177. By All Your Saints in Warfare

1 By all your saints in warfare,
For all your saints at rest,
Your holy name, O Jesus,
Forevermore be blest!
For you have won the battle
That they might wear the crown;
And now they shine in glory
Reflected from your throne.

2 (Insert the stanza appropriate to the day.)

3 Then let us praise the Father
And worship God the Son
And sing to God the Spirit,
Eternal Three in One.
Till all the ransomed number
Fall down before the throne,
Ascribing pow'r and glory
And praise to God alone.

Saints and martyr (general):
4 Apostles, prophets, martyrs,
And all the noble throng
Who wear the spotless raiment
And raise the ceaseless song -
For these passed on before us,
We offer praises due
And walking in their footsteps,
Would live our lives for you.

St. Andrew, Apostle:
5 All praise, O Lord, for Andrew,
The first to welcome you,
Whose witness to his brother
Named you Messiah true.
May we, with hearts kept open
To you throughout the year,
Confess to friend and neighbor
Your advent ever near.

St. Thomas, Apostle:
6 All praise for your apostle
Whose short-lived doubtings prove
Your perfect two-fold nature,
And all our depth of love.
We who await your coming
Desire your peace, O Lord;
Grant us true faith to know you,
Made flesh, yet God and Lord.

St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr:
7 Praise for the first of martyrs
Who saw you ready stand
To help in time of torment,
To plead at God's right hand.
They share with him who, steadfast,
In death their master own,
On earth the faithful witness,
On high the martyr's crown.

St. John, Apostle and Evangelist:
8 For your beloved disciple
Exiled to Patmos' shore,
And for his faithful record,
We praise you evermore.
Praise for the mystic vision
His words to us unfold.
Instill in us his longing
Your glory to behold.

The Holy Innocents, Martyrs:
9 All praise for infant martyrs
Whom your mysterious love
Called early from their warfare
To share your home above.
O Rachel, cease your weeping;
They rest from earthbound cares.
Lord, grant us hearts as guileless
And crowns as bright as theirs.

The Confession of St. Peter:
10 Praise for your great apostle
so eager and so bold,
Thrice falling, yet repentant,
Thrice charged to feed your fold.
Lord, make your pastors faithful
To guard your flock from harm,
And hold them when they waver
With your almighty arm.

The Conversion of St. Paul:
11 All praise for light from heaven
And for the voice of awe,
All praise for glorious visions
The persecutor saw.
O Lord, for Paul's conversion
We bless your name today;
Come, lighten all our darkness,
And guide us on our way.

St. Matthias, Apostle:
12 Lord, your abiding presence
Mysterious made the choice;
For one in place of Judas
The faithful now rejoice.
From all such false apostles
Your holy Church defend,
And by your parting promise
Be with us to the end.

Text Information
First Line: By all your saints in warfare
Title: By All Your Saints in Warfare
Author: Horatio Bolton Nelson, 1823-1913
Meter: 76 76 D
Language: English
Publication Date: 1978
Topic: Lesser Festivals; Holy Innocents, Martyrs; Saints' Days (1 more...)
Tune Information
Name: KING'S LYNN
Meter: 76 76 D
Key: d minor
Source: English folk tune; The English Hymnal
Copyright: Tune by permission of Oxford University Press; Setting © 1969 Concordia University Press
Notes: Tune now Public Domain in US



Media
More media are available on the text authority and tune authority pages.

Suggestions or corrections? Contact us