War Against Babylon
(Air — Novello.)
“War against Babylon!” shout we around,
Be our banners through earth unfurled;
Rise up, ye nations, ye kings, at the sound—
“War against Babylon!” shout thro’ the world!
Oh thou, that dwellest on many waters,1
Thy day of pride is ended now;
And the dark curse of Israel’s daughters
Breaks like a thundercloud over thy brow!
War, war, war against Babylon!
Make bright the arrows, and gather the shields,2
Set the standard of God on high;
Swarm we, like locusts, o’er all her fields.
“Zion” our watchword, and “vengeance” our cry!
Woe! woe!—the time of thy visitation3
Is come, proud land, thy doom is cast—
And the black surge of desolation
Sweeps o’er thy guilty head, at last!
War, war, war against Babylon!
Notes
1 “Oh thou that dwellest upon many waters…thine end is come.”—Jer. li. 13.
2 “Make bright the arrows; gather the shields…set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon”—Jer. li. 11, 12.
3 “Woe unto them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation!”—Jer. l. 27.