The Greatest Love Song of All Time

If you could choose the ultimate love song of all time, what would it be and why? 

You may be surprised to learn that, according to God, the greatest love song of all time is the Song of Solomon, a book of the Bible nestled between Ecclesiastes and Isaiah.

In the opening line of the Song of Solomon, King Solomon introduces and commends the Song, naming himself as the author:

 The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s … Song 1:1

King Solomon was a prolific writer, composing three thousand proverbs and 1,005 songs (1 Kings 4:32).

In describing this Song as “the Song of Songs,” he is not merely referring to one of his many ballads.

Rather, he is accentuating the most excellent, the ultimate, the crème de la crème of all the songs he has written.

In its literal interpretation, the Song portrays the young king’s special love for his Shulammite bride.

Even though King Solomon had many wives at the end of his life, it has been said that this poor country shepherdess is the only one he married for love.

By God’s great design, and because of its allegorical interpretation of the love between Christ and His bride, Song of Solomon was the only song written by Solomon that made its way into the Bible.

It should come as no surprise to us that the name of a book portraying the romance of the ultimate couple—Christ and His bride—would be a superlative in the same manner as King of kings, Lord of lords, and holy of holies.

We can be sure of its authenticity because we know that all Scripture finds its source in the very breath of God.

The apostle Paul writes, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”  2 Timothy 3:16–17 NASB

The root word for Solomon is shalowm and means “completeness and peace with God in covenant relationship.”

You may recognize the Jewish greeting, shalom, in this word.

Shalom generally means “Peace be unto you” but also carries with it the well wishes of wholeness, wellness, restoration, contentment, and safety.

This greeting certainly packs more punch than our typical day-in and day-out exchanges of “Hi, how are you?” “Fine, how are you?”

After Christ’s resurrection, Scripture records that He greeted His disciples three times with the phrase “Peace be with you,” a translation of shalom (John 20:19, 21, 26).

The Greek word used for peace here means “the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is.”

Christ’s first message to His followers after He was raised from the dead assured them of their eternal security and peace with Him.

Our peace with God in Christ is all-encompassing and has been completely paid for in advance.

Through Christ’s finished work on the cross over two thousand years ago and our belief in and acceptance of Him, He completed us, giving us peace with Him—forever.

The Hebrew translation of shalom specifically mentions that our completeness and peace comes through covenant relationship.

This is referring to the sacred covenant of marriage.

Christ’s bride is complete and at peace with Him (Col. 2:10; Rom. 5:1).

Complete means that—through our eternal union with Christ’s Spirit—we possess all we will ever need!

We are at peace with the God of the universe because we are no longer separated from Him.

Isn’t that the best news ever!

This post is an excerpt from my first book—my six-week study on the first two chapters of the Song of Songs, His Banner over Me Is Pursuing Love.

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To learn more about what it means to be the bride of Christ, I invite you to check out my books and my video series based on my first devotional.