At these words I was utterly stupefied and…
““At these words I was utterly stupefied and terror-stricken. I thought to myself, “With what tongue shall I address such majesty, seeing that all men ought to tremble in the presence of even an earthly prince? Who am I, that I should lift up mine eyes or raise my hands to the divine Majesty? The angels surround him. At his nod the earth trembles. And shall I, a miserable little pygmy, say ‘I want this, I ask for that’? For I am dust and ashes and full of sin and I am speaking to the living, eternal and the true God.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Luther expresses awe and fear before God's majesty, feeling unworthy yet compelled to pray
In simple terms: He feels unworthy before God but still must pray
Key Takeaway
Embrace humility, still pray
Themes
faith
humility
spirituality
Mood
reverent
introspective
Type
spiritual
theological
When to use this quote
- personal prayer
- confessional worship
- spiritual crisis
- public preaching
Key Concepts
theology
existential awe
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you reconcile unworthiness with prayer?
- Can awe coexist with confidence?
A Different Perspective
Human frailty limits divine communion