Thou Knowest, Lord (Borthwick)

Thou know­est

Lord

the wea­ri­ness and sor­row

Of the sad heart that comes to Thee for rest;

Cares of today

and bur­dens for to­mor­row

Blessings im­plored

and sins to be con­fessed;

I come be­fore Thee at Thy gra­cious word

And lay them at Thy feet: Thou know­est

Lord.

Thou know­est all the pre­sent: each temp­ta­tion

Each toil­some du­ty

each fore­bod­ing fear;

All to my­self as­signed of tri­bu­la­tion

Or to be­lov­èd ones than self more dear;

All pen­sive me­mo­ries

as I jour­ney on

Longings for van­ished smiles and voic­es gone.

Thou know­est all the fu­ture: gleams of glad­ness

By stor­my clouds too quick­ly ov­er­cast;

Hours of sweet fel­low­ship

and part­ing sad­ness

And the dark riv­er to be crossed at last;

O what could con­fi­dence and hope af­ford

To tread that path

but this

Thou know­est

Lord!

Thou know­est

not alone as God

all know­ing;

As man

our mor­tal weak­ness Thou has proved:

On earth

with pur­est sym­pa­thies o’er­flow­ing

O Sav­ior

Thou hast wept

and Thou hast loved;

And love and sor­row still to Thee may come

And find a hid­ing place

a rest

a home.

Therefore I come

Thy gen­tle call ob­ey­ing

And lay my sins and sor­rows at Thy feet;

On ev­er­lasting strength my weak­ness stay­ing

Clothed in Thy robe of right­eous­ness com­plete:

Then ris­ing and re­freshed I leave Thy throne

And fol­low on to know as I am known.