Saturday 01 April 2023

Background

These are probably the most famous verses in the Song and might be understood as summing up the theme of the whole book. Love is powerful. It is experienced as ‘a strong and barely controllable emotion’. The journey of the lovers has not been an easy one in the Song; they have been driven by their passion in the face of difficulties. The lack of clarity about what those difficulties were helps to give the book a universal feel as the joy, longing and pain of loving another person are expressed, particularly in the speeches of the woman.

At the end of the Song, that overwhelming passion is set in the context of commitment. Once again it is not clear to or by whom these words are addressed. Is this the woman speaking to the man or vice-versa, or might this be something that they both say to each other? The seal on the arm (v. 6) seems to be something like a wedding ring, a symbol of the permanence of the relationship. The poet suggests that in marriage such symbols point to a deeper reality of the union of the couple as if they were saying, ‘in wearing this wedding band, you are really wearing me.’

One reason these verses are familiar is that they are used in worship. The passage is included in the Methodist Worship Book in the services of Marriage and the Blessing of a Marriage. It has also been used in funeral services with the assertion that love is as strong as death, reminding those who mourn that their love for the departed person has not ended and will continue. Christians will hear these verses as an expression of the gospel story, understanding supremely that the love which is stronger than death is the love of Christ for the world.

The book ends on a humorous note. The poet has described the nature of love in graphic detail. Nothing else has the value that love has and any attempt to buy it would be ridiculed. Centuries of Jewish and Christian commentary on the Song have reminded us that what is true of the love of two people for each other is also, more, true of God’s love for us. As we enter Holy Week, we carry that thought with us.

To Ponder:

• Apart from these verses and a few verses from chapter 2, The Song of Songs is rarely used in worship. Why do you think that is?
• In a famous anthem, the English composer John Ireland linked these verses to Jesus’ promise to his disciples that no one could have greater love than to lay down their life for their friends. You might want to listen to here it in Holy Week to reflect on the strength of God’s love for us.