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1 Lift up your heads, you gates of brass;
ye bars of iron, yield;
and let the King of Glory pass;
the cross is in the field.
2 That banner, brighter than the star
that leads the train of night,
shines on the march, and guides from far
his servants to the fight.
3 A holy war those servants wage;
in that mysterious strife,
the powers of heaven and hell engage
for more than death or life.
4 Ye armies of the living God,
sworn warriors of Christ's host,
where hallowed footsteps never trod,
take their appointed post.
5 Though few and small and weak your bands,
strong in your Captain's strength,
go to the conquest of all lands;
all must be his at length.
6 The spoils at his victorious feet
you shall rejoice to lay,
and lay yourselves as trophies meet,
in his great judgment day.
7 Then fear not, faint nor, halt not now;
in Jesus' name, be strong!
To him shall all the nations bow,
and sing the triumph song—
8 uplifted are the gates of brass,
the bars of iron yield;
behold the King of Glory pass;
the cross hath won the field.
Source: CPWI Hymnal #432
First Line: | Lift up your heads, ye gates of brass |
Title: | Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Gates of Brass |
Author: | James Montgomery (1843) |
Meter: | 8.6.8.6 |
Language: | English |
Copyright: | Public Domain |
Lift up your heads, ye gates of brass. J. Montgomery. [Missions.] This hymn is amongst the “M. MSS.," but is undated. It was printed in the Evangelical Magazine, 1843; and again in Montgomery's Original Hymns, 1853, No. 265, in 19 stanzas of 4 lines, and entitled "China Evangelized"; Pt. ii. beginning “Ye armies of the living God”; and Pt. iii. "No carnal weapons those ye bear." In the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge em>Church Hymns, 1871, No. 291, is composed of stanzas i.—iii., xviii., xix. some¬what altered.
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)