Heart of Stone & George Herbert

I was recently at a worship service with some of my friends at their church in which believers were worshiping in different ways. Some were singing. Some were praying. Some were dancing. Some were painting. In this environment I felt lead to worship by writing. So I sat with my pen within the congregation and scribed what was to become one of my newest songs, “Heart of Stone” (©2008victoriajames).

This idea of the heart being a stone is not new. God spoke to his people Israel in the book of Ezekiel about taking out their heart of stone and replacing it with a heart of flesh. Ezekail 36:26.

Also the British Renaissance poet, George Herbert penned “The Altar” in the early 1600’s. As a pastor at Bemerton in England, he was well aware of the sacraments and the attitudes of the heart. Here is the text which when published was laid in the shape of an altar.

The Altar

A broken ALTAR, Lord, thy servant reares,
Made of a heart, and cemented with teares:
Whose parts are as thy hand did frame;
No workmans 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.
O let thy blessed SACRIFICE be mine,
And sanctifie this ALTAR to be thine.

From “The English Poems of George Herbert”, Ed. C.A. Patrides, J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd 1974
This book sites the following scriptures that support this work:
Deut. 27:2,
2 Cor. 3:3,
Zech. 7:12
FMI visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Herbert

The chorus of my song talks about hearing God’s word so that I can recognize his voice. As the song is the tool in which I lay down my heart, I pray that I can surrender and listen to him. For he understands what it means to lay down a life in obedience to the Father’s will.

I will hear your words, so I will know our voice
May the song that I sing become my offering.
I surrender to you alone, this heart of stone.