II. Wedding Day (Song of Songs 3:6–5:1)
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II. Wedding Day (3:6–5:1)
3:6-11 Who is this coming? The groom, King Solomon, in all his splendor. The wedding processional is luxurious (3:6-10). The day of his heart’s rejoicing has finally arrived: one man and one woman are coming together in holy matrimony (3:11).
4:1-7 The wedding ceremony is complete; the wedding night has begun. The new husband lavishes his new bride with admiration for her attractiveness. To him, she is beautiful. No—very beautiful! (4:1). She has no imperfection (4:7). Her eyes, hair, teeth, lips, and neck are all described with poetic praise (4:1-4). And although these could have been adored before the wedding day, now even her breasts receive her husband’s praise (4:5-6). This couple is naked and not ashamed.
4:8-11 She has captured his heart—a truth that’s spoken twice for emphasis (4:9). And thus, they enter into the joy of consummating their marriage. Their lovemaking involves all their senses (4:9-11).
4:12–5:1 Solomon describes his new bride as a locked garden (4:12), which means she came to him as a virgin. She had been “locked” until the appropriate time. But now, on her wedding night, she is open for her husband’s enjoyment. She invites him in because she’s his garden (4:16). He accepts her invitation, and his delight in her is depicted as enjoyment of the choicest of pleasures: myrrh, spices, honey, wine, and milk (5:1).
Then, another person speaks: a narrator, someone with access to the couple’s bedroom. Who could this be but God? His exhortation to the husband and wife is Eat, friends! Drink, be intoxicated with caresses! (5:1). This interruption is a reminder that God himself is pleased that the pair is pleased.
The Bible is not prudish about sex. Yes, sexual intimacy is reserved for marriage, but it is not something to be ashamed of or avoided by a husband and wife. God intends married couples to adore one another sexually. It’s his gift to them.