"{Song of Solomon} is fitted to excite pious and devout affections in holy souls, to draw out their desires towards God, to increase their delight in him, and improve their acquaintance and communion with Him."
~ Matthew Henry ~
"The gospels and historical books are the outer court of the temple. The Psalms and wisdom literature bring us into the inner sanctuaries. But the Song of Solomon is the Most Holy Place, before which a veil still hangs to many an untrained believer."
~ Charles Spurgeon ~
This year, I memorized the book of Song of Solomon.
It's a long story. :))
A variety of different circumstances led me to digging into this book, devouring it, and eventually becoming very passionate about it! (Perhaps I will share some day! ☺️☺️) During this season, I couldn't help but turn just about every conversation into a discussion on SOS... I talked to visiting relatives, a lady at a homesteading conference booth, random groups of teenage friends, new acquaintances on trips, and everyone and anyone in between. I even gave a talk at a conference about it. It was an amazingly fruitful time. And through those discussions, I discovered two things:
1) There are differences in how this book is interpreted. (Physically vs. spiritually vs. physically + spiritually.)
2) In general, most people don't seem to have really thought about how they interpret it! After all, the main topics after church are calvinism vs. arminianism, eschatology, and... the interpretation of Song of Solomon, right?? Lol. (Oh that it were though! This book is more related to those topics than one would initially imagine!)
I thought I might share some initial thoughts, having scratched the surface so far in my studies and having arrived at a personal conclusion about how I believe this book should be interpreted.
Personally, I believe that Song of Solomon should be interpreted both physically and spiritually.
PREMISE:
I may have read Song of Solomon a couple times in my Bible reading growing up, but I never really understood it. Growing up in Christian circles, the commentary I basically heard on SOS was simply that it was a book on marriage, and I would only understand it when I got married.
This view was not only terribly confusing, it was silently destructive. To me, this meant that there was an entire book in the Bible that was sort of "roped off" to me, (even though I was never forbidden to read it, and my parents never purposefully ignored it), until I might get married. What if I never got married? Was an entire book of the Bible lost to me? But more importantly, it is wonderful that there is at least a whole book of the Bible full of tips for something so important as marriage, but if that is all it is meant for, why is it in the Bible? There are lots of other books on marriage, even though, yes, this one is definitely superior. ☺️☺️ And if all it is to help us with is marriage, why was it then introduced into the canon? Aren't each of the books of the Bible to show us Christ? It has been said that a scarlet thread runs through every page of Scripture. Did it skip over SOS?
These thoughts always confused me, and is one reason why I wanted to study it. These questions are not why I believe SOS can be interpreted spiritually, but they did start me on a journey to learn more which led me to some answers.
6 Reasons Why I Believe Song of Solomon Can Be Interpreted Spiritually, Too:
1) I believe SOS can be interpreted spiritually too because of the road to Emmaus.
Remember the road to Emmaus? On that journey, Jesus talked with two disciples who were confused about the prophesies of the Messiah after His resurrection. Luke 24:27 says,
"And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures, the things concerning Himself."
Things concerning Himself... in all the Scriptures.........
Could Song of Solomon possibly speak of Christ?
2) I believe SOS can be interpreted spiritually too because it is part of "All Scripture."
2 Timothy 3:16-17 states,
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect/complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
I couldn't help but notice that it doesn't say, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God (until you get to Song of Solomon, then it's just for the "married" people) may be complete..."
So... doctrine?
Could Song of Solomon possibly be a book full of doctrine? Could it possibly reprove, correct, and instruct us in the way of righteousness?
3) I believe SOS can be interpreted spiritually too because parts of it do not make sense outside of the gospel.
There seems to be this tension throughout the whole book... the bride longing for her groom, but unable to find him, the groom traipsing among the hills and only occasionally coming back to visit his bride, and when he does, it is only occasionally that they meet. I memorized the book, but it is hard to think of a time when they are actually together. I always expected there to be some sort of resolution... when is he finally going to come home and STAY? But he never does, it is only hinted at for a future date.
Trying to fit this aspect of the story into the interpretation that this is only a book for earthly marriages feels like trying to stick a square peg through a round hole. But when you stick it through the lens of then gospel, it comes alive. After all, Christ, our Bridegroom, is in heaven, and we are on earth. He is the one "whom having not seen, {we} love." (1 Peter 1:8). The time that we will be together in person is only promised for a future date, when we sit down at the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Also, who are the virgins??? I always wondered how they fit into this love story. I mean, why, exactly, do the bride and groom think it is a good idea for them to be hanging around again?? If that was me, I can assure you, I would have found a way of handily getting rid of them a long time ago. Of the verse where the virgins say, "Whither has thy beloved gone, that we may seek him with thee?", I may have answered, "Oh, I don't know, some place very inaccessible to you I hope." XD (Hopefully, I wouldn't have actually have said that.)
Matthew Henry says,
"This would be but an indecent, unacceptable compliment if the song were not to be understood spiritually, for love is jealous of a rival, would monopolize the beloved, and cares not that others should join in seeking him. But those that truly love Christ are desirous that others should love Him too, and be joined to Him..."
Of all the love stories in the world, there is only one I know of where the bride is welcomed, invited, and WILLING to bring others into her relationship with him, and is desirous that they should even receive the same position and love as she. And that would be the church's relationship with our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Indeed, in studying these references to the virgins in the story, I eventually came to believe that they represent people that we bring with us to Christ in our overflow of love to Him that just rushes into our conduct and conversation. Others are attracted to Him via our attraction to Him. Our "zeal will provoke many." (2 Cor. 9:2).
Matthew Henry said of Song of Solomon 1:4, "Draw me!" "We will run after thee!" --
"When Christ pours out His Spirit upon the church in general, which is His bride, all the members of it do thence receive enlivening, quickening influences, and are made to run with Him with the more cheerfulness, Isaiah 55:5. Or, "draw me," says the believing soul, "and then I will not only follow Thee myself, as fast as I can, but will bring all mine along with me: WE will run after Thee - I AND the virgins that love Thee, (vs. 3), I AND all that I have any interest in or influence upon, I AND my house, (Josh. 24:15,) I AND the transgressors whom I will teach Thy ways. (Psalm 51:13). Those that put themselves forth, in compliance with divine grace, shall find that their zeal will provoke many. (2 Cor. 9:2). Those that are lively will be active. When Philip was drawn to Christ, he drew Nathanael; and will be exemplary, and so will win those that would not be won by the word. (1 Pet. 3)."
There appears to be nothing that proves to the world that Christ is not worth having, more than the apathy of His bride. Additionally, there is nothing that piques their interest (see ch. 5:9 and 6:1) more than the love His bride has for her Bridegroom.
4) I believe Song of Solomon can be interpreted spiritually too because it clicks into place when you put on gospel goggles.
Not only do some parts NOT make sense without the gospel, all of it makes sense when applied to the gospel.
For example, the ten descriptions of the beauty of the groom in chapter 5 are perfect descriptions of the beauty of Christ through the gospel if you dig into them, something which these two amazing sermons do.
The event in chapters 5 & 6, where the bride turns away the groom's request for fellowship, and the way He continues to faithfully love her despite her faithlessness is the type of love that I know Jesus for on a seemingly weekly basis.
This is the part of the article where I could go on and on and on for literal hours or days on the connections between the gospel and Song of Solomon. Instead, I commend to you several resources I have included at the end of this article. ☺️☺️
5) I believe SOS can be interpreted spiritually because the author of Hebrews saw Jesus in Psalm 45. (See Hebrews 1:8-9).
"Okay, but that's Psalm 45, not Song of Solomon!" you might say.
Yes, but Psalm 45 and Song of Solomon are so similar that it has been said, and I agree, that Psalm 45 is a key for interpreting Song of Solomon. Almost a Rosetta Stone. Many things that are said or suggested in that Psalm are reinforced in the Song. I have memorized them both, and the nearly identical wording gets me almost every time I quote them.
6) I believe Song of Solomon can be interpreted spiritually too because... marriage was created to be a picture of the gospel.
The gospel and Song of Solomon are connected because the gospel is a marriage story.
The Bible begins with a wedding in a garden and ends with a wedding in heaven. In between these book-ends are countless references, explanations, and illustrations that point to the marriage relationship between Jesus Christ and His church. Jesus' death was the dowry payment to make us His betrothed bride, and one day He will present us to Himself. (Ephesians 5:27). Marriage is a great mystery, but it is intended to show us the relationship between Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:32).
Ephesians 5:22-33 tells us that Christ loves the church and gave Himself for it. It says that He nourishes and cherishes it, and I believe that Song of Solomon shows us how He does that.
(Bonus Point) I believe SOS can be interpreted spiritually too because of how the Holy Spirit has used it throughout the centuries to inspire pious devotions in believers toward Christ.
Many people throughout history have been convicted, encouraged, instructed, and brought near to Christ through the Holy Spirit's work in this book. The nature of the love of the groom in SOS is such that only Christ perfectly shows. If we see Christ as the groom, whose steadfast love for his bride endures forever, and the bride as the bride of Christ, who, though she is black through sin, is "comely" because of the Spirit of Christ that dwells in her and makes her beautiful, this book comes alive. Throughout this book, the bride grows in holiness and loveliness, and the groom steadfastly delights in her, even though she is imperfect, because when she looks at him, he sees "doves' eyes," looking back at him.
For me personally, I couldn't begin to describe how this book has exploded my love for Christ. It is a sacred book, a holy of holies, a song of songs, and the beauties contained within are too brilliant to be displayed in the transparency of plain speech. I do believe that is why the language is so veiled.
(Bonus Point) I believe that SOS can be interpreted spiritually as well because that is how it has always been interpreted.
I realize that this is not a logical point with which to build a position on (hence it being in the bonus points sections) but it did give me extra confidence after I came to a conclusion to learn that Song of Solomon was always seen as a shadow of the "One greater than Solomon" who was to come by the Puritans, church fathers, and even the ancient Jews who were reading it before Christ came.
It was divinely inspired, after all.
Thank you for reading! If you are interested in digging more into the treasures of Song of Solomon, I have included some of my favorite resources below that have inspired me and enriched my knowledge of and love for Christ:
Nymphas by Joseph Irons (Perhaps my favorite book besides the Bible!)