Latter-Day Psalms/War
WAR
"Come forth, oh ye young men of all the nations, for the Fiend is risen against you to destroy!"
Who is the Fiend that is risen against us, and wherefore wills he to destroy?
"He is your brother, who aspires Godward; and he is in arms, lest ye overthrow him and destroy."
Wherefore should we come forth against our brother? We will not overthrow the servant of the Most High.
"Be ye then overthrown and made nothing, and be ye abolished from among the servants of the Most High!"
God commanded peace, and we will preserve it. In the ways of peace we serve the Most High.
"God is enshrined among you, and ye shall preserve him. Ye shall not meekly watch his temple be cast down."
So also say our brethren whom the Fiend possesses; yet seek we not their temple to cast down.
"The Fiend is risen against you, is risen against you! Shall the holy place of the Lord God be defiled?
For the land that bred you is the holy place of God; but the land also of the enemy is holy land."
We will not defile the holy lands with blood, and lay before God an offering of destruction.
"Arise! And overthrow the oppressor, who marshals your brethren against you to make you slaves."
The oppressor also marshals us. We will not help him to enslave.
"Rise up, ye young men of all the nations and learn war, that ye may overthrow the oppressor from all his dominion!
The Lord God commands you to war, that the flame of your spirit may be kindled, that ye may feel God.
For the shrine of the Most High is defiled in you, and he will purge it with war.
Therefore put off the habit of peace, and throw away self, and set aside your heart's desire.
Come forth! oh ye young men! For the Lord God has ordained a sacrament of courage, that the spirit of his peoples may be born again."
Behold, then, we come forth in our millions! Behold, we are gathered together in nations of armed men!
We have put off the habit of peace, and thrown away self, and set aside our heart's desire.
We young men have parted from our beloved, whom we thought to wed.
We newly wedded shall not meet again. She that loves shall be left alone desolate.
Homes shall be rooted up. Children shall cry after their fathers in vain.
Mothers shall give up their sons. Fathers shall be alone in their old age.
The dead shall be a mighty host; and there shall be agony, and horror, and grief immeasurable.
The innocent shall be trampled under foot, and the victor shall be debased with bloodthirstiness.
But the peoples shall rise up, and the oppressor shall fall.
War music is in the air like a summons, and the heart beats to the drum.
Therefore let us go forth gladly even into the place that is Hell. Surely we will go singing even down into the pit.
For the Most High God is within us, and him we will preserve.
Who is the Fiend that is risen against us, and wherefore wills he to destroy?
"He is your brother, who aspires Godward; and he is in arms, lest ye overthrow him and destroy."
Wherefore should we come forth against our brother? We will not overthrow the servant of the Most High.
"Be ye then overthrown and made nothing, and be ye abolished from among the servants of the Most High!"
God commanded peace, and we will preserve it. In the ways of peace we serve the Most High.
"God is enshrined among you, and ye shall preserve him. Ye shall not meekly watch his temple be cast down."
So also say our brethren whom the Fiend possesses; yet seek we not their temple to cast down.
"The Fiend is risen against you, is risen against you! Shall the holy place of the Lord God be defiled?
For the land that bred you is the holy place of God; but the land also of the enemy is holy land."
We will not defile the holy lands with blood, and lay before God an offering of destruction.
"Arise! And overthrow the oppressor, who marshals your brethren against you to make you slaves."
The oppressor also marshals us. We will not help him to enslave.
"Rise up, ye young men of all the nations and learn war, that ye may overthrow the oppressor from all his dominion!
The Lord God commands you to war, that the flame of your spirit may be kindled, that ye may feel God.
For the shrine of the Most High is defiled in you, and he will purge it with war.
Therefore put off the habit of peace, and throw away self, and set aside your heart's desire.
Come forth! oh ye young men! For the Lord God has ordained a sacrament of courage, that the spirit of his peoples may be born again."
Behold, then, we come forth in our millions! Behold, we are gathered together in nations of armed men!
We have put off the habit of peace, and thrown away self, and set aside our heart's desire.
We young men have parted from our beloved, whom we thought to wed.
We newly wedded shall not meet again. She that loves shall be left alone desolate.
Homes shall be rooted up. Children shall cry after their fathers in vain.
Mothers shall give up their sons. Fathers shall be alone in their old age.
The dead shall be a mighty host; and there shall be agony, and horror, and grief immeasurable.
The innocent shall be trampled under foot, and the victor shall be debased with bloodthirstiness.
But the peoples shall rise up, and the oppressor shall fall.
War music is in the air like a summons, and the heart beats to the drum.
Therefore let us go forth gladly even into the place that is Hell. Surely we will go singing even down into the pit.
For the Most High God is within us, and him we will preserve.