LSB #720 "We Walk by Faith and Not by Sight"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Hebrews 12:2, John 20:29

Hebrews 12:2:  "looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

John 20:29:  "Jesus said to him [Thomas], 'Have you believed because you have seen me?  Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'"

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The text is public domain:

1 We walk by faith and not by sight,

No gracious words we hear

From Him who spoke as none e'er spoke,

But we believe Him near.

2 We may not touch His hands and side,

Nor follow where He trod;

But in His promise we rejoice

And cry "My Lord and God!"

3 Help then, O Lord, our unbelief;

And may our faith abound

To call on You when You are near

And seek where You are found.

4 For You, O resurrected Lord,

Are found in means divine:

Beneath the water and the Word,

Beneath the bread and wine.

5 Lord, when our life of faith is done,

In realms of clearer light

We may behold You as You are,

With full and endless sight.

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The verse from Hebrews 12 appears in roughly the second half of the hymn, starting with the line "To call on You when You are near."  The last verse seems to incorporate imagery from the first part of 1 Corinthians 13:12:  "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face."  In the hymn, "in a mirror dimly" is inverted, resulting in "realms of clearer light... with full and endless sight."

The verse from John 20 is cited apparently because of its similarity to the title line, although 2 Corinthians 5:7 is the actual source:  "for we walk by faith, not by sight."  The verse immediately preceding this (John 20:28, where Thomas says, "My Lord and my God!") is referred to in the second verse.

The line "Help then, O Lord, our unbelief" at the beginning of the third verse seems to be drawn from Mark 9:24:  "Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, 'I believe; help my unbelief!'"