NOONDAY HYMNS.

I.

THE BLESSEDNESS OF A CHRISTIAN.

BLESSED is the man that walketh with the Lord and companieth with his Holy Spirit; For in the Lord's presence are all his paths : and the help of his God is at his right hand continually.

Therefore he is not afraid for the perils of the day nor for the enemy that riseth up against him at noonday.

Neither for the violence that assaileth openly: nor for the fraud that ensnareth in secret.

In the Lord's arm is his trust: on the Lord's eye he waiteth.

He is dead for ever unto sin : wherefore shall he fear death?

He hath risen for ever unto life: shall he fear for the life?

He hath obtained the earnest : shall he fear for the fulfilment ?

Lord! Grant me thus to know Thee: and the power of thy resurrection.

Uphold me, where Thou hast set me : lest I fall for ever into the pit.

In Thee I trust, and will not fear: O Thou rock of my salvation.

March 31 1565

II.

THE CHRISTIAN ABSENT FROM HOME.

My home is taken away from mine eyes: familiar faces are no more before me.

its

Its voices are silent unto me: its deeds are unknown unto me.

Only its memory abideth with me and that is as the smoke that riseth from its chimneys. Whose blue folds are seen for a moment : and then they vanish away.

Therefore, I will draw nigher unto Thee: O Father of the family in heaven.

I will seek thy presence more and more : O first-born of many brethren.

I will commune with Thee more closely : O eternal Spirit of unity and comfort.

Shine forth, O Lord, on the child of thine inheritance lift up the light of thy countenance upon him.

:

Thou art the Friend of the stranger thy house is ever open to take him in.

Where is the fulness of joy: and thy blessed presence abideth for ever.

The grave cannot hide it: death cannot set it asunder.

It shineth through heaven and earth the sun of eternity;

And thy family is full of joy : and they have met to part no more.

O Lord! look down on my earthly home : have mercy on all that dwell there.

Bind them together in thy love : sustain them with the peace of thy comfort.

Let their prayer be joined with mine and go up before Thee as the incense.

Make us one in Thee: what then shall avail to divide us?

III.

THE CHRISTIAN ON A JOURNEY.

LORD! I am a pilgrim and a sojourner : in vain I seek an abiding place.

I set up my tent, but take it down again : I tarry, but to refresh me for greater speed.

I come to places, but to quit them: I behold faces, but to see them no more.

I speak to those whom I shall not hear again : until they speak before thy judgment-seat.

The world fleeth as I journey along : ever as I advance it recedeth;

And joineth that which I have left and is gathered to that which hath departed.

The new continually becometh old and hard on the joy of the meeting cometh the sorrow of the parting.

I am eager for the end of my journey: but am I prepared for the end.

I long for the end of the day : but can I give an account of the day?

I reckon through months and years and I meditate on the change which I would have them bring.

But do I think that they may hurry on that which I would have delayed and take away that which I desire?

O how dull is the heart of man : how do his hopes make him ashamed!

That which came in sorrow, goeth away in joy and that which came in laughter, goeth away in tears.

O Lord! Behold my tabernacle : as it moveth through this wilderness.

Stablish it in truth: and dwell in it with thy presence.

That I may patiently await in it the end of my pilgrimage and joyfully expect the pro

mise of the house to come,

Which thine own hands have built eternal

in the heavens.

IV.

A SPIRITUAL PROSPECT, SUGGESTED BY A BODILY.

I STAND and look forth from the hill: I cast mine eyes around from the lofty place.

I see from the heavens to the heavens again : and I sum up all between.

I gaze from the uprising of the sun to his down-setting: and I mark all that he hath encircled.

How wonderful are thy works, O Lord : how surpassing their glory!

And Thou pourest through the eye the knowledge of them : that flesh may behold thy Majesty.

Thou bringest nigh unto it that which is afar off: Thou settest unto it in light the things of darkness.

Thou revealest to it the secret of thy power: Thou spreadest before it the extent of thy dominions;

That we may hold communion with thy presence and fall down and worship at thy footstool.

Set my spirit, O God, upon the hill of thy might let my eye look forth from the habitation of thy holy city.

Let it gaze on the wonders of the world to