May 8 - Nº 128 Song of Solomon
Solomon loved to be in love. He was especially attracted to foreign women (see 1 Kings 11:1). Early in his life he fell deeply in love with a young Shulamite shepherd girl, and he wrote a song about their relationship. It was in the form of a play with four scenes. Each scene described a different stage that their relationship went through. The song not only included the beauty of the physical and emotional aspects of their marriage—it honestly shared the difficulties. Although King Solomon authored at least 1,005 songs (see 1 Kings 4:32), he considered this one his best—his Song of Songs. He included only three roles: the bride (the shepherd girl), the king (Solomon), and a chorus made up of the bride’s friends. But their dialogues filled all four scenes with imagery and symbolism. Scene 1—Falling in Love (1:1—3:5): This scene opens in a vineyard owned by King Solomon just outside of Jerusalem. A Shulamite girl is working there alongside her brothers. One day, as Solomon is checking his property, he sees her and is immediately attracted. He begins to pursue her. But she is insecure about her looks—particularly how tan she is from long hours of work in the sun. Yet, in his eyes she is the “fairest among women.” He begins to court her. Although the Shulamite longs to be with the handsome man who is falling in love with her, she cautions her friends not to rush her. She wants to allow the relationship to develop naturally. Nevertheless, it isn’t long before the king proposes and brings her to his palace to prepare for their wedding. Scene 2—The Marriage Ceremony (3:6—5:1): Before the wedding, the Shulamite has a bad dream. In it she cannot find her fiancé. She searches the streets of the city. With the help of city guards, she finds him and clings to him. Soon the wedding procession begins. Solomon arrives in a carriage he constructed from exotic wood. The base is made of gold and the interior is upholstered with purple. Solomon is seated inside wearing a crown that his mother, Bathsheba, gave to him for the occasion. He is overwhelmed with the beauty of his bride. He can’t wait for the wedding ceremony to end so that the marriage can begin. That night they made love for the first time. Scene 3—The Struggles of Marriage (5:2—7:10): Some time after the wedding, the Shulamite has another dream. She dreams that Solomon wants to spend time with her, but she has other things to do. So, he leaves. Overcome with regret, she once again searches all over the city for the one she loves. This time the city guards refuse to help her. Instead, they beat her and steal her robe. Finally, her friends help her find him, and the couple is reunited. Scene 4—The Security of Marriage (7:11—8:14): As the song ends, the husband and wife resolve their conflict. Their marriage becomes deeper and stronger than it was before.
This amazing Song shares God’s goals and ideals for marriage. He designed marriage to be filled with joy and pleasure and security. Since God wants it to be a permanent commitment, there are times it will require hard work involving patience and forgiveness. Marriage is the only place God provides for us to safely have sex.
