February 10, 2025 - Song of Solomon 3:1 - A Troubled Heart

Song of Solomon 3:1

"By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not."

Song of Solomon 3:1 is a poetic and deeply emotional verse that captures the longing and desire of the Shulamite woman for her beloved. This verse is part of a larger narrative in which she searches for him, expressing themes of love, yearning, and the fear of separation from the One she loved because of his love for her.

The Song of Solomon—also known as the Song of Songs—is a beautifully written God-inspired love poem that is rich in the symbolic and spiritual significance of the love of Christ for His Church, and the Church for Christ. What is outlined in this song is an allegory of Christ’s love for the Church (the elect of God). In Song of Solomon 3:1, the Bride expresses her longing for her Beloved King, who has set His affection on her; this reflects the deep yearning of the soul for His presence during His absence.

Nighttime is typically intended for rest, relaxation, and the restoration of both body and mind. And yet, night can also be a time of loneliness, isolation, and anxious fretfulness about the past or what lies ahead. Insomnia may be caused by stress, worry, or other factors—and even God's children are not spared. Since it is God who ordains all things, we must understand that even on the nights when sleep fails, yet, these have been ordained by God to cause His children to cry out for help and relief.

At such times, our hearts may sink lower than we ever imagined, as the LORD may choose to hide Himself for a season. In this scripture, the Shulamite woman, representing the Bride of Christ—His Church—eagerly desires the presence of the King (Christ) and awaits His return at the end of a time of absence. For reasons known only to God, there are times when He conceals the blessing of His Presence—not to torment His children, but to intensify their yearning for Him.

No one understands more fully than the LORD Jesus what it was to be the Man of sorrows, acquainted with grief during His time of humiliation when He bore the weight of His people’s sin to satisfy God the Father's law and justice (Psalm 22:1). However, because the LORD Jesus has already borne the Father’s chastening on behalf of His children, we can rest assured that there is not an ounce of wrath in God's dealings with us; rather, “Whom He loves, He chastens and scourges every son'" (Hebrews 12:6,7) not to consume them but to draw them lovingly to Himself through times of discipline—or the night seasons of life.

Such was the case of the Shulamite woman who, in a season of darkness, reasoned: “I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?... I opened to my Beloved, but my Beloved had withdrawn Himself and was gone...” (Song of Solomon 5:3–6). Of all the blessings bestowed on the Church in Christ, no chastening is felt more deeply than the heartache of the LORD hiding His face or temporarily withdrawing His presence. This pain is experienced most acutely by a wife and children whose husband and father must be away for a while, making the separation almost unbearable.

Our comfort lies in knowing that the LORD understands our endless need for Him and will not cause any of His beloved children to suffer beyond what they can bear. His delays in renewing His presence through His Spirit are designed to deepen our awareness of our need for Him and to humble us, lest we become prideful or lethargic in the face of His gracious mercies and blessings. Although He chastens by withdrawing, He always ensures that He is found: “I found Him Whom my soul loveth: I held Him, and would not let Him go...” (Song of Solomon 3:4).