Lord, not for light in dark­ness do we pray,
Not that the veil be lift­ed from our eyes,
Not that the slow as­cen­sion of our day
Be oth­er­wise.

We know the paths where­in our feet should press,
Across our hearts are writ­ten Thy de­crees;
Yet now O Lord, be mer­ci­ful to bless,
With more than these.

Grant us the will to fa­shion as we feel;
Grant us the strength to la­bor as we know;
Grant us the pur­pose, ribbed and edged with steel,
To strike the blow.

Knowledge we ask not, know­ledge Thou hast lent,
But Lord, the will, there lies our bit­ter need;
Give us to build above the deep in­tent
The deed, the deed.