We Know, by Faith We Know

We know

by faith we know

If this vile house of clay

This ta­ber­na­cle sink be­low

In ru­in­ous de­cay;

We have a house ab­ove

Not made with mor­tal hands

And firm

as our Re­deem­er’s love

The heav’nly fab­ric stands.

It stands se­cure­ly high

Indissolubly sure;

Our glo­ri­ous man­sion in the sky

Shall ev­er­more en­dure;

O were we en­tered there!

To per­fect Heav’n re­stored!

O were we all caught up to share

The tri­umph of our Lord!

For this in faith we call

For this we weep and pray;

O might the ta­ber­na­cle fall;

O might we ’scape away!

Full of im­mor­tal hope

We urge the rest­less strife

And hast­en to be swal­lowed up

In ev­er­last­ing life.

Absent

al­as! from God

We in the bo­dy mourn;

And pine to quit this mean ab­ode

And lang­uish to re­turn;

Jesus

re­gard our vows

And change our faith to sight;

And clothe us with our nob­ler house

Of em­py­re­an light!

O let us put on Thee!

In per­fect ho­li­ness!

And rise pre­pared Thy face to see

Thy bright un­cloud­ed face;

Thy grace with glo­ry crown

Who hast the ear­nest giv’n;

And now tri­umph­ant­ly come down

And take our souls to Heav’n!