Whitsunday
The Dove's Call and Pentecost's Fire
The speaker asks the Dove to make his heart winged, then wonders where the fire of Pentecost has gone, remembering the Spirit's first open-house feast through the apostles.
Listen, sweet Dove, to my song, and spread your golden wings in me—hatching my tender heart for so long until it grows wings and flies away with you. Where is the fire that once descended upon your Apostles?✦ Back then, you kept an open house, richly attended, feasting everyone who came through twelve chosen men.1
When Earth Shone as Heaven
The speaker recalls the glorious gifts of the early Pentecost, when the earth seemed like heaven, the stars came down to serve, and the sun itself yielded to the twelvefold light of the apostles.
You gave such glorious gifts that the earth looked like heaven. The stars were coming down to see if they might improve their wages and serve here. The sun, which once shone alone, hung his head and wished for night when he saw twelve suns for one going about the world and giving light. But since those golden pipes, which brought that restorative water to our ground, were cut and martyred by the fault of those who wounded themselves through their own side✦2
Restore This Day
After the apostles are martyred, the Dove stays hidden and only a little joy creeps through; the poem closes by praying that the unchanging God would restore Pentecost to its ancient and miraculous power.
You shut the door and stay inside; barely a good joy creeps through the crack. And if the brazen challenges of conquering sin did not stir you, we would sink completely. Lord, though we change, you are the same— the same sweet God of love and light. Restore this day, for your great Name, to its ancient and miraculous right.✦✦3
Read the original English
LIsten sweet Dove unto my song, And spread thy golden wings in me; Hatching my tender heart so long, Till it get wing, and flie away with thee.
Where is that fire which once descended On thy Apostles? thou didst then Keep open house, richly attended, Feasting all comers by twelve chosen men.
Such glorious gifts thou didst bestow, That th' earth did like a heav'n appeare; The starres were coming down to know If they might mend their wages, and serve here.
The sunne, which once did shine alone, Hung down his head, and wisht for night, When he beheld twelve sunnes for one Going about the world, and giving light.
But since those pipes of gold, which brought That cordiall water to our ground, Were cut and martyr'd by the fault Of those, who did themselves through their side wound
Thou shutt'st the doore, and keep'st within; Scarce a good joy creeps through the chink: And if the braves of conqu'ring sinne Did not excite thee, we should wholly sink.
Lord, though we change, thou art the same; The same sweet God of love and light: Restore this day, for thy great Name, Unto his ancient and miraculous right.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Acts.2.1-Acts.2.4 — 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.
- ↩Zech.4.12 — And I answered a second time and said to him, 'What are these two olive branches that are beside the two golden pipes, pouring out the gold from themselves?'
- ↩Mal.3.6;Ps.102.27;Heb.13.8 — For I am the LORD; I do not change. And you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed. Ps.102.27 — They will perish, but you will stand; they will all wear out like a garment; like clothing you will change them, and they will be changed. Heb.13.8 — Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
- ↩Ps.25.11 — For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, for it is great.
Notes
- 1 ↩"Keep open house" means free, generous hospitality: the Spirit’s gifts poured out without stint, and the Apostles as the household’s chosen servers.
- 2 ↩Early modern 'cordial water' means a heart-strengthening medicinal restorative, not merely 'friendly' water; rendered as 'restorative water'.
- 3 ↩Source 'his ... right' refers to this day (Whitsunday/Pentecost), not to God: restore the feast to the ancient privilege and power of miraculous grace it once held.
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