Book of Song of Solomon
A poetic celebration of love and intimacy, often seen as a picture of God’s love.
About the Book of Song of Solomon
The Song of Solomon (also called Song of Songs, meaning "the greatest of songs") is the Bible's most overtly sensuous book — a collection of love poetry celebrating desire, beauty, longing, and the joy of physical love between a man and a woman. Its inclusion in the canon was debated in ancient Judaism but ultimately affirmed, with Rabbi Akiva declaring it "the Holy of Holies" of all Scripture.
On one level, the Song is straightforwardly what it appears to be: a celebration of erotic love within marriage, affirming that physical intimacy is God's good creation — not something to be spiritualized away or treated with suspicion. In a tradition that could easily have become ascetic about the body, the Song stands as a bold affirmation of embodied human love.
But the Jewish and Christian traditions have also long read the Song allegorically — as a portrayal of God's passionate, pursuing love for His people. The New Testament describes the relationship between Christ and the church using the imagery of a bridegroom and bride. In this reading, the longing, pursuit, delight, and covenant of the Song map onto the divine-human relationship. Both readings are valid and mutually enriching: the Song is simultaneously an affirmation of human love and an image of the love that underlies all loves.