“Thou knowest, Lord, the weariness of sorrow
Of the sad heart that comes to thee for rest;
Cares of to-day, and burdens for to-morrow,
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 past; how long and blindly
On the dark mountains the lost sheep had strayed;
How the good shepherd followed, and how kindly
He bore it home upon his shoulders laid,
And healed the bleeding wounds, and soothed the pain,
And brought it life, and hope, and strength, again. Thou knowest all the present; each temptation,
Each toilsome duty, each foreboding fear;
All to myself assigned of tribulation,
Or to beloved ones than self more dear;
All pensive memories, as I journey on,
Longings for vanished smiles and voices gone. Thou knowest, not alone as God, all-knowing;
As man, our mortal weakness thou hast proved;
On earth with purest sympathies o'erflowing,
O Saviour, 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, all refreshed, I leave thy throne,
And follow on to know as I am known.
—Am. Messenger.