Scriptures for Today: Song of Solomon
Song of Solomon 1:1-4
The song of songs, which is Solomon’s. 2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine. 3 Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee. 4 Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.
Introduction to Song of Solomon 1: The Longing Prelude
Last time in Ecclesiastes 1, Solomon stood on top of the world and cried, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
He had wisdom, wealth, and fame—yet found no satisfaction.
But now, in the Song of Solomon, he discovers what he was missing. Here, the same man who once cried in emptiness now sings in intimacy. This is the Song of Songs—the highest love song ever written, not between two people, but between God and His people.
This book is not about lust—it’s about love. Not the love that fades, but the love that fulfills. It is the believer’s cry for closeness with the One who satisfies the heart.
If God Himself wrote a love song to you, would you listen? He did—and this is it.
Before you leave today, you’ll see how God turns spiritual dryness into divine desire—how a soul that once said “vanity” can now say “draw me.”
Focus on Song of Solomon 1:1–4
These verses are the doorway into the entire book. They show us that true fulfillment comes not from what we gain—but from who we know. Knowing God Almighty leads to true fulfillment.
This is the song of a believer who’s done with religion and ready for an actual relationship with God. If you want to get to know God, let’s study this book in great detail together. That study of His words, together, will bring us all closer together as well.
Exposition of Song of Solomon 1:1–4
Verse 1 – The Song of Songs
Song of Solomon 1:1
The song of songs, which is Solomon’s.
This isn’t just another psalm—it’s the Song of Songs—the highest of all songs.
Out of a thousand melodies Solomon wrote, this one rises above them all because it captures heaven’s favorite subject: God’s love for His people.
Solomon may have written it, but the Holy Spirit composed it. The greatest songs in existence are within the Bible. People always have songs in their ears, but most never hear this song in the Bible.
I love this book. I love this song. I chose a Bible verse from this book for our wedding:
Song of Solomon 2:10
My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
On the day of our wedding, one of the greatest days of my life, one of the happiest and most joyful days of my life, I was asking my new wife to “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.” Come with me now. And she did. And she’s been with me ever since, wherever I go she goes.
If she’s not welcome, I’m not welcome. We are together. And that’s a picture of Jesus Christ and His people.
This book is about divine romance—the voice of the Bride (the believer) and the Bridegroom (Christ). It’s a picture of this love between a Creator and His creation.
So, please hear this, the greatest music on earth is when God and man are in harmony.
Have you ever heard an orchestra warm up before the conductor lifts his hand? It’s chaos. Every instrument doing its own thing.
But the moment that conductor raises his baton, every sound aligns—and suddenly, noise becomes beauty.
That’s what happens when a heart finally gets in tune with God. The chaos of your life turns into a song Heaven can hear. The Bible you should have in your hands is equivalent to that conductor. Follow those words to be in perfect harmony with your Creator.
You can strum a guitar all you want, but if it’s out of tune, every note hurts your ears.
That’s how some people live—busy, loud, trying to sound right—but they’re out of tune with the Lord. When you let Him tighten the strings of your heart, suddenly, your life starts to sound like worship.
When a choir sings and one voice is off, it’s painful. But when every voice follows the same pitch, it lifts the whole room. That’s what God wants from His people—not perfection, but unity with His Spirit. When we’re in harmony with Him, the world hears Heaven.
(Hold up a Bible.) “This Bible is not just ink and paper. It’s a love letter from the King to His Bride.”
In Ecclesiastes, Solomon studied everything under the sun and found it empty. I asked you last time to stop looking horizontally at everything under the sun. Stop seeking after all those things.
Now, in this book, Solomon looks above the sun—and finds love that fills eternity. That’s what we need to be doing. We need to look vertically. Look up. We continue there in verse 2.
Verse 2 – The Cry for Closeness
Song of Solomon 1:2
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.
This verse shocks the world but stirs the spirit. Many people don’t know how to take this verse—because they read it with the eyes of flesh instead of the eyes of faith. Think automatically think of physical things.
The world reads this and thinks it’s strange, even inappropriate—because they can’t comprehend spiritual intimacy. For example, many pastors don’t want to preach in Song of Solomon. But what the Bride is saying here isn’t about physical romance—it’s about a deeper, sacred nearness between God and His people.
A kiss represents closeness, acceptance, and affection. It’s the picture of love that isn’t distant or formal, but personal and real.
In the Old Testament, Jacob kissed Isaac before receiving the blessing. In the New Testament, the father kissed the prodigal son when he came home. It’s a symbol of restored fellowship.
That’s what the Bride wants. She’s not craving pleasure—she’s craving presence. She wants Him with her. She’s saying, “Lord, I don’t just want to know about You. I want to experience You. I want Your truth to move from my head to my heart.”
This world is shallow. For example, when we have events here at this church, many people are looking for the high in that event. For Christmas, it’s when you open that gift. You think that’s the high point. But that’s actually the shallow part. The deepness comes at the church events by working on things together and by getting to know each other better.
It’s not the chili. It’s not the food. It’s the people. It’s becoming closer and closer to each other. The real treasure is in the people of God and in God Himself. He is the treasure.
But some people look for intimacy in fornication and adultery—through the physical flesh. They feel close to someone else for a little while. No, that will never fulfill your desires for intimacy. Some people just want someone else to love them so they want to go find another person to share a few moments of closeness with them. That goes away quickly and ends in destruction.
Stop looking for intimacy in the wrong places. Food, money, women, men. None of those will make you happy. Your spouse will bring joy. God will bring joy. Focus on the good things of God.
This verse is the cry of every believer who’s tired of dry religion and ready for real relationship with Jesus Christ. That’s what we’ll get together here at this church. It’s not lust—it’s longing for our Savior. Not passion for sin, but passion for the Savior.
And then she says, “for thy love is better than wine.” Wine can lift your mood for a moment. Good food and drink can lift your mood for short moments. Many people get hooked on food and drink because of those moments of comfort. But they are short moments.
God’s love lifts your soul forever. Wine wears off—His love never does. Wine dulls pain—His love heals it.
When you’ve truly tasted the love of God, everything else loses its flavor. EVERYTHING. Nothing comes close.
By the way, the good wine in the Bible is the juice of fruit. The juice of pomegranates is an example in Song of Solomon chapter 8. It’s the juice of fruits like grapes and it’s amazing. It’s not talking about alcoholic wine in this book, which is nasty. It doesn’t taste good. Real fruit juice is amazing and tastes great and brings you momentary joy.
Why compare love to wine? Because wine dulls pain for a moment—but the love of God heals the heart forever.
(Hold up a bottle of grape juice and a Bible) “This can make your body feel good for a while; this can make your soul come alive forever.”
The world says, “Chase pleasure.” The Bride says, “Give me presence.” Hey, I want to be WITH YOU.
Spend ten quiet minutes alone with God tonight. Whisper, “Lord, I want You—not just what You give me. Those things aren’t important. You are important. I don’t want to lose you, Lord.”
That’s where intimacy begins with God. Spend time alone with Him.
Verse 3 – The Fragrance of His Name
Song of Solomon 1:3
Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.
In Solomon’s day, kings carried oil with a unique fragrance. When they entered a room, the scent announced their presence.
People who wear fragrances or perfumes can sometimes be recognized by that smell as they walk past you.
Here, the Bride says, “Your name is like ointment poured forth.” That means, “Every time I hear Your name, I feel Your presence.”
The name of Jesus changes the atmosphere. And I’m speaking of the true Jesus Christ. I’m not talking about the Pentecostal Jesus or the Catholic Jesus or the Jesus of Judaism. I’m talking about our Creator, the Jesus within the Bible, the Jesus who died on the cross and arose from the dead, the LIVING JESUS!
Again here in this verse, the Bride says, “Thy name is as ointment poured forth.”
That means more than just “I like how Your name sounds.” She’s saying, “Every time I hear Your name, I sense who You are.” In Bible times, ointment wasn’t just perfume—it was precious oil used for healing, consecration, and anointing.
When she compares His name to ointment poured out, she’s saying His very presence carries healing, holiness, and hope.
Think about it: Oil healed wounds. Oil anointed kings. Oil filled the temple with fragrance. And so does His name.
When you whisper Jesus, something happens. Fear starts melting. Shame starts lifting. Peace starts filling the air. You can walk into a room heavy with anxiety, whisper His name, and the atmosphere changes—because His name carries His nature.
The world treats names as labels; God’s names reveal His character. He’s Jehovah Jireh, the Lord who provides. He’s Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals. He’s Jehovah Shalom, the Lord our peace. Every name He’s ever revealed is oil for a specific wound in your soul.
That’s why the Bride says His name is like ointment poured forth—not stored away, not sealed up, not rationed—but flowing, overflowing, freely available. She’s saying, “When I remember who You are, I remember who I am with You. When I call Your name, I carry Your presence.”
Every believer who’s ever whispered “Jesus” in the dark knows it—peace enters, fear leaves. We call upon Jesus. He hears us. He’s with us here right now.
(Open a small vial of perfume.) One drop fills the air. That’s what happens when you speak His name in faith.
Emma loves perfume. Sometimes she opens one in the van. I know immediately. “Emma, did you open a perfume.” Think about that. One drop fills the air. That’s what this verse is saying.
We wear perfume to impress people. But God’s fragrance flows from anointing, not appearance.
Before you start your day tomorrow, say His name out loud: Jesus. Fill your morning with His fragrance before the world fills it with noise. Pray out loud using His name. “Jesus, I love you. Thank you Jesus for what you’ve done for this world. Jesus, please help me today. I love you, Jesus.” Try it first thing tomorrow morning.
At the end of the verse, you see: “Therefore do the virgins love thee.”
That’s the fruit of everything she just said. Because His name is fragrant, His love is pure, and His presence is healing, others are drawn to Him.
In Scripture, “virgins” represents those who are pure in heart — those who haven’t given themselves to idols, false loves, or worldly pleasures. They’re the ones still waiting, still hoping, still longing for the real thing.
The Bride says, “That’s why they love You — because You are what they’ve been waiting for.”
See, the world is full of cheap imitations — fake love, fake peace, fake satisfaction. But when a person finally encounters the real love of Christ, everything else looks fake in comparison.
That’s why people who are truly seeking truth are drawn to Jesus — His purity attracts purity. His holiness awakens hunger. When you seek the truth REALLY, you’ll find Jesus.
It’s not manipulation; it’s magnetism. Holiness is magnetic when it’s real. The virgins love Him because they can tell the difference between what’s shallow and what’s sacred. Jesus is real.
And that’s a good check for us too: what kind of love are we drawing? If we smell like the world, the world will love us. If we carry the fragrance of Christ, the pure in heart will be drawn. The worldly people will hate us. The people seeking truth will love us.
So when the Bride says, “The virgins love Thee,” she’s testifying: “Everyone who’s still clean, everyone who still believes, everyone who’s still waiting for truth — they’ll recognize You. They’ll love You too.”
Verse 4 – The Pursuit of His Presence
Song of Solomon 1:4
Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.
The Bride now prays, “Draw me.” She knows that closeness begins when God makes the first move.
For example, with my wife, I draw her near to me. I don’t want to be away from her. I want her near me. I don’t sleep in a different bed than her. I don’t want a different bed. I want her close to me. If she’s not there, I know. Each day, I want her near to me. I draw her near to me. I go grab her, and I hug her and I kiss her. She is my desire. I desire her. I don’t desire something fake.
Her and I are joined together as one. We are together. And we must stay close together. I drew her. I went after her. I did. And I kept going after her. I was with her almost every day after I met her. I wanted her.
No one chases God without being chased by God first. Understand me. God draws us to Him. When He draws us, the heart awakens. When He invites, the soul runs after Him. Happened to me. Happened to you. If you are a believer, God drew you first.
The secret to passion for God is responding to His pull. He’s pulling you right now to get closer to Him.
Why does the King draw her into His chambers? Because love isn’t learned in the crowd—it’s developed in the quiet place.
Find a place at your home. Maybe it’s just a chair. That chair could be your chamber. The place you meet with God daily. Use it daily. Find a quiet place to be with God.
There was a time I only read Scripture to prepare sermons. But God said through His words, “Stop reading to preach. Start reading to love Me.” That changed everything. Our goal is to love God in everything that we do. It’s not the actual sermon that’s important. It’s us loving God that’s important. There’s a huge difference.
The deeper you go with God, the more joy replaces duty. Worship stops being obligation and becomes overflow. As you sing, your heart overflows with love to God.
Within 24 hours, find your “chamber”—a corner, a truck seat, a prayer spot—and meet God there. Make that your holy place of pursuit.
Conclusion: The Song of the Satisfied Soul
In Ecclesiastes, Solomon said, “All is vanity.” In Song of Solomon, he says, “Thy love is better than wine.” Do you see the difference? All the physical things of the world that you seek are all vanity. But seek God’s love and it’s far better than the best thing this world has to offer.
When you truly experience the love of God, the world’s pleasures lose their power. Food won’t be so important. Gluttony won’t overtake you. Wanting big homes, fancy cars, and the lottery won’t be important any more.
The emptiness turns to intimacy. The vanity turns to victory. Soul winning becomes far more important. Getting to church to worship God with fellow believers becomes more important. Becoming close with God’s people will be more important to you than other things you’ve lusted after before.
You can live chasing wind — or you can start singing with the King. Song of Solomon—what an amazing book. Chase the smoke or sing with the King? The choice is yours.
Next Sermon – “A Nation Sick with Sin” (Isaiah 1:1–9)
Don’t miss next time! Pastor Nathan Holmes will be preaching Isaiah 1:1–9 – “A Nation Sick with Sin: Isaiah 1’s Urgent Call to Wake Up.”
If you think God’s done warning nations, think again. Isaiah doesn’t talk about politics — he talks about spiritual infection. And what he diagnosed in Judah is exactly what’s killing America today.
Be here. Bring someone who needs to wake up. Let’s pray.
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