My second reason for reading the Song of Songs is connected with the book’s decline in popularity, which I mentioned in my previous post on this topic. I have always been puzzled by the fact that preachers would rather talk about the Parable of the Prodigal Son for the 47th time than explore some new territory. Now I do of course realise that the Song of Songs is not an easy text to preach on, nor is there anything wrong in principle with another sermon on the Parable of the Prodigal Son (provided it’s a good one), but I have always been attracted by the texts that others ignore. The Old Testament features many fascinating texts that hardly ever get a look in, but few perhaps as fascinating as the Song of Songs. Personally, I have been intrigued by this book for over twenty years and so have finally decided to give it some proper consideration.
I’m afraid, my second reason for reading the Song of Songs is therefore just as prosaic as the first: it is that the book tends to be ignored by others. I would like to think though that my reasons for devoting time to the Song (currently, I can think of twelve) are not all as banal as the first two but are getting progressively more interesting as we go along. That’s the idea anyway.
Karl Möller 