Let It Be
Ruth Ann Stites, Staff Writer
Sometimes a phrase of a poem stays with you long after you have read it. One I remember is from T. S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.” It is short, but captures for me the uncertainty, shame, and pathos of the entire poem, “Do I dare to eat a peach?” A few more lines from the poem help us capture the deep emptiness of a life of sorrow, uncertainty, and fear:
But though I have wept and fasted, wept and prayed,
Though I have seen my head (grown slightly bald) brought in upon a platter,
I am no prophet — and here’s no great matter;
I have seen the moment of my greatness flicker,
And I have seen the eternal Footman hold my coat, and snicker,
And in short, I was afraid.[1]
T. S. Eliot’s poem traces shame as a central element as one analysis of the poem says, “T.S. Eliot’s ‘The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock’ is a modernist masterpiece that delves into the depths of human consciousness and the shame that can accompany a sense of inadequacy. The poem is a dramatic monologue where Prufrock, a middle-aged man, reflects upon his own insecurities and regrets.”[2] But what is shame? The dictionary definition is, first, “a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior,” and second, “a loss of respect or esteem; dishonor.”[3] In Psalm 25 David wrote that the one who trust God will not be put to shame while the treacherous will. It mentions shame in verses 1, 3, and 20. This concept brackets the only real solution to the human problem of shame, trust in the Lord. It is He who will guide, teach, and give confidence to “those who fear the Lord” (Ps. 25:12).
Around a thousand years after King David composed this Psalm, the Apostle Paul addressed the lifestyle of the Believer even as David had those who sought the Lord in his time. Ephesians 4:17-32 gives instructions for Christian living. He sums up his instructions in verse 32, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Compare that to verse 7 of Psalm 25, “Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good” For both men the center and focus of living a righteous life, in spite of their own sinful ways, was knowing and trusting God and learning from Him.
In both these passages there is an assumption of repentance for wrongdoing since it must come before awareness of forgiveness. One may need forgiveness, but, until that need is recognized, no one is aware that they have received it. There are conditions for God’s forgiveness (John 3:16-17; Acts 3:19; I John 1:9), but His forgiveness is assured when we meet them (Isa. 43:25).
Among the many uses Psalms has in our spiritual lives, one supremely important one is to draw us into deeper fellowship with our Lord. One of the most practical applications we can embrace is to learn from them how to pray with more openness and clarity. David directs us to learn of the Lord and find His forgiveness and direction for our lives. Let us not forget that one of those lessons is to confess our unrighteousness whenever we find it in ourselves.
Reflection Questions:
- Why do you think David began and ended this Psalm with the idea of shame? In Psalm 25 when is shame appropriate? When is it inappropriate?
- Are there things you feel ashamed of? How have you handled those feelings in the past? What new insights do Psalm 25 offer you in dealing with shame?
- Prayer has many purposes. Have you ever considered prayer as a place to learn? How can you “further your education about the ways of the Lord” in prayer?
(Photo description and credit: Peaches are luscious and juicy fruit. Eating a peach can be a bit messy unless one is careful. Thus, Prufrock’s fear of indulging in taking the risk of eating one. I found these peaches at Harps supermarket in Lowell, AR, when writing this post and couldn’t resist taking a picture. Taken by R. A. Stites.)
[1] The following link to the text of the poem in PDF format is from the University of Virgina’s website: eliot-prufrock.pdf.
[2] Famous Poems About Shame: Exploring the Depths of Human Emotion – PoemVerse
