We Saw Thee Not (But We Believe)

This classic hymn has good thoughts, but communicates to today's worshippers in overly stilted and archaic language.  Most hymnals omit verse 5, which is an odd choice since it emphasizes Christ's continuing rule over the present worshippers.  As the song lyrics are already an adaptation of a poem, editors seem to have felt free to alter lyrics, and there are many minor lyric variations currently in use already.  One further note:  that "despised" Nazareth seems to be a reference to John 1:46, in which Nathanael was skeptical whether anything good could "come out of Nazareth."  

Comments and Suggestions:

Reliance on slant or sight rhymes is ordinarily a practice of last resort, but here the original verse 1 relied on a sight/slant rhyme of "come" and "home."  Under these circumstances, renewal usage of "came" and "home" seems acceptable, especially in that it does least violence to the original lyrics and word choice.  Similarly verse 5 rhymes "Word" with "Lord," such that the renewed v.4 lyric rhyming "ascend" with "bent" seems acceptable under the circumstances.  Additional word substitutions are certainly possible.

Renewal lyrics:

We DID NOT SEE YOU when YOU CAME
To this poor world of sin and death;
Nor DID WE SEE YOUR HUMBLE home,
In that despisèd Nazareth.
But we believe YOUR footsteps trod
Its streets and plains, O Son of God.
But we believe YOUR footsteps trod
Its streets and plains, 0 Son of God.

We did not see YOU lifted high,
Amid that wild and savage crew;
Nor heard YOUR meek, imploring cry,
“Forgive, they know not what they do!”
But 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 DID NOT LOOK INSIDE THE tomb,
Where ONCE YOUR sacred [mangled] body lay;
Nor sat within that upper room,
Nor met YOU 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 WERE NOT WITH the chosen few,
Who saw YOU from the earth ascend,
Who raised to Heav'n their wond'ring view,
Then BOWED to earth all prostrate BENT;
But we believe that HUMAN eyes
Beheld that journey to the skies;
But we believe that HUMAN eyes
Beheld that journey to the skies.

And now YOU reign WITH GOD on high,
And YOU FROM THERE YOUR people bless,
ENTHRONED IN HEAV'N, AND YET NEARBY
A SUNBEAM IN our wilderness;
But we believe YOUR faithful Word,
And trust in our redeeming Lord;
But we believe YOUR faithful Word,
And trust in our redeeming Lord.

Renewal lyric changes by RH Reinhard (c) 2015

Original lyrics:

We saw Thee not when Thou didst come
To this poor world of sin and death;
Nor yet beheld Thy cottage home,
In that despisèd 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 did not see Thee lifted high,
Amid that wild and savage crew;
Nor heard Thy meek, imploring cry,
“Forgive, they know not what they do!”
But 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 stood not by the empty tomb,
[We gazed not in the open tomb]
Where late [once] Thy sacred [mangled] body lay;
Nor sat within 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 did not mark the chosen few,
Who saw Thee from the earth ascend,
Who raised to Heav'n their wond'ring view,
Then to the 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.

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.

Lyrics by Anne Richter, 1838,
as arranged by John H. Gurney, 1851.