Scripture Verse

A king shall reign in righteousness. Isaiah 32:1

Introduction

portrait
Ray Palmer
1808–1887

Words: Ray Pal­mer, 1860. Ap­peared in his Po­et­ic­al Works (New York: 1876).

Music: Bat­tle Hymn John Whit­a­ker (1776–1847) (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Whitaker (head-and-shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Eternal Father, Thou hast said
That Christ all glory shall obtain;
That He who once a sufferer bled
Shall o’er the world a conqueror reign.

We wait Thy triumph, Savior King,
Long ages have prepared Thy way;
Now all abroad Thy banner fling,
Set time’s great battle in array.

Thy hosts are mustered to the field;
The cross! the cross! the battle call;
The old grim towers of darkness yield,
And soon shall totter to their fall.

On mountain tops the watch fires glow,
Where scattered wide the watchmen stand;
Voice echoes voice, and onward flow
The joyous shouts from land to land.

Oh, fill the Church with faith and power!
Bid her long nights of weeping cease;
To groaning nations haste the hour
Of life and freedom, light and peace.

Come, Spirit, make Thy wonders known,
Fulfill the Father’s high decree;
Then earth, the might of hell o’erthrown,
Shall keep her last great jubilee.