Includes bibliographical references (pages 169-171) and indexes.

Desire and satisfaction (Song of Songs 1:1-4) -- Affirmation and intimacy (Songs of Songs 1 :5-14) -- Crazy love (Songs of Songs 1:15-27) -- Waiting (Songs of Songs 2:8-17) -- Searching (Song of Songs 3:1-5) -- Money can't buy love (Song of Songs 3:6-4:7) -- Consummation (Song of Songs 4:8-5:1) -- Intimacy lost and regained (Song of Songs 5:2-6:3) -- Making up is hard to do (Song of Songs 6:1-12) -- And so, (once more) to bed (Song of Songs 6:11-8:4) -- Love and death (Song of Songs 8:5-7) -- The song that never ends (Song of Songs 8:7-14).

To many of us, Song of Songs is a puzzling book. Often we're not sure whether we should read it as romantic poetry or as allegory, and an answer either way raises new questions. Why is a love poem a whole book of the Bible? If it's allegorical, what are we to make of the imagery used? And if we're not married or dating, should we be reading this book at all? As a part of Scripture, Song of Songs is God-breathed and useful to instruct all Christians, single or married, divorced or widowed, straight or struggling with same-sex desires. Pastor-scholar Iain Duguid steers a middle way between allegorical and literal approaches, showing that this book's celebration of the love between a man and woman can not only shape our thinking about human relationships but also give us profound insight into the love that Christ has for his bride, the church. -- Amazon.com.