1 Lord God, we all give praise to Thee,
And sing Thy love most gratefully,
For the angelic beings bright
Who hover round Thy throne of light.
2 They shine resplendent by Thy grace
And gaze enraptured on Thy face;
They hear Thy voice as Thou hast willed,
And are with heavenly wisdom filled.
3 Thy slumber not, nor rest their feet;
It is their aim and joy most sweet
To be thy host, Thou mighty Rock!
And be around Thy little flock.
4 The foul old dragon and dread foe
Burns with fierce envious hate below;
He seeks more than all else beside
Thy Christian people to divide.
5 He blighted earth with lying breath
And hold his grip e'en now till death;
Chafes madly to annihilate
All virtue, honor, Church, and State.
6 Nor halt nor rest he ever knows;
As roaring lion round he goes,
Or lies in wait with desp'rate snare
To bring the Christian to despair.
7 But watchful is the angel-band
That follows Christ on every hand,
And guards Thy Holy Christendom
From harm that may from Satan come.
8 This we can well of Daniel ken,
When he sat in the lions' den;
And earlier still, we have been taught
How angels rescued pious Lot.
9 Likewise the Hebrews three, of old,
Who bend no knee to gods of gold,
Sang cheerfully mid flames intense:
God's angel was their sure defence.
10 And thus our God, still at this day,
From harm and many an evil way
Keeps us by His dear angel-guard,
Placed o'er us as our watch and ward.
11 For this, now and eternally,
Our praise shall rise, O God, to Thee,
Whom also angel-hosts adore
With joy, now and forevermore.
12 We yet would pray Thee to defend
By them, unto the latter end,
Thy fold, that little flock, O Lord,
That holds in honor thy blest Word!