Today, I am reading and commenting on Song of Solomon 1-8.

The Song of Solomon reminds us that sexual attraction has a place in following Christ, that sexual relations in the proper context are not sinful.  It can also be a metaphor for the relationship between the Church and Christ.  One thing I am always struck by when I read it is the phrase repeated several times: “Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.”  Other translations say “until the time is right” where the NIV says “until it so desires”.  I think that reminds us that we should not seek sexual activity until we enter into the right circumstances.  One element of the right circumstances is marriage, but it is also a warning against entering into marriage until the time and circumstances are right.  The final thing I want to say is that the passage tells a story, which I cannot quite follow.  There are places where it seems like the woman in this passage was abused by men other than her lover.  Yet, that doesn’t quite seem correct either.  Perhaps sometime I will try writing down in my words what the poetry seems to be saying at each point in order to put it together.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.