“My Beloved”
We are honored to include this series from the pen of our esteemed brother, on the Song of Songs.
This delightful little book is full of Christ. He is in every chapter. Sometimes it may be just a glimpse; sometimes it is a lengthy portrayal. But always it is Christ. Is this why the title of the book is “The Song of Songs,” as in the opening verse? It sings Christ, and there can be no greater or sweeter theme. Solomon was a prolific writer, and, like his father David before him, was an accomplished poet. It is perhaps fairly well known that Solomon wrote one thousand and five songs (1 Kings 4.32), but this one alone survives, and has been called “The Song par excellence.” It is, like that lovely Psalm 45, “A Song of Loves,” and love abides when all else is forgotten.
It cannot be determined with certainty in what order Solomon wrote the three books which bear his name. He has given us Proverbs, where he writes of things moral. He has given us Ecclesiastes, in which he deals with things natural. But the Song is unique; it is occupied with things spiritual.
The form of words in the title of the Song is a Hebrew way of expressing its superlative excellence. It is the Song of Songs. It is the best, the sweetest, the greatest of all songs. The same form of words is used in other places and always helps to exalt the Savior. In His deity He is “God of gods” (Dan 2:47). He is greater than the “Heaven of heavens,” which cannot contain Him (2 Chron 2:6; 6:18). In wondrous grace He became a “Servant of servants” (Gen 9:25), the greatest of all Jehovah’s servants. Those who know Him and love Him have found Him to be the answer to earth’s “Vanity of vanities” (Eccl 1:2; 12:8). He is the grand antitype of that place of glory which we call the “Holy of Holies” (Exod 26:33). One day His true greatness will be universally recognized when He appears as “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Rev 19:16). It is a “Song of Songs” indeed, that sings of such a One as He!
There are two principal speakers in the Song: Solomon and the Shulamite, the King and His Bride. There are other secondary or subordinate voices heard throughout the Song, and these will be noticed in the course of our meditations.
The Song is, therefore, in the main, a dialogue of love, two persons in a happy and loving communion, almost vying with each other as to who can find the more excellent language and the most endearing words to extol the beauties and merits of the other. Some will interpret these as Messiah and a faithful remnant of Israel, and this indeed may be a very true interpretation. Others will see Christ and the Church in the Song; and yet others will detect the love of Christ and the individual believer. Perhaps the ground is too holy for argument or for cold theological niceties. Notice what these differing views have in common, however. The Bridegroom is always Christ, the Beloved of His people, whoever, and wherever, at any time, those people may be. It is surely a safe principle that wherever we may find language that exalts Him whom we love, we may borrow that language, and use it in our expressions of devotion, whether speaking to each other or to the Father. This is a song of communion. There is no reference to sin or to forgiveness in the Song. That is all settled and the Bride is in the enjoyment of a pure and stainless companionship with her Beloved.
Christ is called the Beloved almost forty times in the Song, but some twenty-five times the Bride calls Him, “My Beloved,” and this personal attachment makes the relationship very precious indeed. Others have called Him “My Redeemer,” “My Shepherd,” “My Lord,” and “My Savior.” She calls Him, “My Beloved.” The personal pronoun makes all the difference! So the saints love to sing –
Ten thousand charms around Him shine
But best of all – I know He’s mine.
The Shulamite speaks first, and the Song opens abruptly as she says, “Let Him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.” She earnestly desires an expression of His love for her. It is not that she doubts His love, but she longs for the affirmation and demonstration of it in His kiss. Such intimacy was unusual in Oriental custom and culture, where at times the spouse may never have seen the face of her bridegroom until the day of the marriage. Perhaps she is longing for that day, as do those who love Him now. It is often noticed that she does not name Him, but simply uses the pronoun “Him.” “Let Him kiss me.” He so fills her heart that it seems somehow everyone should know of whom she speaks. This is sometimes likened to Mary Magdalene, when, at the Garden Tomb, she speaks to the supposed gardener saying, “Sir, if thou have borne Him hence, tell me where thou hast laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Three times Mary uses the pronoun “Him,” apparently never feeling the need to use the name Jesus, or to identify the One concerning whom she speaks. Everyone should know! Mary’s heart is full of Christ, as the heart of the Shulamite is enraptured with Solomon, her beloved. As the quaint Matthew Henry says, “Those that are full of Christ themselves are ready to think that others should be so too!”
There are a variety of kisses in Scripture, almost too numerous to mention just now. They are associated with a variety of circumstances. Sadly, the first kiss, in Genesis 27:26-27, was a kiss of deception. Then there were kisses at moments of reunion and reconciliation. There were sad kisses too, with tears, at the moment of parting between Naomi, Ruth, and Orpah, as also between David and Jonathan. There are, in all, some thirty-five references to the kiss in the OT. This one is especially precious. It is the longing of the Bride for the love of her Beloved. May this be our longing too as we continue to muse upon Him in the Song!