Song of Solomon

One day, in the providence of God a handsome stranger-shepherd came to her vineyard. His gaze
was so tender and so intense upon her she felt forced to exclaim, “Look not upon me, because I
am black, because the sun hath looked upon me” (SS 1:6). Then she went on to explain why she
had to work in the vineyard. “My mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the
keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.”
The stranger-shepherd responded to this anxious explanation with kindness. He did not think the
maiden was sunburnt and unpleasant to look upon. He believed she was altogether lovely. For a
young lady starved for affection and personal appreciation such a response would have been most
welcomed and valued. In a moment of time the stranger-shepherd had won the heart of the
shepherdess. Unfortunately, he could not linger but had to go away. However, it was his stated
intention to return and make the Shulamite maiden his bride. Did she believe that? Indeed she
did. Even when he became evasive in his answer as to where he fed his flock she trusted him.
The stranger-shepherd went away and he was gone for a long period of time. Sometimes the
Shulamite maiden would dream of him. She would awake to exclaim, “The voice of my
beloved,” only to discover the silence of the darkness around her. Still she trusted his word.
One day the Shulamite maiden looked up and saw a great cloud of dust. People gathered to see
what it meant for a thunderous cavalcade was approaching. The king’s bodyguard was coming
and the king himself. The royal entourage stopped at the vineyard of the Shulamite maiden. As
promised the king had come for his bride. Now the Shulamite maiden could say outwardly for
the entire world to hear, “I am my beloveds, and his desire is toward me.”
In this lovely narrative the story of the relationship between Christ and the church is illustrated.
Like the Shulamite maiden the church is in the world but not of it. Her heart is set on better
things. Like the Shulamite maiden the church becomes the object of the King’s love. While, the
King must go away He will one day come again for His bride.
“When He comes, the glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew this song we’ll sing,
‘Hallelujah, what a Savior!”
1 The Song of Songs, which is Solomon's.
1:1 Solomon (sol'-o-mun; peaceful), was the son of David and third king of Israel. Because of his
sins, the kingdom of Israel was torn apart to form two separate nations. Despite his political
troubles Solomon had a great capacity for personal love.
3