Song Of Songs

Summary

Song of Songs is often either avoided in preaching or handled with embarrassment and haste. This commentary treats the book as Scripture that honours embodied love within covenant fidelity, while also insisting that the Song belongs within the canon and therefore within the theological life of the church. The author reads the poetry with sensitivity to language, imagery, and ancient context, helping the reader follow the speakers, the movement of scenes, and the recurring motifs of desire, absence, delight, and commitment.

The commentary offers a measured approach to interpretation. It does not treat the Song as a simple code that must always be decoded into allegory, yet it also resists reducing it to a merely secular love poem placed in the Bible by accident. Instead, it argues that the Song celebrates marital love as a gift of the Creator, and that this celebration has theological significance because it sits within a canon that consistently portrays the Lord as faithful and covenantal. That balance is helpful for pastors who want to preach the book honestly, with reverence, and with pastoral care.

Strengths

The most obvious strength is the handling of the poetry itself. Song of Songs can be difficult because it is dense with imagery, and the text often moves quickly between metaphors. This volume helps the reader slow down, observe patterns, and take the language seriously. It frequently explains cultural background where it clarifies imagery, but it does not allow background to swallow the text. The focus remains on what the poem communicates, how it communicates it, and how those choices shape meaning.

Another strength is the pastoral realism. The Song includes longing and absence as well as delight, and this commentary helps the reader see that the book is not a fantasy detached from the complexities of love. That opens the door for preaching that can address both the goodness of intimacy and the pain of brokenness in a fallen world. The author is careful to avoid crude simplification. He does not turn every image into a technique, nor does he weaponise the text in a way that burdens tender consciences.

The commentary also helps the preacher keep the book within a wider biblical framework. It points out connections to creation, covenant language, and the goodness of the body. It encourages readers to see that Scripture can speak about desire without shame, and can celebrate love without idolatry. That is a needed corrective in many churches, where either silence or sentimentalism often takes over.

Limitations

The book is shorter than some volumes, and that means not every interpretive question receives extended treatment. Readers who want a very expansive technical discussion of text critical issues or a full survey of interpretive history may find it limited. The aim is more to guide reading than to exhaust debate.

While the canonical placement is addressed, those looking for sustained Christological development will need to do further work. The commentary provides a responsible foundation, but it does not always move from the Song to the gospel with explicit steps in every section. That restraint can be wise, but it also means that preachers must think carefully about how to preach Christ from the book without forcing the text.

How We Would Use It

We would use this commentary when planning a teaching series or a set of sermons on Song of Songs, particularly for guidance on structure and on how to handle imagery with care. It would also be valuable for pastors preparing counselling shaped teaching on marriage, desire, and purity, because it avoids both prudishness and sensationalism.

We would pair it with a more explicitly pastoral resource if we wanted sermon ready outlines, and we would plan ahead for how to communicate the text to a mixed congregation. This book would give us the exegetical and interpretive grounding to do that responsibly.

Closing Recommendation

A helpful, sober, and text attentive guide to a book many fear to handle. It will not do every homiletical step for you, but it gives a trustworthy reading that honours the poetry, protects the congregation, and helps you preach the goodness of covenant love.