The new NIV labels the speeches contained in this poem with the words “She” “Friends” and “He” and as they admit in their footnote, these are inferred from the grammatical construction of the Hebrew original and are debatable. You may recall that I have previously made reference to the fact that Song of Songs is very often written about in literary critiques, and I am happy to let others engage in that fascinating discussion; it really isn’t my strength or inclination. Thus, I am simply going to accept the designations of the NIV for the purposes of this adventure, for if the translators aren’t 100% right, they are right often enough for us to get God’s point from the book.
Note carefully verses 2-4: Here is a woman, an ancient woman at that, and how she is speaking to her man; she sure seems to know what she wants. Yes, she wants her man!
Speaking in such a manner would have been more than a little brazen back in the day, and some might say that it is a little bit “forward” even now. Yet as we continue through the chapter, it is clear that this woman has such a passion to be in her beloved’s presence that she will go to lengths to get there. She has been oppressed and used by her “mother’s sons” yet she yearns for her man’s presence and asks where he takes his flocks during the day, apparently so that she may join him there. (vv. 5 ff.)
“He” in spite of the curious comparison of verse 9, seems to be more than a little attracted to “She” as well, and desires to be with her.
If “She” represents God’s people and “He” represents God, we can see an interesting picture unfolding in this chapter. That God would have a people who, though they have been treated unjustly in this world, yearn to be in His presence with such a passion, reveals to us a relationship between God and His people that is much more than a Sunday morning affair. It reveals to us a people who are totally devoted to God, who will make sacrifices to enter His presence and who will do so even though they might not be following all of the cultural norms and protocols to get there. These are people who have God as their very “everything”. We also see a God who is waiting for His people to come into His presence, for He too is eager to move this relationship forward.
Does God have such a people?
Do we have such a God?
Let’s not try to answer these questions just yet; let’s meditate on them for a while…
And so the characters, these two lovers are introduced to us in chapter one. What will they do, where will their relationship take them? We will step into the next room when our adventure continues next time.
Life Project Blog 
Excellent Don, acknowledging the love poem hinting at underlying erotic desire but cutting to the main point: God and His relationship with His people. On a video I saw some time back Ann Grayam Lotz made the point that God had the first sexual thought (seeing as how He created sex) so we ought not to be embarrassed by the subject of desire when spoken of properly. One could argue we Christians are a bit too censorious of such talk. OTOH Mark Driscoll veered too far…
I think you’ve summed it up very fairly here, thanks!
And oh, I don’t want that to sound like a cheap shot at Mark Driscoll.
Mr. Driscoll is a big boy, I’m sure he’ll be OK 🙂
I love your candid look at this book, and how you are able to express so well the spiritual aspect and meaning of this book. Very refreshing to read your post. Thanks!
Thank you Dawn, I really appreciate that!
That comparison in SOS 1:9 does seem strange to us until we realize that it is a superlative comparison. Pharaoh’s chariots were normally pulled by stallions, so for a mare to earn that honor, she had to be very special. Yes, she would stick out like the proverbial “sore thumb”, but the honor that been bequeathed on her would also be obvious. A bejeweled mare would have been quite the sight to behold, and she may have been decked-out in show or parade array. I believe that the young lover was proclaiming his young bride’s specialness with that comparison.
Would you describe your wife in terms usually reserved for a super-model, such as “stunning” or “gorgeous”? Our descriptions tend to be quite bland and vanilla by comparison.
It has been said that a man doesn’t love his wife because she is beautiful. She is beautiful because he loves her.
God bless!
Steve
Well I know one thing for sure, if I ever tell my wife that she reminds me of a mare, I will no longer be walking around on this planet! 🙂
Given how many wives and concubines Solomon had, it could be worse than you think. Make sure you tell her you feel like a stallion first, and there is only one — only one — mare for you.
Too funny!
Time, place and culture… There are many comparison references to common animals throughout the SOS, and none of those were considered “derogatory” during that time in history.
“Your eyes are doves” (SOS 1:15)
“My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag” (SOS 2:9)
“O my dove” (SOS 2:14)
“Be like a gazelle or a young stag” (SOS 2:17)
“Your eyes are doves…your hair is like a flock of goats…your teeth are lock a flock of shorn ewes” (SOS 4:1-2)
“Your breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle” (SOS 4:5)
Her sex is compared to a garden, a garden fountain, a well of living water, and flowing streams from Lebanon (SOS 4:12-15)
We can’t relate, but they could.
I suspect most laugh when they see that. I did, but in retrospect it seems to me the fact we can’t relate speaks to a disadvantage, not to any special wisdom on our part. We have isolated ourselves from things they took for granted.
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