Battle Hymn of the Republic
Cedarmont Kids Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword
His truth is marching on

Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Our God is marching on

I have seen him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps
They have builded him an altar in the evening dews and damps
I can read his righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps
His day is marching on

Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Our God is marching on

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea
With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me
As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free
While God is marching on

Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!




Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Our God is marching on

Overall Meaning

The Battle Hymn of the Republic is a song that was written during the American Civil War, in 1861 by a woman named Julia Ward Howe. The song is essentially a call to arms for those fighting in the Union army, and expresses a strong sense of Christian moral purpose. The lyrics of the song are full of powerful imagery, and this is especially true of the first verse. "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord," implies that the writer is witnessing some sort of divine event. The second line, "He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored," is also quite powerful, as it is suggestive of the destruction of entire communities. "He hath loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword," is a reference to the power of God, and His ability to bring about destruction swiftly and decisively. The final line of the verse, "His truth is marching on," is a testament to the writer's belief that God is on the side of the Union army, in the fight to preserve the Union.


The second verse of the song is perhaps even more evocative than the first. The imagery in this verse is of watch-fires, with the men of the army keeping watch around them. The third line of the verse, "I can read his righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps," is again a reference to the righteousness of God, and His sense of justice. The last line of the verse, "His day is marching on," further suggests the belief that God is on the side of the Union.


The final verse of the song is perhaps the most poignant, as it deals directly with the sacrifice of Christ, and the desire of men to emulate it. The idea here is that Christ died to make men holy, and that men should be willing to die in order to make others free. This is a powerful message, and one that has resonated with people throughout the ages.


Line by Line Meaning

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord
I have witnessed the splendid arrival of the Lord with my own eyes


He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored
He is crushing the things that caused anger and resentment to store, as if pressing grapes to make wine


He hath loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword
He has unleashed his powerful sword that moves swiftly to bring justice


His truth is marching on
His honesty and righteousness are prevailing and continuing to be recognized


Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Praise, Praise, Hallelujah!


Our God is marching on
Our Lord is leading His followers forward to triumph


I have seen him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps
I have observed him in the bright, shining fires around the encampments


They have builded him an altar in the evening dews and damps
They have erected an altar for Him in the moist, chilly evening atmosphere


I can read his righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps
I understand His just verdict by the dim and flickering lights provided


His day is marching on
His time for victory and domination is rapidly approaching


In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea
Across the ocean, Christ was born in a place decorated with beautiful lilies


With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me
Filled with heavenly splendor, he transforms both you and me


As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free
Just as he sacrificed himself to cleanse humanity, we should also lay down our lives to liberate others


While God is marching on
As the Almighty leads us to victory and ultimate triumph




Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Julia Ward Howe, William Steffe

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions