Monday, April 28, 2008

The Battle Hymn of the Republic

Of all the "patriotic songs", my favorite is the Battle Hymn of the Republic. When the Pope was in D.C. a couplel of weeks ago, the US Army Chorus sang it. Here is a link to the video.

Here are the lyrics(they did not sing them all):

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored.
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on!

[chorus]
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps;
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps.
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps;
His day is marching on!

[chorus]

I have read a fiery gospel writ in burnished rows of steel;
"As ye deal with my contemners, so with you my grace shall deal;
Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel,
Since God is marching on."

[chorus]

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment-seat;
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on!

[chorus]

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me;
As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,
While God is marching on.

I get chills everytime I hear it.

4 comments:

Taylor Hale said...

I had to sing that song for OCDA this year... Being a soprano, I was hoarse for 2 days :(

-The Mountain Man- said...

You deleted my comments on your blog. My feelings are hurt...;)

bugs said...

this hymn is still one of the masterpieces of its time. It was written by Julia Ward Howe (1819-1910)and is at its best with a good old brasband behind it

Robin Meadows said...

Sang this song many times when I was in highschool choir. It's got wonderfully passionate words.

Love it still.