My Soul Failed Me

Psalm 61:1–3 ESV

1 Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; 2 from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, 3 for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.

Song of Solomon 5:2–6a ESV

2 I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking. “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.” 3 I had put off my garment; how could I put it on? I had bathed my feet; how could I soil them? 4 My beloved put his hand to the latch, and my heart was thrilled within me. 5 I arose to open to my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the bolt. 6 I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My soul failed me when he spoke. I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he gave no answer.

Introduction

Come to the most distressing part of this book. A relationship so full of promise and commitment is breaking down. The reason lethargy pure and simple.

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1. A Reasonable Request v2

Song of Solomon 5:2 (ESV) — 2 I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking. “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.”

a. Sleep

Song of Solomon 5:2 (ESV) — 2 I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking. “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.”

b. Knocking

Song of Solomon 5:2 (ESV) — 2 I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking. “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.”

c. Tenderness

Song of Solomon 5:2 (ESV) — 2 I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking. “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.”

d. Need

Song of Solomon 5:2 (ESV) — 2 I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking. “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.”

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2. A Shameful Response v3

Song of Solomon 5:3 (ESV) — 3 I had put off my garment; how could I put it on? I had bathed my feet; how could I soil them?

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3. A Determined Effort v4

Song of Solomon 5:4 (ESV) — 4 My beloved put his hand to the latch, and my heart was thrilled within me.

a. The Latch

Song of Solomon 5:4 (ESV) — 4 My beloved put his hand to the latch, and my heart was thrilled within me.

b. Thrilled

Song of Solomon 5:4 (ESV) — 4 My beloved put his hand to the latch, and my heart was thrilled within me.

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4. Too Little, Too Late v5

Song of Solomon 5:5 (ESV) — 5 I arose to open to my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the bolt.

a. Arose

Song of Solomon 5:5 (ESV) — 5 I arose to open to my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the bolt.

b. Evidence of His Presence

Song of Solomon 5:5 (ESV) — 5 I arose to open to my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the bolt.

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5. My Beloved Had Gone v6a

Song of Solomon 5:6 (ESV) — 6 I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My soul failed me when he spoke.

a. Opened

Song of Solomon 5:6 (ESV) — 6 I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My soul failed me when he spoke.

b. Had Gone

Song of Solomon 5:6 (ESV) — 6 I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My soul failed me when he spoke.

c. My Soul Failed

Song of Solomon 5:6 (ESV) — 6 I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My soul failed me when he spoke.

Genesis 42:26–28 (ESV) — 26 Then they loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed. 27 And as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place, he saw his money in the mouth of his sack. 28 He said to his brothers, “My money has been put back; here it is in the mouth of my sack!” At this their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”

We turn now to what we see of Christ’s love for us

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6. A Reasonable Request v2

Song of Solomon 5:2 (ESV) — 2 I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking. “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.”

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a. Sleep

Song of Solomon 5:2 (ESV) — 2 I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking. “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.”

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Psalm 127:2 (ESV) — 2 It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.

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Psalm 4:8 (ESV) — 8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

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b. Knocking

Song of Solomon 5:2 (ESV) — 2 I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking. “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.”

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Luke 12:35–37 (ESV) — 35 “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, 36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them.

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Ephesus

Revelation 2:4–5 (ESV) — 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

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Laodicea

Revelation 3:20 (ESV) — 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

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c. Tenderness

Song of Solomon 5:2 (ESV) — 2 I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking. “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.”

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Isaiah 40:2 (ESV) — 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.

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Isaiah 42:3 (ESV) — 3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.

Matthew 12:18–21 (ESV) — 18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. 19 He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; 20 a bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; 21 and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

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d. Need

Song of Solomon 5:2 (ESV) — 2 I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking. “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.”

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John 14:18 (ESV) — 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

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1 John 1:3 (ESV) — 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

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7. A Shameful Response v3

Song of Solomon 5:3 (ESV) — 3 I had put off my garment; how could I put it on? I had bathed my feet; how could I soil them?

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It is not that she cannot get up out of bed, but that she will not. Impossibility is not the problem; unwillingness is. The bed is too warm, she is too comfortable, and getting up again would be too inconvenient. She thinks only of herself. Richard Brooks

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a. Neglect

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Hebrews 2:3 (ESV) — 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard,

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Hebrews 10:24–25 (ESV) — 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

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Hebrews 13:15–16 (ESV) — 15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

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b. Discernment

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Romans 12:1–2 (ESV) — 1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

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Ephesians 4:22–24 (ESV) — 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

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c. Idleness

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1 Thessalonians 5:14 (ESV) — 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.

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2 Thessalonians 3:6 (ESV) — 6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.

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d. Unimportant

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Luke 14:17–20 (ESV)

17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’

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We make ourselves so comfortable in this world that at times we are unwilling to make the effort necessary to draw near to him. Our way is blocked by non-existent snags; we refuse to deny ourselves; the kingdom takes second place; we forget that drawing near to Christ is in our own best interests; we forget our calling; we are preoccupied and dreamy. There is still too much worldliness, corruption and hypocrisy in us, too great a willingness to justify ourselves and to make the laziness of others an excuse for our own sloth. Gary Brady[2]

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8. A Determined Effort v4

Song of Solomon 5:4 (ESV) — 4 My beloved put his hand to the latch, and my heart was thrilled within me.

a. The Latch

Song of Solomon 5:4 (ESV) — 4 My beloved put his hand to the latch, and my heart was thrilled within me.

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Hebrews 3:12–15 (ESV) — 12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. 15 As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

b. Thrilled

Song of Solomon 5:4 (ESV) — 4 My beloved put his hand to the latch, and my heart was thrilled within me.

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9. Too Little, Too Late v5

Song of Solomon 5:5 (ESV) — 5 I arose to open to my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the bolt.

a. Arose

Song of Solomon 5:5 (ESV) — 5 I arose to open to my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the bolt.

b. Evidence of His Presence

Song of Solomon 5:5 (ESV) — 5 I arose to open to my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the bolt.

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10. My Beloved Had Gone v6a

Song of Solomon 5:6 (ESV) — 6 I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My soul failed me when he spoke.

a. Opened

Song of Solomon 5:6 (ESV) — 6 I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My soul failed me when he spoke.

b. Had Gone

Song of Solomon 5:6 (ESV) — 6 I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My soul failed me when he spoke.

c. My Soul Failed

Song of Solomon 5:6 (ESV) — 6 I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My soul failed me when he spoke.

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As for her, the trial is not over yet. There is still more to endure before the presence of Christ will be enjoyed afresh. How she must have wished (though in vain) that she had arisen and opened the door to him at his first knock. Where there is true grace residing in a soul, few things grieve a believer more, in missing Christ’s presence, than to know that their own sin, idleness and slighting of him is the cause. Richard Brooks

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Matthew 26:75 (ESV) — 75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

Conclusion

John 21:17 (ESV) — 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

[1]Brooks, R. (1999). Song of Songs(p. 124). Ross-shire, Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications. [2]Brady, G. (2006). Heavenly Love: The Song of Songs Simply Explained (p. 169). Darlington, England: Evangelical Press.