Song of Songs - Reflections
Personal Reading & Reflection on Song of Songs
The Song of Songs is a collection of ancient Hebrew love poems that celebrate the joys
and pains of love between a man and a woman. Both Jews and Christians have held it in a
significant place i.e. the book was read on the eighth day of Passover. However, it has
been interpreted in such bewilderingly diverse ways. Authorship of the book was
traditionally attributed to Solomon (1:5, 3:7, 9, 11, 8:11, 12) even though there is
insufficient evidence to confirm or disconfirm it. In any case, a proper interpretation and
appreciation of its message does not depend on pinning down its authorship. Historically,
many interpreters see the book as an allegory of the relationship between God and His
people Israel or Christ and the church as His bride. Its purpose was not to present
anything rooted in history but a metaphor for spiritual realities. However, the text does
not give clues that it should be understood that way. The references to people and places
do not seem to be metaphors or literary devices. An allegorical approach also gave rise to
many imaginative interpretations.
Approaching the modern era, a more literal interpretation began to dominate the scene.
For example, Solomon was understood as the bridegroom who took a bride and the Song
of Songs was about their marriage feast. It foreshadows the relationship between Christ
and His people. Its message affirm the value of marriage and sexual love as part of
creation (Genesis 2:24). Marriage is not seen as an inferior concession for the spiritually
weak. The marriage metaphor is also used to picture the relationship between God and
his people. The book began with a girl’s expressions of love and desire for her lover to
reciprocate with kisses (1:2-4): “Let the king bring me into his chambers”. Occasionally,
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there are interjections and refrains made in the plural i.e. “We rejoice and delight in you”
(1:4). Probably the voices are those of the daughters of Jerusalem or the maiden’s friends.
The maiden continued with her self-conscious apprehensiveness over the dark tone of her
skin. She came from a family where she had to work the vineyard (1:6). In 1:9-11, her
lover began to compliment her. Praise is the expression and climactic fulfillment of our
enjoyment and delight in someone. Something is amiss when we do not complete our joy
with praise. The lovers exchanged words of admiration for one another (1:12-17).
When her lover was absent, longings were expressed on her bed. She was described as
someone seeking her lover in the streets. A recurring phrase punctuated different parts of
the book: “Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires”. It was probably a refrain that
expressed the lovers’ commitment to consummate their passions within the bounds of
pure love. A grand bridal procession was probably described in 3:6-11. The time for
consummation was near. Chapter 4 described the beauty of the bride with numerous
exotic metaphors. In 5:10-16, the bride sang of her bridegroom’s handsome appearance.
In giving themselves unreservedly to each other, the bride yearned to seal their love (8:6).
Their commitment to one another is so strong that it was described as unyielding and
jealous as death itself. It is all consuming like unquenchable fire (8:6). It is worth more
than wealth. The book ends with the bride’s affirmation of her chastity as a protective
“wall” which is antithetical to an open “door”. She had kept herself pure for the marriage
bed thus she has become in his eyes “like one bringing contentment” (8:10). The biblical
canon affirms the beauty of human sexual love in the context of a mutual and exclusive
