The Battle Hymn of the Republic

"The Battle Hymn of the Republic" was written during the American Civil War in 1861, by Julia Warde Howe. The tune was written around 1855 by William Steffe. The lyrics at that time were called "Canaan's Happy Shore" and "Brothers, Will You Meet Me?" The song was sung as a campfire spiritual. The tune spread across the United States, taking on many sets of new lyrics, until Julia Howe wrote the lyrics we know today.

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.


Verse 1

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)
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His day is marching on.



Verse 2

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)
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Since God is marching on.



Verse 3

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)
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Our God is marching on.



Verse 4

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.
(Chorus)
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
While God is marching on.



Verse 5

He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave,
He is Wisdom to the mighty, He is Succour to the brave,
So the world shall be His footstool, and the soul of Time His slave,
Our God is marching on.
(Chorus)
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Our God is marching on.



Verse 6

Here's some more references to God in some of our nation's oldest songs:

From the Star Spangled Banner :

O thus be it ever when brave men shall stand
between their loved homes and the war's desolation
blessed with victory and peace, may the Heaven rescued land
praise the Power that hath made, and preserved them a nation
And conquer we must, when our cause it is just
and this be our motto : in God do we trust
and long may that star spangled banner yet wave
over the land of the free and the home of the brave


From My Country Tis :

Our Father God, to Thee
Author of Liberty
Praises we sing
Long may our land be bright
with Freedom's Holy light
protect us by Thy might
Great God, our King