Knowing You
One of the 94 hymns we sing together at Cornerstone Reformed Baptist Church on the Gold Coast. Browse the full hymnbook.
Lyrics
Verse 1
All I once held dear, built my life upon
All this world reveres and wars to own;
All I once thought gain I have counted loss,
Spent and worthless now compared to this.
Chorus
Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You
There is no greater thing
You’re my all, You’re the best
You’re my joy, my righteousness,
And I love You Lord.
Verse 2
Now my heart’s desire is to know You more,
To be found in You and known as Yours,
To possess by faith what I could not earn
All surpassing gift of righteousness
Chorus
Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You
There is no greater thing
You’re my all, You’re the best
You’re my joy, my righteousness,
And I love You Lord.
Verse 3
Oh to know the power of Your risen life,
And to know You in Your sufferings;
To become like You in Your death, my Lord,
So with You to live and never die.
Chorus
Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You
There is no greater thing
You’re my all, You’re the best
You’re my joy, my righteousness,
And I love You Lord.
Behind the Hymn
"Knowing You" (also known as "All I Once Held Dear") was written by Graham Kendrick in 1993, one of the most prolific and respected worship songwriters in the United Kingdom. Kendrick, often called the father of modern worship music in Britain, has written hundreds of songs over a career spanning five decades, including classics like "Shine, Jesus, Shine" and "The Servant King." This hymn was inspired by the apostle Paul's declaration in Philippians 3:7-10, where Paul counts everything he once valued as loss compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord. Kendrick has said the song came from a personal meditation on what it means to truly know Christ — not just know about Him, but to experience the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings. The intimate chorus — "Knowing You, Jesus, there is no greater thing" — strips away all pretense and religious achievement to rest in the simple, profound relationship with Christ that is the heart of Christian faith. The hymn marked a shift in Kendrick's writing toward more reflective, theologically dense compositions that complement his earlier, more exuberant praise songs.