It Is Well

The following original hymn is one of a selection now forming for children; and it is kindly communicated by the Editors of the selection. Its appearance in the Present Testimony will not be understood to affect its claim to be an original hymn in the collection referred to.
There's beauty above, in the bright blue sky,
On earth is the reapers' glee,
'Tis harvest-time in Jehovah's land,
And the corn by the breeze is gently fann'd
Like the waves of a golden sea.

But sorrow shall wait on the reapers' mirth,
The lord of those fields shall sigh,
One only boy
Is his father's joy,
This day that boy must die.

And the sun has look'd forth, in his morning pride
On the child, with a scorching ray:
"My head! my head!"
'Twas all he said,
'Twas all that the child could say.

And see, they are come, they have borne him home,
And he sits on his mother's knee,
But who can tell
How her countenance fell
Her alter'd boy to see?

He knows her not, with his dull fix'd eye,
On her bosom he pillows his head;
When the sun shines bright
From his noontide height
The boy on her knee is dead.

But faith within the mother's breast
Shall calm her agony,
"The God who gave
Is the God who shall save,
And give back my boy to me."

Though sad be her heart, the bright lamp of faith
Shall light up its innermost cell:
The son lies dead
On the prophet's bed,
But the mother can say "It is well!"

'Tis well with the mother, 'tis well with the boy!
His breath and his life are restored,
The child is awake
Let her hasten and take
To her arms this new gift from the Lord.

And I know it is well with the servants of God,
Naught them from their stronghold shall sever,
Whether Christ shall soon come,
Or they're laid in the tomb,
'Twill be well with His people forever.

They fear not the arrow that flieth by day,
Nor the plague that walks forth in the dark;
The sun shall not smite,
Nor the moon, by night,
One who 's hidden in Jesus, the ark.

They fear not to die, for the deep, dark grave,
Is a bed where their Savior has lain,
They sink not to Hell,
But with Him they shall dwell,
For Jesus can raise them again.

And can I too hope to arise from the dead,
And Christ as my Savior to see?
If I look to the Lord,
And believe in His word,
'Twill be well, then, forever with me.
Psalms.
I feel that the Book of Psalms contains so intimate an expression of the sentiments of the Spirit of God, that in speaking of it peculiar circumspection is required. Not that one part of the Word possesses more authority than another, or that the truth which it contains. is less the truth, or less worthy to be received with absolute subjection of mind. But, evidently, there is a part which expresses feelings rather than teaches truths, and which unfolds the workings of. a heart filled by the Spirit, rather than relates facts. Consequently, the appreciation of this portion requires a riper spiritual judgment, which, while giving all its force to the piety it contains, as being the same in all ages for every renewed soul, can yet recognize, at the same time, the particular position with respect to which the Spirit of God is speaking: a position which gives its form to this piety. Without this the true force of the Gospel of grace is lost, and the dealings of God are not perceived. This observation is most especially applicable to the Psalms, which, while full of those expressions of trust which have sustained the faith and piety of God's children at all times, contain, nevertheless, some sentiments which have been a stumbling-block to many Christians, sentiments which they have vainly sought to understand while considering this Book as a manual of devotion adapted to our present dispensation. But if the character of the book is rightly apprehended, these expressions offer no difficulty. We will examine the book as a whole, and some of its details. The most profitable manner of doing this will be-as I have attempted in the books we have already considered -to give the meaning and object of the Spirit of God, leaving the expression of the precious piety, which it contains, to the heart that alone is capable of estimating it, namely, one that feeds upon the grace of the Spirit of God.
The judgment which we have formed respecting the Psalms is sanctioned by the Apostle himself. " We know that what the law saith, it saith to them that are under the law" (Rom. 3). Several Psalms are quoted in the preceding verses. Thus the Psalms concern Israel and the position in which those who belong to Israel are found, whatever that position may be. This is the first general principle which the Word itself establishes for us. But in examining the Psalms themselves, we shall find other elements of this judgment, which are very clear and positive.
The Psalms distinguish -and even commence by distinguishing-the man who is faithful and godly, according to the law, from the rest of the nation. They treat then of the true believing remnant, of the righteous in Israel It is the portion and the hopes of Israel which form their subject. But it is the hopes of a remnant, whose portion is from the commencement distinguished in the most marked way from that of the wicked. Again, it is evident, that it is the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of prophecy, that speaks. That is to say, it is the Spirit of Christ interesting Himself in the condition of the faithful remnant of Israel. This Spirit speaks of things to come as if they were present, as is always the case in the prophets. But this does not make it the less true that it is a Spirit of prophecy which speaks of the future, and which, in this respect, often resumes its natural character. But if the Spirit of Christ is interested in the remnant of Israel, Christ's own sufferings must be announced, which were the complete proof of that interest, and without which it would have been unavailing. And we find, in fact, the most touching expression of the sufferings of Christ, not historically, but just as He felt them, expressed by His own lips at the moment He endured them. It is always the Spirit of Christ that speaks, as taking part Himself in the affliction and grief of His people, whether it is by His Spirit in them, or Himself for them as the sole means, in presence of the just judgment of God, of delivering a beloved though guilty people. The Psalms, then, are the expression of the Spirit of Christ, either in the Jewish remnant, or in His own person as suffering for them, in view of the counsels of God with respect to His elect earthly people; and, since these counsels are to be accomplished more particularly in the latter days, it is the expression of the Spirit of Christ in this remnant, in the midst of the events which will take place in those days. The moral sufferings connected with those events have been more or less verified in the history of Christ on earth. And whether in His life, or yet more in His death, He is linked with the interests and with the fate of this remnant. In His history, at the time of His baptism by John, He had already identified Himself with those that formed this remnant; not with the impenitent multitude of Israel, but with this first movement of the Spirit of God in these " excellent of the earth," which led them to recognize the truth of God in the mouth of John, and to submit to it. Now it is in this remnant that the promises made to Israel will be accomplished; so that while being only a remnant, their affections and hopes are those of the nation. On the cross, Jesus remained the only true faithful one before God in Israel.

Having made these general observations which appeared to me necessary in order to understand the book, we will examine its details.