SONG OF SONGS
Title:
This name suggests that this is the most excellent of all songs.
Author:
Judging from Song 1:1 the author was Solomon, but it should be noted that the Hebrew here could also mean “concerning Solomon”.
Date:
If Solomon wrote it, which seems likely, then it was written sometime during his reign – 970-930 BC. However, many scholars believe that it was written sometime after the exile of Judah in Babylon, in the 5th century BC.
Theme:
Commentators on this book do not agree about the theme, or even about the principal characters in the story. Some teach that the book is a mere poetic description of the love between King Solomon and his bride. Some modern commentators teach that it is the story of the love between an unknown shepherd and his bride and that King Solomon is the villain in the story who tries to take the shepherd’s bride for himself (this interpretation is unlikely. If we take the Song as an allegory which speaks of the heavenly King and His people, the allegory would be most meaningful if the literal bridegroom in the Song were a king himself). Some commentators teach that this story is not an allegory about the love that exists between God and believers, but others teach that this is the main theme of the book. The author of these notes believes that the principal characters in this story of love are King Solomon and his bride, but that the story is full of symbolic, spiritual meanings, is an allegory depicting the love that exists between Jesus Christ the King of kings and His redeemed people, or individual believers. The reasons for this belief are as follows:
1. Its title, given in the first verse, is as much a part of the inspired Scriptures as any other. And if the writer by the inspiration of the Spirit of God calls this the chief, the best, the greatest of all songs (and this is the meaning of “song of songs”) there must be good reasons for it. If it were merely a love story about Solomon and his bride how could it be called the best of all songs? In such case would it be greater than some of the marvelous songs of David the sweet singer of Israel? Would it be greater than Psalm 22 or 45 or 69 or 119? How could it be the greatest of all songs if Christ is not in it? If Christ is absent from this song, the title is an empty boast.
2. We have the analogy of other Scriptures such as Ps 45; Isa 54:5; Jer 3:14; 31:32; Ezek 16; 23; Hos 2:7, 16; Matt 22:1-2; Rom 7:4; 2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:25-32; Rev 19:6-9. Since God is called the “husband” of the nation Israel, and since the church is called the “bride” of Christ, it is no surprising thing that a book of the Bible would set forth in the human language of love the love that ought to exist, and does exist, between Christ and His people. The above Scriptures should be read in connection with the study of this book. They set forth one of the great themes of the Bible.
3. We have the example of other subjects in Scripture where there are spiritual meanings beyond the physical. See notes on the tabernacle, priests, sacrifices, and other matters in Exodus and Leviticus. Those things were real and literal but they were much more than that – they were types, shadows, pictures of spiritual realities. And see Paul, by the inspiration of God’s Spirit, calling the story of Sarah and Hagar an allegory (Gal 4:21-27)! Surely there is as much reason to find an allegory in this Song of songs as in the history of Sarah and Hagar. We do not deny that this song refers to a literal bride and bridegroom any more than we would deny the literal existence in history of Sarah and Hagar. King Solomon and a woman called the Shulamite are here. But it seems clear that here is also a parable of heavenly love full of spiritual meaning for those who have eyes to see it. See also the example of Hosea and his wife in the book of Hosea. They were literal people, but we see in their story the love God had for his fallen people Israel.
4. We have the statements of Scripture like Luke 24:27; 2 Tim 3:16-17. Can we say that Christ is everywhere in the Old Testament Scriptures except in this one book? Should we try to see Him everywhere else and then try not to see Him in this song? How would this song help make the man or woman of God thoroughly equipped for every good work, if there is no Christ in it and no lessons of a spiritual, heavenly character?
5. There are expressions and scenes in this book which seem to require an allegorical or spiritual meaning. It is hard to imagine that the literal bride of King Solomon wandered alone at night about the streets looking for him (Song 3:2-4), or that while doing so on a second occasion the watchmen beat her and took away her cloak (Song 5:6-7). Or that she literally came up from the desert leaning on Solomon (Song 8:5).
6. We have the interpretation of many spiritual commentators for many centuries both before and after Christ. The Jews thought it set forth the relationship between Jehovah and Israel, and Christians found in it Christ and His Church. This interpretation is not our invention or a recent novelty.
If these reasons do not seem adequate to the reader, he is at liberty to reject them and try to understand this song on the mere level of human love. Our views and interpretations of Scripture are not infallible. But we are convinced that by studying this book by the aid of the Holy Spirit we can get a vivid impression of how Christ loves believers and how they should love Him. And we believe that experience will be the best teacher of this book. Only those who know Christ’s love can understand what is here.
Love is what this book is all about, and we see the arrangement of it something like this:
Love affirmed 1:2-4
Love’s anxiety 1:5-7
Love in fellowship 1:9—2:7
Love longed for and invited 2:8—3:1
Love tested and proved 3:1-5
Love conveyed in splendor 3:6-11
Love’s delight in the loved one 4:1-16
Love’s satisfaction 5:1
Love weak, failing and reviving 5:2-8
Love confident 6:1-3
Love praises the loved one 6:4-13
Love conversing 7:1—8:4
Love’s strength 8:6-7
Love’s concern 8:8-12
Love’s longing 8:13-14