Song of Songs 1
by Pastor David Groendyk

Warning: you might blush when you read this book. The Song of Songs has caused interpreters, commentators, and pastors a lot of difficulty throughout the history of the church both because of its content and its style of writing. I still have the notes from my seminary class where we discussed ten different ways to interpret Song of Songs! By far, the most common understanding of this book over the last 2000 years has been that it’s an allegory, that is, it’s a story that has a hidden spiritual meaning and does not describe literal or historical events. The sole meaning of this book, according to this view, is that it’s an extended picture of the intimate love between God and his people or Christ and his church. However, many scholars today (including your three pastors) believe that this allegorical view doesn’t do full justice to Song of Songs.

One reason why is because the genre of this book is wisdom literature. Wisdom literature is meant to teach us something about how to live practically in God’s world according to God’s Word. Another reason why is because of this book’s placement in the Hebrew Bible. Did you know the books of the Old Testament weren’t always in the order they’re in now? The Old Testament that Jesus would’ve read would’ve had a slightly different order. Even today if you were to look at a copy of the Old Testament written in the original Hebrew language, it would have the books in the original order from 2000 years ago. Within the wisdom section of the Hebrew Bible, the order goes Proverbs, Ruth, Song of Songs. Do you remember what the famous last chapter of Proverbs is? It describes the “excellent wife” or “worthy woman” (Prov. 31:10). The book immediately following Proverbs 31 is Ruth. Ruth is called the “worthy woman” by Boaz (Ruth 3:11). Ruth and Boaz marry at the end of the book, then immediately following that marriage is the book of Song of Songs.  Song of Songs falls within a stretch of Old Testament Scripture that describes what a godly marriage partner should look like and what a godly marriage should look like. You can’t do Song of Songs full justice without understanding it as a celebration of marriage and a description of what a good marriage is like. At the same time, however, we know from Ephesians 5:22–33 that Christian marriages are meant to be pointers to the relationship between Christ and the church. Even in the Old Testament, like Isaiah 54:5, believers’ relationship to God is sometimes described as a marriage. Therefore, if we want to do full justice to this book, we also have to see it as a picture of the covenantal love between God and his people.

One of the key passages in the book is 8:6–7. One scholar, Miles Van Pelt, says the whole theme of the book is summarized in these two verses: “The Song teaches that the biblical covenant of marriage is intended to promote love that is both rock solid (8:6a) and white hot (8:6b), and that this type of love endures hardship (8:7a), resists temptation (8:7b), and brings wholeness (8:10).” Van Pelt goes on to say that, traditionally, the church has done much to protect the rock-solid commitment of biblical marriage but perhaps done very little in supporting the white-hot intimacy of marriage; on the other hand, the world celebrates the white-hot intimacy but despises the rock-solid commitment. To quote him again: “The wisdom of the Song teaches that both commitment and intimacy work together to secure, strengthen, and protect the marriage relationship… Rock-solid commitment makes white-hot intimacy possible. And white-hot intimacy fuels, protects, and supports rock-solid commitment.” If you’re married, strive to make your marriage like this. If you’re single and hoping to one day be married, prepare yourself for this kind of relationship. Whether you’re married or single, consider what this book has to say about your relationship with Christ. Is it a rock-solid, covenantal commitment that you will never forsake no matter what temptation comes your way? Is it marked by an intimate knowledge of who your Savior and God is as well as a personal longing to know him more and be with him? Do you understand and believe that Christ himself has made a rock-solid commitment to you and loves you with a personal and an everlasting love?

In chapter 1, it appears that the man and woman are not yet together but deeply longing for each other (vv. 4, 7–8). This might be considered a sort of courtship phase in their relationship. Even in courtship, you can pick out both the rock-solid and white-hot aspects of their relationship. The love between them is described by some of the richest and most pleasant tastes, smells, and sights (e.g., wine, oils, jewels, gold, silver, nard, myrrh, etc.). The woman appears to be somewhat self-conscious about her physical appearance (vv. 5–6), and yet the man assures her that she is the most beautiful of all women (v. 8). They clearly both delight in each other. But they also each desire for the other to reciprocate the love and make a commitment. The woman assures the man she is not following after just any shepherd’s flocks looking for a lover, but she desires only him (v. 7). The man does reciprocate and express his singular commitment to her (v. 8). They love each other, and they only love each other.

Their love and commitment is praised by a mysterious group of “others” (vv. 4b, 11). This group appears to be the woman’s close friends, also called the “daughters of Jerusalem” (2:7). The relationship between the man and woman is so exemplary that their friends can recognize it and join in the celebration. One way you can pray as you read through this book is that outsiders would see the marriages in our church, recognize the way they picture the gospel, and celebrate them. As you read, let this book transform the way you think of marriage into a more biblical, godly view, and let it point you to the perfect covenantal relationship between God and his people.