How fair is thy love, [my] sister, my spouse!
&c.] Of these titles, (See Gill on Song of Solomon 4:8); (See Gill on Song of Solomon 4:9); and of the love of the church to Christ, (See Gill on Song of Solomon 1:3); here said to be "fair", lovely and delightful, grateful and acceptable; as it is to Christ, in the several acts and effects of it, and therefore the word is plural, "thy loves" F18; being exceeding beautiful in his eye, and extremely well pleasing to him; therefore says, "how fair!" as admiring it, it being hard to say how fair it was; and this appears from the large manifestations of Christ's love to those that love him; and from his causing all things to work together for the good of such; and from his preparing and laying up things, unseen and unheard of, for them; how much better is thy love than wine!
which is saying the same thing of her love to him she says of his to her, ( Song of Solomon 1:2 Song of Solomon 1:4 ) ; her love to Christ is more pleasant, more cheering, and more acceptable to him, than the wine of legal sacrifices, or than all burnt offerings; or than any duty whatever, unless that is the principle from whence it flows, ( Mark 12:33 Mark 12:34 ) ; and the smell of thine ointments than all spices!
the same with Christ's ointments, commended ( Song of Solomon 1:3 ) ; namely, the graces of the Spirit, which are in Christ without measure, and from him communicated to his people; and when exercised by them, are very delightful to him, and preferred by him to "all spices": even to all those used in the holy anointing oil, typical of them, ( Exodus 30:23 Exodus 30:24 ) .