The Song of Songs: The Soul and the Divine Beloved

Front Cover
Clear Press Ltd, 2004 - 296 pages
On the face of it, the biblical Song of Songs tells the tale of a passionate and worldly love. Yet it contains not one word that speaks explicitly of God or spirituality, though the Song was accepted long ago into both the Jewish and Christian scriptural canons. In this enthralling book, John Davidson brings out the spiritual meaning of one of the most intriguing books in the Bible. Over the centuries, both Jewish and Christian mystics have agreed that the Song should be understood allegorically, not literally -- in keeping with the widespread use of metaphor, parable and story among the poets and mystics of the ancient Middle East. From the perspective of a universal spirituality, John Davidson sheds light on many of the Song's obscure passages, uncovering the artistry of its unknown poet. The commentary is illuminated by passages from biblical texts and other spiritual literature, including the teachings of Jesus, Gnostic writings, Jewish and Christian mystics, and some of the ecstatic psalms found among the Dead Sea Scrolls.

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Contents

Introduction
1
The Setting of the Song
9
The Symbolism of the Song
34
I am Black but Lovely
93
I Hear my Beloved
125
Who is this Coming Up from the Desert?
149
I Sleep but my Heart is Awake
183
What makes your Beloved better?
200
your Beloved go?
207
Who is this Coming Up from the Desert?
243
You who Dwell in the Gardens
251
Abbreviations
265
Copyright

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