INTRODUCING.....THE SONG OF SONGS The Pilgrim’s Guide to the Bible No. 35

The Song of Songs, otherwise known as the Song of Solomon, is, basically a love song, attributed to King Solomon. On first reading, it may seem like a strange book to appear in the Bible, but it can be interpreted on various levels. At its most obvious, it concerns romantic love between two people, but it can also be read allegorically as a depiction of God’s love, either for His chosen people - the nation of Israel, or else looking forward to His covenant with the Church - the bride of Christ, as depicted in the Book of Revelation. It is full of graphic imagery, drawn from idyllic settings set in the spring, so it is suggestive of young love, new love, arising out of the very gift of life itself.

It reads as a dialogue between two lovers. The girl uses a number of metaphors to describe her betrothed.

 ‘Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest, is my lover among men. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste’ (2:3)

In return, her lover uses equally vivid metaphors in response:

“Your eyes behind your veil are doves. Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from Mount Gilead. Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn, coming up from the washing. Each has its twin; not one of them is alone. Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon; your mouth is lovely. Your temples behind your veil are like the halves of a pomegranate. Your neck is like the tower of David, built with elegance; on it hang a thousand shields, all of them shields of warriors. Your two breasts are like two fawns, like twin fawns of a gazelle that browse among the lilies. Until the day breaks and the shadows flee, I will go to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of incense. All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you.” (4:1-4)

It is difficult to offer a complete analysis of this poetry, and it is open to various interpretations. The Book is set out as a drama between two, or perhaps three people: the Beloved, who is the bride, and her lover - a poor, humble shepherd, or could this be Solomon himself? Or should the lover’s dialogue be divided between two competing suitors? In which case, a tension in the plot is introduced: a girl engaged to a shepherd, whom Solomon is trying to seduce. The text can be read in several ways. Certainly, chapter 8 can be read as the girl expressing her fidelity to her original lover, having spurned the advances of Solomon.

“Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.” (8:6-7)

The origin of these poems is likely to have been a series of songs which would have been sung during a wedding feast - in Hebrew society, a weeklong festival, culminating with the bride and groom being crowned as king and queen.

Clearly, there is an element of mystery surrounding these poems, and it is impossible to give a precise answer as to how they were written, who they are written about, and why they are included in the canon of scripture.

What we can say is that they celebrate the wonder and beauty of human love. There is a frank and open delight in physical attraction, underlying the fact that God intends men and women to enjoy physical love, within the laws that He has given to us.

What can we learn about love from these poems?

Love must be natural. “Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires” (2:7). This is a refrain that occurs three times in the book, suggesting that love must be   allowed to grow naturally, in its own time. It cannot be forced, or given artificial stimuli.

Love brings joy. A person in love sees the world with a different perspective. My lover spoke and said to me, "Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me. See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come; the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig-tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me" (2:10-13).

Here is a parable of what happens when we come to faith in Christ. A love of God enables us to see the world in a different light.

Love brings responsibility. Whilst it may be a joyful experience, we do well to remember that love is not to be abused. It cannot be taken up and cast aside lightly, or trivially. Love arouses human emotions, and to trivialise it will lead to heart-ache and grief for all concerned. The lasting joy that is God’s good purpose for love is only possible in the context of loyalty, trust and respect. This brings us to the words of Jesus who says, ‘My command is this: love each other, as I have loved you’ (John 15:12). God’s love is always enriching, never bringing unhappiness to anyone. This must be our ideal in love.

Strong love leads to other emotions. The greater the love, so the greater the despair when something goes wrong. “I opened for my lover, but my lover had left; he was gone. My heart sank at his departure. I looked for him but did not find him. I called him but he did not answer. The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. They beat me, they bruised me; they took away my cloak, those watchmen of the walls! O daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you - if you find my lover, what will you tell him? Tell him I am faint with love.” (5:6-8)

Love demands fidelity. ‘Love is as strong as death’, we are reminded in 8:6. The passion which is aroused between the two lovers in this story, remind us of God’s love for the human race. ‘God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son’ (John 3:16). God, who is always faithful, reminds us of the importance of staying true to our love. And love, of course, makes demands of us. ‘Over every other virtue’, says St. Paul, ‘put on love’, (Colossians 3:14), which binds them all together. We are in a love relationship with God, and we must always be faithful.

Nothing can destroy true love. “Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love;   rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.” (8:6-7)  The genuine article can never be simulated. True love will always find a way.

And finally.....

Here is a book that uses the imagery of a loving relationship to describe the love which lies at the heart of the covenant relationship between God and His chosen people. In the Old Testament, Israel is depicted as the bride of God, whilst in the New Testament, the church is illustrated graphically as the bride of Christ (Revelation 19:7-9). The Song of Songs amplifies the reality of the love at the heart of this human/divine relationship in a beautiful way.

I belong to my lover, and his desire is for me (7:10).