“The Window” compares the preacher to a stained-glass window in a convicting and powerful way. “The Holy Scriptures (2)” use beautiful language to describe reading, understanding, and applying the Bible to our own lives. However, Herbert does not leave readers in sorrow, for there is great joy and thanksgiving that overflows for the work of our great Savior. Each stanza ends “Was ever grief like mine?,” after recounting the reality of Jesus’ shame and suffering. However, immense hope and joy may be found that Christ suffered immeasurable grief for our sake – that those who trust in Him may be declared righteous in the sight of God. In this poem, readers are faced with the brutal punishment and grief Christ suffered. “The Sacrifice,” for example, is a retelling of Jesus’ passion narrative from His perspective. Many of the poems are unbelievably moving. Every poem by this unique parson points its readers to Christ. Herbert writes Christ-centered poetry that is wonderfully beautiful and intensely devotional. This poetry follows a wonderful model of showing men their sin, and then making a direct line to the Cross. Then, he leads us to sincere thankfulness and rejoicing in Christ. Many of his poems bring you to the realization of your utter and desperate need for God’s grace, which leads to salvation. Layers of meaning penetrate each poem in Herbert’s collection. He utilizes a variety of meters and rhyme schemes. While Herbert’s poetic skill justifies his study in any anthology of English literature, what sets him apart is his emphasis on God’s grace and God’s glory. All of his poems contain a rich collection of literary devices: beautiful imagery, metaphor, allusion, etc. Many of his poems contain interesting and significant forms. Herbert has several famous shape or emblem poems, such as “The Altar” and “Easter-Wings” in which the poems are shaped like the object being described. We also see many of the important ideas present in the Reformation and the theological developments that followed. As we read this collection of poems, we clearly see Herbert’s heart and the communion he shared with God. As John Piper notes in his biographical lecture on Herbert (which, by the way, everyone should listen to), the experience of writing each poem was itself an act of worship to God. They are magnificent, displaying Herbert’s skill as a poet, as well as his personal devotion to God.

Thankfully, Herbert’s poems survived to today. After being stored in a cabinet for some time, these poems finally reached an audience. Near his death in 1633, at the age of 39, he gave a collection of his poems, known as The Temple to a friend. However, despite his incredible giftedness, he never published a poem when he was alive. George Herbert is one of the greatest English poets, and he is likely the greatest devotional p oet ever to write.

George herbert most famous poem