TRUTH SPEAKS INWARDLY WITHOUT THE SOUND OF WORDS
THE DISCIPLE
SPEAK, Lord, for Thy servant heareth."[25] "I am Thy servant.
Give me understanding that I may know Thine ordinances[26] . . .
Incline my heart to Thine ordinances[27] . . . Let Thy speech distil
as the dew."[28]
The children of Israel once said to Moses: "Speak thou to us
and we will hear thee: let not the Lord speak to us, lest we die."[29]
Not so, Lord, not so do I pray. Rather with Samuel the prophet
I entreat humbly and earnestly: "Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth."
Do not let Moses or any of the prophets speak to me; but You speak, O
Lord God, Who inspired and enlightened all the prophets; for You
alone, without them, can instruct me perfectly, whereas they, without
You, can do nothing. They, indeed, utter fine words, but they cannot
impart the spirit. They do indeed speak beautifully, but if You remain
silent they cannot inflame the heart. They deliver the message; You
lay bare the sense. They place before us mysteries, but You unlock
their meaning. They proclaim commandments; You help us to keep them.
They point out the way; You give strength for the journey. They work
only outwardly; You instruct and enlighten our hearts. They water on
the outside; You give the increase.
They cry out words; You give understanding to the hearer.
Let not Moses speak to me, therefore, but You, the Lord my God,
everlasting truth, speak lest I die and prove barren if I am merely
given outward advice and am not inflamed within; lest the word heard
and not kept, known and not loved, believed and not obeyed, rise up in
judgment against me.
Speak, therefore, Lord, for Your servant listens. "Thou hast
the words of eternal life."[30] Speak to me for the comfort of my soul
and for the amendment of my life, for Your praise, Your glory, and
Your everlasting honor. |
What the truth saith inwardly without noise of
words
Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth.(1) I am Thy
servant; O give me understanding that I may know Thy testimonies.
Incline my heart unto the words of Thy mouth.(2) Let thy speech
distil as the dew. The children of Israel spake in old time to Moses,
Speak thou unto us and we will hear, but let not the Lord speak unto
us lest we die.(3) Not thus, O Lord, not thus do I pray, but rather
with Samuel the prophet, I beseech Thee humbly and earnestly, Speak,
Lord, for Thy servant heareth. Let not Moses speak to me, nor any
prophet, but rather speak Thou, O Lord, who didst inspire and
illuminate all the prophets; for Thou alone without them canst
perfectly fill me with knowledge, whilst they without Thee shall
profit nothing.
2. They can indeed utter words, but they give not
the spirit. They speak with exceeding beauty, but when Thou art silent
they kindle not the heart. They give us scriptures, but Thou makest
known the sense thereof. They bring us mysteries, but Thou revealest
the things which are signified. They utter commandments, but Thou
helpest to the fulfilling of them. They show the way, but Thou givest
strength for the journey. They act only outwardly, but Thou dost
instruct and enlighten the heart. They water, but Thou givest the
increase. They cry with words, but Thou givest understanding to the
hearer.
3. Therefore let not Moses speak to me, but Thou,
O Lord my God, Eternal Truth; lest I die and bring forth no fruit,
being outwardly admonished, but not enkindled within; lest the word
heard but not followed, known but not loved, believed but not obeyed,
rise up against me in the judgment. Speak, Lord, for Thy servant
heareth; Thou hast the words of eternal life.(4) Speak unto me for
some consolation unto my soul, for the amendment of my whole life, and
for the praise and glory and eternal honour of Thy Name. |