Sing Joyfully ‎#607

607. Once to Every Man and Nation

1 Once to every man and nation
Comes the moment to decide,
In the strife of truth with falsehood,
For the good or evil side;
Some great cause, some great decision,
Off'ring each the bloom or blight,
And the choice goes by forever;
'Twixt that darkness and that light.

2 Then to side with truth is noble,
When we share her wretched crust,
Ere her cause bring fame and profit,
And 'tis prosp'rous to be just;
Then it is the brave man chooses
While the coward stand aside,
Till the multitude make virtue
Of the faith they had denied.

3 Though the cause of evil prosper,
Yet the truth alone is strong:
Tho' her portion be the scaffold,
And upon the throne be wrong,
Yet that scaffold sways the future,
And, behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow,
Keeping watch above His own.

Amen.

Text Information

• First Line: Once to every man and nation
• Title: Once to Every Man and Nation
• Author: James R. Lowell
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1989
• Topic: National Hymns; Challenge; Courage; Victory

Tune Information

• Name: [Once to every man and nation]
• Composer: Thomas J. Williams
• Key: f minor