Sunday, September 26, 2010
Lyrics- Faith is the Victory
Every Sunday the lyrics from some great piece of Christian music will be featured. It's not that I want worship to revert to using all hymns, it's just that many modern Christian songs don't SAY anything. I really miss some deeper meaning. So I'm going to remind us of some great words.
Faith is the Victory
by John H. Yates, 1891
Encamped along the hills of light
Ye Christian soldiers, rise
And press the battle are the night
Shall veil the glowing skies
Against the foe in vales below
Let all our strength be hurled
Faith is the victory, we know
That over comes the world
Chorus:
Faith is the victory!
Faith is the victory!
Oh, glorious victory
That overcomes the world
Chorus
His banner over us is love
Our sword the Word of God
We tread the road the saints above
With shouts of triumph trod
By faith they, like a whirlwind's breath
Swept on o'er ev'ry field
The faith by which they conquered Death
Is still our shining sheild
Chorus
On every hand the foe we find
Drawn up in dread array.
Let tents of ease be left behind,
And onward to the fray.
Salvation’s helmet on each head,
With truth all girt about,
The earth shall tremble ’neath our tread,
And echo with our shout.
Chorus
To him that overcomes the foe
White raiment shall be given
Before the angels he shall know
His name confessed in heaven
Then onward from the hills of light
Our hearts with love aflame
We'll vanquish all the hosts of night
In Jesus' conquering name
I will confess that this hymn ended up high on my list of favorites as a young person because we were allowed to sing it faster than most other hymns. The tune (as is true of quite a few hymns) is quite sing-song. But one can't deny that it's very sing-able, and the words are great. I found one video of it that's pretty good. Sandy Wyman & Jim Ayars sing Faith is the Victory
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4 comments:
So 'singable' in fact that I just sat here and sang it to the wife!
It is also very high on the list of favorites from my youth. Today, Pastor Mark preached on Hebrews 11 -- the faith chapter.
I really like that song too! Thanks for the memory.
Thanks for posting the words of "Faith Is the Victory." Today is the 173rd anniversary of the birth of John Yates, the author. I agree that the melody has a repetitive and rather "sing-song" quality. But I think Ira Sankey (a Civil War veteran) was trying to create the imagery of galloping horsemen--and does it rather well.
If you enjoy reading about our hymns and their authors, I invite you to check out my daily blog on the subject, Wordwise Hymns.
And if you’ll excuse a brief “commercial:” If you do not have a good book on the subject of our Christmas carols, I encourage you to take a look at my own, Discovering the Songs of Christmas. In it, I discuss the history and meaning of 63 carols and Christmas hymns. The book is available through Amazon, or directly from Jebaire Publishing. (Might make a great gift too!)
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