The Battle Hymn of the Republic

The song became a patriotic anthem during the Civil War after Julia Howe was inspired to write a poem to the music (which was alternately called "John Brown's Body") which she heard sung by Union Soldiers while visiting a Union Army Camp.

"I awoke in the grey of the morning, and as I lay waiting for dawn, the long lines of the desired poem began to entwine themselves in my mind, and I said to myself, 'I must get up and write these verses, lest I fall asleep and forget them!' So I sprang out of bed and in the dimness found an old stump of a pen, which I remembered using the day before. I scrawled the verses almost without looking at the paper." —Julia W. Howe

The hymn is commonly sung in church services and at funerals. Notably it was performed at the funerals of Winston Churchill, Senator Robert Kennedy, and Presidents Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon.

Ironically, as reverent as the lyrics are intended to be, it is one of the most parodied of all songs, often by school children. (i.e. "Glory, glory, hallelujah! Teacher hit me with a ruler. I met her at the door with a loaded .44, and I ain't seen the old goat since..." and countless other renditions.)

The lyrics to Battle Hymn of the Republic appeared in the Atlantic Monthly in 1862.

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord:
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword:
His truth is marching on.

(Chorus)
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on

I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps,
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps:
His day is marching on.

Chorus

I have read a fiery gospel writ in burnished rows of steel:
"As ye deal with my contemners, so with you my grace shall deal;
Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with His heel,
Since God is marching on."

Chorus

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment-seat:
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on.

Chorus

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me:
As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,
While God is marching on.

Chorus

He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave,
He is wisdom to the mighty, He is succour to the brave,
So the world shall be His footstool, and the soul of Time His slave,
Our God is marching on.

Chorus

Hear this famous hymn played at CyberHymnal.org.

The "Battle Hymn" was also famously performed by Elvis Presley and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, which won a Grammy for its recording of the song in 1959.

Lines from the hymn have been further popularized by the books of John Steinbeck (The Grapes of Wrath), and In the Beauty of the Lilies by John Updike.

The song has been featured in dozens of movies, including Michael Moore's highly acclaimed and controversial documentary Bowling for Columbine.

The Christian Metal band Stryper recorded a heavy metal version of the hymn for their 1985 debut album Soldiers Under Command.

All-American Patriotic Songbook - 2nd Edition Songbook for voice, piano and guitar (chords only). 136 pages. Published by Hal Leonard. (HL.315052) See more info...