What Is the Song of Songs Actually About?

When’s the last time you read the Song of Songs? It often gets overlooked, probably because it is sandwiched between the Wisdom books and the Prophets—some of the Bible’s longest books—Job, Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes on one side, and Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Ezekiel on the other. Or perhaps you’ve read it—or tried to—and it just felt strange compared to other books of the Bible. You’re not alone. The Song of Songs is indeed strange, and we want to offer you a little context to help you the next time you read it, read about it, or hear a sermon about it in church. What the Song of Songs Says About Marriage The Song of Songs works on two levels: the earthly and the heavenly. On the earthly level, the Song of Songs celebrates human love—specifically, the love between a man and a woman within a marital bond. The two main characters in the Song are a man and a woman. After what we might call the book’s “opening credits” in verse 1, the woman expresses her desire for her husband in the next several lines. She imagines the man’s “kisses” and “caresses,” which are better than “wine” (Song of Songs 1:2). His fragrance and his name bring her great joy (Song of Songs 1:3). She even notices that other women adore him, too (Song of Songs 1:3). She asks him to take her into his “chambers,” where they might express their love for one another through sexual union as husband and wife (Song of Songs 1:4). Later in chapter 1, the man celebrates the woman. Then she responds, and back and forth it goes for much of the Song’s eight chapters. Sometimes even onlookers—the “young women”—chime in. This earthly level is the more straightforward of the two, especially when we consider how God created the world. In Genesis 2, God made the man and declared that it was “not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). Man needed a companion. After putting the man into a deep sleep and taking one of his ribs, God formed a woman and brought her to the man. The man, liking what he saw, responded, “This one, at last, is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh; this one will be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken from man” (Genesis 2:23). Genesis 2:24–25 then offers the origins of marriage: The man and woman come together as “one flesh.” They were “naked, yet felt no shame.” How the Song of Songs Points to Jesus On the heavenly level, the Song also points to Jesus. This isn’t surprising, given that Jesus teaches in Luke 24:27 and John 5:39 that all Scripture points to Him. But what makes the Song unique is that it points to Jesus through an extended, poetic celebration of the marital bond. The love shared between man and wife in Song of Songs mirrors the love shared between Christ and His people. Throughout the Old Testament, God often describes His relationship with His people as a marriage (e.g., Hosea 3:1–3; Jeremiah 31:31–33). The Apostle Paul picks up on this tradition. In Ephesians 5:24–32, Paul explains that God designed the marital bond to point our eyes upward toward Christ, with the husband reflecting Christ and the wife reflecting the Church. He cites Genesis 2:24, describing the “one flesh” union as a profound “mystery” that points to Christ and the Church. Reading the Song of Songs with New Eyes With this in mind, the woman’s celebration of her man in the opening lines of the Song takes on fresh meaning. The groom is a good man, and the woman longs to be with him in the same way that we long to be with Christ, the God-man who laid down His life for us. The intensity of her desire speaks to our own yearning for our Creator and our longing to be united with Him in perfect harmony. The woman asks for multiple “kisses,” trusting that her groom will not reject her. She is confident that he will receive her love and reciprocate it. This is the confidence we have in Christ: Through His blood, we can boldly approach the throne of grace without fear of rejection (Hebrews 4:16). Do you see how both meanings—earthly and heavenly—work together? The marital bond between man and wife points us to Jesus, the One who “gave himself” for you and me, “to present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle” (Ephesians 5:25, 27). If you liked this article, check out the related resources linked below! Author Bio CJ Gossage is an Editorial Manager for The Daily Grace Co. He enjoys reading, good food, and spending time outside with his wife and three children. Related Resources: Together Marriage Journal Christ in All of Scripture | 4 Volume Set | Year-Long Bible Study | His and Hers Chosen | Ephesians Bible Study Loading price… Loading price… Loading price… Add to Cart Add to Cart Add to Cart