A Parodie
When God Seems Distant
The soul confesses its utter dependence on God and describes the profound disorientation and fear that comes when God's presence feels withdrawn.
Soul's joy, when you're gone and I'm alone—which can't be, because you stay with me, and I depend on you; Yet when you suppress the cheerfulness of your home and don't stir out among my powers, but leave me to my load: Oh, what a damp and shade invades me! No stormy night can afflict or frighten me as much as your eclipsed light.
Lord, Do Not Withdraw
The soul pleads with God not to withdraw, warns that a diminished sense of awe allows Sin to appear, and confronts Sin's false claim that God is lost.
Ah, Lord! do not withdraw, lest lack of awe make Sin appear; and when you only shine less clearly, I say that you are not here.1 And then what kind of life do I have, while Sin rages and falsely boasts that I may seek, but you are lost? Only you know—only you.
Grief and Relief
In the midst of deadly cold and near-belief in Sin's lie, the soul grieves and finds that God returns to give relief.
Oh, what a deadly cold wraps around me! I half believe that Sin is telling the truth: but while I grieve, you come and give relief.
Read the original English
Souls joy, when thou art gone, And I alone, Which cannot be, Because thou dost abide with me, And I depend on thee;
Yet when thou dost suppresse The cheerfulnesse Of thy abode, And in my powers not stirre abroad, But leave me to my load:
O what a damp and shade Doth me invade! No stormie night Can so afflict or so affright, As thy eclipsed light.
Ah Lord! do not withdraw, Lest want of aw Make Sinne appeare; And when thou dost but shine lesse cleare, Say, that thou art not here.
And then what life I have, While Sinne doth rave, And falsly boast, That I may seek, but thou art lost; Thou and alone thou know'st.
O what a deadly cold Doth me infold! I half beleeve That Sinne sayes true: but while I grieve, Thou com'st and dost relieve.
Notes
- 1 ↩Source 'but' is Early Modern 'only/merely' (not contrastive): 'when you only shine less clearly.' 'Say' is taken as first-person under the continuing force of 'lest' (parallel to subjunctive 'Make'): fear that dimmed presence will lead the speaker to deny God is here at all.
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