Battle Hymn of the Church
One of the 94 hymns we sing together at Cornerstone Reformed Baptist Church on the Gold Coast. Browse the full hymnbook.
Lyrics
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!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
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!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
King Jesus saves your soul!
Ending:
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
King Jesus saved my soul!
King Jesus saved my soul!
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.