Upon the words of Psalm 81. Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

The Hundred and Thirty-third Letter.

Upon the words of Psalm 81. Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

In our most lovely and adorable Savior, dearly beloved brother!

I find myself for some days now often, even under visiting and business, urged to write unto you, and yet truly do not know that I should have anything to write. I follow then the inclination only simply, wishing to greet and to bless you with my whole heart in the power of the gracious name Jesus, Immanuel.

O! dearest brother! what is man? And what are we also in particular, that the God who is blessed in Himself opens His sweet heart unto us in Jesus? That He draws us thither so deeply and gently, and will pour in His saving life-saps and powers according to all need? What can the Lord yet, in all this, require less of us than He does? When He calls unto us through His Spirit into the heart, Psalm 81. Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it! Through thorough withdrawnness, heart's turning-in, sweet humility, and childlike trust, our soul's mouth is indeed well opened wide: But this also He pours into us, and where He seems to pour nothing in, there must the waiting and hunger-suffering be helpful withal; that afterward one may so much the more eagerly, but also so much the more humbly, open the soul's mouth toward God and grace.

Now, sweet God! so will we gladly do it, or better said, so will we gladly let ourselves be made. Thy love is sweet, and all Thy ways, to make us capable of this Thy love, are also sweet. Otherwise it cannot be: Therefore we believe it, and will believe it, until we see it eternally. Therefore only go on with us, according to Thy counsel of love, even if it should not go according to the counsel of our thoughts. Rule, lead and reign Thou in us and over us according to all Thy pleasure! Unto Thee we wish eternally to belong, and to be subject, for this is becoming, and our blessedness, Yea Amen! — —

German

Der hundertunddreiunddreißigste Brief.

Ueber die Worte Psalm 81. Thue deinen Mund weit auf, so will ich ihn füllen.

In unserem liebens- und anbätungswürdigsten Heilande herzlich geliebter Bruder!

Ich finde mich einige Tage her öfters, auch unter dem Besuch und Geschäften, angedrungen, an dich zu schreiben, und weiß doch wirklich nicht, daß ich was zu schreiben hätte.

— Opening lines of the original German. The complete transcription of all 605 letters appears in the forthcoming Encounter Press critical edition; Brief 1 is shown in full as a sample.

German text: public domain (1773–75 first edition / 1845 Gesammelte Schriften).