Bible
I got up to open for the man I love. My hands were dripping with myrrh pure myrrh ran off my fingers onto the handle of the bolt.
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Berean Standard Bible
I rose up to open for my beloved. My hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with flowing myrrh on the handles of the bolt.
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American Standard Version
I rose up to open to my beloved; And my hands dropped with myrrh, And my fingers with liquid myrrh, Upon the handles of the bolt.
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World English Bible Messianic
I rose up to open for my beloved. My hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the lock.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
I rose vp to open to my welbeloued, and mine hands did drop downe myrrhe, and my fingers pure myrrhe vpon the handels of the barre.
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Young's Literal Translation
I rose to open to my beloved, And my hands dropped myrrh, Yea, my fingers flowing myrrh, On the handles of the lock.
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See also
Song of Solomon 5:13Ephesians 3:172 Corinthians 7:92 Corinthians 7:11Song of Solomon 3:6Song of Solomon 5:2Revelation 3:20
In the KJVVerse 17,604 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Song of Solomon 5:5 vividly portrays a pivotal moment of spiritual awakening and earnest desire within the Shulamite woman, as she finally rises to open the door to her beloved after a period of initial hesitation. The striking imagery of her hands and fingers "dropping" or "distilling" with myrrh upon the handles of the lock profoundly underscores the immense preciousness and intoxicating fragrance associated with her beloved's presence, symbolizing a deep, intimate affection and the fervent readiness of her heart to receive him.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse is situated within a profound and evocative dream sequence, or night vision, experienced by the Shulamite woman, which commences in Song of Solomon 5:2. Her beloved arrives at her door in the night, earnestly pleading for entry, his hair "filled with dew" from the nocturnal chill. The Shulamite's initial response, meticulously detailed in Song of Solomon 5:3-4, reveals a reluctance rooted in her having already prepared for rest. She offers excuses, yet her heart is deeply stirred by his persistent presence and his attempt to open the door. Verse 5 marks her decisive transition from internal conflict and hesitation to resolute action, propelled by her profound inner longing and the lingering, fragrant essence of her beloved. The immediate and poignant consequence of her delay is unveiled in Song of Solomon 5:6, where she discovers his departure, leading to a frantic and sorrowful search.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: Myrrh (Hebrew: môr) was an extraordinarily valuable and highly esteemed aromatic resin in the ancient Near East, widely utilized for perfumes, incense, anointing oils, medicinal applications, and embalming rituals. Its prominent presence in this verse signifies luxury, exquisite beauty, and a sacred or deeply cherished quality. The evocative phrase "dropped with myrrh" could suggest that the beloved's hands, having attempted to manipulate the lock, left a fragrant residue, or, more poetically, that the Shulamite's intense desire and eager anticipation caused her own hands to be supernaturally imbued with this precious scent as she reached for the lock. Ancient door locks were typically rudimentary wooden bolts or bars, often operated by a key inserted into a designated hole, rendering the "handles of the lock" a tangible point of contact and potential intimacy. The societal expectation of hospitality, particularly towards a cherished beloved, would make the Shulamite's initial delay somewhat unusual, thereby emphasizing her internal emotional and spiritual conflict.
  • Key Themes: This verse significantly contributes to several overarching and profound themes woven throughout the Song of Solomon. Foremost is the theme of Awakening and Desire, as the Shulamite transitions from a state of slumber and reluctance to an active, passionate pursuit of her beloved. This powerfully mirrors the soul's spiritual awakening and fervent desire for intimate communion with the divine. Secondly, the Preciousness of Presence is powerfully conveyed through the lavish abundance of myrrh, symbolizing the immense value, exquisite beauty, and sacredness of the beloved's (and allegorically, God's or Christ's) presence. It speaks to a relationship permeated with divine fragrance and immeasurable worth. Thirdly, the theme of Preparation and Intimacy is profoundly evident in her act of rising to open, signifying an intentional act of welcoming and preparing for deep, unhindered communion. The myrrh can also allude to her own anointing or spiritual readiness to meet him. Finally, though not explicitly stated within this verse, it subtly introduces the Consequence of Delay, as her beloved's subsequent departure in Song of Solomon 5:6 underscores the potential cost of spiritual procrastination or missed opportunities for profound fellowship.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Beloved (Hebrew, dôwd', H1730): This term, consistently employed throughout the Song of Solomon, signifies a deeply cherished, affectionate, and intensely intimate relationship. Derived from an unused root meaning "to boil" or, figuratively, "to love," it encapsulates the fervent, passionate, and singular bond between the Shulamite and her lover. It transcends mere affection to denote a profound, unique devotion, highlighting the central and unparalleled place the beloved holds in her heart and life.
  • Dropped (Hebrew, nâṭaph', H5197): This primitive root signifies "to ooze" or "distil gradually," implying a slow, continuous, and abundant flow. In this context, it powerfully portrays the myrrh not merely as present, but as profusely overflowing from her hands and fingers. This emphasizes the profusion of the precious substance, suggesting an overwhelming sensory experience and perhaps the spontaneous manifestation of the beloved's essence or her own intense, overflowing devotion.
  • Myrrh (Hebrew, môr', H4753): As an aromatic resin, myrrh is consistently associated with preciousness, fragrance, and anointing throughout the ancient world and biblical narratives. Its presence here, particularly in such striking abundance, symbolizes the rich, intoxicating, and sacred nature of the love and intimacy shared between the two lovers. It evokes a profound sense of spiritual beauty, purity, and a costly offering, permeating the very act of reaching for the lock and the anticipated reunion.

Verse Breakdown

  • "I rose up to open to my beloved": This phrase marks a critical and decisive turning point in the Shulamite's internal struggle. After her initial hesitation and self-justifying excuses, her deep longing and the beloved's persistent presence compel her to action. The Hebrew verb for "rose up" (qûwm) implies a decisive, active, and intentional movement, signifying a determination to overcome the barriers (both physical and psychological) that initially prevented her from immediately responding to his call. It represents a profound shift from passive longing to active, resolute pursuit of intimacy.
  • "and my hands dropped with myrrh": As she reaches for the lock, her hands are depicted as literally "dropping" or "distilling" with myrrh. This striking and almost miraculous imagery suggests an overwhelming and spontaneous abundance of the fragrant substance. It could imply that the beloved's hand, having attempted to open the lock, left its fragrant residue, or that her own intense desire and spiritual readiness caused this precious anointing to manifest upon her, preparing her for his presence. It speaks to a deep, sensory, and spiritual experience of love and anticipation.
  • "and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh": This phrase serves to reiterate and intensify the preceding imagery, emphasizing the profusion of myrrh and its intoxicating aroma. The repetition highlights the sensory richness of the moment and the profound preciousness of the substance. The term "sweet smelling" (Hebrew ʻâbar, here implying a pleasant, pervasive aroma) reinforces the idea that the entire atmosphere around the lock—the very point of access and intimacy—is saturated with this valuable, alluring fragrance.
  • "upon the handles of the lock": This specific and tangible detail grounds the mystical experience in a concrete reality. The myrrh is not merely generally present, but specifically upon the "handles of the lock," the very mechanism that grants or denies access. This signifies that the point of entry, the physical barrier to intimacy, is itself permeated with the preciousness of their love, making the act of opening not merely a physical action but a deeply symbolic gesture of spiritual unveiling, welcoming, and profound communion.

Literary Devices

Song of Solomon 5:5 is exceptionally rich with Sensory Imagery, primarily through the overwhelming and pervasive presence of "myrrh," which appeals directly and powerfully to the senses of smell and touch. The vivid description of hands and fingers "dropping" or "distilling" with myrrh creates a tangible, almost palpable, sensation of abundance, preciousness, and spiritual anointing. Symbolism is central to the verse's meaning, with myrrh representing not only the beloved's presence and the profound richness of their love but also possibly a divine anointing or the Shulamite's spiritual readiness for communion. The "lock" itself functions as a potent symbol of access and intimacy, or alternatively, the barrier that must be overcome to achieve deeper union. The entire scene can be read as a powerful Metaphor for the soul's passionate pursuit of divine communion, where initial hesitation gives way to fervent desire, and the act of opening oneself to the Beloved is accompanied by a spiritual anointing or a divine fragrance. The deliberate Repetition of "myrrh" and the parallel structure of "my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh" serve to emphatically emphasize the overwhelming abundance and profound significance of this precious, sacred substance.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

This verse, when interpreted through the allegorical lens often applied to the Song of Solomon, powerfully illustrates the soul's journey towards deeper, more intimate communion with God. It speaks to the critical moment of spiritual awakening and the earnest, often delayed, desire to respond to the divine call, even after a period of spiritual lethargy or hesitation. The overflowing myrrh can be seen as symbolizing the anointing of the Holy Spirit, the preciousness of Christ's indwelling presence, or the fragrant testimony of a life wholly dedicated to God. It highlights that true intimacy with the Beloved (Christ) is not a passive reception but requires an active, intentional "rising up" to open the door of our hearts. The potential cost of delay, though not explicitly stated in this verse, is profoundly foreshadowed by the beloved's subsequent departure in the following verse, serving as a poignant and urgent reminder for believers to cultivate spiritual vigilance and immediate responsiveness to God's gracious invitations for fellowship.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Song of Solomon 5:5 offers a profound spiritual mirror for our own personal walk with God, challenging us to deeply examine our responsiveness to the Lord's persistent presence and gracious invitations. Just as the Shulamite eventually rose, stirred by an undeniable love and the lingering scent of her beloved, we are similarly called to overcome spiritual inertia, worldly distractions, or self-preoccupation to actively and eagerly pursue deeper communion with Christ. The evocative imagery of myrrh-filled hands suggests that our very engagement with God—our reaching out, our opening up, our acts of surrender—can be permeated with the preciousness and divine fragrance of His Spirit. It serves as a powerful reminder that our relationship with God is not merely intellectual or doctrinal but deeply experiential, inviting us to cherish His presence and respond with eager anticipation. This verse profoundly encourages us to be vigilant, recognizing that moments of divine invitation are precious and should be seized with a ready and open heart, allowing our lives to become a fragrant offering of worship, devotion, and responsive love.

Questions for Reflection

  • What might be the "locks" or "handles" in your life—perhaps fears, past hurts, or self-sufficiency—that you hesitate to open fully to the Lord?
  • In what tangible ways does your spiritual life "drop with myrrh," signifying the preciousness and pervasive fragrance of Christ's presence and Spirit within you?
  • How can you cultivate a greater sense of urgency, readiness, and eager anticipation to respond to God's invitations for deeper intimacy and fellowship?
  • What are the potential spiritual costs or missed opportunities that might arise from delay or procrastination in your walk with God?

FAQ

What does the myrrh symbolize in this verse?

Answer: Myrrh, a costly and highly fragrant resin, symbolizes several profound aspects in this verse: the immense preciousness and value of the beloved's presence, the intoxicating and alluring nature of their love, and potentially a divine spiritual anointing or the Shulamite's profound readiness for intimacy. Its striking abundance suggests an overflowing of this precious essence, permeating the very act of seeking and entering into intimacy. In an allegorical sense, it can powerfully represent the invaluable presence of Christ and the anointing of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer, making their communion fragrant and sacred.

Is this verse part of a dream or a real event?

Answer: The majority of biblical scholars interpret the sequence from Song of Solomon 5:2 through Song of Solomon 5:8 as a vivid dream or night vision experienced by the Shulamite. The highly symbolic and almost surreal imagery, such as hands spontaneously dripping with myrrh, coupled with the beloved's sudden and unexplained disappearance (as described in Song of Solomon 5:6), are characteristic elements of a dream narrative. Nevertheless, even as a dream, it powerfully conveys the deep emotional and spiritual realities of the Shulamite's longing, her internal conflicts, and the dynamic nature of her relationship with her beloved.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Song of Solomon 5:5 finds its profound and beautiful Christ-centered fulfillment in the dynamic relationship between Christ and His Church, or the individual believer. Just as the beloved knocks and earnestly seeks entry, so too does Christ stand at the door of our hearts, knocking and desiring intimate fellowship, as powerfully depicted in Revelation 3:20. The Shulamite's eventual "rising up to open" mirrors the believer's essential response to the Holy Spirit's prompting, moving from spiritual complacency or hesitation to an active, fervent pursuit of Christ. The vivid imagery of hands "dropping with myrrh" upon the lock is a powerful prefigurement of the anointing of the Holy Spirit that accompanies our yielding to Christ. It signifies that our very acts of welcoming Him—our worship, our obedience, our surrender—are permeated with the precious, fragrant presence of the Spirit, making us, as believers, the "aroma of Christ" to the world (2 Corinthians 2:15). This verse ultimately points to the glorious reality that our communion with Christ is not a dry, intellectual exercise but a rich, sensory, and deeply spiritual encounter, marked by His precious presence and our Spirit-filled, responsive love, leading to a profound and transformative intimacy, much like the sacrificial love and deep union described between Christ and His Church in Ephesians 5:25-27.

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Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers . Public domain.
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Basil of CaesareaAD 379
HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS 16:1 (PSALM 33)
According to the counsel of the apostle, the zealous person can do all things for the glory of God, so that every act and every word and every work has in it power of praise. Whether the just person eats or drinks, he does all for the glory of God. The heart of such a one watches when he is sleeping, according to him who said in the Song of Solomon: “I sleep, and my heart watches.” For on many occasions the visions seen during sleep are images of our thoughts by day.
Gregory of NyssaAD 395
HOMILIES ON THE SONG OF SONGS 12
Resurrection is not effected in us unless a voluntary death precedes it. Such a voluntary death is indicated by the drops of myrrh dripping from the bride’s hands, for her fingers are filled with this spice. She says that myrrh did not come into her hands from any other source—if this were so, myrrh would mean something accidental and involuntary. Rather her hands (the operative faculties of the soul) drop myrrh, meaning a voluntary mortification of her bodily passions.
Gregory of NyssaAD 395
HOMILIES ON THE SONG OF SONGS 10
Once all the senses have been put to sleep and are gripped by inaction, the heart’s action is pure; reason looks above while it remains undisturbed and free from the senses’ movement.…If a person pays attention to the senses and is drawn by pleasure in the body, he will live his life without tasting the divine joy, since the good can be overshadowed by what is inferior. For those who desire God, a good not shadowed over by anything awaits them; they realize that what enters the senses must be avoided. Therefore, when the soul enjoys only the contemplation of being, it will not arise for those things that effect sensual pleasure. It puts to rest all bodily movement, and by naked, pure insight, the soul will see God in a divine watchfulness. May we be made worthy through this sleep, of which the Song has spoken, to keep our soul vigilant.
Ambrose of MilanAD 397
Concerning Virginity 12:70
As the dew from the heavens removes the dryness of the night, so the dew of our Lord Jesus Christ descends as the moisture of eternal life into the nocturnal shadows of the world. This is the head that knows nothing of the dryness caused by the heat of this world.
Ambrose of MilanAD 397
On Isaac and the Soul 6.50-52
She is now awakened from sleep by him, although she was keeping watch with her heart so that she might hear his voice at once when he knocked. But while she was rising, she experienced a delay, because she could not match the swiftness of the Word. While she was opening the door, the Word passed by. She went out at his word, sought for him through wounds, but wounds of love, and, finally and with difficulty, found him and embraced him, so that she might not lose him.…Even though you are asleep, if only Christ has come to know the devotion of your soul, he comes and knocks at her door and says, “Open to me, my sister.” “Sister” is well put, because the marriage of the Word and the soul is spiritual. For souls do not know covenants of wedlock or the ways of bodily union, but they are like the angels in heaven. “Open to me,” but close to strangers. Close to the times, close to the world, do not go out of doors to material things, do not abandon your own light and search for another’s, because material light pours out a dark mist, so that the light of true glory is not seen. “Open,” therefore, “to me”; do not open to the adversary or give place to the devil. “Open yourself to me,” do not be confined, but expand, and I will fill you. And because, in my passage through the world, I have found very much trouble and vexation and have not readily had a place to rest, do you then open, that the Son of man may rest his head on you, for he has no rest save on one who is humble and quiet.
The soul, hearing “Open to me,” and “My head is wet with dew,” that is, the soul that was suddenly disturbed by the temptations of the world and was bidden to rise, and indeed is on the point of rising, as it were, speaks: fragrant with aloe and myrrh, signs of burial.
Ambrose of MilanAD 397
DEATH AS A GOOD 5:20
“I sleep, but my heart is awake.” Let us learn what food and produce God feasts upon and in which ones he takes pleasure. He takes pleasure in this, if anyone dies to his sin, blots out his guilt, and destroys and buries his iniquities. The myrrh represents the burial of the dead, but sins are dead, for they cannot possess the sweetness of life. Moreover, some wounds of sinners are moistened with the ointments of Scripture and the stronger food of the word as with bread, and are treated with the sweeter word like honey.
Ambrose of MilanAD 397
Concerning Virginity 9:55
In this night of the world the garment of corporeal life is first to be taken off as the Lord divested himself in his flesh that for you he might triumph over the dominions and powers of this world.
John ChrysostomAD 407
HOMILIES ON REPENTANCE AND ALMSGIVING 1:3-4
Both when I stayed at home and when I departed, when I walked and rested, and wherever I went, I continuously turned your love over in my mind and dreamt about it. I found pleasure in these dreams not only during the day but also at night. The very statement made by Solomon, “I sleep but my heart is awake,” was then happening to me. The necessity for sleep weighed down my eyelids, but the great power of your love chased away the sleep from the eyes of my soul; and constantly I thought that I was speaking with you in my sleep.At night, it is natural for the soul to see in her dreams all the things that she thinks about in the day, something that I was then experiencing. Although I did not see you with the eyes of my body, I saw you with the eyes of love. In spite of my physical absence, I was close to you in disposition, and my ears always heard your vivacious voice.
AponiusAD 500
EXPOSITION OF SONG OF SONGS 7:59
“I sleep and my heart remains awake.” The divine Word, who is to be understood here under the title of the heart, never sleeps or falls asleep while hidden within the veil of the flesh, but he carries the sleeper. He explains this in a deeply mysterious way to the friends and beloveds who believe in him and whom he invites to partake of the joy of human salvation. [He does this] lest, while they see him detained in the sleep of death according to his humanity, they are deprived of the faith through which they see in him a majesty that is full and ever watchful. I am asleep to you through bodily absence, he says, but I am awake in heart by never withdrawing the presence of my deity from you.
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
FORTY GOSPEL HOMILIES 8 (10)
Myrrh indicates the death of our flesh, and so the church says of its members who are striving even to death on behalf of God: “My hands dripped with myrrh.”
BedeAD 735
Commentary on the Song of Songs
I opened the bolt of my door to my beloved. The bride opened the bolt of her door to her beloved, when each chosen soul made the temple of her heart worthy of divine visitation and indwelling. She opens the bolt of the door to her beloved knocking, when, suddenly inspired and enkindled with a desire for heavenly things, she strives to open wider the bosom of her mind to receive the taste of that same heavenly sweetness. For it had been said above that the beloved, having sent his hand through the hole, touched her and shook her with trembling: deeply inflamed by his touch, she now desires to be touched not through the narrowness of the hole by his hand, but, with the door of her heart opened, to enjoy his most blessed embrace, that is, to be more fully satisfied with the sweetness of divine illumination, which she had sensed briefly and modestly. But since the perfect vision of eternal joys is granted to none of the elect in this life, which is reserved for all the righteous in the next life as a reward, it is rightly added:
BedeAD 735
Commentary on the Song of Songs
My hands dripped with myrrh, etc. For in the hands are the works that are done by them; in the fingers is taken the discretion by which the works are directed: for certainly no parts of our body are distinguished by numerous joints, none are more apt for bending than the fingers. Hence it is that the Lord, about to give a sentence concerning the adulteress, first wrote with his finger on the ground, thus mystically advising us that whenever we intend to chastise or judge others, we should first humbly carve out our own conscience with diligent discretion, carefully considering lest we also be tempted. It has often been said that myrrh signifies the continence of the flesh and martyrdom: hence the sense is clear that the hands of the spouse drip with myrrh, when the holy soul dedicates itself to works of continence; and her fingers are full of the most proven myrrh, when, examining herself with careful discretion, she finds that she lives continent only with a view to heavenly recompense. For those who seek the favor of human praise, who, according to the judge himself, have received their reward, these indeed seem to drip with myrrh from their hands, but in no way have their fingers filled with the most proven myrrh, because if they do not only give their wealth to the poor, but also deliver their bodies to the flames, if they do not have charity, it profits them nothing. Therefore, because the one who wants to teach others must himself abstain from carnal enticements and be ready to suffer for the confession of faith, it was fitting that when she said: I arose to open to my beloved, she immediately added: My hands dripped with myrrh. And because the same continence or passion ought to be performed only with the intention of eternal reward, she rightly added: My fingers are full of myrrh. Again, the hands of the spouse drip with myrrh when her workers, that is, the holy teachers, subject their bodies to salutary mortification, and her fingers are full of the most proven myrrh when they progress so much in tribulations that their invincible patience is also declared, according to the Apostle: But we glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation works patience, and patience, experience; and experience, hope; and hope does not disappoint (Rom. V).
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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