Song of Solomon 1

The book opens with a young woman and the man she loves speaking of their longing for each other, while a group of friends joins in. She is shy about her sun-darkened skin, yet he calls her beautiful. Christians have read the book as a celebration of married love, and many also hear in it a picture of God’s love for his people.

Song of Solomon 1:1

The title ascribes the poem to Solomon, Israel’s king famed for wisdom and songs. Calling it the Song of Songs marks it as the finest of songs, the best of all. It is a poem about love between a man and a woman.

See also: 1 Kings 4:32.

Song of Solomon 1:2

The woman speaks first, and she is full of longing. She wants the closeness of her beloved, and she says his love is better than wine, the best joy known at a feast. Love here is warm, physical and wholehearted, and the book treats it as a gift.

Song of Solomon 1:3

She praises his fragrance and then his name. In that world, perfume spoke of pleasure and honor. His name, meaning his whole person and reputation, fills the air like oil poured out. Others admire him too, and the maidens adore him.

Song of Solomon 1:4

She longs to be drawn after him and brought into the king’s private rooms. The friends join in, speaking as a chorus about their shared joy in him. The closing line affirms that those who love him do so rightly. The love is eager, and it is also approved.

See also: Hosea 11:4.

Song of Solomon 1:5

She speaks frankly to the women of Jerusalem about her appearance. Her skin is dark from outdoor work, yet she is lovely. Kedar’s goat-hair tents were dark and rough, while Solomon’s curtains were rich and splendid. She is both, and she accepts herself.

Song of Solomon 1:6

She explains why she is tanned. Her brothers, angry with her, made her work in the family vineyards under the sun. In doing so she lost the chance to care for herself. Her last words speak of a self left untended.

Song of Solomon 1:7

She turns to him and asks where he feeds his flock and rests at noon. She wants to be with him and not to wander among strangers’ flocks. The picture is of a shepherd, and she is eager to find him.

See also: Psalm 23:1-2.

Song of Solomon 1:8

A reply comes, perhaps from the friends or perhaps from him in gentle teasing. It calls her the fairest of women and tells her to follow the flock’s tracks and graze her kids near the shepherds’ tents. Seeking will find him.

Song of Solomon 1:9

The man now speaks and compares her to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots. Such horses were prized for strength and grace, and they were also a striking sight. He means that she is stately and she stops him in his tracks. It was a high compliment in his day.

Song of Solomon 1:10-11

He admires how ornaments set off her face and neck. Then he promises more, gold settings with silver beads. The ‘we’ is a speaker who includes others in the gift. Love delights to honor and adorn the one it loves.

Song of Solomon 1:12

While the king sat at his table, her perfume spread its scent. She speaks of her love as something that cannot stay hidden and that rises toward him. Here the ‘king’ is her beloved, whom she honors as such.

Song of Solomon 1:13

She says he is to her like a small bag of myrrh, a costly resin, resting all night close to her heart. He is precious and always near. His presence stays with her, as a fragrance would.

Song of Solomon 1:14

She likens him to blossoms of henna, a sweet-smelling flower, from the vineyards of En-gedi. That was a green oasis beside the dry Dead Sea. In a harsh land he is a refreshing, lovely surprise to her.

Song of Solomon 1:15

He answers and praises her beauty twice over. Her eyes are like doves, which suggests gentleness and a single-hearted gaze. His words are simple and direct, the way a man who loves speaks to his beloved.

Song of Solomon 1:16

She returns the compliment, calling him handsome and delightful. Then she speaks of their bed as soft green grass. The setting is outdoors and fresh, a place of rest and happiness for the two of them alone.

Song of Solomon 1:17

She ends the chapter by imagining their home. Its beams are cedar and its rafters fragrant fir, strong and sweet-smelling. Their love has a shelter, a place to belong. Many readers also see here the security God gives to those who love him.

See also: Psalm 84:3.