Batter my heart, three-person'd God ; for you As yet but…
““Batter my heart, three-person'd God ; for you As yet but knock ; breathe, shine, and seek to mend ; That I may rise, and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend Your force, to break, blow, burn, and make me new. I, like an usurp'd town, to another due, Labour to admit you, but O, to no end. Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend, But is captived, and proves weak or untrue. Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain, But am betroth'd unto your enemy ; Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again, Take me to you, imprison me, for I, Except you enthrall me, never shall be free, Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
A plea for divine union, portraying the soul’s yearning for God as a tumultuous, transformative struggle that demands surrender to be reborn.
In simple terms: Spiritual yearning and surrender
Key Takeaway
Divine love reshapes the self
Themes
spiritual yearning
surrender
transformation
divine love
inner conflict
Mood
intense
longing
hopeful
Type
poetic
spiritual
confessional
When to use this quote
- personal prayer
- confessional writing
- religious contemplation
- spiritual crisis
- seeking redemption
Key Concepts
theology
metaphor
self‑renewal
passion
Practical Applications
- theological reflection
- poetic meditation
Questions to Reflect On
- How does surrender to a higher power alter personal identity?
- What does the metaphor of a besieged town reveal about spiritual struggle?
A Different Perspective
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