>”There is no book of the Bible which affords a better test of the depth of a man’s Christianity than the Song of Solomon. (1) If a man’s religion be all in his head, – a well-set form of doctrines, built like mason-work, stone above stone,- but exercising no influence upon his heart, this book cannot but offend him; for there are no stiff statements of doctrine here upon which his heartless religion may be built. (2) Or, if a man’s religion be all his fancy – if, like Pliable from Pilgrim’s Progress, he be taken with the outward beauty of Christianity – if, like the seed sown upon the rocky ground, his religion is fixed only in the surface faculties of the mind, while the heart remains rock and unmoved; though he will relish this book more than the first man, still there is a mysterious breathing of intimate affection in it, which cannot but stumble and offend him. (3) But if a man’s religion be heart religion – if he hath not only doctrines in his head, but love to Jesus in his heart – if he hath not only heard and read of the Lord Jesus, but hath felt his need of Him, and been brought to cleave unto Him, as the chiefest among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely, then this book will be inestimably precious to his soul; for it contains the tenderest breathings of the believer’s heart toward the Saviour, and the tendereth breathings of the Saviour’s heart again toward the believer.
It is agreed among the best interpreters of this book – (1) that it consists not of one song, but of many songs; (2) that these songs are in dramatic form; and (3) that, like the parables of Christ, they contain a spiritual meaning, under the dress and ornaments of some poetical incident.” from Sermon ‘The Voice Of My Beloved’ Robert Murray M’Cheyne on Song Of Solomon 2:8-17.