“The vividness and beauty of the language emerge in a fresh way . . . with evocative simplicity.” —Robert Alter, professor emeritus of Hebrew and comparative literature, University of California, Berkeley The world’s greatest poetry resides in the Bible, yet these major poets are traditionally rendered into prose. In this pioneering volume of biblical poets translated in English, Willis Barnstone restores the lyricism and power of the poets’ voices in both the New and Old Testaments. In the Hebrew Bible we hear Solomon rhapsodize in Song of Songs, David chant in Psalms, God and Job debate in grand rhetoric, and prophet poet Isaiah plead for peace. Jesus speaks in wisdom verse in the Gospel, Paul is a philosopher of love, and John of Patmos roars majestically in Revelation, the Bible’s epic poem. This groundbreaking volume includes every major biblical poem from Genesis and Adam and Eve in the Garden to the last pages of Alpha and Omega in Paradise.

The Book of First Kings 4:32 says that Solomon wrote 1005 songs. A song is poetry like the Psalms that were sung to bring forth a message from God. God deemed this song important enough to keep it in His manual, the Bible. The Books of First and Second Samuel are the historical books of David, but His love and emotions for God were written in his Psalms. Likewise, the Book of Revelation is a historical book of the bride of Christ, but the Song of Solomon is the love and emotions of Christ and His bride. This book is being published at the same time as Revelation to be companion books with the same overview. God desired a people who would be adopted into His kingdom. Christ would redeem every person who would acknowledge the plan of God to become children of the Most High God. The Bible was inspired by God (2 Tim 3:16). The Book of Song of Solomon shows the love of the Lord Jesus to His bride, the Church, who is called Shulamite. Shulamite in Hebrew is the feminine noun for Solomon. Solomon in Hebrew is shalom meaning peace unto wholeness. This wholeness comes from a relationship with the Lord which is offered to everyone, male or female, Jewish or Gentile (non-Jewish). Do not think of Solomon in this book as the king, for he too is a believer in the Lord, so therefore He too can be the Shulamite. This is not a picture of Solomons love for a woman, but instead the story of how Solomon came to love the Lord and grow spiritually throughout His life. Both Books (Revelation and Song of Solomon) are actually a symbolic picture of the Ancient Jewish Wedding. The bride is the Church, and therefore, seen as female, yet we know that God is identified as being present in both male and female. Therefore, Solomon is writing as a believer growing in his walk with the Lord. Song of Solomon, like all books in the Old Testament, point to Jesus. It cant be about Solomon and his love for a woman; IT HAS TO BE ABOUT JESUS. Therefore, it shows how a believer grows in their relationship with Jesus. The Jewish wedding takes us from the first time we see Jesus in the spirit and are engaged (salvation) to the time we see Jesus face to face in marriage (our resurrection) to the time we return with Christ to rule and reign as His wife (Millennium) to the time we live in the new heaven and earth (eternity). The intention of this book is to experience in the spirit the life of the believer growing in our knowledge and relationship with Jesus Christ.

Brings out the spiritual meaning of one of the most intriguing books in the Bible

In the Song of the Prophet, we learn that affection doesnt happen in isolation; it happens in relationship with others. However, the moments when our soul is deeply affected by the Lords divine presence, the song of all songs does just that to our spirits. God graciously gave the wisest man that ever lived a revelation of lovea love thats real and not just a passing lustful thought, a love where growth and maturity are free to exist through both pain and promise, free from rejection and shame. The Songs of Solomon give us a map of what love can become through the eyes of God. Each phrase and each verse is the language of what heaven feels about those who are called. Language is such a beautiful gift from our Lord that expresses many multifaceted emotions. These eight chapters are an invitation to sit at his feet like Mary. The Song of the Prophet shows us that the ways of God make abandonment the only way to live. Giving our Lord everything isnt weighed because of what we might lose; Jesus gave us his all, so we give all.

An compilation of three books of poetry based of poetic books of the bible-Song of Songs is perhaps one of the most unique books in the bible but is often misunderstood and misplaced by the modern reader. This interpretation is an attempt at re-framing the song in it's context as one the greatest love poems in history, translated as a poem rather than scripture and with the historical context in mind.Song of Songs is perhaps one of the most unique books in the bible but is often misunderstood and misplaced by the modern reader. This interpretation is an attempt at re-framing the song in it's context as one the greatest love poems in history, translated as a poem rather than scripture and with the historical context in mind.Ecclesiastes resonates with the world we live in today and asks many of the same questions we ask when we look at the world in its messiness and confusion. In many ways the writer, Koheleth, is just like us, wrestling with life and striving to find the meaning in it. For this reason Ecclesiastes has always been one of my favourite books of the bible and I know that others feel the same. Over the years I have returned to it again and again and constantly found it comforting, reassuring, challenging and relevant.These poetic interpretations of Ecclesiastes are my way of engaging with the text, that I might know more of God and of the world God created.