Sweet Mercy! to the gates of Heaven This minstrel lead, his sins forgiven; The rueful conflict, the heart riven With vain endeavour, And memory of earth's bitter leaven Effaced forever.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker prays for a guide to lead a soul to heaven, free from past struggles and earthly pain.
- In plain terms
- Ask for mercy to lead a sinner to heaven and forget past pain.
- What can you take from it?
- Seek peace and forgiveness to move beyond past struggles.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What past struggle do you wish to leave behind?
- What does forgiveness look like to you?
Another view
It assumes a specific religious view of heaven and forgiveness.
More from William Wordsworth
There is One great society alone on earth: The noble Living and the noble Dead.
Permalink to quote #134 And stepping westward seemed to be A kind of heavenly destiny.
Permalink to quote #136 Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive, But to be young was very heaven!
Permalink to quote #133
Related quotes
Forgiving sins, I should have known, is not blotting them out. The blood of Christ only turns them red instead of black. It leaves them in the record. It leave…
Edward BellamyEdward Bellamy quote #1 And once again the scene was chang'd, New earth there seem'd to be, I saw the Holy City Beside the tideless sea; The light of God was on its streets, The gates…
Fred WeatherlyFred Weatherly quote #2 Far from mortal cares retreating, Sordid hopes and vain desires, Here, our willing footsteps meeting, Every heart to heaven aspires.
Jane TaylorJane Taylor quote #4