“Your navel is a rounded bowl that never lacks mixed wine. Your belly is a heap of wheat, encircled with lilies.” The Song of Solomon is a curious book, a poetic interaction between two people very much in love, dedicated to Solomon, without reference to God. It’s a book we rarely ever read or discuss, yet there must be a reason for its inclusion in the Bible. The book presents a dialogue between a loving husband and his estranged wife, who although physically separated from her husband, remains very much in love with him.
Regardless of how we view the meaning of the song of Solomon, it is clear that it is a love story. One view is that the book is a symbolic representation of God’s love for us, as the ecclesial bride for His only son. Isaiah 62:5 seems to support that view, “as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.” God loves us with a deep and intense love, despite our many failings, and we can only look forward to the time when we can return that love perfectly, free from the imperfection of our current existence.