In The Secret of His Presence
A Hymn

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 can only vex me, trials never lay me low
And when Satan comes to tempt me, to the secret place I go.

When my soul is faint and thirsty, 'neath the shadow of His wing
There is cool and pleasant shelter, and a fresh and crystal spring.
And my Saviour rests beside me, as we hold communion sweet,
If I tried, I could not utter what He says, when thus we meet.

Only this: I know, I tell Him all my doubts, and griefs, and fears.
Oh! how patiently He listens and my drooping heart 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 faults which He must see.

Do you think that I could love Him half so well, or as I ought,
If He did not plainly tell me each displeasing word or thought?
No! for He is very faithful, and that makes me trust Him more,
For I know that He doth love me, though sometimes He wounds me sore.

Would you like to know the sweetness of this 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 must mind and bear the image of the Master in your face.

These reflective and thoughtful words were penned by Ellen Lakshmi Goreh (1853‑1937). She was born in Benares, now known as Varanasi, which sits on the banks of the Ganges in North India. Her father was a Christian convert. Her mother died while she was still a small baby and she was therefore adopted and in her childhood was brought to Britain.

She returned to India as a missionary in 1880 and after this she published the book, 'From India's Coral Strand: Hymns of Christian Faith' in 1883. This is one of the hymns in that book and by far the most well‑known in recent years

Here are some scriptures which are reckoned to have inspired this lady:

Psalm 31:20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion.

Psalm 36:7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

Psalm 63:7 Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

Psalm 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

1 Peter 1:6‑8 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Psalm 19:12 Cleanse thou me from secret faults.

Heb.12:5‑11 My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, ...then are ye bastards, and not sons.Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

1 John 4:10,19 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins...We love him, because he first loved us.

1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.