The Bag
The Lord Who Hears in the Storm
Despair is silenced because Christ, even when he seems asleep, steers the storm-tossed boat with an untroubled heart.
Get away, despair; my gracious Lord hears. Though winds and waves assault my keel, he preserves it: he steers, even when the boat seems just about to reel.✦ Storms are the triumph of his art: he may well close his eyes, but not his heart.✦1
The Strange Descent of Glory
The poem announces Jesus' death and tells the strange story of God laying aside heavenly glory to be clothed below.
Haven't you heard that my Lord Jesus died? Then let me tell you a strange story. The God of power, as he rode in his majestic robes of glory, resolved to come down: and so one day he descended, undressing all the way.✦2 The stars received his headdress of light and rings; the cloud his bow, the fire his spear; the sky gained his azure mantle.3 And when they asked what he would wear, he smiled and said as he went that he had new clothes being made here below.4
The Inn Where Love Paid All
At the inn, Jesus endures blows and finally gives his life as the payment for sin.
When he arrived, as travelers usually do, he went to an inn. Both then and afterward he endured many a hard blow to cancel sin, and having already given everything else, here he gave up his life to pay our debt.5
The Wounded Side Becomes the Bag
The spear wound becomes a living bag, placed near Christ's heart, where all our messages to the Father are safely kept.
But as he was returning, someone came who ran at him with a spear. He had come there alone, with no companion, no weapons, and no fear. He took the blow to his side, and immediately turned and shouted to his brothers:6 If you have anything to send or write — I have no bag, but there's room here — believe me, it will safely reach my Father's hands and sight. I'll be mindful of what you share; look, you may put it very near my heart.7
An Ever-Open Door for Every Sigh
Christ's side remains open to every friend, so sighs become sure messengers and despair is sent away.
Or if from now on any of my friends wants to use me this way, the door will stay open; whatever he sends, I'll present — and something more, not to his harm. Sighs will carry anything to me. Listen, despair — away.
Read the original English
Away despair; my gracious Lord doth heare. Though windes and waves assault my keel, He doth preserve it: he doth steer, Ev'n when the boat seems most to reel. Storms are the triumph of his art: Well may he close his eyes, but not his heart.
Hast thou not heard, that my Lord Jesus di'd? Then let me tell thee a strange storie. The God of power, as he did ride In his majestick robes of glorie, Resolv'd to light: and so one day He did descend, undressing all the way.
The starres his tire of light and rings obtain'd, The cloud his bow, the fire his spear, The skie his azure mantle gain'd. And when they ask'd, what he would wear; He smil'd and said as he did go, He had new clothes a making here below.
When he was come, as travellers are wont, He did repair unto an inne. Both then and after, many a brunt He did endure to cancell sinne: And having giv'n the rest before, Here he gave up his life to pay our score.
But as he was returning, there came one That ran upon him with a spear. He, who came hither all alone, Bringing nor man, nor arms, nor fear, Receiv'd the blow upon his side, And straight he turn'd, and to his brethren cry'd,
If ye have any thing to send or write, (I have no bag, but here is room) Unto my fathers hands and sight (Beleeve me) it shall safely come. That I shall minde, what you impart; Look, you may put it very neare my heart.
Or if hereafter any of my friends Will use me in this kinde, the doore Shall still be open; what he sends I will present, and somewhat more, Not to his hurt. Sighs will convey Any thing to me. Heark despair, away.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Matt.8.23-Matt.8.27;Mark.4.35-Mark.4.41;Luke.8.22-Luke.8.25 — And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. Matt.8.24 — And behold, a great storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was sleeping. Matt.8.25 — And they came to him, woke him, saying, 'Lord, save us! We are perishing!' Matt.8.26 — And he said to them, 'Why are you afraid, you of little faith?' Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. Matt.8.27 — But the men marveled, saying, 'What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?' Mark.4.35 — On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side." Mark.4.36 — And leaving the crowd, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him. Mark.4.37 — And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat against the boat, so that the boat was already filling up. Mark.4.38 — And he was in the stern, on the cushion, sleeping. And they wake him and say to him, 'Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?' Mark.4.39 — And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, 'Be silent! Be muzzled!' And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Mark.4.40 — And he said to them, 'Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?' Mark.4.41 — And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, 'Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?' Luke.8.22 — One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side of the lake." And they set out. Luke.8.23 — But as they were sailing, he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down upon the lake, and they were filling up with water, and they were in danger. Luke.8.24 — They came to him and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water, and they ceased, and there was a calm. Luke.8.25 — He said to them, "Where is your faith?" But they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?"
- ↩Mark.4.38;Matt.8.24;Luke.8.23 — And he was in the stern, on the cushion, sleeping. And they wake him and say to him, 'Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?' Matt.8.24 — And behold, a great storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was sleeping. Luke.8.23 — But as they were sailing, he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down upon the lake, and they were filling up with water, and they were in danger.
- ↩Phil.2.6-Phil.2.8 — who, existing in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to exploit, Phil.2.7 — but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness, and appearing as a human being. Phil.2.8 — And he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Notes
- 1 ↩"Art" here means skill or mastery (as of a pilot), not fine art; storms are where that skill shows its triumph.
- 2 ↩Source 'Resolv'd to light' uses early-modern 'light' = alight/come down, not illuminate; rendered as 'come down' to match the following 'He did descend'.
- 3 ↩Early modern 'tire' means attire, especially an ornamental headdress; rendered as 'headdress' to keep the jeweled light-and-rings image clear.
- 4 ↩Early modern progressive 'a making' means 'in the making' / 'being made'; not a separate garment style.
- 5 ↩Source 'score' is the inn-tab/account metaphor; rendered 'debt' to keep the payment sense clear in modern English while preserving the redemptive force.
- 6 ↩"Arms" is taken as weapons (not bodily arms). "Brethren" is rendered "brothers" in modern address; in Herbert's allegory these are the disciples / the church who receive Christ's post-wound charge.
- 7 ↩Early Modern 'minde' means keep in mind / take care of / attend to; rendered as 'mind' in that sense, not 'object to'.
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