Song of the Song of Songs

For centuries, readers have been captivated by the Song of Songs. This book offers a profound and accessible guide to its deepest spiritual meaning, written for today's reader.

In this authoritative commentary, Archimandrite Raphael illuminates the mystical theology of the Orthodox Church while preserving the poetry and "spirit and flight" of King Solomon's immortal poem and the most enigmatic book in the Bible.

Experience the mystical meaning of the Song of Songs and find:

• A deeper understanding of the soul's yearning for Christ's love.
• Insight into the nature of divine love and grace.
• A window into the heart of Orthodox mystical theology.
• Timeless wisdom for navigating the spiritual battles of the modern world.

Excerpts:

[The soul-Shulamite to the Lord:] “Let us look at the stars, like the flowers of the night and the tears of the sky. Why does the sky weep with diamond tears? Perhaps from unrequited love for You, because You loved the little earth more than the universe and took Your Flesh from it?”

“The Almighty God, Who crushed the gates of hell, does not forcibly break the doors of the human soul, but knocks—waits until they open of their own accord.”

“…And then, when the earth will seem to shake under the feet and the walls of fortresses will sway like trees during a storm, as if a powerful battering ram breaks them into pieces—when death will look into the eyes with its cold snake-like gaze, then the Christian, losing everything, should not lose the most important thing: the name of Jesus Christ.”

“The Song of Songs is the island of the New Testament in the sea of the Old Testament, their shared heart. In the Old Testament, the captive soul longed for its release. In the New Testament, the soul that has been set free longs to be a captive of Christ’s love.”

“The Song of Songs is an internal apocalypse of the human soul, no less majestic than the Apocalypse recorded on Patmos. The tranquil light of the Song of Songs is no less bright than the flashes of lightning that illuminate the pages of the book of the Apostle John the Theologian. Its gentle voice shakes the soul no less than the sounds of thunder in the Patmos revelations. The Song of Songs begins in Eden, its course flows through the history of mankind, and its mouth flows into eternity.”

About the author: Archimandrite Raphael (Karelin, 1931—), a cleric of the Georgian Orthodox Church, is a celebrated writer in Georgia and Russia on Orthodox spirituality. He is the author of many diverse and profound books and articles, until recently largely unknown to the English-speaking world.

Cover Image Credit: Original image, “Webb’s First Deep Field,” NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI, used as the basis for the cover design.