THE SONG OF SOLOMON
By Henry Law, 1879
The following is from the Reformation Heritage Study Bible:
The Song of Solomon is given by the Spirit of God to stir up the affections of believers, whether of the Old Testament or of the New, to seek to cultivate secret communion with Christ in prayer and in all the other means of grace. Such spiritual delight was enjoyed by such Old Testament saints as Abraham, Moses, David, and the prophets. This book uses the language of love to draw Christians to yearn for experiences in our heart of assurance, joy, and rapture of soul as we taste something of Christ's love for us, even here in this world.
Although believers, symbolized by the fair young woman (Song 1:8), have weaknesses and sins (Song 5:2–3), they genuinely love Jesus as Lord and Savior and yearn for a taste of His love as something "better than wine" (Song 1:2). This book uses the language of physical beauty to express the mutual delight that Christ and the believer have one in the other. This delight will be consummated one day in Heaven, when Christ will at long last present His church to Himself as "a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing" (Ephesians 5:27). So this lovely book aims to stir up Christians to seek communion now with Christ and to yearn for His second coming in glory.
The inward delights that a true believer may at times enjoy exceed the pleasures that worldly men find in such material things as "wine" (Song 1:2). The pleasures of believers are not sensual but spiritual, and they are poured into their hearts by Christ, whom they love.
Christ's presence is not felt by the believer at all times in the same measure of intensity. At times the believer senses that Jesus has "withdrawn himself" (Song 5:6). At such times he or she earnestly seeks once again for the felt presence of Christ. When Jesus again draws near, the believer's soul is like "the chariots of Ammi-nadib" (Song 6:12)—alive with excitement and energy to live and fight for our blessed Lord.
The best experiences of Christ's love in this world are all too short. The souls of the saints yearn for the day when their Lord will come at last in all His glory to lift them from the grave and bestow endless divine affection upon them. The Song ends fitly with the anguished cry, "Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices" (Song 8:14). The Bible voices this same yearning cry as it closes: "Even so, come, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20).