God, to Thee We Humbly Bow

God

to Thee we hum­bly bow

Hand un­armed and nak­ed brow;

Musket

lance

and sheath­èd sword

At Thy feet we lay

O Lord!

Gone is all the sol­dier’s boast

In the va­lor of the host:

Kneeling here

we do our most.

Of our­selves we no­thing know:

Thou and Thou alone canst show

By the fa­vor of Thy hand

Who hast drawn the guil­ty brand.

If our foe­men have the right

Show Thy judg­ments in our sight

Through the for­tunes of the fight!

If our cause be pure and just

Nerve our cour­age with Thy trust:

Scatter

in Thy bit­ter wrath

All who cross the na­tion’s path:

May the baf­fled trai­tors fly

As the va­pors from the sky

When Thy rag­ing winds are high!

God of mer­cy

some must fall

In Thy ho­ly cause. Not all

Hope to sing the vic­tor’s lay

When the sword is laid away.

Brief will be the pray­ers then said;

Falling at Thy al­tar dead

Take the sac­ri­fice in­stead!

Now

O God

once more we rise

Marching on be­neath Thy eyes;

And we draw the sac­red sword

In Thy name and at Thy word.

May our spir­its clear­ly see

Thee

through all that is to be

In de­feat or vic­to­ry!