Pinxteren
The Gift of Tongues
The author reflects on the generous outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, which grants diverse gifts and speech to the faithful.
The Lord's hand is so lavishly generous. His speakers had seen him promise them eloquence before the world's mighty ones.1 And still he pours down on them from above, each his kindled tongue and speech for every land.✦ What is the surplus of gifts of every kind for?
The Boundless Wonders of God
God's power is revealed through the natural order and his infinite, unfathomable kindness.
He taught the heavens to praise his almighty power; day and the silent night proclaim it to the deaf, and all his handiwork speaks.2 But his wonders, like his kindnesses, are bottomless and shoreless.3
A Prayer for the Spirit's Speech
The author petitions the Lord for a sanctified tongue that remains faithful and fearless in the face of final judgment.
Lord, are you distributing tongues? Look down once more, and allot me one that pleases You in me—one that does not stammer where the wicked will tremble, that longs for the judgment of death and eternal life, and is unconcerned about what it will say there.4
Read the original Latin
Soo overdadigh is des Heeren milde hand. Sijn' sprekers hadden hem 't wel-spreken sien beloven Voor 's Werelds machtighe. noch stort hy haer van boven Elck zijn' ontsteken tong en tael voor yeder land. Waer toe het overschot van gaven allerhand? Hy had de Hemelen zijn' almacht leeren loven, De dagh, de stomme nacht verkondight het den doôven, En all zijn maexel spreeckt. Maer sonder grond en strand Zijn zijne wonderen, gelijck sijn' vriendlickheden. Heer, deelt ghy Tongen om? siet noch eens naer beneden, En deelt 'er my een' toe die Dy in my bevall, Die niet en stamer' daer de boofe sullen beven, Die naer den doem verlang' van dood en eeuwigh leven, En onbekommert zy wat sy daer seggen sal.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Acts.2.1-Acts.2.11 — And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all together in one place. Acts.2.2 — And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Acts.2.3 — And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed, and it sat upon each one of them. Acts.2.4 — And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts.2.5 — Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. Acts.2.6 — And at this sound the crowd came together and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Acts.2.7 — And they were amazed and astonished, saying, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?’ Acts.2.8 — And how is it that each one of us hears them speaking in our own native tongue, the language in which we were born? Acts.2.9 — Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, and those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Acts.2.10 — Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Acts.2.11 — Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the mighty deeds of God.
Notes
- 1 ↩'t wel-spreken: the gift of speaking well / Spirit-given eloquence; rendered as eloquence in the Pentecost preaching context.
- 2 ↩maexel = maaksel: creature / creation / handiwork; rendered handiwork to keep the speaking-creation figure concrete.
- 3 ↩sonder grond en strand: boundless as a sea with neither floor nor coast; kept as bottom or shore to preserve the marine image.
- 4 ↩boofe = boeven: scoundrels / the wicked. doem: doom / final judgment; rendered judgment to keep forensic force without pseudo-archaic doom-alone cadence.
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