10th March 2026

10th March 2026


Pray (ACts) 


Read (Song of Solomon 1v1) 


Message (Scott Woodburn) 


The Song of Solomon has been compared to an opera or musical drama with characters coming on and off the stage and voices heard from the wings. Yet to understand the book a night at the theatre isn't necessary because the Song has an easily discerned structure.


The Song has four clear sections divided by three adjurations. Each section has an obvious purpose and after each adjuration a new figure comes into view. Section one runs from 1v1 to 2v6 and introduces us to the woman and her great longing  to be reunited with the love of her life with the first adjuration coming in 2v7. What is an adjuration? It's not a polite request but a heartfelt appeal which urges the listener to act in a certain way. We'll look at the Song's adjuration later in these devotions.


After the first adjuration the woman's beloved comes into view and the second section flows from 2v8 to 3v4. The second adjuration arrives at 3v5 before the arrival of King Solomon from the wilderness in chapter 3v6. Solomon's section is the longest running all the way to 8v3 and contains some of the spiciest language in the Song. The final adjuration can be found in 8v4 before the woman and her true love come arm to arm onto the stage to finish the Song with a flourish.


All of this may have bored you to tears but I think it is useful for us to understand the structure and flow of the book. In years gone by I found that I skipped through the Song quite quickly - it seemed a little bit inaccessible and strange. But I now realise it is neither of those things, instead it is a drama centred around a woman who has been taken to the court of Solomon far away from the man of her dreams.


As we work our way through this Song I would urge you to spend much time in actually reading the book. It isn't long but it is different from any other book in the Bible. Take your time in each section and try and grasp what is going on. Pause at the three adjurations and take a breath before a new character appears. I'm sorry for long neglecting this book. It shows us what love should and can look like and needless to say it causes us to look to the love that Christ has for us and how we are to respond to that great love.


It as as Barry Webb once wrote "The Song of Songs is there to stop love going out of our relationships, with God and with one another. It is a splendid garment, to be worn not with awkwardness and embarrassment, but festively, with joy and deep thankfulness to him who gave it as Holy Scripture."


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q11 What are God’s works of providence? God’s works of providence are, his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.
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