Singing of God’s Good GIfts
Song of Solomon 1
Think about your favorite song right now. How does it make you feel? Why? In addition to liking the instrumentation, my guess is that the lyrics strike you deeply. Music can unite us with ourselves and with others by helping us reflect on the central parts of the human experience. Today, we read an excerpt of an ancient Hebrew love song. It falls into the genre of “wisdom literature,” which scholars at the Bible Project define as:
..the collective voice of Israelite elders who have lived in the fear of the Lord and are now sharing their wisdom on how to live well in the world with the next generation.
So what does this love song have to teach us about how to “live well"? God isn’t mentioned in this poem at all; how do we encounter Him through it?
The inclusion of this song in scripture shows us that God created and celebrates romantic love. In many places in scripture, we are warned of the power of passion (see 1 Corinthians 6). But here, the author of this poem celebrates this part of the human experience. God created it, and so it is good. Our view of romantic love is heavily influenced by our negative experiences, hurt, and sin. Yet, God has given us this poem to lead us towards His view of romance. As you read, consider asking God to provide you with His perspective on romantic love.
Additionally, there are many illusions in this song about trees and gardens. Take a moment to identify them in the text. The only other place in the Bible where we see a man and woman living blissfully in the garden is before the fall of Genesis 1, where God and creation were in perfect unity. The author is using this song to lift our eyes to the goodness of what God has given us through creation, through relationships, and through love.
So, as you read, allow the poem to lift your eyes to the goodness of God. He has gifted us with pleasure, joy, love, passion, and deep relationships. How have you experienced these gifts in your life? Thank God for those experiences. How does this poem give you hope in the midst of circumstances that are less good and beautiful?
