Lyrics:

1. Behold! A royal army,
With banner, sword, and shield,
Is marching forth to conquer
On life’s great battlefield.
Its ranks are filled with soldiers,
United, bold, and strong,
Who follow their Commander
And sing their joyful song:

(Chorus)
Victory, victory,
Thru him that redeemed us!
Victory, victory,
Thru Jesus Christ, our Lord!
Victory, victory, victory,
Thru Jesus Christ, our Lord!

2. And now the foe advancing,
That valiant host assails,
And yet they never falter;
Their courage never fails.
Their Leader calls, “Be faithful!”
They pass the word along;
They see his signal flashing
And shout their joyful song:

3. Oh, when the war is ended,
When strife and conflicts cease,
When all are safely gathered
Within the vale of peace,
Before the King eternal,
That vast and mighty throng
Shall praise his name forever,
And this shall be their song:

Text: Fanny J. Crosby, 1820-1915
Music: Adam Geibel, 1855-1933

-History: (Source: Wikipedia)

Written By: Fanny J. Crosby

Frances Jane Crosby (March 24, 1820 – February 12, 1915), usually known as Fanny Crosby in the United States, and by her married name, Frances van Alstyne in the United Kingdom, was an American Methodist rescue mission worker, poet, ef=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyricist”>lyricist, and composer who was during her lifetime one of the best known women in the United States, and was by the end of the 19th century “a household name in evangelical Protestant circles” globally,^[1][2] and “one of the most prominent figures in American evangelical life”,^[3] being one of the shapers of American culture, helping to “embed Christianity in the history and culture of the United States.^[4]

Best known for her Protestant Christian hymns and gospel songs, Crosby was “the premier hymnist of the gospel song period (ca. 1870-1920)”,^[5] and one of the most prolific hymnists in history, writing over 8,000 despite being blind since infancy,^[6][7] with over 100 million copies of her songs printed.^[8] Crosby was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1975.^[9] Known as the “Queen of Gospel Song Writers”,^[10] and as the “Mother of modern congregational singing in America”,^[11] with “dozens of her hymns continue to find a place in the hymnals of Protestant evangelicalism around the world”,^[12] with most American hymnals containing her work, as “with the possible exception of Isaac Watts and Charles Wesley, Crosby has generally been represented by the largest number of hymns of any writer of the twentieth century in nonliturgical hymnals”.^[3] Her gospel songs were “paradigmatic of all revival music“,^[3] and Ira Sankey attributed the success of the Moody and Sankey evangelical campaigns largely to Crosby’s hymns.^[13][14][15] Some of Crosby’s best-known songs include “Blessed Assurance“, “Pass Me Not, O Gentle Saviour“, “Jesus Is Tenderly Calling You Home”, “Praise Him, Praise Him”, “Rescue the Perishing”, and “To God Be the Glory“.^[16] Because some publishers were hesitant to have so many hymns by one person in their hymnals, Crosby used nearly 200 different pseudonyms during her career.^[17][18][19]

Crosby wrote over 1,000 secular poems,^[20] and had four books of poetry published, as well as two best-selling autobiographies. Crosby was the subject of at least a dozen biographies. Additionally, Crosby co-wrote popular secular songs, as well as political and patriotic songs, and at least five cantatas on biblical and patriotic themes, including The Flower Queen, the first secular cantata by American composers. Crosby was committed to Christian rescue missions, and was known for her public speaking.

Music By: Adam Geibel