AN INTRODUCTORY WORD
1. A Particular Book
Song of Songs is a particular book in the holy Scriptures, for it is not a book of history, law, prophecy, or gospel.
2. A Poem of the History of Love
in an Excellent Marriage
This book is a poem of the history of love in an excellent marriage. It is a romance of the highest standard. The entire Bible is a romance, a love story, of God "falling in love" with man.
a. A History of King Solomon
with the Shulammite
Song of Songs is a history of the wise King Solomon, the writer of this book, with the Shulammite, a girl of the countryside. In this life-study Solomon is called the beloved and the Shulammite is called the lover (lit., "love"—1:15; 2:2; 4:1, 7; 6:4). Solomon, in the masculine gender, means "peace," and Shulammite is Solomon in the feminine gender. One is the king in the palace at the capital in Jerusalem, and the other is a girl from the countryside.
In a sense, Solomon and the Shulammite were not a match. Concerning marriage most would agree that two people should match each other. Yet it is difficult to find a husband and wife who are really a match. Two people who are the same may become enemies, but two people who are different may become loving friends. Solomon fell in love with a country girl, and the two of them were joined together. After their union they remained in communion all the time.
In a similar way, God fell in love with man. Since God is great and wise and we are small and unwise, we may find it hard to believe that God could fall in love with us. Yet even though man does not seem to match God, God has nonetheless fallen in love with man.
(Life-Study of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs, Chapter 11, by Witness Lee)
