Battle Hymn of the Republic
Wanda Jackson Lyrics


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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!
His truth 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

I have read His fiery gospel writ in rows of burnished steel!
As ye deal with my contemners, so with you My grace shall deal!
Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel
Since God is marching on

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him, be jubilant, my feet!
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

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Wanda Jackson's "Battle Hymn of the Republic" are full of allusions to the Bible and Christian imagery. The song speaks of the coming of the Lord and His judgment upon the wicked, represented by the grapes of wrath. The powerful image of the Lord using a swift sword to dispense judgment on His enemies is reminiscent of the Book of Revelation. The refrain, "Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!" is a reference to a common hymn sung in churches, while the repetition of "His truth is marching on" at the end of each stanza reinforces the idea that the Lord's judgment and truth will prevail.


The second stanza of the song speaks of the many fires the singer has seen, where people have gathered to build an altar and pay homage to the Lord. The "dim and flaring lamps" suggest an other-worldly, mystical atmosphere. The third stanza is more menacing, with the singer referencing the "fiery gospel writ in rows of burnished steel." In this stanza, the singer warns those who oppose the Lord that judgment will come swift and unyielding.


Line by Line Meaning

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord
I have witnessed the magnificence of the arrival of the Lord.


He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored
He is crushing out the stored anger and resentment as if it were a vineyard.


He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword
He unleashed the destructive force of His fierce weapon.


His truth is marching on
His truth carries on despite any obstacles.


Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Praise and honor be the Lord's!


His truth is marching on
His truth carries on despite any obstacles.


I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps
I've seen the Lord in the patterns of campfire flames.


They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps
They've constructed an altar for Him in the damp evening air.


I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps
His right and fair judgment is made clear by the low light of flickering lamps.


His day is marching on
His time is arriving without fail.


I have read His fiery gospel writ in rows of burnished steel!
I've read His passionate message inscribed in polished steel.


As ye deal with my contemners, so with you My grace shall deal!
I will respond to you with the same mercy you show my adversaries.


Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel
May the Hero, born from a woman, defeat the treacherous snake.


Since God is marching on
As God continues to move forward.


He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat
He has sounded a trumpet that won't signal a retreat.


He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat
He is evaluating the hearts of humans before His throne of judgment.


Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him, be jubilant, my feet!
My soul must quickly respond to Him, and my feet should rejoice!


Our God is marching on
Our God is pressing ahead.


In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea
Jesus Christ was born across the sea in the presence of beautiful lilies.


With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me
He bears a radiance that changes us.


As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free!
Just as He died to purify us, we'll die to liberate others!


While God is marching on
Even while God is relentlessly pushing forward.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MORTON GOULD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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