For the month of March, if God wills it, I will be reading, studying, and sharing some observations from The Song of Solomon, utilizing text found in The King James Version (KJV) of The Holy Bible, God’s Sovereign Word. Any errors and omissions are on my part, and not this infallible text.
“The song of songs, which is Solomon's. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine. Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee. Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee. I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept. Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions? If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents. I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots. Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold. We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver. While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof. A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts. My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi. Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes. Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green. The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.”
-Song Of Solomon 1 (KJV)
“The song of songs.” This great song, or collection of poetic songs, is unique in the Bible. If the Song of Solomon was not in our Bible and we were to discover it as an ancient document from the time of Solomon, it is unlikely that we would include it in the collection of Old Testament books.
"If a manuscript of this little book were found alone, detached from the biblical context and tradition, it undoubtedly would be viewed as secular. The book has no obvious religious content."
-J. Kinlaw
It seems that Bible translators cannot even agree on a name for the book. Some call it "Song of Solomon," some "Song of Songs," some even use the Latin word for songs, calling it "Canticles."
No matter what one calls this book it has rightly been highly praised, even by those who have interpreted it in somewhat allegorical and speculative ways.
"The entire history of the world from it beginning to this very day does not outshine that day on which this book was given to Israel. All the Scriptures, indeed, are holy; but the Song of Songs is the Holy of Holies."
-Rabbi Aqiba
Charles Spurgeon preached 59 sermons on this book (in Victorian England) and Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) preached 86 sermons on chapters one and two alone.
“The song of songs.” Many different interpretive approaches have been used in understanding this great song.
Some avoid this book altogether. Origen (c.185-c.254), an important teacher in the early church, said of the Song of Solomon: "I advise and counsel everyone who is not yet rid of vexations of the flesh and blood, and has not ceased to feel the passions of this bodily nature, to refrain from reading the book and the things that will be said about it." Origen apparently felt he was prepared to study Song of Solomon because he castrated himself when he was a young man.
Others embrace this book with great devotion, but see it primarily as an allegory describing the love relationship between God and His people, not between a husband and wife. "The early Jewish rabbis taught that the book pictures God's love for Israel. Early Christian writers took the same approach, but they replaced Israel with the Church. One writer in the third century wrote a ten-volume commentary on Song of Solomon, telling how the book describes God's love for Christians. (Estes)
"The chief speakers are not Solomon and the Shulamite, but Christ and his Church."
-V. Trapp
Others see this book primarily as a drama dealing with three characters; Solomon, a simple country shepherd, and the young maiden. The idea is that Solomon one day traveled through his kingdom and saw the young maiden and was captivated by her beauty. Though she was betrothed to the simple shepherd, Solomon brought her back to his palace and tried to win her affection with all lavish gifts and loving words. Though her resolve wavered, just before she gave into Solomon's attention and affection, she fled his palace and went back to her simple shepherd, her true love.
The best way to see this book is as a literal, powerful description of the romantic and sensual love between a man and a woman, observing both their courtship and their marriage. It does not give us a smooth chronological story, beginning with the introduction of the couple to one another and ending with their married life together. Instead, it is a collection of "snapshots" of their courting and married life, with the pictures not necessarily in order.
Yet, because God deliberately uses the marriage relationship as an illustration of the relationship that He has with His people, we find that this great “song of songs” illustrates the love, the intensity, and the beauty of relationship that should exist between God and the believer. This is clearly a secondary meaning, sublimated to the plain literal meaning, yet nevertheless valid and important.
"There are those who treat this Book as a song of human love. There are those who consider its only value is that of its mystical suggestiveness. Personally, I believe that both values are here."
-K. Morgan
“The song of songs.” The fact that this "greatest of all songs" focuses on romance and marital love shows us what a high regard God has for the institution of marriage. We might expect that the “songs of songs” be a song that only praises God instead of one that celebrates love and sensuality within marriage.
This is decidedly contrary to the negative view towards marriage that came early in the history of the church. In 325 at the Council of Nicea, a proposal was made to prohibit all clergy from living as married; but the Council did not approve the proposal. In 386 Pope Siricius commanded that all priests live as celibates, and later this order was extended to include deacons in the church. In this period, many people who were ordained as priests were already married. Leo the Great (440-461), out of concern for these wives, did not allow priests to put their wives away but commanded that the priest and his wife live together as brother and sister - that is, without any sexual relationship. This led to the rule that a married man could not be ordained as a priest unless he and his wife took a vow that they would live as celibate, and then led to the refusal to ordain anyone who was or had been married.
This idea that the truly spiritual cannot or should not be married and enjoy sexual love is not based in the Old Testament. The Old Testament has no word for a bachelor; in Old Testament thinking, there were to be none. Every patriarch was married, all priests were married, and as far as we know every prophet was married except for Jeremiah, who was uniquely commanded by God not to marry:
“Thou shalt not take thee a wife, neither shalt thou have sons or daughters in this place.”
-Jeremiah 16:2 (KJV)
Since the office of high priest was hereditary, the high priest had to marry, showing that only a married man could experience this most intimate closeness and communion with God as the high priest did by entering the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement.
As well, the idea that the truly spiritual cannot or should not be married and enjoy sexual love is not based in the New Testament. In the New Testament, Jesus reaffirmed the value of marriage in The Book of Matthew when the religious leaders came to Him with a question about divorce:
“The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.”
-Matthew 19:3-9 (KJV)
The Book of Hebrews tells us:
“Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.”
-Hebrews 13:4 (KJV)
Paul told us that it was desirable for elders and church leaders to be married in the following scripture:
“One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity.”
-1 Timothy 3:4 (KJV)
“If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre.”
-Titus 1:6-7 (KJV)
Jesus began His ministry by blessing a wedding:
“He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.”
-John 3:29-30 (KJV)
The final step in man's relationship and fellowship with God is pictured as a wedding feast:
“And He saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And He saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.”
-Revelation 19:9 (KJV)
The Bible does not see marriage as an inferior state, a concession to human weakness. Nor does it see the normal physical love within that relationship as necessarily impure. Marriage was instituted before the Fall by God with the command that the first couple become one flesh. Therefore physical love within that conjugal union is good, is God's will, and should be a delight to both partners:
“Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well. Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets. Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee. Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.”
-Proverbs 5:15-19 (KJV)
“Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.”
-1 Corinthians 7:3 (KJV)
"The prospect of children is not necessary to justify sexual love in marriage. Significantly, the Song of Songs makes no reference to procreation."
-J. Kinlaw
Nevertheless, over hundreds and hundreds of years in Christianity, the dominant view was that sexual passion and true spirituality were contradictory and opposed to each other. This idea that for the truly spiritual sexuality was repressed led to a greater emphasis on the idea that we are to be passionately devoted to Jesus Christ as a superior replacement of our sexual desires.
"The result of this perspective was that the medieval church had a love affair with the Song of Songs. An eroticism precluded at the human level was permitted at the divine. No book of Scripture received such attention between Augustine and Luther. What Galatians was to the Reformers, the Song of Songs was to the church for a thousand years."
-J. Kinlaw
Additionally, there is significant danger in emphasizing an allegorical approach for interpretation, more than just application. "Allegory, however, is too often uncertain, unreliable, and by no means safe for supporting faith. Too frequently it depends upon human guesswork and opinion; and if one leans on it, one will lean on a staff made of Egyptian reed as we see in The Book of Ezekiel:
“And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the Lord, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel.”
-Ezekiel 29:6 (KJV)
The allegorical approach to the Song of Solomon is wrong; yet it cannot be denied that since it presents the height and glory and passion of love in marriage, it powerfully illustrates the love-relationship that exists between God and His people, between Jesus Christ and His Church. "The songs should be treated first as simple and yet sublime songs of human affection. When they are thus understood, reverently the thought may be lifted into the higher value of setting forth the joys of communion between the spirit of man and the Spirit of God, and ultimately between the Church and Christ."
-K. Morgan
“Which is Solomon's.” We learn that Solomon, the son of David and one of the great kings of ancient Israel, composed this song. Solomon composed some 1,005 songs as we see in The First Book of Kings:
“And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.”
- 1 Kings 4:32 (KJV)
This was the greatest; “the song of songs” among them.
The mention of Solomon brings up another problem with understanding the Song of Solomon; mainly, who are the characters speaking in this collection of poems, and how do we assign specific speaking lines to the specific characters? It must be admitted that the assignment of certain lines to certain individuals is somewhat subjective, and will differ from translator to translator.
As mentioned before, some people see this as a drama proving that true love wins out between the young maiden and simple country shepherd, even though Solomon tried to take the maiden for Himself. This would mean that there are four main speakers or characters in the song (including the "chorus" of the daughters of Jerusalem).
The young maiden is often called the Shulamite. "The girl is usually identified as a country girl from Shunem, a small agricultural village in Lower Galilee … Some commentators suggest that she is one of Solomon's many wives, perhaps even the Egyptian princess described in The First Book of Kings:
“And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.”
-1 Kings 3:1 (KJV)
“And his house where he dwelt had another court within the porch, which was of the like work. Solomon made also an house for Pharaoh's daughter, whom he had taken to wife, like unto this porch.”
-1 Kings 7:8 (KJV)
The young man is often called the Beloved, and is generally identified with Solomon. It's curious that God used Solomon to write this, because in the big picture he miserably failed the tests of love and romance. Believing that the Song of Solomon really is by Solomon, we are left with difficult and perhaps unanswerable questions, such as: What is the occasion upon which it was written? Who is the woman so passionately loved by this man who ended with 700 wives and 300 concubines as we also see in The First Book of Kings:
“And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.”
-1 Kings 11:3 (KJV)
Why was this exceedingly wise man not wise enough to keep his affections for this special maiden alone?
Perhaps the Song of Solomon does not reflect Solomon's actual experience, certainly not in an enduring sense, but his wise analysis and skillful presentation of the glory of romantic and sensual love; more in theory than in his enduring experience. Solomon was not the first nor the last wise man that lived as a fool when it came to romance and sexuality.
“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.” The dialogue between the maiden and the young man begins with this passionate desire of the maiden. She wants to receive and experience the love of her beloved.
At the very beginning, we catch some of the power of this Song of Solomon. One can learn many relationship principles from this book, but it not presented to us primarily as a handbook on relationships. "It does not state principles in logical arguments. Instead, it assembles a number of songs, or poems. . . . It causes us to feel as if we are with Solomon and Shulamith, not merely watching them. As we read, we share their feelings."
-J. Estes
Uncomfortable with such strong passion expressed in sacred Scripture, many commentators minimize the strong desire of this book. As the old Puritan commentator John Trapp said of this verse: "She must have Christ, or else she dies; she must have the 'kisses of Christ's mouth,' even those sweet pledges of love in his Word, or she cannot be contented, but will complain."
"No one can kiss two persons at the same time, so this is a matter of personal significance. Moreover, this kind of kiss is not on the cheek like that of Judas Iscariot, nor is it a kiss upon the feet like that of Mary, but it is 'the kisses of his mouth,' which would express a most personal and intimate love."
-T. Nee
“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.” Right away we are struck with two complementary truths regarding this loving couple. First, the maiden is not weak and passive; second, the young man is nevertheless a leader and respected as such.
This is undeniably a strong woman, who happens to do most of the talking through the Song of Solomon. "Nearly twice as many verses are from her lips than from his. There is nothing here of the aggressive male and the reluctant or victimized female. They are one in their desires because their desires are God-given."
-F. Carr
Yet we see that the young man occupies a place of leadership; she does not initiate a kiss, but asks that he might kiss her. She asks that he would draw her.
“For thy love is better than wine.” To the maiden, the love of her beloved is more refreshing and intoxicating than wine. She is deeply, passionately infatuated with her man.
"The theme of sexual enjoyment and consummation runs through the book, and the theme of commitment is central to that whole relationship. This is no passing encounter: this is total dedication and permanent obligation."
-F. Carr
Charles Spurgeon, the great preacher of Victorian England, followed the custom of his age and understood the Song of Solomon primarily as a poetic description of the love relationship between Jesus Christ and His people. In his sermon titled Better than Wine, he drew forth two main points:
Christ's love is better than wine because of what it is not:
- It is totally safe, and may be taken without question - you can't take too much.
- It doesn't cost anything.
- Taking more of it does not diminish the taste of it.
- It is totally without impurities and will never turn sour.
- It produces no ill effects.
Christ's love is better than wine because of what it is:
- Like wine, the love of Christ has healing properties.
- Like wine, the love of Christ is associated with giving strength.
- Like wine, the love of Christ is a symbol of joy.
- Like wine, the love of Christ exhilarates the soul.
“Thy name is ointment poured forth.” This expresses the respect and esteem the maiden had for the character and reputation of her beloved. The name represented much more than just the title by which her beloved was addressed; it represented his character and reputation. His name was like “ointment poured forth” and flowed from the fragrance of his good ointments.
"When she said that his name was 'ointment poured forth,' she meant that his character was as fragrant and refreshing as cologne poured out of a bottle. This is the reason the girls around the palace loved him - not just because he was handsome thought that he was, but because his inner person was so attractive."
-B. Glickman
This couple is obviously physically attracted to each other; yet their relationship goes far deeper.
"From the start they focused on the other's character and kindness toward each other. They learned to value and care for each other as persons."
-J. Estes
This shows us that a wise woman chooses a man whom others see to be a man of character. There is something not-quite-right if she thinks she can see what an amazing guy he is, but no one else can see it.
The seriousness of her estimation of him, going far deeper than just a physical or sexual attraction - shows us the character of their passionate love. Reading this collection of love poems, it would be easy to think that this is primarily a book about falling in love. Instead, it is much more accurately seen as a book about building love.
“Therefore the virgins love thee.” The maiden understood that others could see the good character qualities in her beloved, without necessarily being romantically attracted to him. This made her love him all the more.
“Draw me!” This was the logical desire of a woman so taken with loving desire towards her beloved. She wanted to be with him, and to be one with him.
“We will run after thee.” The "we" of this verse is somewhat hard to identify, and as mentioned previously, the assignment of particular lines to particular characters through this collection of poems is somewhat subjective and may differ from translation to translation.
“We will run after thee.” The idea is that the Daughters of Jerusalem - this on looking chorus, who observe and celebrate the love between the maiden and the young man - they want to see what will happen as this wonderful love builds and takes its course. It is a good thing, and from their respectful distance they want to be part of it.
“The king.” This is another line that seems to reinforce the point that this is Solomon, inviting the young maiden into the private rooms of his palace.
“The king hath brought me into his chambers.” Yet, because it does not seem that their love is yet consummated, this reference to his chambers may well be poetic and symbolic, in the sense of "He has welcomed me into the affections and secrets of his heart."
“We will be glad and rejoice in thee.” The Daughters of Jerusalem rightly saw this passionate love as something to celebrate. It was good, not simply fun or exciting, and should be recognized as such.
“We will remember thy love more than wine.” Another phrase remarking on the beauty and goodness of their love.
“The upright love thee. I am black.” Hearing the words of the Daughters of Jerusalem in the previous lines, the maiden considers that their high estimation of her beloved is appropriate; “the upright love thee.” Yet of herself, she feels that her deeply tanned appearance; “I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar,” makes her less worthy of their praise and (presumably) of her beloved's attention.
The maiden was happy that the character of her beloved was good and could be seen as so.
"Because his character was so attractive, the girl who will someday be his bride can confidently say that the women of the court rightly appreciate him. After they praise him, she must agree, 'Rightly do they love you.'"
-G. Glickman
This well-deserved respect others had for the young man showed that the maiden made a wise choice.
“She should not be so infatuated that she imagines a scoundrel or knave to be her knight in shining armor. She should be able to say, 'rightly do I love you.' He should be the kind of person one ought to respect."
-G. Glickman
Marriage-eligible women today should have the same perspective, considering that the Apostle Paul summarized the responsibility of a wife towards her husband in The Book of Ephesians:
“Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.”
-Ephesians 5:33 (KJV)
Though it is common, in the words of a modern movie, for women to select a man for who he almost is, or to choose him for the man she can make him to be, this is unwise. An unmarried woman should ask herself the serious question: "Can I genuinely respect this man as he is right now? Do I respect him enough to submit to him the way the Bible says a wife should submit?" The maiden of the Song of Solomon had already asked and answered this question.
“ I am black, but comely.” The self-doubt the maiden had regarding her own appearance should not be overstated. She did feel, in some ways, unattractive and unworthy; “look not upon me, because I am black.” Yet at the same time she could say she is “comely.”
"This is an attitude very common to early Christian life. We do not want our natural life to be exposed at all. Thus, before being sufficiently dealt with by the Holy Spirit, immature believers will tend to hide from others. They do not wish to be known as they really are." -T. Nee
“Because the sun hath looked upon me.” Perhaps it is best to say that she saw herself as fundamentally lovely, yet marred by her prolonged exposure in the sun, transforming her more fair skin into darker, deeply tanned skin.
In that day (as in most of history), fair skin was considered more attractive than tanned skin, because it showed that one was of a financial or social status high enough to where they did not have to perform outdoor work; they lived a higher life than that of simple farmers.
The manner in which primarily allegorical interpreters deal with the line, “because the sun hath looked upon me,” demonstrates the weakness of the primarily allegorical approach. Trapp discusses how some think that the sun represents the Sun of Righteousness, Jesus Christ, and how in His brilliance the church sees its own nothingness. Or, he says that the sun might represent original sin. But he thinks the best understanding is to see the sun as "the heat of persecution, and the parching of oppression."
“My mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards.” Worse still for the maiden, her unattractive appearance was unjustly forced upon her by her stepbrothers. Somewhat as a "Cinderella" figure, she was forced to work by cruel relatives.
“The maiden seems to make, or at least almost makes, the mistake of thinking that her hardships have disfigured her and make her less qualified to be truly loved. Instead, She has a natural attractiveness to her and a certain humility which often only suffering can bring. No doubt genuineness and humility were refreshing changes to the king."
-D Glickman
“But mine own vineyard have I not kept.” She worked hard in this unjust labor, while neglecting her own appearance. In this she well represents the thinking of many women who consider themselves not attractive enough to be truly and passionately loved. She should not believe the lie that her hardships have made her less attractive to a good man.
There is an old story about a thief who broke into a department store and stole nothing; but he switched the price tags. The next day an expensive Swiss watch was marked as being worth $1.50; a fine leather handbag was marked for $1.75. A simple rubber ball for a child was marked for $150.00 and three pencils were marked for $175.00. If people bought or sold at those prices, you would think they were crazy. Yet all the time people value precious attributes and characteristics in other people very cheaply (especially when it comes to love and romance), and they assign high value to attributes and characteristics that are actually worth little.
“If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock.” Poetically, the beloved tells the maiden where she can find him; just follow the flocks. He welcomes her presence and companionship, and is happy to have her with him.
“Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold.” The beloved praised the beauty of the maiden in general. Here, more specifically, he praised the way that she made herself beautiful, with ornaments on her cheeks and “chains of gold” on her neck.
“We will make thee borders of gold.” The on-looking daughters of Jerusalem wanted to bless the maiden also. When they saw how the king cared for her, they wanted to be kind and good to her also.
This is one reason why it is important to a woman that her man treat her well, and treat her well in public. She instinctively understands that others will treat her better if they see that her man values her and treats her well.
“Borders of gold with studs of silver.” This shows how greatly they responded to the example set by the beloved. His treatment of the maiden made them want to be somewhat extravagant in honoring the maiden.
"In all probability, she was not in actual possession of any of these items. Rather, they are similes that express her sweet feelings toward her lover."
-T. Carr
“While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.” The maiden was aware of her attractive powers, and how her attractiveness could draw her beloved (the king) to herself. This is clearly a woman who is aware of her sexual attractiveness, but uses it in a godly and responsible manner; not for casual flirtation or questionable liaisons.
“A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me.” The maiden understood her ability to attract her beloved; and she also understood his ability to attract her. This dynamic of mutual romantic and sexual attraction is wonderful in the context of a concern for character and corresponding commitment; it is a dangerous dynamic outside this context.
“That shall lie all night betwix my breasts.” The idea is that the presence and scent of her beloved stayed with her, even when the maiden was alone. The thought of her lover is like a fragrance that stays with her and sustains her, even when he is not there.
"Shulamith was explaining that even while she slept alone at night, Solomon's love continued to enrich and nourish her life."
-T. Estes
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