The Blest Gospel Banner

It first was un­furled

Upon Beth­le­hem’s plain

Where shep­herds their lone

Starry night watch were keep­ing;

And Ju­dea’s hills

Echoed back the re­frain

While God’s chos­en race

All un­con­scious were sleep­ing

As an­gel­ic bands

Lifted high in their hands

The stan­dard which yet

Was to con­quer all lands

O say

does the blest

Gospel ban­ner yet wave

Over al­tars and homes

And the path to the grave?

Yes! from dark lone­ly tow­ers

It float­ed for years

When dim mists and black sha­dows

Enveloped the ag­es

At first crim­soned with blood

And then dark­ened with tears

With which mar­tyrs re­cord­ed

Their names on earth’s pag­es

Now hath van­ished the night

And we hail the glad light

Which il­lu­mines that ban­ner

Unfurled to our sight

’Tis the blest Gos­pel ban­ner

And long may it wave

Over al­tars and homes

And the path to the grave.

And thus be it ev­er

With foes of the right

Who hurl on our cause

Their fierce im­pre­ca­tions

For God helps to tri­umph

In His ho­ly might

The men who will serve Him

Through all ge­ne­ra­tions;

And when dust to dust shall

Return

as it must

We praise Him for­ev­er

Who now is our trust:

And the blest Gos­pel ban­ner

Its glo­ry shall wave

Over al­tars and homes

And the path to the grave!