We saw Thee not when Thou didst come
To this poor world of sin and death
Nor yet beheld Thy cottage home
In that despis?d Nazareth
But we believe Thy footsteps trod
Its streets and plains, Thou Son of God
But we believe Thy footsteps trod
Its streets and plains, Thou Son of God
We saw Thee no when lifted high
Amid that wild and savage crew
Nor heard Thy meek, imploring cry
"Forgive, they know not what they do!"
Yet we believe the deed was done
That shook the earth and veiled the sun
But we believe the deed was done
Which shook the earth and veiled the sun
We gazed not in the open tomb
Where once Thy mangled body lay
Nor saw Thee in that upper room
Nor met Thee on the open way
But we believe that angels said
"Why seek the living with the dead?"
But we believe that angels said
"Why seek the living with the dead?"
We walked not with the chosen few
Who saw the from the earth ascend
Who raised to Heav'n their wondering view
Then low to earth all prostrate bend
But we believe that mortal eyes
Beheld that journey to the skies
But we believe that mortal eyes
Beheld that journey to the skies
Alternate verse:
And now that Thou dost reign on high
And thence Thy waiting people bless
No ray of glory from the sky
Doth shine upon our wilderness
But we believe Thy faithful Word
And trust in our redeeming Lord
But we believe Thy faithful Word
And trust in our redeeming Lord
Original poem:
We have not seen Thy footsteps tread
This wild and sinful earth of ours
Nor heard Thy voice restore the dead
Again to life's reviving powers
But we believe—for all things are
The gifts of Thine Almighty care
We have not seen the billowy sea
Grow calm and still at Thy command
Nor the dim orbs again to see
Beneath the healing of Thine hand
But we believe the Fount of light
Again could give those eyeballs sight
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We did not see Thee tread the wave
We did not hear the voice from heaven
Which once with awful warning gave
That God's own Son for us was given
But we believe—oh! strengthen Thou
The faith which to Thy Name we owe
We did not see the armed throng
Steal to the garden's midnight shade
And watch the palm-tree's boughs among
Then quail beneath Thy glance afraid
But we believe—Almighty love
Alone could such dark moments prove
We did not see the darkness veil
With sudden gloom the noon-day skies
Nor the fierce soldier's cheek grow pale
And priestly mockery veil their eyes
When the proud Roman owned the power
Of heaven, 'twas in that awful hour
We did not hear the footsteps fall
Within that lonely garden ground
Of the all-wakeful sentinel
Slow tracing there his watchful round
But we believe—the Holy One
Bursting that tomb, in glory shone
We were not with the chosen few
Who saw Thee through the clouds ascend
Who gazed, and wished to follow too
Then on the earth all prostrate bend
But we believe that mortal eyes
Beheld the journey to the skies
Chase every shade of doubt away
"Light of the World!" in mercy shine
Illume with faith our erring way
We would no worship own but Thine
Bring us to heaven's peaceful shore
And make us Thine forevermore!
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