Friends, pastor/poet Holy George Herbert (1593 -1633) shone like a lodestar for my college English Lit. professor, Dr. Ed Ericson. Ericson told us: “When Herbert crossed from his home to pray in the church at regularly scheduled hours, men working in the fields stopped working, knelt in prayer, joining their parson in spirit. He became known throughout England as Holy Mr. Herbert.”
That 364-year-old story planted a lively seed in my liberated soul.
Paul wrote: “You belong to him who has been raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God.” (Romans 7:4) “Valley of Vision” heralds: “Resurrected Jesus strides forth as Victor, Conqueror of death, hell and all opposing might, trampling the powers of darkness, the devil’s scepter shivered, his wrongful throne leveled.”
Really? Yes.
Despite having only a mustard-seed faith, for me, college meant new worlds opening, including Herbert’s “soul-full” poetry.
For “soul,” some pursue “psychology” – literally, “soul” (“psyche”) “study” (“logy”). But, much “psychology” grasps neither our souls nor God. Understand Solzhenitsyn: “The meaning of earthly existence lies not in material prospering but in soul development.”
Here, to develop “soul,” we’ll be grounded by Scripture: a Hebrew word, ‘qashar’ and Isaiah. Eventually, we’ll return to Herbert.
The Bible is refreshingly soul-full. Consider, Benjamin’s father, Jacob. Jacob’s “‘soul’ is ‘bound up’ ‘in’” (‘with’/’attached to’/‘dependent upon’/‘joined to’/‘trussed to’) Benjamin’s “‘soul.’” And: “Jonathan’s ‘soul’ was “knit” to the ‘soul’ of David. Jonathan loved him as his own ‘soul.’” (Genesis 44:30, 1 Samuel 18:1)
Note the connection of “qashar,” “bound up”/“knit,” with “soul.” Healthy/holy souls deepen relationships.
Likewise, when a co-laborer first held his adopted baby, my friend felt his heart enlarge with new rivers of love. Tender filigrees of love in the soul may become strong cords binding soul and soul.
Sadly, forces, like death, attempt to rupture those bonds. “We said a heartbreaking goodbye to my Uncle Nat Belz, a great and kind friend. We already miss his brilliant sense of humor and his unwavering faith in God.” (Stephen Lutz, 4/1/23)
Accordingly, the Great Soul asks: “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no ‘compassion’ on the son of her womb?” (Isaiah 49:15) “Compassion” is from “racham,” “womb,” often a place of bonded love.
Could a mother “forget” her nursing child? Yes, the Fall made us self-absorbed, oblivious “fools.” Proverbs shows us we mocking fools forget godly wisdom, healthy discipline, and sexual purity.
Alas, “foolishness” also is ‘bound up’” (‘qashar’) “in the heart(!) of a child.” (Proverbs 22:15) What may we naturally foolish children do as adults? Twenty-six times the Old Testament describes sinners like us twisting “qashar” so we are “bound together” in treacherous “conspiracies.”
Now, returning to Isaiah, God promises: “Even a woman may forget her nursing child, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.” (Isaiah 49: 15,16) Among those who first heard these words, who could have anticipated the Greatest Cost, Christ’s engraved/cross-scarred hands, seven hundred years later?
Peter writes: “He himself bore our ‘sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to ‘sin’ and live to righteousness; for by his wounds you were healed.” (1 Peter 2: 24) Because of our “sins, our “harmartia,” we naturally, willingly “overlook/miss the target” of connecting with God/neighbor. But, by his wounds, Christian and those who will yet trust Jesus, you were healed!
Paul promised: “Now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13)
Rahab, a prostitute from Jericho, gives us a picture of being “brought near.” Jewish spies came to Jericho. Rahab helped them escape down a scarlet rope tied to her home’s window on Jericho’s wall. Cherishing her “kindness” (“hesed”), the spies promised: “Behold, when we come (to destroy Jericho), you shall “tie” (“qashar”) this scarlet cord in the window” and all in your house will be saved. Later, when the mighty walls of Jericho collapsed, her section stood. (Joshua 2:18)
And so it shall be for those saved from God’s judgment by Christ’s blood, his scarlet cord, his rescuing/purifying blood.
God continues to reveal his redeeming work through Isaiah’s prophecy: “As I live” (the LORD is making a certified vow), declares the LORD “you shall put them all (returning exiles and Gentiles) on as an ‘ornament’ (‘jewel’); you shall ‘bind them on’ (‘qashar’) as a bride does.” (Isaiah 49:18) What hope for exiles and Gentiles like us – bound together, loving God and neighbor truly, beautifully.
Now, at last, we return to Herbert. Like Isaiah, he anticipated glorious enhancement. Our virtuoso wordsmith wrote of another pastor/priest, Aaron, and Aaron’s high priestly adornment. As you read Herbert’s poem below, you’ll notice this masterful five-stanza poem uses the same word to conclude the same line in each stanza. Still, Christian friend, Gospel progress transforms those words. Here poetic/real imagery girds you to imagine God renovating your soul.
“Aaron”
“Holiness on the ‘head’,
Light and perfections on the ‘breast,’
Harmonious bells below, raising the ‘dead’
To lead them unto life and ‘rest’:
Thus are true Aarons ‘drest.’
“Profaneness in my ‘head,’
Defects and darkness in my ‘breast,’
A noise of passions ringing me for ‘dead’
Unto a place where is no ‘rest’:
Poor priest, thus am I ‘drest.’
“Only another ‘head’
I have, another heart and ‘breast,’
Another music, making live, not ‘dead,’
Without whom I could have no ‘rest’:
In him I am well ‘drest.’
“Christ is my only ‘head,’
My alone-only heart and ‘breast,’
My only music, striking me ev’n ‘dead,’
That to the old man I may ‘rest,’
And be in him new-‘drest.’
“So, holy in my ‘head,’
Perfect and light in my dear ‘breast,’
My doctrine tun’d by Christ (who is not ‘dead,’
But lives in me while I do ‘rest’),
Come people; Aaron’s ‘drest.’”
Friend, in faith’s time warp, may Herbert’s words published in 1633 foster/cement your soul’s union with Christ today.
Note 1: Source for Ericson’s quote: Christianity Today, 9/10/71. Ericson wrote his doctoral thesis on Herbert.
Note 2: Alexander Solzhenitsyn, “Gulag Archipelago,” p. 613.
Note 3: Herbert’s father, a member of Parliament, died when Herbert was three.
Herbert’s extraordinary mother, Magdalen, managed the estate, moved residences, and supervised her ten children’s academic and spiritual education, including child #9, George. In 1627, pastor/poet John Donne preached his friend Magdalen’s funeral sermon.
Herbert won scholarships, becoming Cambridge University’s public orator and serving in Parliament. He was “slated to become the nation’s secretary of state.” (Ericson)
But somehow, God called Herbert. Herbert answered by becoming the rector of a tiny parish in Bemerton. While there, he preached, wrote poetry, and rebuilt the church from his own funds.
On his deathbed, he sent his poetry to a friend asking him to publish his poems only if they might do some good to “any dejected poor ‘soul.’” In a few decades, Herbert’s book had been republished 20 times. Remarkable.
Note 4: Tuberculosis (consumption) attacks the lungs. It took 40-year-old Herbert’s life. At the turn of the 20th century, it was the leading cause of death in the US. In 2020, there were 7,174 TB cases which accounted for 600 deaths.
Note 5: To better understand Herbert’s poem, “Aaron,” Google “Aaron’s priestly garments” for an illustration.
Note 6: Illustration of the High Priest for the web page is from the Bostrom family Bible – printed 1872 – given as a Christmas gift from Martha Bostrom to Lars Bostrom, Christmas 1887.
