Category Archives: George Herbert

30 Wednesday Mar 2022

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Love bade me welcome. Yet my soul drew back

                              Guilty of dust and sin.

But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack

                             From my first entrance in,

Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning,

If I lacked any thing.

A guest, I answered, worthy to be here:

                             Love said, You shall be he.

I the unkind, ungrateful? Ah my dear,

                             I cannot look on thee.

Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,

                             Who made the eyes but I?

Truth Lord, but I have marred them: let my shame

                             Go where it doth deserve.

And know you not, says Love, who bore the blame?

                             My dear, then I will serve.

You must sit down, says Love, and taste my meat:

So I did sit and eat.

The poet has come to the door of Love and welcomed him. The scene is much like the image of Wisdom inviting the young man to come to eat:

Proverbs 9:1–6 (AV)

1 Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: 2 She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table. 3 She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city, 4 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, 5 Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled. 6 Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

And then like the withdrawn lover in the Song of Solomon, he draws back:

Song of Solomon 5:5–6 (AV)

5 I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. 6 I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.

Why then will he not enter, even though he has been invited. He is Guilty of dust and sin.

Dust and sin are closely linked together, because the primal sin brought about the judgment of returning to dust:

Genesis 3:19 (AV)

19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

And here is the beauty of Love. It sees that poor sinner, undressed and unfit to enter. He begins to slink back, and Love says, is there anything you need?

Deuteronomy 2:7 (AV)

7 For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.

Yes, someone who is worthy to be here. To which love responds, you will be that guest.

Here is the beauty of the Love of God: it does not love the sinner because the sinner is worthy. Rather, the love of God makes the sinner worthy of the love. The love of God transforms the object so loved:

Romans 5:6–10 (AV)

6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Ephesians 5:25–30 (AV)

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

1 John 4:7–11 (AV)

7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

It is a wonder how Herbert so aptly pictures this love which goes and takes the one who is not fit and makes him fit to enter.

And then he says, I have marred the eyes you have made. I cannot look on you, Love. Let me go away as my shame deserves that. No, you will not go. There is blame, but who bore your blame? That is Christ:

2 Corinthians 5:21 (AV)

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Our sin is placed upon Christ; and the merit and righteousness of Christ becomes our. He bore the blame and thus making us fit invites us to a feast:

Matthew 8:10–11 (AV)

10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

The last line of this poem is marvelous, it is simple and direct. His sin has been carried, his shame taken by another. The insistence of love has overcome all objections, and so there is nothing but to sit and eat.

George Herbert: On Christian Worship in Song

21 Saturday May 2016

Posted by in George Herbert, Music, Uncategorized, Worship

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This is a fascinating poem — which makes a profound point on the importance of singing in Christian worship. First, his poem “A True Hymn” begins with the observation –which any Christian has had– of singing joyfully partial lines and fragments of hymns. (The singer has created series of short phrases which he sings repeatedly):

MY Joy, my Life, my Crown !
My heart was meaning all the day,
Somewhat it fain would say,
And still it runneth muttering up and down
With only this, My Joy, my Life, my Crown !

Herbert tacitly concedes that the few lines are not great, but he then turns around and says “they may take part/Among the best in art”.  What makes the “few words” great is that the words perfectly accord with the soul:

Yet slight not those few words ;
If truly said, they may take part
Among the best in art :
The fineness which a hymn or psalm affords
Is, when the soul unto the lines accord.

Herbert is not saying that the songs of gathered worship should be poorly drafted (Herbert is one of the finest poets of the English language).  He is speaking about the joyful heart spontaneously bursting out lines. I think it would be turning Herbert on his head to argue that he would support poorly written songs as part of gathered worship.

But, we also must not make worship hang solely upon the artistry of the expression:

He who craves all the mind,
And all the soul, and strength, and time,
If the words only rhyme,
Justly complains that somewhat is behind
To make His verse, or write a hymn in kind.

Because, artistry is not alone the true measure of worship:

 

Whereas if the heart be moved,
Although the verse be somewhat scant,
God doth supply the want ;
As when the heart says, sighing to be approved,
“O, could I love !” and stops, God writeth, “Loved.”

An analogy may help here: Imagine two men who each write a letter to a young lady. One man writes without true love, without any actual desire for the woman, but he writes as well as Shakespeare. The second man writes with far less artistry, but he writes as well as his bursting heart can manage. The young lady knows the truth of both men: which man has successfully expressed love?

 

 

 

 

George Herbert, Dialogue Anthem: Christian, Death

05 Friday Jun 2015

Posted by in George Herbert, Literature

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A DIALOGUE-ANTHEM.

CHRISTIAN, DEATH.

Chr. ALAS, poor Death ! where is thy glory ?
Where is thy famous force, thy ancient sting ?
Dea. Alas, poor mortal, void of story !
Go spell and read how I have killed thy King.
Chr. Poor Death ! and who was hurt thereby ?
Thy curse being laid on Him makes thee accurst.
Dea. Let losers talk, yet thou shalt die ;
These arms shall crush thee.
Chr. Spare not, do thy worst.
I shall be one day better than before ;
Thou so much worse, that thou shalt be no more.

1 Corinthians 15:50–58 (ESV)

50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”

55  “O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?”

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Colossians 3:3, George Herbert

25 Saturday Oct 2014

Posted by in Colossians, George Herbert, Literature

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Coloss: 3.3′

Our life is hid with Christ in God.

My words and thoughts do both express this notion,
That Life hath with the sun a double motion.
The first Is straight, and our diurnal friend,
The  other  Hid, and doth obliquely bend.
One life is wrapped In flesh, and tends to earth:
The other winds towards Him, whose happy birth
Taught me to live here so, That still one eye
Should aim and shoot at that which Is on high:
Quitting  with  daily    labour     all       My  pleasure,
To   gain   at   harvest   an   eternal          Treasure.

Easter Wings

08 Monday Sep 2014

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Lord, Who createdst man in wealth and store,
Though foolishly he lost the same,
Decaying more and more,
Till he became
Most poore:

With Thee
O let me rise,
As larks, harmoniously,
And sing this day Thy victories:
Then shall the fall further the flight in me.

My tender age in sorrow did beginne;
And still with sicknesses and shame
Thou didst so punish sinne,
That I became
Most thinne.

With Thee
Let me combine,
And feel this day Thy victorie;
For, if I imp my wing on Thine,
Affliction shall advance the flight in me.

Come my joy

11 Monday Aug 2014

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¶ The Call.

Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life:
Such a Way, as gives us breath:
Such a Truth, as ends all strife:
Such a Life, as killeth death.

Come, my Light, my Feast, my Strength:
Such a Light, as shows a feast:
Such a Feast, as mends in length:
Such a Strength, as makes his guest.

Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart:
Such a Joy, as none can move:
Such a Love, as none can part:
Such a Heart, as joyes in love.

-George Herbert

George Herbert, Prayer II (Annotated)

21 Monday Jul 2014

Posted by in George Herbert, Literature, Prayer

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This poem on prayer by George Herbert builds its case upon a dense theological argument and biblical allusion. Without rightly understanding the theological and biblical case being made by Herbert, one will misunderstand Herbert’s praise. Herbert’s access to God in prayer comes directly through the incarnation and atonement of Christ. 

¶    Prayer. (II)

       OF what an easie quick accesse[1],
My blessed Lord, art thou! how suddenly
       May our requests thine eare invade![2]
To shew that state dislikes not easinesse,
If I but lift mine eyes[3], my suit is made:
Thou canst no more not heare, then thou canst die[4].
       Of what supreme almightie power
Is thy great arm[5], which spans the east and west,
       And tacks the centre to the sphere!
By it do all things live their measur’d houre[6]:
We cannot ask the thing, which is not there,
Blaming the shallownesse of our request[7].
       Of what unmeasurable love[8]
Art thou possest, who, when thou couldst not die,
       Wert fain[9] to take our flesh[10] and curse,[11]
And for our sakes in person sinne reprove,[12]
That by destroying that which ty’d thy purse,
Thou mightst make way for liberalitie![13]
       Since then these three wait on thy throne[14],
Ease, Power, and Love; I value prayer so,
       That were I to leave all but one,
Wealth, fame, endowments, vertues, all should go;
I and deare prayer would together dwell,
And quickly gain, for each inch lost, an ell.[15]

For annotations,  Continue reading →

Death, Where is Your Victory?

24 Saturday May 2014

Posted by in 1 Corinthians, George Herbert, Literature, Resurrection

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To understand Herbert’s poem, you must first understand his text, 1 Corinthians 15:

50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.
54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

DEATH

By George Herbert

Death, thou wast once an uncouth hideous thing,
Nothing but bones,
The sad effect of sadder groans:
Thy mouth was open, but thou couldst not sing.

For we considered thee as at some six
Or ten years hence,
After the loss of life and sense,
Flesh being turned to dust, and bones to sticks.

We looked on this side of thee, shooting short;
Where we did find
The shells of fledge souls left behind,
Dry dust, which sheds no tears, but may extort.

But since our Savior’s death did put some blood
Into thy face,
Thou art grown fair and full of grace,
Much in request, much sought for as a good.

For we do now behold thee gay and glad,
As at Doomsday;
When souls shall wear their new array,
And all thy bones with beauty shall be clad.

Therefore we can go die as sleep, and trust
Half that we have
Unto an honest faithful grave;
Making our pillows either down, or dust.

The Call, A Poem by George Herbert

19 Wednesday Feb 2014

Posted by in Ephesians, George Herbert, John, Literature, Puritan

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Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life:

Such a Way, as gives us breath:

Such a Truth, as ends all strife:

Such a Life, as killeth death.

 

Come, my Light, my Feast, my Strength:

Such a Light, as shows a feast:

Such a Feast, as mends in length:

Such a Strength, as makes his guest.

 

Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart:

Such a Joy, as none can move:

Such a Love, as none can part:

Such a Heart, as joyes in love.

 

 

Notes:

 Meter & Structure: The poem primarily uses regularly iambic feet (unaccented syllable, accented syllable, “my WAY, my TURTH, my LIFE). However, the first foot of each stanza begins with a single syllable, the strongly accented “Come”. This gives the poem a quick movement and also emphasis the imperative, “Come”.

 

The first foot of lines 2-4 are stressed-unstressed-stressed; the amphibrach: “Such a Way”. The effect of the amphibrach is to set the first part off of the line off as the subject of the clause, “SUCH a WAY — as gives us life”. Also note that each noun in lines 2-4 has been introduced in line 1.

 Each stanza begins with an imperatival prayer, “Come” followed by three nouns. In the first two stanzas, the nouns describe Christ and found in John’s Gospel. The third stanza describes the subject results of the relationship to Christ, joy, love, heart.

 In all three stanza, lines 2-4 show the effect of each attribute, “Life which kills death”.

 In addition to the end rhyme ABAB, Herbert has also embedded an additional in lines 2-4 of each stanza: The last word of the second line rhymes with the third word of the third line. The last word of the third line rhymes with the third word of the fourth line:

 Breath-truth

Stife-life

Feast-Feast

Length-Strength

Move-Love

Part-Heart

 

Descriptions of Christ: The descriptions of Christ would have been readily known to any contemporary reader of Herbert’s poem.

 

First Stanza: Way, Truth & Life: This comes directly from John 14:6. The scene is during the “last supper” of Jesus and his disciples. Jesus is asked a question and answers. Here is the contex and the quotation (as found in John 14:1-6, ESV translation):

 

1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

4 And you know the way to where I am going.”

5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

 

Second Stanza: Light, Feast, Strength: This triad does not appear in a single verse; however it is a common set of associations in the gospel of John.

Light: The prologue to John’s Gospel makes repeated references to Jesus (the Word) being the true light:

 

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 He was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.

8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.

11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:1-13

 

Jesus refers to himself as the “light” at a “feast”, which is recorded in John 7-8. In John 8:12, Jesus proclaims,

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

 The ESV Study Bible notes provides the background for this usage:

 

John 8:12 I am. See note on 6:35. Jesus is the light of the world (see note on 1:4–5; also 3:19–21; 12:35–36, 46). Jesus fulfills OT promises of the coming of the “light” of salvation and the “light” of God (e.g., Ex. 25:37; Lev. 24:2; Ps. 27:1; Isa. 9:2; 42:6; 49:6; John 9:5; Acts 13:47; 26:18, 23; Eph. 5:8–14; 1 John 1:5–7).

 

Feast: In addition to Jesus speaking at the feast, Jesus also said that he was the proper feast of humanity:

 

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.

37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.

39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.

40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

John 6:35-40.

 

Certainly this “feast” will be a demonstration of “strength”.

 

The ESV Study Bible notes here:

 

John 6:35 Jesus’ claim, “I am the bread of life,” constitutes the first of seven “I am” sayings recorded in this Gospel (see chart). Apart from these sayings there are also several absolute statements where Jesus refers to himself as “I am” (e.g., v. 20; 8:24, 28, 58; 18:5), in keeping with the reference to God as “I am” in Ex. 3:14 and the book of Isaiah (e.g., Isa. 41:4; 43:10, 25). Jesus is the “bread of life” in the sense that he nourishes people spiritually and satisfies the deep spiritual longings of their souls. In that sense, those who trust in him shall not hunger; that is, their spiritual longing to know God will be satisfied (cf. John 4:14 for a similar discussion of satisfying people’s spiritual thirst).

 Strength: While “strength” is not an appellation used by John of Jesus, it is a common enough description of God. John unquestionably takes over the understand of God in the Old Testament and applies it to Jesus. Herbert, an orthodox Christian, would likewise have no hesitation to make such a usage. Here is an example of the usage from Exodus 15:2:

 The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

 

Third Stanza, Joy, Love, Heart. This final triad differs from the first two in that these are not images derived from John’s description. Rather, these are responses of the worshipper to Jesus.

Joy: In John 15, Jesus says that he has come to produce love and joy in the hearts of his disciples:

 

10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.

11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

 Herbert has taken over the effect (love and joy) and attributed the effect to cause (Jesus). Thus, by producing love and joy Jesus is Herbert’s love and joy.

This matter of joy was a serious concern for the theologian and pastor of Herbert’s day. While the Puritans are caricatured as dour, sour people, their concerns where quite different: joy was a constant concern and desire. In particular, joy was seen as the result of knowing God and the gift of God:

 

As it is not the great cage that makes the bird sing, so it is not the great estate that makes the happy life, nor the great portion that makes the happy soul. There is no true comfort nor no true happiness to be drawn out of the standing pools of outward sufficiencies. All true comfort and happiness is only to be found in having of an all-sufficient God for your portion: Ps. 144:15, ‘Happy is that people that is in such a case, yea, happy is that people whose God is the Lord.’ And therefore, as ever you would be happy in both worlds, it very highly concerns you to get an interest in God, and to be restless in your own souls till you come to enjoy God for your portion.

 

Thomas Brooks, The Complete Works of Thomas Brooks, ed. Alexander Balloch Grosart, vol. 2, “An Ark for All God’s Noahs” (Edinburgh; London; Dublin: James Nichol; James Nisbet and Co.; G. Herbert, 1866), 7.

 Love

 

(3.) Our love to God shall never be abolished.—“Love never faileth;”* the same kind of love, the same numerical love that was in gracious persons on earth, shall be continued in heaven, and receive its perfection presently after its delivery from the body of death. There will be a greater change in all our graces than in our love. A great part of our life is taken up in the exercise of those graces, that, I may in some respect say, die with us. The one-half of our life is, or should be, spent in mortification. The whole of our time needs the exercise of our patience. Our life, at best, is but a life of faith. Much of our sweet communion with God is fetched-in by secret prayer. But now, in heaven, there shall be no sin to be mortified, nothing grievous to be endured. Faith shall be swallowed up in enjoyment, and your petitions shall be all answered. So that now, Christians, set yourselves to love God, and you shall no way lose your labour. Other graces are but as physic to the soul,—desirable for something else, which when obtained, they are useless; but love to God is the healthful constitution of the soul,—there is never any thing of it in any sense useless. Most of the graces of the Spirit do by our souls as our friends by our bodies, who accompany them to the grave, and there leave them; but now love to God is the alone grace, that is to our souls the same that a good conscience [is],—our best friend in both worlds.

 

James Nichols, Puritan Sermons, vol. 1, “How May We Attain to Love God With All Our Hearts, Souls, and Minds?”, Rev., Samuel Annesley, LL.D., (Wheaton, IL: Richard Owen Roberts, Publishers, 1981), 606.

 

Heart: The final image of Jesus being one’s “heart” is a traditional English usage for that which is most important to one. While Jesus is never said to be one’s heart in the Scripture, Paul’s letter to the Ephesians states that Jesus will dwell in a believer’s heart. In fact the entire complex of images used in Paul’s prayer may have an additional source of Herbert’s imagery for this poem:

 

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,

15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,

16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith-that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19.