Advance, advance, the day is come

1 Advance! advance! the day is come
To sing our Maker's praises;
Each thankful heart in faith and hope,
The strain of joy upraises:
In robes all pure and white
We chase the shades of night,
The gloom shall pass away
Before the dawn of day;
The Lord of Hosts is with us.

2 Advance! Advance! though sore the strife,
Though timid hearts are quailing,
The Lord of Hosts doth lead our van,
And He is all availing:
With His blest Presence near,
No mortal foe we fear;
Our Captain goes before,
'Mid strife of battle sore;
The Lord of Hosts is with us.

3 Advance! Advance! nor gaze behind,
Nor deem the pathway weary;
The Leader's footsteps print the track,
Through all that region dreary:
In faith we follow on,
We treat where He has gone;
The stormy wind may rave,
The stormy wind we brave;
The Lord of Hosts is with us.

4 Advance! Advance! lift up your hearts!
The sky above doth lighten;
Most dark around the shadows fall,
Ere rays of dawn may brighten:
The night is dark and chill,
The dawn is on the hill,
We reek not of the night,
'Twill soon be warm and bright;
The Lord of Hosts is with us.

5 Advance! Advance! ah, dearest Lord,
'Tis Thou, 'tis Thou dost lead us;
'Tis Thou dost point the narrow way,
'Tis Thou dost tend, dost feed us;
No power, no might have we,
Our strength is all of Thee;
At morn, at eventide,
Our aid, our hope, our guide.
Great Lord of Hosts be with us.

Amen.

Source: Voices of Praise: for school and church and home #330