Page:The Army and Navy Hymnal.djvu/167

PATRIOTISM AND DEMOCRACY

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God of Our Fathers, Known of Old

(LEST WE FORGET. 8,8,8,8,8,8)

Rudyard Kipling, 1897

G. F. Blanchard

1. God of our fathers, known of old,
   Lord of our far flung battle line,
   Beneath whose awful hand we hold
   Dominion over palm and pine:
   Lord God of hosts, be with us yet,
   Lest we forget,Lest we forget.
   
2. The tumult and the shouting dies ;
   The captains and the kings depart;
   Still stands thine ancient sacrifice,
   An humble and a contrite heart:
   Lord God of hosts, be with us yet,
   Lest we forget,Lest we forget.
   
3. Far-called our navies melt away,
   On dune and head-land sinks the fire;
   Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
   Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!
   Judge of the nations, spare us yet,
   Lest we forget,Lest we forget.
   
4. If drunk with sight of power, we loose
   Wild tongues that have not thee in awe,
   Such boasting as the Gentiles use
   Or lesser breeds without the law :
   Lord God of hosts, be with us yet,
   Lest we forget,Lest we forget.
   
5. For heath- en heart that puts her trust
   In reeking tube and iron shard ;
   All valiant dust that builds on dust,
   And,guarding, calls not thee to guard ;
   For frantic boast and foolish word,
   Thy mercy on thy people, Lord ! Amen.

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