Today’s hymn comes from Thomas Benson Pollock (1836-1896). He was edu­cat­ed at Tri­ni­ty Col­lege, Ireland ,where he won the Vice-Chan­cel­lor’s Prize for Eng­lish Verse in 1855. He stu­died me­di­cine in Lon­don, but in 1861 de­cid­ed to take Ho­ly Or­ders in the Anglican Church. He served as cur­ate of St. Luke’s, Leeds; St. Tho­mas’, Stam­ford Hill, Lon­don; and Ho­ly Tri­ni­ty, Bor­des­ley, Bir­min­gham, where his bro­ther, James Sa­mu­el Pol­lock, was vi­car. Then, for the rest of his life, he min­is­tered to the poor at St. Al­ban’s Mis­sion in Birm­ing­ham. Pollock was a mem­ber of the Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern com­mit­tee, and was its chair­man from 1895–96¹. Below is a traditional as well as a modern rendition; enjoy!

Meter: 8.8.8.8.8.8

We have not known thee as we ought,
nor learned thy wisdom, grace and pow’r;
the things of earth have filled our thought,
and trifles of the passing hour.
Lord, give us light thy truth to see,
and make us wise in knowing thee.

We have not feared thee as we ought,
nor bowed beneath thine awesome eye,
nor guarded deed and word and thought,
remembering that God was nigh.
Lord, give us faith to know thee near,
and grant the grace of holy fear.

We have not loved thee as we ought,
nor cared that we are loved by thee;
thy presence we have coldly sought,
and feebly longed thy face to see.
Lord, give a pure and loving heart
to feel and own the love thou art.

We have not served thee as we ought;
alas! the duties left undone,
the work with little fervor wrought,
the battles lost or scarcely won!
Lord, give the zeal and give the might,
for thee to toil, for thee to fight.

When shall we know thee as we ought,
and fear and love and serve aright!
When shall we, out of trial brought,
be perfect in the land of light!
Lord, may we day by day prepare
to see thy face and serve thee there.

¹hymntime.com/tch/bio/p/o/l/l/pollock_tb.htm

☕Buy me a coffee☕