Song of Songs for Singles, and Married People Too: Lessons on Love from King Solomon

Love. Breakup. Pain. Repeat. Love is a fire, and playing with fire gets you burned. While the Bible provides answers to singles' questions concerning love, marriage, and sex, those answers are found in a book of the Bible that singles are regularly told to avoid. The Song of Solomon, contrary to popular opinion, primarily addresses singles (not married couples), teaching them wisdom so they can love successfully. It teaches that love is a fire, a fire best left unlit until the appropriate time. King Solomon loved many women whom he thought would bring him peace and pleasure. Instead, his attempts at love brought him pain and misery. He thought he could play with fire, but he got burned. Reflecting on his failures, he wrote his best song, the Song of Songs, to unmarried men and women and taught God's design for love so they can love successfully. Instead of listing "thou shalt not" commands concerning sex, Solomon shapes the affections of singles so that they want to love God's way. Song of Songs for Singles helps unmarried people understand and apply the wisdom of Song of Songs, preparing them to find love and less likely to get burned. While the Bible teaches several "thou shalt not" commands concerning sexuality, the Song of Songs shapes the affections of singles so that they want to love God's way. seeks to emulate this design, cultivating the readers' affections for God's design for love. We do the things that we love. Singles love the wrong things. Too often, the church only preaches the "thou shalt not" sexual messages of the Bible. As C.S. Lewis chided in , we chop down forests but fail to irrigate deserts. The Song of Songs satiates the unmarried Christian's thirst and equips them with the wisdom to love successfully.