The Strand Study Bible

SONG OF SOLOMON SONG OF SOLOMON not (there is no spot in thee). Why? Real love sees past any blemish and always turns a critical eye into a blind one. G. Frederick Owen in Abraham to the Middle East Crisis notes: Love has a hem to her garment That trails in the very dust; It can reach the stains of the streets and the lanes… And because it can, it must. 1 Real love always attracts the dirt in order to save it, not sweep it away. One evening moments before Mary Martin, the Broadway musical star, was to go on stage to perform South Pacific, a note was handed to her from Oscar Hammerstein, who at that moment was on his deathbed. The short note simply said: Dear Mary, 1036 Love’s only goal is to give of itself in order to make something more beautiful than it was, for when you’re in love, nothing is ugly; not even ugly is ugly (Rom 5:8). According to Scripture, nothing is uglier than sin (Ezk 4:17, Lev 13:2 and Lk 17:12-18). Yet God’s love for mankind overlooks the sin in order to love the sinner. Our problem as humans is simple –we don’t know how to love. If we did, we too could overlook the sin in order to love the sinner (I Pet 4:8, Prov 10:12 & 17:9 and Jms 5:20). 4:8a Chapter 4 is all about the honeymoon. In verses 1-7 we find Solomon gazing at his bride, in whom he finds no blemish (there is no spot in thee – vs 7). In verses 8-16 Solomon takes his new wife (Come with me) to the honeymoon suite. Before they get there, however, he is overwhelmed with how good she smells (vs 10-15). 4:8b Amana is a range of mountains south of the Abana River. 4:8c Shenir is the Amorite name for Hermon. 4:10 People who make it a point to smell good (vs 10-15) are people who sacrifice in order to give something away (vs 16). NOTE – God is looking for a bride who smells good; one who is willing to sacrifice to give something away –a giver, not a taker. Question: Can God really smell ( Lam 3 :31- 34-35,38 )? And, if so, what is it that “smells” good to God ( Gen 8: 20- 21 )? 5:1a This expression ( I am come into my garden ) speaks of the consummation of the marriage (the complete union of the wedded pair) to come. 5:1b Concerning the last half of this verse ( eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved ), The Liberty Bible Commentary notes: The end of verse 1 would probably best be understood as an expression of sympathy and encouragement from some of the ladies of the court who may have been looking on at a distance. 3 5:2 Having fallen asleep in the carriage ( SOS 4:8 ) on her way to the honeymoon suite, the Shulamite wife begins to dream ( I sleep, but my heart waketh ). She imagines her beloved (Solomon) standing outside of her door, sweating ( for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night ) from running to come to her. 5:3 Settled ( I have put off my coat ) within her home ( I have washed my feet ) she arise (vs 4-5) to meet the man she loves and with whom she about to consummate the marriage. A bell is not a bell till you ring it A song is not a song till you sing it; Love in your heart is not put there to stay Love isn’t love till you give it away. 2

• Damascus

MED SEA

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Mt Hermon

LEBANON

Locations mentioned in the Song of Solomon Map #307

Mt Carmel

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Tirzah

• Gilead

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Jerusalem

Heshbon

PHILISTINES

KEDAR

En-gedi •

1 Owen, G. Frederick. Abraham to the Middle East Crisis , Grand Rapids, MI, Eerdmans Pub, 1939 2 Hewett, James. Illustrations Unlimited , Wheaton, ILL, Tyndale House Publishers, 1988