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Psalms and Song of Songs

  1. Lesson One
    Overview of Poetry
    31 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  2. Lesson Two
    Poetic Structures
    22 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  3. Lesson Three
    Praise and Lament
    24 Activities
    |
    2 Assessments
  4. Lesson Four
    The Diversity of Psalms
    28 Activities
  5. Lesson Five
    Song of Songs
    20 Activities
  6. Course Wrap-Up
    Course Completion
    1 Activity
    |
    1 Assessment

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Psalms and Song of Songs Song of Songs Behind | Egyptian Parallels
Lesson 5, Activity 10

Behind | Egyptian Parallels

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By placing selections from the Song of Songs alongside assorted Egyptian lyrics dating to the same period, the similarity of the biblical text to contemporary parallels is obvious.

Egyptian LyricsSong of Songs
I am yours like the field planted with flowers and with all sorts of fragrant plants.My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms in the vineyards . . . I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.
To hear your voice is pomegranate wine (to me): I draw life from hearing it. Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate behind your veil.
Come spend the day in pleasure, (one) morning, then another – two days, sitting in (my) shade.With great delight I sat in his shadow, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
Her friend is at her right as she gets him intoxicated and does whatever he says.O that his left hand were under my head, and that his right hand embraced me!

Source: “Song of Songs 1: Book Of,” Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings, edited by Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns, 2008, p. 744.

The Song of Songs is meant to be read in the context of the larger canon. If we isolate it, we might lose touch with what makes it most unique among other ancient love poetry of this type—its place in Israel’s story and in the Bible as a whole. Only when we plug it into the larger story can we make connections or allow it to inform our understanding of romance and sexual love in the context of Christ’s body, the Church.