Song of Solomon 1-2: God’s Design for Marriage
Today’s Bible Translation
Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 1-2 NKJV
Executive Producer
Lifespring! Family Berean Brother Phil
Podcast Introduction
It’s Poetry Thursday, and we’ll read Song of Solomon 1-2, which is the last of the Biblical books of poetry. I’m calling this episode “God’s Design for Marriage.“
Summary
The Song of Solomon has sparked debates over its interpretation for years. Some see it as a depiction of God’s love for His people, while others view it as a celebration of romantic love between a man and a woman. I believe it serves both purposes, illustrating the beauty of a loving and pure marriage blessed by God and emphasizing the strength of the relationship God desires with His followers.
This book, also known as the Song of Songs or Canticles, was written by Solomon. It is considered the greatest among his 1,005 songs. The story mainly revolves around three characters: the Shulamite, a young maiden from Shunem; the Beloved, who is Solomon himself; and the Daughters of Jerusalem, acting as a chorus.
In the second part of the text, the Shulamite describes herself as “lovesick,” a feeling many can relate to when deeply in love. Scientists have even identified a chemical called phenethylamine associated with this sensation. While the initial thrill of love fades over time, studies show that long-term relationships can bring about a deeper sense of contentment and attachment due to the release of oxytocin.
Married couples often experience the joy of falling in love repeatedly as their relationship progresses through different phases. This is considered one of God’s gifts to those who remain faithful to their spouses.
Listen to the episode for more!
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The Team
Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Denise: Transcript Correction
Michael Haner: Podcasting 2.0 Chapters
Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Scott Snider: Show Art
Jason Paschall: Show Art
Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Brittaney: Newsletter Publisher
Transcript
Transcript not yet corrected.
Steve Webb 0:00
It’s a very special something. It’s the Lifespring! One Year Bible coming to you from Riverside, California, podcasting since 2004. My name is Steve Webb and I am your OG Godcaster. It’s poetry Thursday, and we’ll read Song of Solomon one and two. This is the last of the biblical books of poetry. Before we read, let’s pray. Our Heavenly Father, we love your Lord, and we thank you for our time together to read. I pray that You would bless us as we do so and that you would teach us we pray this in Jesus name, amen. Okay, let’s get started.
Steve Webb 0:36
Whether Song of Solomon is meant to be taken literally spiritually, or allegorically has been debated over the years. Because of the nature of the content. Some commentators, preachers and teachers have avoided it altogether. But even in Victorian England, Charles Spurgeon preached 59 sermons on it. Some believe that this is a book that portrays only the love relationship between God and His people. Others believe that it is what it appears to be a book showing romantic and sensual love between a man and a woman. We read snapshots of their courtship in their marriage in this book, I tend to believe that this book is intended to show how a loving and pure marriage relationship between a man and a woman is blessed by and a gift of the God who created man and woman. and at the same time, I believe that it’s intended to show the intensity of a strong relationship that God wants to have with us. G Campbell, Morgan wrote, there are those who treat this book as a song of human love. There are those who consider its only value is that of its mystical suggestiveness. Personally, I believe that both values are here. So I’m in good company, God created the institution of marriage, and he created the act of physical love to be shared by a husband and a wife. There’s nothing shameful about it within the confines of marriage. It is the enemy Satan, who perverts it as he does with every other thing that God created. One important thing to note, as we read through the book is that procreation is not mentioned even once. and this should tell us that physical love is not intended solely for that purpose. It’s to be enjoyed as a time of bonding and pleasure between a husband and a wife. In some translations, this book is called The Song of Solomon. In others, it’s called the Song of Songs, and still others call it canticles. The Latin word for songs. Solomon, the son of David is the writer of the book, and according to First Kings for 32, he wrote 1005 songs. This book is called Song of Songs because it is considered the greatest. While there are other interpretations My belief is that there are three main players to be found as we read. First there is the young maiden or bride often called the Shulamite. She was from a small farming village called Shuna. and then there’s the young man called the beloved who is Solomon. Lastly, there is the chorus or the daughters of Jerusalem. A few other characters show up but they are not major players.
Steve Webb 3:17
Song of Solomon chapter one, the Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s the Shulamite, let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for Your love is better than wine. Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, your name is ointment poured forth, therefore, the virgins love you. Draw me away, the daughters of Jerusalem, we will run after you the Shulamite The King has brought me into his chambers, the daughters of Jerusalem, we will be glad and rejoice in you. We will remember your love more than wine. The Shulamite rightly do they love you. I am dark but lovely. Oh daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon. Do not look upon me because I am dark because the sun has tanned me. My mother’s sons were angry with me. They made me the keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept to her beloved, tell me Oh, you whom I love, where you feed your flock, where you make it rest at noon. For Why should I be as one who veils herself by the flocks of your companions? The Beloved. If you do not know Oh, Faris young women, follow in the footsteps of the flock and feed your little goats beside the shepherds tents. I have compared you my love to my filly among Pharaoh’s chariots. Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments, your neck with chains of gold, the daughters of Jerusalem, we will make your ornaments of gold with studs of silver, the Shulamite while the king is at his table, my spike Lord’s sends forth its fragrance. A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me that lies all night between my breasts. My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blooms and the vineyards of N Getty, the beloved, behold, you are fair, my love. Behold you are fair. You have doves eyes, the Shulamite behold, you are handsome, my beloved, yes, pleasant. Also, our bed is green. The beams of our houses are cedar, and our rafters of for
Steve Webb 5:32
Song of Solomon chapter two. I am the Rose of Sharon and the lily of the valleys. The Beloved, like a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. The Shulamite like an apple tree among the trees of the woods, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down in his shade with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste, the Shulamite to the daughters of Jerusalem. He brought me to the banqueting house and his banner over me was love. sustain me with cakes of raisins, refresh me with apples for I Am Love Sick, his left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me. I charge you owe daughters of Jerusalem by the gazelles or by the dose of the field. Do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases the Shulamite the voice of my beloved, Behold, he comes leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stack. Behold, he stands behind our wall. He is looking through the windows gazing through the lattice. My beloved spoke and said to me, rise up my love my fair one and come away. For low the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come in the voice of the turtle dove is heard in our land, the fig tree puts forth or green figs, and the vines with a tender grapes give a good smell. Rise up my love my fair one and come away. Oh, my dove in the cliffs of the rock in the secret places of the cliff. Let me see your face. Let me hear your voice for your voices sweet, and your face is lovely. Her brothers, catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines for our vines have tender grapes. The Shulamite My beloved is mine and I am his. He feeds his flock among the lilies, to her beloved, until the day breaks and the shadows flee away, turn my beloved and be like a gazelle or a young stag upon the mountains of Bheatha.
Steve Webb 7:51
In verse five of chapter two, the Shulamite says, sustain me with cakes of raisins refresh me with apples for I am lovesick, lovesick, such an interesting word isn’t it. But for anyone who’s been head over heels in love, it’s also accurate. Sickness can cause a variety of symptoms not unlike the initial thrill of falling in love. One can feel weak, dizzy, or suffer a loss of appetite. There’s butterflies in the stomach. But while it definitely is no fun to be ill love sickness is for the most part, one of the great joys of life. Of course, scientists have studied the phenomenon of love sickness. and they found that there’s a chemical called phenethylamine that washes over the brain when we fall in love. and when this happens, we have a feeling of exhilaration, and being on top of the world, we might even lose our appetite. and thankfully, this admittedly wonderful feeling doesn’t last forever, I think we would never get any real work done. Of course, there’s a big spike in this chemical in the beginning of a relationship. But it declines after four or five years, and really not so amazingly divorce rates jump during the four to five year mark worldwide. But listen, the people who bail at this four to five year mark miss something else that happens in the brain, it’s a very special something around the four year mark in a relationship, different brain pathways with different chemicals begin to form. and these produce feelings of very deep contentment and even gratitude. One of the chemicals in this process is oxytocin, the chemical that helps create the bonding of mother and infant. So relationships have at least two phases. The first thrilling phase is the attraction phase. and the second more fulfilled and content phase is the attachment phase. Now here’s what I consider to be one of God’s greatest gifts to married couples, and I think it’s a special perk that he gives us for being faithful to our spouses. As the relationship progresses through the attachment phase. this second phase I was telling you about the attraction phase, the first phase switches on again. and many couples experience the thrill of falling in love again many times in their marriage. The lovely lady Liana and I are going to celebrate 35 years of marriage this coming New Year’s Eve. and I can happily attest to the accuracy of what I just told you. But we are both older than we’ve ever been. But I have fallen in love with Leann over and over and over again during our married life. Yes, we’ve had difficulties along the way. But the commitment to never give up pays enormous dividends struggling through no matter what is worth it. So if you’re struggling in your marriage, hang in there. Make it work, if at all possible. If you need counseling, find a counselor who’s committed to following Jesus. Do you have thoughts or questions? I’d like to hear him send a Boostagram or call the Lifespring family hotline or go to the comments page or write an email. I’ll tell you how to do that at the end of the show. Tomorrow will be prophecy Friday, and we’ll begin the last book in the Bible. The book of Revelation will read chapters one through six.
Steve Webb 11:20
Lifespring! Family Berean Brother Phil came in with a $333.33 donation, making him today’s executive producer. Thank you, Brother Phil, God bless you. Beloved, the Lifespring! One Year Bible we’ll be wrapping things up in a little over three weeks, if this shows been a blessing in your life. If you’ve enjoyed seeing a new episode in your podcast app every day for this past 11 plus months. Consider if you would making a value for value donation to show your appreciation. You can find out how to do that right here.
Jingle 11:52
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Steve Webb 11:54
I will thank you and I believe that God will bless you.
Steve Webb 12:01
As always, I invite your comments and your questions. There are several ways to get in touch with me. You can send to Boostagram using a modern podcast app from podcastapps.com. Or you can call the Lifespring family hotline and I always love to hear your voice. The phone number is plus 1-951-732-8511. Now if you’ve got a prayer request or a praise report, and our next time to pray together will be this coming Sunday. Go to prayer Lifespring media.com. If you’ve got a comment or a question for me, you can go to comment dot Lifespringmedia.com or just send me an email at Steve at Lifespring media.com.
Steve Webb 12:49
I never get tired of thanking Sister Denise Michael Haner Scott Snider, Jason Paschall and sister Brittaney for what they do for the show. Our artist today is Jason Paschall. And thank you to brother Phil for helping to make this episode possible. and beloved, I am absolutely thrilled that we got to spend some time together today. I can’t wait to see you tomorrow. I’m already counting down the hours until then May God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye.
James Cooper 13:18
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Transcribed by https://otter.ai
