Bent Quote by John Donne
“When God's hand is bent to strike, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God ; but to fall out of the hands of the living God is a horror beyond our expression, beyond our imagination.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: Holy Sonnet X, John Donne, 1633
Divine power can be both terrifying and incomprehensible, exceeding human imagination.
In simple terms: God's power is awe‑inspiring and beyond words.
Key Takeaway
Respect and humility before the divine.
Themes
faith
divine power
humility
existential awe
Mood
reverent
thoughtful
Type
poetic
theological
When to use this quote
- prayer
- meditation
- ethical decision‑making
- counseling
Key Concepts
theology
metaphysics
human limitation
Questions to Reflect On
- How does acknowledging God's incomprehensibility affect personal faith?
- In what ways can we express awe without diminishing mystery?
A Different Perspective
Human language may fail to capture the full scope of divine experience.
