In the Secret of His Presence

In the secret of His presence
How my soul delights to hide!
Oh, how precious are the lessons
Which I learn at Jesus' side!
Earthly cares forever vex me,
All my trials lay me low;
But when Satan comes to tempt me,
To that secret place I go,
To that secret place I go.

When my soul is faint and thirsty,
'Neath the shadow of His wings
There is cool and pleasant shelter,
And a fresh and crystal spring;
And my Savior rests beside me,
As we hold communion sweet.
If I tried, I could not utter
What He says when thus we meet,
What He says when thus we meet.

Only this I know
I tell Him all my doubts, my griefs and fears;
Oh, how patiently He listens!
And my sorrowed soul He cheers.
Do you think He ne'er reproves me?
What a false friend He would be,
If He never, never told me
Of the sin which He must see,
Of the sin which He must see.

Would you like to know the sweetness
Of the secret of the Lord?
Go and hide beneath His shadow.
This shall then be your reward;
And whene'er you leave the silence
Of that happy meeting place,
You will surely bear the image
Of the Master in your face,
Of the Master in your face.

(Words by Ellen Goreh, 1883)

What a beautiful picture of abiding, remaining, resting in Christ, my Lord and my Savior! Would you like to taste the sweetness of communion with Him? Would you like to find that cool and pleasant shelter underneath His wings? Would you like to know the sweetness of the secret of the Lord? Come meet with Him in His Word, where He cheers us, delivers us, teaches us, quenches our thirst, reproves us, speaks to us, and transforms us. Come meet with Him in His Word, the happy meeting place where we will leave bearing the image of the Master in our face.

I sought the Lord, and He answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to Him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and delivers
them.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints,
for those who fear Him have no lack!
The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

(Psalm 34:4-10)