Song of Songs tells a story about love, longing, passion, and waiting through a collection of songs about a bride and a groom. People often think this book is only about sexual intimacy or only a metaphor for our relationship with God. The beauty of this song, and why it is the called the greatest song ever written, is that it is about both. Only when we are intimate with God can we be properly intimate with anyone else. Only when we give holy love to others are we truly living in God's holy love for us.

Ultimately, though, Song of Songs is about absence and longing. There are constant warnings to not awaken love until the proper time mixed with seasons of the groom's absence that leave the bride desperate and alone. This longing is meant to frame what is our common experience of God's presence. Yes, there are times of beautiful intimacy where we feel close to God. But there are also seasons that seem to interrupt that intimacy with doubt, absence, and a sense of longing.

We hope this introduction to Song of Songs helps you understand and appreciate this important book. We also hope it validates your sense of longing and feelings of absence, showing you that God knows they exist and is drawing near to you to bring healing and satisfaction in the person of Jesus.

Special thanks to Spoken Gospel for providing this resource. They produce creative videos that help people see and savor the good news of Jesus on every page of the Bible.