--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: While a man is stringing a harp, he tries…" description: "\"While a man is stringing a harp, he tries the strings, not for music, but for construction. When it is finished it shall be played for melodies. God is..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c2/henry-ward-beecher-175_construction_while-a-man-is-stringing-a-harp-he-tries_2858970.png" --- # While a man is stringing a harp, he tries the strings, not… ![“While a man is stringing a harp, he tries the strings, not for music, but for construction. When it is finished it shall be played for melodies. God is fashioning the human heart for future joy. He only sounds a string here and there to see how far His work has progressed.” quote by Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c2/henry-ward-beecher-175_construction_while-a-man-is-stringing-a-harp-he-tries_2858970.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c2/henry-ward-beecher-175_construction_while-a-man-is-stringing-a-harp-he-tries_2858970.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c2/henry-ward-beecher-175_construction_while-a-man-is-stringing-a-harp-he-tries_2858970.png) > “While a man is stringing a harp, he tries the strings, not for music, but for construction. When it is finished it shall be played for melodies. God is fashioning the human heart for future joy. He only sounds a string here and there to see how far His work has progressed.” [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human hearts are being shaped like a harp, with occasional sounds indicating progress toward future joy, suggesting divine craftsmanship. **In simple terms:** God shapes hearts like a harp, testing strings for future joy. Key Takeaway Trust in the gradual shaping of your character. Themes spiritual growth divine purpose human development joy Mood hopeful contemplative Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal reflection - spiritual counseling - creative writing Key Concepts metaphor creation faith patience Questions to Reflect On - In what ways are you being 'tuned' for future joy? - How do setbacks fit this metaphor? A Different Perspective The metaphor may oversimplify complex human experiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Construction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/construction/) [Finished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finished/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Harp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harp/) [Harp Tries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harp-tries-3846921/) [Harps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harps/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Here and there](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/here-and-there/) [Human heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-heart/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Man Stringing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-stringing-3846922/) [Melodies God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/melodies-god-3846920/) [Melody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/melody/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Stringing Harp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stringing-harp-3846919/) [Strings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strings/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) ## Related quotes > [(As a boy) I was listening to Sonny Boy Williamson's (I) records and I would close my eyes and I could visualize myself playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junior-wells/as-a-boy-i-was-listening-to-sonny-boy-williamson-s-i-records-and-i/) [Junior Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junior-wells/) > [The willow tree plays the water like a harp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-n-g-mez-de-la-serna/the-willow-tree-plays-the-water-like-a-harp/) [Ramon Gomez de la Serna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-n-g-mez-de-la-serna/) > [I recorded harp first or singing first. I recorded it all together. Part of the reason is that I don't know how to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-newsom/i-recorded-harp-first-or-singing-first-i-recorded-it-all-together/) [Joanna Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-newsom/) > [Fro and to in my dreams to you To the haunting tune of the harp For the price I paid when you died that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/fro-and-to-in-my-dreams-to-you-to-the-haunting-tune-of-the-harp-for/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [The harp sounds at each passing breeze, but that does not mean the tune is masterfully played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-carey/the-harp-sounds-at-each-passing-breeze-but-that-does-not-mean-the/) [Jacqueline Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-carey/) > [Go ye, who rest so placidly upon the sacred Bard who had been young, and when he strung his harp was old, and had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/go-ye-who-rest-so-placidly-upon-the-sacred-bard-who-had-been-young/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [There's something fundamental to the harp that has retained its appeal my whole life. It's an instrument I am just in love with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-newsom/there-s-something-fundamental-to-the-harp-that-has-retained-its/) [Joanna Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-newsom/) > [It's defeatist to harp on what might have been, and yet, it's hard to resist considering what might have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/it-s-defeatist-to-harp-on-what-might-have-been-and-yet-it-s-hard-to/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [I didn't sing for years and years, but I started playing harp when I was maybe 9 or 10. I had actually wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-newsom/i-didn-t-sing-for-years-and-years-but-i-started-playing-harp-when-i/) [Joanna Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-newsom/) > [“My music teacher offered twittering madrigals and something about how, in Italy, in Italy, the oranges hang on the tree. He treated me -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-rose-o-reilley/my-music-teacher-offered-twittering-madrigals-and-something-about-how/) [Mary Rose O'Reilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-rose-o-reilley/) > [Two touch the string, The harp is dumb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/two-touch-the-string-the-harp-is-dumb/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [During the reign of Rameses III (the Twentieth Dynasty) Egypt saw a flowering of its civilization and the harp became the royal instrument of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-heline/during-the-reign-of-rameses-iii-the-twentieth-dynasty-egypt-saw-a/) [Corinne Heline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-heline/) > [I am producing sounds that people are not used to hearing from the harp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-newsom/i-am-producing-sounds-that-people-are-not-used-to-hearing-from-the/) [Joanna Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-newsom/) > [Nature is an aeolian harp, a musical instrument whose tones are the re-echo of higher strings within us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/novalis/nature-is-an-aeolian-harp-a-musical-instrument-whose-tones-are-the-re/) [Novalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/novalis/) > [Our life a harp is, with unnumbered strings, And tones and symphonies; but our poor skill Some shallow notes from its great music brings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyle-o-reilly/our-life-a-harp-is-with-unnumbered-strings-and-tones-and-symphonies/) [John Boyle O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyle-o-reilly/) ## More by Henry Ward Beecher > [Astronomers have built telescopes which can show myriads of stars unseen before; but when a man looks through a tear in his own eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/astronomers-have-built-telescopes-which-can-show-myriads-of-stars/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [A lie always needs a truth for a handle to it. The worst lies are those whose blade is false, but whose handle is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/a-lie-always-needs-a-truth-for-a-handle-to-it-the-worst-lies-are/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Even a liar tells a hundred truths to one lie; he has to, to make the lie good for anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/even-a-liar-tells-a-hundred-truths-to-one-lie-he-has-to-to-make-the/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Laws are not masters but servants, and he rules them who obey them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/laws-are-not-masters-but-servants-and-he-rules-them-who-obey-them/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Our sweetest experiences of affection are meant to be suggestions of that realm which is the home of the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/our-sweetest-experiences-of-affection-are-meant-to-be-suggestions-of/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [In America there is not one single element of civilization that is not made to depend, in the end, upon public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/in-america-there-is-not-one-single-element-of-civilization-that-is/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The best lessons a man ever learns are from his mistakes. It is not for want of schoolmasters that we are still ignorant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/the-best-lessons-a-man-ever-learns-are-from-his-mistakes-it-is-not/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [I never knew an early-rising, hard-working, prudent man, careful of his earnings, and strictly honest who complained of bad luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/i-never-knew-an-early-rising-hard-working-prudent-man-careful-of-his/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [THERE are joys which long to be ours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/there-are-joys-which-long-to-be-ours/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [People may talk about the equality of the sexes! They are not equal. The silent smile of a sensible, loving woman will vanquish ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/people-may-talk-about-the-equality-of-the-sexes-they-are-not-equal/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Mirthfulness is in the mind and you cannot get it out. It is just as good in its place as conscience or veneration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/mirthfulness-is-in-the-mind-and-you-cannot-get-it-out-it-is-just-as/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Mirth is God's medicine. Everybody ought to bathe in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/mirth-is-god-s-medicine-everybody-ought-to-bathe-in-it/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Some of God's noblest sons, I think, will be selected from those that know how to take wealth, with all its temptations, and maintain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/some-of-god-s-noblest-sons-i-think-will-be-selected-from-those-that/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [You have seen a ship out on the bay, swinging with the tide, and seeming as if it would follow it; and yet it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/you-have-seen-a-ship-out-on-the-bay-swinging-with-the-tide-and/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) [Explore all 990 Henry Ward Beecher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) ## More Construction quotes > [The religion of art, like the religion of politics, was born from the ruins of Christianity. Art inherited from the old religion the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/the-religion-of-art-like-the-religion-of-politics-was-born-from-the/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [To follow good manners willingly is like paving the road and to tell somebody to follow them is like the road which is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/to-follow-good-manners-willingly-is-like-paving-the-road-and-to-tell/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Cold calculation, random spots of color, mathematically exact construction (clearly shown or concealed), drawing that is now silent and now strident . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-puccini/cold-calculation-random-spots-of-color-mathematically-exact/) [Giacomo Puccini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-puccini/) > [“But the secret of good writing is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components. Every words that serves no function, every long word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-zinsser/but-the-secret-of-good-writing-is-to-strip-every-sentence-to-its/) [William Zinsser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-zinsser/) > [Sometimes I think the resurrection of the body, unless much improved in construction, a mistake!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-underhill/sometimes-i-think-the-resurrection-of-the-body-unless-much-improved/) [Evelyn Underhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-underhill/) > [“Create with the heart; build with the mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/create-with-the-heart-build-with-the-mind/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [ I'm telling you, I could teach at a university, \[George\] Carlin, a whole semester. The construction and deconstruction of the words, the language, the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-m-telling-you-i-could-teach-at-a-university-george-carlin-a-whole/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [Seoul will strictly limit the total greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and expand the construction of zero-energy buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-won-soon/seoul-will-strictly-limit-the-total-greenhouse-gas-emissions-from/) [Park Won-soon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-won-soon/) > [It's no accident that most self-help groups use 'anonymous' in their names; to Americans, the first step toward redemption is a ritual wiping out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/it-s-no-accident-that-most-self-help-groups-use-anonymous-in-their/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [“Over 275,000 people had signed to end the construction of the TMT telescope at the Mauna Kea Observatories (MKO) by week 20 of the protest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/over-275-000-people-had-signed-to-end-the-construction-of-the-tmt/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Philosophical knowledge is the knowledge gained by reason from concepts ; mathematical knowledge is the knowledge gained by reason from the construction of concepts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/philosophical-knowledge-is-the-knowledge-gained-by-reason-from/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [Any subject is suitable provided it is of sufficient interest, but the design must be very carefully considered, and plenty of time and thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-j-phillips/any-subject-is-suitable-provided-it-is-of-sufficient-interest-but-the/) [Walter J. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-j-phillips/) > [No construction stiff working overtime takes more stress and straining than we did just to stay high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/no-construction-stiff-working-overtime-takes-more-stress-and/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [Cities need old buildings so badly it is probably impossible for vigorous streets and districts to grow without them… for really new ideas of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-jacobs/cities-need-old-buildings-so-badly-it-is-probably-impossible-for/) [Jane Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-jacobs/) > [My construction of the constitution is very different from that you quote. It is that each department is truly independent of the others, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/my-construction-of-the-constitution-is-very-different-from-that-you/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) [Browse all 942 Construction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/construction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "While a man is stringing a harp, he tries the strings, not for music, but for construction. When it is finished it shall be played for melodies. God is fashioning the human heart for future joy. He only sounds a string here and there to see how far His work has progressed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry Ward Beecher" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/while-a-man-is-stringing-a-harp-he-tries-the-strings-not-for-music/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Construction" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/while-a-man-is-stringing-a-harp-he-tries-the-strings-not-for-music/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c2/henry-ward-beecher-175_construction_while-a-man-is-stringing-a-harp-he-tries_2858970.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c2/henry-ward-beecher-175_construction_while-a-man-is-stringing-a-harp-he-tries_2858970.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c2/henry-ward-beecher-175_construction_while-a-man-is-stringing-a-harp-he-tries_2858970.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“While a man is stringing a harp, he tries the strings, not for music, but for construction. When it is…” — Henry Ward Beecher", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Henry Ward Beecher", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "While a man is stringing a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/while-a-man-is-stringing-a-harp-he-tries-the-strings-not-for-music/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/while-a-man-is-stringing-a-harp-he-tries-the-strings-not-for-music/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```