Side by side with this call of Christian soldiers to battle we may place a hymn to the Lord of Battles, the Captain of the Christian host.
Ride to battle, ride victorious, Gird, O Christ, Thy glittering sword! Earth can never stand before Thee, Nor can hell itself, my Lord: In Thy name such glory dwelleth, Hostile armies faint with fear; And the wide creation trembleth When it feels Thee coming near. | 46 Now release my soul from bondage, Let the heavenly day be known: Burst the iron bars in sunder, Raze the gates of Babylon: Thrust the captives hence in armies, Like the torrents of a flood; Thousand after thousand singing, Countless--ransomed--multitude! | Even now methinks I hear them, Voices singing from afar; They extol the great redemption, In the land where freemen are: All of them have snow-white garments, And aloft the palms they bear; Crowned with glory all-abounding Into life they enter there. | Be it mine to share the gladness Of that joyful day of days; Every word that Christ has spoken Shall fulfil itself in grace: North and south--ten times ten thousand, From the night that covered them, Come with sound of silver trumpets To the New Jerusalem. | |