Read: Song of Solomon 3:6-11

Look upon King Solomon. (v. 11)

As noted earlier, no one knows for sure if the Song of Solomon was written by Solomon or is simply “Solomonesque.” In today’s passage, it’s not clear if this is actually the procession of one of Solomon’s many royal weddings, or if Solomon is referred to because he would have represented the idealized bridegroom in terms of glorious pomp and circumstance.

What is clear is that something extraordinary is taking place. Frankincense and myrrh—gifts fit for a king (Matt. 2:11)—are brought and the groom comes up out of the wilderness, ascending to Jerusalem. At first, there is some mystery as to who is approaching, but then it is clear who the center of this magnificent processional is.

All of this is happening because marriage is significant. It is, perhaps, the key institution God has ordained for social order, and “people making.” When I perform weddings, I tell the bride and groom that the marriage is much more important than the wedding. I hope to take just a smidge of the pressure off—couples have so many expectations for a perfect wedding day. I doubt it helps, but I say it anyway. There is often a lot of excess and extravagance on display at weddings, and some of that has its roots here, with 60 mighty men carrying the groom in on some sort of fancy gilded couch. (Who wouldn’t want one of those?) But what matters isn’t the splendor; it’s the people, and the incredibly serious commitments they make to each other on their wedding day. —Jeff Munroe

Prayer: Lord, thanks for the gift of marriage.