‘The Altar’ by George Herbert is a Christian poem that explores the relationship between a person and God through the metaphor of an altar. It is a pattern poem, meaning that its shape on the page resembles an altar, reinforcing the poem’s theme visually.
In the poem, Herbert describes an altar made of a broken heart, cemented with tears. This suggests that the altar is not a physical structure but a symbol of the poet’s contrite and humble heart, offered to God. The act of constructing this altar signifies repentance and a desire for spiritual renewal.
The poem begins with the line, ‘A broken ALTAR, Lord, thy servant rears,’ indicating that the speaker is dedicating a broken heart to God. The use of the word ‘rears’ implies that this act of dedication is a conscious and deliberate effort. The heart, described as broken, signifies a state of humility and contrition, essential for true worship and connection with God.
Herbert continues by explaining that the altar is ‘Made of a heart, and cemented with tears’, emphasizing that the foundation of this offering is built on genuine sorrow and repentance. Tears represent the sorrow for sins and the longing for forgiveness and reconciliation with God.
The poem then reflects on the nature of this heart-altar, stating, ‘Whose parts are as thy hand did frame; / No workman’s tool hath touch’d the same.’ This means that the heart is created by God and is unaltered by human efforts. It suggests that true repentance and devotion come from a sincere, God-given place within the individual, not from external, human-made constructs.
Herbert highlights the purity and sincerity of this offering by asserting that ‘A HEART alone / Is such a stone, / As nothing but / Thy pow’r doth cut’. This suggests that only God’s power can shape the human heart into a worthy offering. The heart, like a stone, must be chiseled and refined by God’s hand to become an acceptable sacrifice.
The poem concludes with a plea for God to accept this humble Christian offering: ‘O let thy blessed SACRIFICE be mine, / And sanctify this ALTAR to be thine.’ Here, Herbert asks God to sanctify the altar—his heart—and make it holy and acceptable. This final plea underscores the poet’s deep desire for divine acceptance and transformation.
The Altar | George Herbert | Christian Poems
A broken ALTAR, Lord, thy servant rears,
Made of a heart and cemented with tears:
Whose parts are as thy hand did frame;
No workman’s tool hath touch’d the same.
A HEART alone
Is such a stone,
As nothing but
Thy pow’r doth cut.
Wherefore each part
Of my hard heart
Meets in this frame,
To praise thy name:
That if I chance to hold my peace,
These stones to praise thee may not cease.
Oh, let thy blessed SACRIFICE be mine,
And sanctify this ALTAR to be thine.
Saint Dominic, born Domingo de Guzmán, was born around 1170 in Caleruega, Spain. He hailed from a noble family; his mother, Blessed Joan of Aza, and his father, Felix Guzmán, provided a pious and nurturing environment. Dominic was educated in the faith and developed a deep spiritual foundation from an early age [ … ]
Christian Art | Parousia | Second Coming | Lamb Of God, You Take Away The Sins Of The World Luke 17: 26-37 (Audio Bible KJV, Spoken Word) Early Christian thought about the Parousia – the second coming – was largely influenced by the teachings of Jesus and the writings of Saint Paul. In the early Christian community, expectation of Christ’s return was strong, and many Christians believed that it would happen in their lifetime. This belief is evident in the New Testament, where the authors express a sense of urgency in their writings and encourage their readers to be prepared for Christ’s imminent return. As Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire, the idea of the Parousia became more complex and nuanced. Theological debates arose around the nature of Christ’s return and the events that would precede it. Some theologians, such as Origen and Augustine, saw the Parousia as a spiritual event that was already happening in the Church. Others, such as the Montanists and the millenarians, believed in a literal, physical return of Christ and the establishment of a new, earthly Kingdom. In the Middle Ages, the Parousia was often associated with apocalypticism and the idea of a final, cataclysmic battle between good and evil – the last battle. The idea of the Antichrist, who would precede Christ’s return, became a popular theme in Christian literature, and the book of Revelation (Apocalypse – meaning to reveal, to uncover) was interpreted as a prophetic guide to the end of the world. Biblical Basis For The Parousia | The Second Coming The concept of the Parousia, or the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, is central to Christian eschatology and is supported by numerous biblical passages in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, there are numerous passages that refer to the coming of a Messiah who will restore Israel and bring about the final judgment. For example, in Daniel 7:13-14, it is written: ‘I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.’ This passage describes a divine figure who comes in the clouds and is given dominion over all nations. In the New Testament, the Parousia is described in greater detail, particularly in the teachings of Jesus and the writings of Saint Paul. Jesus speaks of his return in many passages, including Matthew 24:30-31, where Jesus says: ‘And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.’ Here, Jesus describes his return in power and glory, accompanied by angels who gather Jesus’ elect from all over the world. In Saint Paul’s letters, the Parousia is also described in detail. In 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Saint Paul writes: ‘For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.’ This passage describes a resurrection of the dead and the gathering of believers to meet the Lord Jesus in the air. The language and imagery used to describe the Parousia are often dramatic and apocalyptic in nature. The Parousia is often described as a time of judgment, when the righteous will be separated from the wicked, and God’s justice will be fully revealed. The imagery of clouds, trumpets, and angels is used to depict the power and glory of Christ’s return. Theological Interpretations Of The Parousia | Jesus’ Second Coming The concept of the Parousia has been interpreted in a variety of ways throughout Christian history. Dispensationalism Dispensationalism is a theological framework that emerged in the 19th Century and has since become popular among some evangelical and fundamentalist Christians. Dispensationalists believe that history is divided into distinct periods or ‘dispensations’, each of which is marked by a particular mode of divine revelation and a specific plan of salvation. According to dispensationalist theology, the Parousia will be preceded by a period of tribulation, during which the Antichrist will establish a one-world government and the Jews will be restored to their homeland. The Parousia itself will involve a physical, visible return of Christ, who will establish a thousand-year reign on earth before the final judgment. Preterism Preterism is a theological interpretation of the Parousia that holds that many of the prophecies in the New Testament, particularly those in the book of Revelation, were fulfilled in the first century AD. According to this view, the Parousia occurred in a spiritual sense when Christ ascended to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to empower the Church. Preterists argue that the tribulation and other end-time events predicted in the New Testament were fulfilled in the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in AD 70. Postmillennialism Postmillennialism is a theological view that holds that the Parousia will occur after a period of history in which the Church will gradually bring about the kingdom of God on earth. According to this view, the Church will spread the gospel throughout the world, and social, political, and economic conditions will gradually improve. Eventually, Christ will return to a world that has been largely transformed by the Gospel. Amillennialism […]
Saint Hilary of Poitiers (c. 310–367) was a bishop and doctor of the Church known primarily for his role in defending the Nicene faith against Arianism. This heresy denied the full divinity of Christ and therefore threatened the entire theological foundation of the Incarnation, Trinity, and Eucharist. In his principal theological work, De Trinitate (‘On the Trinity’), Hilary argues forcefully for the unity of the divine and human in Christ. The Eucharistic theology expressed in this passage reflects and supports that Christological argument [ … ]
