Herbert is so rich whilst remaining so accessible to and mindful of the reader. A joy to read. I'm wondering if he had Exodus 20:25 in mind in line 3 - "If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it" - so that the heart he offers to the Lord, and a hard heart at that, is at the same time, by the mercy of God, a holy heart, intended only for the Lord and acceptable to him as such.
Oh, I never made that link. Thank you, Richard. I’m so glad we have a minister of the Word here to enlighten us so much on these things (enlighten me, anyway!).
All of the writers of Donne's, Herbert's, and Shakespeare's time knew the most obscure Bible passages. There's an allusion to a verse from Nahum (about lions in the streets) in the play Julius Caesar. And an extraordinarily vulgar allusion to a verse in Ezekiel in Othello.
I wondered about “hard heart” as a way of expressing obstinacy or a lack of repentance. I think first of Pharaoh’s hard heart. But Herbert starts by describing his heart as broken, he is literally brokenhearted, and the tears of his heartbreak and shame become the cement of repentance. Yet, sanctification requires God to work those hard heart pieces into something that will serve as an altar of praise. The same Hebrew word used for Pharaoh’s hard heart is used when Joshua says “be strong and of good courage.” Obstinacy versus strength. Herbert’s hard and fractured heart becomes a strong heart full of praise under the Craftsman’s healing hand.
That’s such a helpful nuance. And the insight that the poem opens with an image of a broken heart is really important. Thank you for that and for bringing the Hebrew word into the conversation this way. Very helpful.
The last two lines begging God to accept the altar reminded me of how God accepted Abel's offering, but not Cain's. However, Herbert changes the sacrifice to being God's, not his, a reference to the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Herbert is so rich whilst remaining so accessible to and mindful of the reader. A joy to read. I'm wondering if he had Exodus 20:25 in mind in line 3 - "If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it" - so that the heart he offers to the Lord, and a hard heart at that, is at the same time, by the mercy of God, a holy heart, intended only for the Lord and acceptable to him as such.
Oh, I never made that link. Thank you, Richard. I’m so glad we have a minister of the Word here to enlighten us so much on these things (enlighten me, anyway!).
Any enlightening is mutual, for sure. You've created a great place for that, Karen, I'm so helped by those who comment on here.
All of the writers of Donne's, Herbert's, and Shakespeare's time knew the most obscure Bible passages. There's an allusion to a verse from Nahum (about lions in the streets) in the play Julius Caesar. And an extraordinarily vulgar allusion to a verse in Ezekiel in Othello.
Biblical literacy FTW!
I wondered about “hard heart” as a way of expressing obstinacy or a lack of repentance. I think first of Pharaoh’s hard heart. But Herbert starts by describing his heart as broken, he is literally brokenhearted, and the tears of his heartbreak and shame become the cement of repentance. Yet, sanctification requires God to work those hard heart pieces into something that will serve as an altar of praise. The same Hebrew word used for Pharaoh’s hard heart is used when Joshua says “be strong and of good courage.” Obstinacy versus strength. Herbert’s hard and fractured heart becomes a strong heart full of praise under the Craftsman’s healing hand.
That’s such a helpful nuance. And the insight that the poem opens with an image of a broken heart is really important. Thank you for that and for bringing the Hebrew word into the conversation this way. Very helpful.
The last two lines begging God to accept the altar reminded me of how God accepted Abel's offering, but not Cain's. However, Herbert changes the sacrifice to being God's, not his, a reference to the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Yes! That’s a powerful echo and transition. Thank you, Holly.
What a beautiful poem. Very meaningful.