1 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.
2 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.
3 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.
4 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.
5 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.
6 The boards when joined support the tent
On silver sockets standing sure;
Gold overlaid, with golden rings
And interlocking bars, secure.
7 The Church is thus the gathered saints,
On Christ's redemption standing sure;
In life divine, by Spirit bound,
Together built and framed secure.
8 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.
9 Covered by such a glorious Christ,
All saints together knit may be;
Enjoying all He is for them,
In Him they're builded gloriously.
10 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.