m. The Choirs of Heaven are mentioned in the 2nd
line, and those of earth in the 4th. The 5th line recurs to some of
the thoughts of the 1st and the 3rd lines. Thus the 1st and 5th, the
2nd and 4th lines are balanced about the Song of Praise which forms the
middle line.

So again, in the and Stanza, the centre thought is our Lord's Earthly
Life with His Eternal Pre-existence on one side and His Eternal Glory
now and hereafter on the other.

And further, the centre thought of the 3rd Stanza is the Praise
expressed in the 11th line, _Day by day we magnify Thee, and we worship
Thy name ever world without end_. This line corresponds to the 3rd
line, the Ter-Sanctus, which is the centre of the 1st Stanza. The
first and third Stanzas are hereby made {69} to balance one another
around the middle Stanza, both in the number of their lines and the
plan of their arrangement.

Noting now that the plan and method of the Hymn are governed by the
centre line and the centre thought in all the respects to which we have
referred, we cannot fail to notice afresh that the Redeemer's Earthly
Life is the centre thought of the whole Hymn--the centre line of the
centre Stanza around which everything is grouped.

The division of the Hymn into Stanzas is, we suppose, conclusively
proved. We may further infer that the Te and Tibi of Stanza i. are
addressed to the same Person as the Tu of Stanza ii. and the Te of
Stanza iii. i.e. to Christ. Stanzas ii. and iii. are evidently so
addressed, and Stanza i. could not, we think, have made the pronouns so
prominent without having the same reference.

It may however be objected that lines 1, 3, and 5 cannot be addressed
to Christ. A little consideration will show that they can.

(_a_) _Te Deum laudamus_ may be translated _we praise thee O God_. But
the more obvious translation is _we praise Thee as God_, especially as
it comes with _we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord_. The two Latin
phrases are exactly parallel, so that if it is to be _We praise Thee, O
God_, it should also be _we acknowledge Thee O Lord_.

Now the acknowledgement of the Godhead and Lordship of Christ was very
likely to be stated in an early Hymn, far more than the acknowledgement
that God is God. The Titles--God, Lord, Father {70} everlasting--which
are here acknowledged, appear to be suggested by Isaiah ix. 6. For
there _the Lord of Hosts which is wonderful in counsel_ (Isaiah xxviii.
29) is expressed as _Wonderful,