It’s easy to think of the Bible like a little old lady in her church clothes—prim, proper, and very straight-laced. But when you flip the pages past Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes, you find a book that will induce more pearl-clutching than a steamy romance novel. According to Matthew Henry’s commentary, “The Jewish doctors advised their young people not to read it till they were thirty years old.” Admittedly, Solomon uses some archaic descriptions (breasts like fawns of a gazelle… what?), but once you dig into context and interpretation, you’ll find that God is less embarrassed by sex than many of His children are.
Song of Songs is King Solomon’s collection of love poems for his bride. Here’s my creative take on the book’s two main characters:
Solomon: a raven’s wings, sweet cinnamon and almond oil, the snort of a stallion, Shakespearean sonnets, surprise romantic getaways, clustered grapes still on the vine, an old-world spice market, craftsman architecture, faces flushed with victory, a knock at the door
The Beloved: ‘Canon in D,’ a basket of fresh apples, candlelight, soft footsteps on stone floors, the honeymoon suite, lacy canopy curtains, tan lines, the glint of copper at sunset, honeysuckle and henna blossoms, gentle breezes, the perfect shade of lipstick
The Dwelling Place 
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