---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Father! - to God himself we cannot give a…"
description: "\"Father! - to God himself we cannot give a holier name.\" — William Wordsworth"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b6/william-wordsworth-403_father_father-to-god-himself-we-cannot-give-a-h_2801763.jpg"
---

#  Father! - to God himself we cannot give a holier name.

![“Father! - to God himself we cannot give a holier name.” quote by William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b6/william-wordsworth-403_father_father-to-god-himself-we-cannot-give-a-h_2801763.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b6/william-wordsworth-403_father_father-to-god-himself-we-cannot-give-a-h_2801763.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b6/william-wordsworth-403_father_father-to-god-himself-we-cannot-give-a-h_2801763.jpg)

> “Father! - to God himself we cannot give a holier name.”

[William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The poet expresses that no human can surpass the holiness of God, emphasizing humility before the divine.

**In simple terms:** God is the holiest; humans must stay humble.

Key Takeaway

Recognize limits of human pride.

Themes

humility spirituality divine human limitation

Mood

reverent thoughtful

Type

spiritual philosophical

When to use this quote

- religious worship
- personal reflection
- ethical decision making

Key Concepts

theology poetry humility

Questions to Reflect On

- In what ways do you honor humility?
- How does acknowledging a higher power shape your actions?

A Different Perspective

Human attempts to elevate themselves can be seen as hubris.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Fathers day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fathers-day/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/)

## Related quotes

> [“Holier-than-thou people usually end up holier than nobody.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/holier-than-thou-people-usually-end-up-holier-than-nobody/)

[Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/)

> [“are viewed as leading different, and even holier,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-cutie/are-viewed-as-leading-different-and-even-holier/)

Albert Cutie

> [“The beauty is that as you become more whole, you can become holier. And as you become holier, you can become more whole.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/the-beauty-is-that-as-you-become-more-whole-you-can-become-holier-and/)

[John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/)

> [“Helen, beloved of the goddess of love, went downstairs to crawl into her empty bed as Lucas, the son of the sun, leaned back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/helen-beloved-of-the-goddess-of-love-went-downstairs-to-crawl-into/)

[Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/)

> ['Go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father, and to My God, and your God' (Jn.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-palamas/go-to-my-brethren-and-say-unto-them-i-ascend-unto-my-father-and-your/)

[Gregory Palamas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-palamas/)

> [To you your father should be as a god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/to-you-your-father-should-be-as-a-god/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [God is our father, but even more is God our mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-i/god-is-our-father-but-even-more-is-god-our-mother/)

[Pope John Paul I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-i/)

> [I have patterned myself after my father and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-petty/i-have-patterned-myself-after-my-father-and-god/)

[Adam Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-petty/)

> [Our Father and Our God, unto thee, O Lord we lift our souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-pennington/our-father-and-our-god-unto-thee-o-lord-we-lift-our-souls/)

William Pennington

> [God has a father, a long-dead human being is the father of God, the human being who's imagination the myth came from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-fowler/god-has-a-father-a-long-dead-human-being-is-the-father-of-god-the/)

[Steve Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-fowler/)

> [God probably shook his head and said 'Oh, my goodness' many times in dealing with my father. But what God saw in my father…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carter-cash/god-probably-shook-his-head-and-said-oh-my-goodness-many-times-in/)

[John Carter Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carter-cash/)

> [“Father of all--God!--what we have here is of thee; take our thanks and bless us, that we may continue to do thy will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lew-wallace/father-of-all-god-what-we-have-here-is-of-thee-take-our-thanks-and/)

[Lew Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lew-wallace/)

> [“Your father is the only God. You can also become god but you must follow a simple rule and let that rule be made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/your-father-is-the-only-god-you-can-also-become-god-but-you-must/)

[Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/)

> [“Christ Himself, therefore, together with the Father, is the God of the living, who spake to Moses, and who was also manifested to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/christ-himself-therefore-together-with-the-father-is-the-god-of-the/)

The Church Fathers

> [In the roughest moments, remember: God is our Father; God does not abandon his children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/in-the-roughest-moments-remember-god-is-our-father-god-does-not/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

## More by William Wordsworth

> [Spade! Thou art a tool of honor in my hands. I press thee, through a yielding soil, with pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/spade-thou-art-a-tool-of-honor-in-my-hands-i-press-thee-through-a/)

[William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/)

> [Brothers all In honour, as in one community, Scholars and gentlemen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/brothers-all-in-honour-as-in-one-community-scholars-and-gentlemen/)

[William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/)

> [The eye— it cannot choose but see; we cannot bid the ear be still; our bodies feel, where'er they be, against or with our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/the-eye-it-cannot-choose-but-see-we-cannot-bid-the-ear-be-still-our/)

[William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/)

> [“Dreams, books, are each a world; and books, we know, Are a substantial world, both pure and good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/dreams-books-are-each-a-world-and-books-we-know-are-a-substantial/)

[William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/)

> [Now when the primrose makes a splendid show, And lilies face the March-winds in full blow, And humbler growths as moved with one desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/now-when-the-primrose-makes-a-splendid-show-and-lilies-face-the-march/)

[William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/)

> [“Where are your books? - that light bequeathed To beings else forlorn and blind! Up! up! and drink the spirit breathed From dead men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/where-are-your-books-that-light-bequeathed-to-beings-else-forlorn-and/)

[William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/)

> [Knowledge and increase of enduring joy From the great Nature that exists in works Of mighty Poets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/knowledge-and-increase-of-enduring-joy-from-the-great-nature-that/)

[William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/)

> [The common growth of Mother Earth Suffices me,-her tears, her mirth, Her humblest mirth and tears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/the-common-growth-of-mother-earth-suffices-me-her-tears-her-mirth-her/)

[William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/)

> [And he is oft the wisest manWho is not wise at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/and-he-is-oft-the-wisest-manwho-is-not-wise-at-all/)

[William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/)

> [The oldest man he seemed that ever wore grey hairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/the-oldest-man-he-seemed-that-ever-wore-grey-hairs/)

[William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/)

> [“She was a Phantom of delight When first she gleam'd upon my sight; A lovely Apparition, sent To be a moment's ornament: Her eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/she-was-a-phantom-of-delight-when-first-she-gleam-d-upon-my-sight-a/)

[William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/)

> [“If the time should ever come when what is now called science, thus familiarised to men, shall be ready to put on, as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/if-the-time-should-ever-come-when-what-is-now-called-science-thus/)

[William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/)

> [Truth takes no account of centuries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/truth-takes-no-account-of-centuries/)

[William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/)

> [I have felt a presence that disturbs me with the joy of elevated thoughts; a sense sublime of something far more deeply interfused, whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/i-have-felt-a-presence-that-disturbs-me-with-the-joy-of-elevated/)

[William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/)

> [Like thoughts whose very sweetness yielded proof that they were born for immortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/like-thoughts-whose-very-sweetness-yielded-proof-that-they-were-born/)

[William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/)

[Explore all 587 William Wordsworth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/)

## More Father quotes

> [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/)

[John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/)

> [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/)

[Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/)

> [(knitting while on a motorcycle) "For several years she knitted in secret (my father would not approve; she was to concentrate on motorcycling and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-zimmermann/knitting-while-on-a-motorcycle-for-several-years-she-knitted-in/)

[Elizabeth Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-zimmermann/)

> [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/)

[Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/)

> [My parents were not musical, and they were not effervescent people; everything was very quiet. The music that I played was loud; it used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/my-parents-were-not-musical-and-they-were-not-effervescent-people/)

[Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/)

> [“My father called twice and left a voicemail—who does that?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-erickson/my-father-called-twice-and-left-a-voicemail-who-does-that/)

[Megan Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-erickson/)

> [My father longed for a better life for us, and when I was nine he got a job as a heart surgeon in Belfast.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-melua/my-father-longed-for-a-better-life-for-us-and-when-i-was-nine-he-got/)

[Katie Melua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-melua/)

> [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/)

[Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/)

> [The old men of the village of Mahotière say that the Mistress of the Water is a mulatto woman. At midnight she comes out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/the-old-men-of-the-village-of-mahoti-re-say-that-the-mistress-of-the/)

[Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/)

> [“I don’t know. We all have to bear things, Ari. All of us. Your father has to bear the war and what it did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-know-we-all-have-to-bear-things-ari-all-of-us-your-father-has/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“This was, I sometimes thought, the last gift my father gave me. And the best: His death stood out as the supreme-o excuse for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-stahl/this-was-i-sometimes-thought-the-last-gift-my-father-gave-me-and-the/)

[Jerry Stahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-stahl/)

> [My father was very encouraging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-nutini/my-father-was-very-encouraging/)

[Paolo Nutini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-nutini/)

> [I'm a strange mixture of my mother's curiosity; my father, who grew up the son of the manse in a Presbyterian family, who had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/i-m-a-strange-mixture-of-my-mother-s-curiosity-my-father-who-grew-up/)

[Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/)

> [It is a sweet thing that we serve a dissatisfied God who has destinations in mind for us that we would never choose for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/it-is-a-sweet-thing-that-we-serve-a-dissatisfied-god-who-has/)

[Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/)

> [Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father's eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/liesel-observed-the-strangeness-of-her-foster-father-s-eyes-they-were/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

[Browse all 19,784 Father quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Father! - to God himself we cannot give a holier name.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "William Wordsworth"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/father-to-god-himself-we-cannot-give-a-holier-name/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Father"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/father-to-god-himself-we-cannot-give-a-holier-name/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b6/william-wordsworth-403_father_father-to-god-himself-we-cannot-give-a-h_2801763.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b6/william-wordsworth-403_father_father-to-god-himself-we-cannot-give-a-h_2801763.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b6/william-wordsworth-403_father_father-to-god-himself-we-cannot-give-a-h_2801763.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Father! - to God himself we cannot give a holier name.” — William Wordsworth",
                "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": "William Wordsworth",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Father! - to God himself we...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/father-to-god-himself-we-cannot-give-a-holier-name/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/father-to-god-himself-we-cannot-give-a-holier-name/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
