Thy blueprint, Lord, I treasure dear,

It shows Thy tabernacle real,

It tells how Thou wouldst have it built,

How Thou Thy glory wouldst reveal.

The ark's the center of the tent,

The tent is but its resting-place:

In it the ten commandments are,

And in the tent it ever stays.

The ark the God-man, Christ, displays —

God mixed with man, as gold, wood meet;

The law is God's expression full,

Which dwells in Christ the Son complete.

Thus Christ's the center of the Church,

Which is to Him a resting-place;

In Christ the Father ever dwells,

And in the Church, Christ's dwelling-place.

The tent's the increase of the ark,

Both are of wood with gold o'erlaid;

The Church the increase is of Christ,

God blent with man here too displayed.

The boards when joined support the tent

On silver sockets standing sure;

Gold overlaid, with golden rings

And interlocking bars, secure.

The Church is thus the gathered saints,

On Christ's redemption standing sure;

In life divine, by Spirit bound,

Together built and framed secure.

The tent's four-layered cover shows

The Christ of God in every phase;

God's glory thus is signified,

Covering His holy dwelling-place.

Covered by such a glorious Christ,

All saints together knit may be;

Enjoying all He is for them,

In Him they're builded gloriously.

The law is placed within the ark,

The ark within the tent doth rest;

So God in Christ within the Church

His wondrous glory manifests.