The Son of God goes forth to war

Representative Text

1 The Son of God goes forth to war,
a kingly crown to gain;
His blood-red banner streams afar!
Who follows in his train?
Who best can drink His cup of woe,
triumphant over pain,
who patient bears his cross below,
he follows in His train.

2 The martyr first, whose eagle eye
could pierce beyond the grave;
who saw his Master in the sky
and called on Him to save.
Like Him, with pardon on His tongue
in midst of mortal pain,
he prayed for them that did the wrong!
Who follows in His train?

3 A glorious band, the chosen few
on whom the Spirit came,
twelve valiant saints, their hope they knew,
and mocked the cross and flame.
They met the tyrant's brandished steel,
the lion's gory mane;
they bowed their necks the death to feel:
who follows in their train?

4 A noble army, men and boys,
the matron and the maid,
around the Savior's throne rejoice
in robes of light arrayed.
They climbed the steep ascent of heav'n
through peril, toil and pain;
O God, to us may grace be giv'n
to follow in their train.

Source: Psalms and Hymns to the Living God #429

Author: Reginald Heber

Reginald Heber was born in 1783 into a wealthy, educated family. He was a bright youth, translating a Latin classic into English verse by the time he was seven, entering Oxford at 17, and winning two awards for his poetry during his time there. After his graduation he became rector of his father's church in the village of Hodnet near Shrewsbury in the west of England where he remained for 16 years. He was appointed Bishop of Calcutta in 1823 and worked tirelessly for three years until the weather and travel took its toll on his health and he died of a stroke. Most of his 57 hymns, which include "Holy, Holy, Holy," are still in use today. -- Greg Scheer, 1995… Go to person page >

Notes

The Son of God goes forth to war. Bishop R. Heber. [St. Stephen.] Published in his posthumous Hymns, &c. 1827, p. 17, in 8 stanzas of 4 lines. It is usually given in an unaltered form as in the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge Church Hymns, 1871, and is often accompanied by a fine musical setting as in the same hymnal.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Tune

ALL SAINTS NEW (Cutler)

Henry Stephen Cutler (b. Boston, MA, 1824; d. Boston, 1902) composed ALL SAINTS NEW in 1872 for Reginald Heber's (PHH 249) text "The Son of God Goes Forth to War," and the two were published together in Hymnal with Tunes, Old and New (1872). That text refers to "the glorious band" of God's people, h…

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Timeline

Instances

Instances (1 - 100 of 839)
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50 Hymns and Tunes #32

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A Church Hymn Book #17

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A Church hymnal #361

A Church of England Hymn Book #497

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A Collection of Hymns #161

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A Collection of Hymns and a Liturgy #556

A Collection of Hymns for Public and Private Devotion #d245

A Junior Hymnal with Song Stories and Worship Programs #d93

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A Manual of Worship #207

A Messenger for Jesus #d287

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A Missionary Hymn Book #104

A School Service Book #d166

A Selection of Hymns #d70

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A Selection of Spiritual Songs #799

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A Treasury of Hymns #184

A. M. E. C. Hymnal #307

Abiding Songs #d128

Adult Bible Class Hymnal No. 1 #78

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African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal #380

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Alexander's Conference Hymnal #48

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Alexander's Gospel Songs #136

Alexander's Hymns No. 2 #184

All-American Church Hymnal #339

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Alleluia #124

Ambassador Hymnal #165

American Church and Church School Hymnal #d298

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American Church and Church School Hymnal #238

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American Lutheran Hymnal #382

American Student Hymnal #d315

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An Evening Service Book #25

Anglican Hymn Book #205

Armed Forces Service Book for Public and Private Use. 2nd rev. ed. #d87

Army and Navy Service Book for Public and Private Use. Rev. ed. #d76

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Army and Navy Service Book #60

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Assembly Songs #175

Association Hymn Book #d193

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Association Hymn Book #122

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Awakening Songs for the Church, Sunday School and Evangelistic Services #205

Baptist Hymnal 1956 #414

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Best Endeavor Hymns #267

Book of Common Praise #d558

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Book of Worship with Hymns and Tunes #530

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Book of Worship #7

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Brotherhood Hymns #38

Carmina for Social Worship #d244

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Carmina for the Sunday School and Social Worship #162

Carmina Sacra #d193

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Carmina Sanctorum, a selection of hymns and songs of praise with tunes #654

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Carmina Sanctorum #654

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Celestial Songs #716

Chapel Service, Cadet Hymns and Songs #d86

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Chautauqua Hymnal and Liturgy #84

Chautauqua Hymns & Songs #d78

Childhood Songs #115

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Children's Praise #47

Choice Gospel Songs #d190

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Choice Hymns No. 1 #103

Choice Hymns #d131

Choral Song #d217

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Christ in Song #693

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Christian Chorals #184

Christian Hymnal #d471

Christian Hymns and Songs #d196

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Christian Hymns #64

Christian Praise #292

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Christian Praise #489

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Christian Song #352a

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Christian Song #352b

Christian Worship and Praise #d424

Christian Worship #358

Christian Youth Hymnal #219

Christmas Carols together with Certain Familiar Hymns and Songs #d45

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Church Hymnal #179

Church Hymnal, Fourth Edition #195

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Church Hymnal, Mennonite #497

Church Hymnal, Mennonite #497

Church Hymnal, Mennonite #d525

Church Hymnal, Third Edition #182

Church Hymns and Services, Published under License of the Church Pension Fund #d240

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Church Hymns and Tunes #370a

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Church Hymns and Tunes #370b

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Church Hymns and Tunes #370c

Church Hymns with Tunes #201

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Church Hymns #230

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College Hymnal #247

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Columbia University Hymnal #65

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Common Praise #454

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Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church #383

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Concordia #212

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Conference Hymnal #48

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Conquest Hymns #234

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Consecrated Hymns #105

Convention Hymnal #d78

Convention Hymnal #d71

Convention Hymns selected from Sunday School Melodies #d55

Pages

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