Our Hymnbook

Battle Hymn of the Church

New words by Cornerstone; Based on original hymn by Julia Ward Howe, 1861

Verse 1

I will tell you of the story

Of the Saviour of the world,

How the garden once was broken

And the curse of sin unfurled.

Yet the promise God had spoken—

That the serpent would be hurled—

God's promise marches on!

Chorus

Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!

God's promise marches on!

Verse 2

To a man whose name was Abram

Came a word both true and bold:

"From your seed shall come a blessing

For the nations to behold."

In the Christ, the great fulfillment

Of that covenant of old,

God's promise marches on!

Verse 3

He delivered them from Pharaoh

With a mighty outstretched hand,

Yet they wandered in rebellion

Far from His appointed land.

But their failure bore the shadow

Of the true and sinless Son—

God's promise marches on!

Verse 4

In the fullness of the ages

Came the Word, God's only Son,

Born to die upon a mountain

Where salvation would be won.

He fulfilled the Law's demandings

"It is finished" said the Son!—

God's promise marches on!

Verse 5

He is gathering the ransomed,

All who look to Him in faith.

All the nations made one body

By His victory o'er the grave.

He prepares a home of glory

God's promise marches on!

Verse 6

Come, O sinner, hear the message:

You must trust the risen Lord!

There is life and full redemption

Found in Jesus and His Word.

Come, believe and live forever

By His grace and not your works—

King Jesus saves your soul!

Chorus

Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!

King Jesus saves your soul!

Ending:

Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!

King Jesus saved my soul!

For musicians

Open the Chords view to see the chords over the words, move the song into any key, and download the chart. Written in D.

Download chord chart

Behind the hymn

"Battle Hymn of the Church" is an original composition by Cornerstone Reformed Baptist Church, written with new words set to the iconic melody of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." The original "Battle Hymn" was written by Julia Ward Howe in November 1861 after she visited Union Army camps near Washington, D.C., during the American Civil War and heard soldiers singing the marching song "John Brown's Body." Howe was moved to write more dignified lyrics to the powerful tune, and her poem was published in the Atlantic Monthly in February 1862, becoming one of the most famous songs in American history. Cornerstone's adaptation takes the stirring melody and martial energy of the original and redirects them entirely toward the spiritual battle and the advance of God's kingdom through the gospel. The new lyrics trace God's redemptive work from creation through the cross to the final triumph of Christ, replacing the Civil War imagery with biblical narrative. This approach has deep roots in Christian tradition — believers have long adapted culturally powerful melodies to carry gospel content, following the principle that the best tunes should serve the highest truths.

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Lyrics