Olney Hymns · Chapter
Dagon Before the Ark explained
The poem uses the biblical account of Dagon falling before the Ark of the Covenant as an allegory for the believer's ongoing struggle with self-idolatry.
What happens
The poem uses the biblical account of Dagon falling before the Ark of the Covenant as an allegory for the believer's ongoing struggle with self-idolatry. Despite God's powerful grace that initially overthrows self, the heart repeatedly erects it again, and even when broken, a stump remains, revealing the persistent presence of sin. The chapter concludes with a prayer for heavenly love to consume even the remnant of self.
Themes in this chapter
Grace and Unmerited Favor
The poem highlights God's grace as the power that overcomes self, yet emphasizes the ongoing need for grace to fully consume the remnants of sin.
Human Sinfulness and Depravity
The persistent re-erection of self and the remaining stump illustrate the deep-rooted nature of human sinfulness.
Characters to notice
- The Lord
Reveals his mighty grace and repeatedly brings down the idol of self.
- Grace
Personified as the power that wins the victory over self, though not fully eradicating it.
- Dagon
Symbolizes self and idolatry in the heart, falling before the Ark but leaving a stump.
- The Narrator
The speaker who confesses the persistent presence of self and pleads for its complete destruction.
Key passages
“When first, to make my heart his own, The Lord reveal’d his mighty grace, Self reign’d, like Dagon, on the throne, But could not long maintain its place.”
At the beginning of my conversion, God's grace powerfully worked in me, but my sinful self still ruled like Dagon, though it couldn't hold its position for long.
The initial experience of grace is compared to the fall of Dagon before the Ark.
“It fell, and own’d the power divine, (Grace can with ease the victory gain,) But soon this wretched heart of mine Contrived to set it up again.”
Self fell, acknowledging God's power, for grace easily wins, but my corrupt heart soon found ways to re-establish self's rule.
The ease of grace's victory contrasts with the heart's stubborn tendency to reinstate self-idolatry.
“Yet self is not of life bereft, Nor ceases to oppose his will; Though but a maimed stump be left, ’Tis Dagon—’tis an idol still.”
Self is not completely dead; it still opposes God's will. Even if only a broken stump remains, it is still Dagon—still an idol.
The remnant of self, though weakened, remains an idol that must be fully destroyed.
“Lord! must I always guilty prove, And idols in my heart have room? Oh! let the fire of heavenly love The very stump of self consume.”
Lord, must I always be guilty and allow idols in my heart? Please let the fire of your heavenly love completely burn away even the stump of self.
The final prayer asks for complete purification from the remnants of self-idolatry.