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CHAPTER 22 – Song of Solomon

Song of Solomon is the twenty-second book of the Bible. The title of the book in the Hebrew Bible is Shir Hashirim meaning “the song of songs.” The English title “Song of Solomon” comes from the fact that Solomon is mentioned in Chapter 1, verse 1.

Authorship

The book Song of Solomon claims Solomon as its author. It was probably written in the early part of his reign as king of Israel, which lasted from 971 B.C. to 931 B.C.

Summary

The book Song of Solomon opens with the statement that the song was written by Solomon. It is the story of the courtship and marriage of king Solomon and a young country woman. At the time, Solomon had 60 wives and 80 concubines, but the young woman, whose marriage the Song celebrates, surpasses them all.

The marriage of King Solomon and the young woman is implied in the opening dialogue. The young woman expresses her admiration for Solomon, the bridegroom, and the ladies of the king’s court, called “the daughters of Jerusalem,” (Song of Solomon 1:5) respond. Solomon then enters and he and the young woman exchange mutual expressions of love.

Next, in the book comes the fond recollections of Solomon and the young woman of the visit of Solomon to the bride’s home in springtime. The bride then recounts a joyful dream.

After this, is both Solomon’s and the young woman’s recollections of their betrothal and marriage. There is an account of Solomon’s royal procession, Solomon’s offer of marriage, and the young woman’s acceptance of his offer.

Next in the book, the bride is harassed by an unhappy dream in which it seems that love is lost. But she awakens and goes in search of Solomon and finds him and confirms that their love is unchanged, and Solomon extols the beauty of his bride. After this is a dialogue between the young woman and the daughters of Jerusalem, where the young woman’s beauty is again extolled. Also, Solomon is enraptured by the beauty of his bride.

The book then describes the young woman’s yearning to visit her parental home. Then comes an account of the arrival of the royal pair at her former home. Lastly, there is a dialogue between the bride, her brothers, and Solomon.

Themes

• Marriage as a holy and happy union of a man and a woman who love each other.
• Expressions of love and affection between husband and wife.
• Dreams.
• Courtship.
• Love’s triumph over all circumstances.
• Approval and support of family and friends for a marriage.

God as Revealed in the Book

• God as He who delights in the happiness of marriage.
• God whose love for humanity is as strong as death.

Connections with the Rest of the Bible

“So God created man [humanity] in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Genesis 1:27. This means that God created Adam and Eve, the first human pair, with a form like God, and a character of love identical to God’s own heart of love for “God is love.” 1 John 4:8.

“And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Genesis 2:23. “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.” Genesis 2:24, 25. Thus, God created the marriage institution which is a union between a man and a woman.

“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish [fill] the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” Genesis 1:28. So, God commanded Adam and Eve to have children and to rule over the animals o the earth.

Now God says, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the [Christian] church, and gave himself [died] for it; That he might sanctify [make it holy] and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word [of God, the Bible].” Ephesians 5:25, 26.

“That he [Christ] might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:27.

“So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord [Jesus Christ] the church: For we are members of his [Christ’s] body, of his flesh, and of his bones.” Ephesians 5:28-30.

“For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” Ephesians 5:31, 32. And “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.

So, then the love of a husband for his wife is symbolic of the love of Christ for His church. Now thus “saith the LORD [Christ to His church]…I am married unto you.” Jeremiah 3:14. We can see then that the entire book, Song of Solomon, is symbolic of the marriage and mutual love between Christ and His church.

Spiritual Applications

Pray to God sincerely and ask God to help you to do His will, believing that God will help you, and thus you will be enabled to make the spiritual applications noted below:

• Courtship is desirable.
• Know that marriage is desirable and approved of God.
• Wives love your husband, and husbands love your wife.
• Keep love alive in your marriage under all circumstances of life.
• It is ideal that family and friends should approve of and support your marriage.
• God commands that sexual intimacy should only occur between a husband and wife.
• Love God because He created you and because His love is as strong as death.
• Love God supremely above your love for anyone else.
• Be willing to die rather than violate your love for God.
• Be happy in God’s love and rejoice that His love for you is so great.

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