It takes considerable time to beat gold into borders. Borders of gold signify a fine work, a most fine manifestation of God's life. The word "borders" in the original language means something that resembles a crown. It is a ring, a crown of golden borders. This word is the same word as "rows" in verse 10, which can be translated as "braidings." Hence, "borders of gold" can also be translated as "braidings of gold." Replacing the natural braidings of the hair with braidings of gold means replacing one's natural strength with God's righteousness, life, and glory. It means replacing that which is from man with that which is from God.
Silver signifies redemption. Being studded with silver means being founded upon the redemptive work of the cross.
Verse 12 says, "While the King sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof." The Bible pays special attention to Solomon's table (1 Kings 4:22-23; 10:5). "The King sitteth at his table." This refers to the believers' enjoyment of the Lord's riches. These riches can be divided into two categories: (1) the flour and the meal, which signify the Lord Jesus' life and the Lord Himself, and (2) the meats, which refer to His work and His death. "While the King sitteth at his table" is the time of our feeding and enjoyment. Every time we come to the King's table, we are dealing with the matter of food. We are those who eat God's accepted sacrifices, that is, the work which God has accepted. (In the Old Testament, parts of the sacrifices were set aside for man's eating.)
How do we eat God's accepted sacrifices? When God sees the Lord's death, He sees a sacrifice of propitiation. When we see the Lord's death, we see not only a substitution, but a union as well. Once we see this, we will have the fragrance and praise. If we have not seen that God's accepted sacrifice is our enjoyment, we will not have consecration and praise. But when we see that we enjoy the same thing that God enjoys, the ointment of spikenard will spontaneously flow out. (We can see the outpouring of the ointment of spikenard from the story of Mary.) First the Lord gives to us; then we give back to the Lord. First there is enjoyment, and then there is consecration.
Verse 13 says, "A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts." Myrrh signifies suffering, which is the cross. When the Lord was dying, someone gave Him vinegar, which means bitterness. After the Lord's death, Nicodemus anointed the Lord's body with myrrh, which means death. Any time the word night is used in this book, it refers to a time when Solomon is absent. Spiritually, it means the time when the Lord is absent, when He is not in this world. The two breasts in the Bible refer to faith and love (1 Thes. 5:8).
Verses 12 and 13 speak of the indwelling Christ. Sitting together at the table in verse 12 surely means eating together, and the condition for being at the same table is to open the door, the inner door (Rev. 3:20-21). If a person does not open his inner door, he cannot sit at the same table with the Lord. Myrrh signifies the crucified Christ. When Christ is not with us, we have to guard ourselves with faith and love. This is the beginning of inward fellowship. After we have been brought into the chambers, after we have seen the Lord's death, and after we have truly consecrated ourselves, we begin to have an inward fellowship with Him. When we open the door of our heart, we will enjoy Him, and there will be the need for true consecration. Only then can we truly follow a suffering and crucified Christ. We follow the crucified Christ with the love and faith that are within us.