THE FAMILY ALTAR

August 27.

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh

my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven

and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that

keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, He that keepeth Israel

shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy Keeper; the

Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite

thee by day nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee

from all evil: He shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall pre-

serve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth and

even for evermore." PSALM 121.

We Christians are pilgrims and strangers in this world; for

here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come, the

city of our God, not made with hands, Jerusalem above, "with

milk and honey blest." As the Jewish exile ever turned his long-

ing eyes to the hills of his home country where stood the Temple

of his God, so in the weary pilgrimage of life let us ever lift up

our eyes and hearts to the everlasting hills whence alone cometh

our help, to the sure promises of our gracious God in His holy

Word. Earthquakes may shake and destroy the mighty mountains

that lift their lofty heads so majestically to the sky, but no earth-

quake can overturn the hills on which the Christian pilgrim builds

his fond hope of finally reaching his blessed home above. Heaven

and earth shall pass away, but not the promise which our faithful

God holds out to us, His redeemed children, also in this psalm.

Let us make it one of our joyous pilgrim songs on our way to

heaven.

As, when the weary traveler gains

The height of some commanding hill,

His heart revives, if o'er the plains

He sees his home, though distant still,

Thus, when the Christian pilgrim views

By faith his mansion in the skies,

The sight his fainting heart renews,

And wings his speed to reach the prize.

The thought of heaven his spirit cheers;

No more he grieves for troubles past;

Nor any future trial fears,

So he may safe arrive at last.

Jesus, on Thee our hopes we stay,

To lead us on to Thine abode;

Assured Thy love will far o'erpay

The hardest labors of the road.