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art thou weary art thou languid

Art Thou Weary, Art Thou Languid?

Words: John Mason Neale (b. Jan. 24, 1818; d. Aug. 6, 1886)
Music: Stephanos, by Henry William Baker (b. May 27, 1821; d. Feb. 12, 1877)

Note: This excellent seven stanza hymn of Mr. Neale’s was inspired by a Greek text of Stephen the Sabaite [SA-bay-ite] (A.D. 725-794), also known as Stephen of Mar Saba (a Greek Orthodox monastery overlooking the Kidron Valley, east of Bethlehem). He was placed in the monastery at the age of ten, and remained there until his death.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Neale was struck by Stephen’s phrase: “rest in Jesus,” and decided to expand upon it. The result is this beautiful song. (On the Cyber Hymnal page there is a touching story of how the message of the hymn, sung by “an angel in clogs,” cheered a sick and discouraged woman.) “Languid” means weak and lacking vitality. In some hymnals, editors have changed the opening line to “Are you weary, heavy laden.” The last line of the hymn has also been altered from the original: “Angels, martyrs, prophets, virgins” (see below).

Henry Baker’s tune uses the Greek form of Stephen for its name. In the New Testament, the Greek word stephanos refers to the garland placed on the head of a winner in the ancient Olympic Games (much as medals are awarded today). Usually translated “crowns,” these will also be given to believers by the Lord Jesus Christ, in recognition and reward for their victories in the Christian life. For example, Paul says, near the end of his life:

“Finally, there is laid up for me the crown [stephanos] of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (II Tim. 4:8; cf. I Cor. 9:25; Jas. 1:12; I Pet. 5:4; Rev. 2:10).

There seem to be three categories of these heavenly rewards: the saint’s crowns, the servant’s crowns, and the sufferer’s crowns. For a more complete discussion of this subject, see the Bible study The Church in Glory. In the book of Revelation, “elders” (rewarded saints) are seated before the throne of God, wearing their crowns. As an act of worship, and in recognition that all the glory belongs to God alone for whatever they accomplished, they will cast their crowns at His feet (Rev. 4:4, 10).

Even this connection to the hymn’s theme of our Christian pilgrimage is appropriate. We are “strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Heb. 11:13). In fact, the hymn may call to mind John Bunyan’s classic allegory, The Pilgrim’s Progress. John Neale’s question-and-answer structure offers a kind of dialogue between a pilgrim (P) who is uncertain of the path ahead, and a guide (G) who points the way.

The guide begins by asking the pilgrim, “Art thou weary, art thou languid, art thou sore distressed? ‘Come to Me,’ saith One [meaning the Lord Jesus, Matt. 11:28], “and coming, be at rest.” Then, the conversation continues:

[P] “Hath He marks to lead me to Him, if He be my Guide?
[G] In His feet and hands are wound-prints, and His side.

[P] If I find Him, if I follow, what His guerdon [reward] here?
[G] Many a sorrow, many a labour, many a tear.

[P] Hath He diadem, as monarch, that His brow adorns?
[G] Yes, a crown in very surety, but of thorns.

[P] If I still hold closely to Him, what hath He at last?
[G] Sorrow vanquished, labour ended, Jordan passed.

[P] If I ask Him to receive me, will He say me nay?
[G] Not till earth and not till heaven pass away.

[P] Finding, following, keeping, struggling, is He sure to bless?
[G] Saints, apostles, prophets, martyrs, answer, “Yes!”

Questions:

  1. What is the most challenging or difficult thing about being a Christian pilgrim?
  2. What is the greatest blessing or aid given to the Christian pilgrim?

Links:

Today in 1818 – John Neale Born

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John Mason Neale is known mainly as a translator of ancient Greek and Latin hymns.

Neale’s translated hymn Christian, Dost Thou See Them, was written by Andrew of Crete in the seventh century. He also produced the carol, O Come, O Come Emmanuel, and hymns such as Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain, The Day of Resurrection, Jerusalem the Golden, and Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation, from ancient texts.

For Art Thou Weary, Art Thou Languid? he took an idea from an eighth-century hymn by Stephen of Mar Saba, but almost the entire text of the hymn is Neale’s own work. (“Languid” means fainting and weak.)

Art thou weary, art thou languid,
Art thou sore distressed?
“Come to Me,” saith One, “and coming,
Be at rest.”

If I ask Him to receive me,
Will He say me nay?
Not till earth and not till heaven
Pass away.

Finding, following, keeping, struggling,
Is He sure to bless?
Saints, apostles, prophets, martyrs,
Answer, Yes!

King Wenceslas

John Neale also wrote the carol Good King Wenceslas, based on the life of a godly king from nearly a thousand years before his time. Wenceslas, who lived around 907 to 935 A.D., was Duke of Bohemia (part of the Czech Republic). Raised by his godly grandmother, he determined to rule Bohemia on Christian principles.

It was a great pleasure for Wenceslas to do all in his power to aid the poor. Long before Christmas became a time known for gift-giving, he himself developed that practice.  Sadly, Wenceslas’s twin brother was an unbeliever who plotted to return Bohemia to pagan ways. One day, he met the king, and without warning stabbed him to death. It is reported that Wenceslas sank to the ground murmuring, “Brother, may God forgive you.” He was only about thirty years old at the time.

Though Neale’s song does not give us much in the way of Bible doctrine, it tells a story of Christian charity and sacrificial giving. The moral comes in the last stanza: When we bless others with the love of Christ, we ourselves are blessed.

Good King Wenceslas looked out on the Feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even.
Brightly shone the moon that night, though the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight, gathering winter fuel.

“Hither, page, and stand by me, if you know it, telling,
Yonder peasant, who is he? Where and what his dwelling?”
“Sire, he lives a good league hence, underneath the mountain,
Right against the forest fence, by Saint Agnes’ fountain.”

“Bring me food and bring me wine, bring me pine logs hither,
You and I will see him dine, when we bear them thither.”
Page and monarch, forth they went, forth they went together,
Through the cold wind’s wild lament and the bitter weather.

“Sire, the night is darker now, and the wind blows stronger,
Fails my heart, I know not how; I can go no longer.”
“Mark my footsteps, my good page, tread now in them boldly,
You shall find the winter’s rage freeze your blood less coldly.”

In his master’s steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted;
Heat was in the very sod which the saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure, wealth or rank possessing,
You who now will bless the poor shall yourselves find blessing.

(2) Data Missing – Blessed Be the Name

This is one of those popular gospel songs I wanted to include, though we have little data concerning its origin. The words were written in the nineteenth century, by a man named William H. Clark, about whom we know nothing else. The tune seems to have been that of an old camp meeting song, worked over by hymn writers Ralph Hudson and William Kirkpatrick. Sometimes the refrain is paired with Charles Wesley’s O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing.

All praise to Him who reigns above
In majesty supreme,
Who gave His Son for man to die,
That He might man redeem!

Blessèd be the name! Blessèd be the name!
Blessèd be the name of the Lord!
Blessèd be the name! Blessèd be the name!
Blessèd be the name of the Lord!

Redeemer, Saviour, Friend of man
Once ruined by the fall,
Thou hast devised salvation’s plan,
For Thou hast died for all.