Memory Quote by John Donne
“O God, oh! of thine only worthy blood, And my tears, make a heavenly Lethean flood, And drown in it my sins' black memory. That thou remember them, some claim as debt; I think it mercy, if thou wilt forget.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: Holy Sonnet X, 1633
The speaker begs divine mercy, preferring forgiveness over remembrance of sins, seeking a flood that washes away guilt.
In simple terms: Ask God to forget sins rather than punish them.
Key Takeaway
Seek forgiveness and let go of guilt.
Themes
faith
forgiveness
spiritual cleansing
Mood
contemplative
solemn
Type
religious
poetic
When to use this quote
- prayer
- confession
- spiritual counseling
- ritual cleansing
Key Concepts
divine mercy
guilt
redemption
Questions to Reflect On
- What does forgiveness mean to you?
- How can you reconcile guilt with mercy?
A Different Perspective
Divine forgetting may conflict with personal accountability.
