Is there any similarity between the relationship between the Bridegroom and Bride in the Song of Solomon to a marital relationship?
Yes. Just like Jesus delights in us and enjoys us, so are the 2 in an earthly marriage to be full of overflowing love and delight for one another. Paul puts it this way:
“25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. 27 He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault” (Eph. 5:25-27 NLT).
Just like the Bridegroom shared His heart, home, throne, secrets, and beauty, so the earthly husband is to value his partner so much that he shares his all with her. He cares about her welfare and values everything about her. He is committed to her eternal well-being. She in turn responds by sharing herself intimately with her husband with all the deep things of her heart, desires and affections. They are completely loyal to one another, even while one is absent for whatever reason.
If you read the Song of Solomon carefully you will notice that all 5 senses are involved in their sensuous relationship: scents and fragrances, beautiful images, tasting one another (2:3b), listening to each other, enjoying the sound of each other, touching and feeling each other.
All the love languages are addressed. The Bridegroom brings her thoughtful gifts of flowers or silver beads and golden ornaments (1:11) and creative romantic surprises (1:16, 17). He cherishes his wife and practises sweet talking (2:10;4:1-7). They praise one another (2:9;4:7,10, 13-14), gently touch, spontaneously embrace and fondle (2:6) and spend lengthy periods of time alone together. He offers protectiveness and security (1:7;2:4). He makes her feel needed (4:4). They spontaneously go out together and get to know each other more deeply, with frank and open discussion (2:8-17; 3:5; 7:11-8:14). They uninhibitedly share their hearts, feelings and selves (2:14), and sympathetically understand one another. They live to serve one another.
The couple work though any issues that may arise (2:15-17). He is a source of strength to his wife and they honour one another. So many expressions in the Song indicate that the couple are proud of each another. They are at ease in demonstrating romantic love to one another (Song 4).
To sum up, we are told from the beginning: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Gen 2:24 KJV). To “cleave” means to stick like glue. They are totally united after they have publicly attested their union before God, as if they were one flesh. With an underlying base of such strong commitment, romance and love will flourish.