Thou Knowest, Lord (Hawkes)

Thou know­est

Lord

Thou know’st my life’s deep sto­ry

And all the min­gled

Good and ill I do;

Thou seest my shame

My few stray gleams of glo­ry

Where I am false

And where my soul rings true.

Lord

I am glad

Thou know’st my in­most be­ing

Glad Thou dost search

The sec­rets of my heart;

I would not hide

One fol­ly from Thy see­ing

Nor shun Thy heal­ing

Touch to save the smart.

Like warp and woof

The good and ill are blend­ed

Nor do I see

The pat­tern that I weave;

Yet in Thy love

The whole is com­pre­hend­ed

And in Thy hand

My fu­ture lot I leave.

Only

dear Lord

Make plain the path of du­ty;

Let not my shame

And sor­row weigh me down

Lest in des­pair

I fail to see its beau­ty

And weep­ing vain­ly

Miss the vic­tor’s crown.