Rise Up, O Church of God
Rise Up, O Church of God is a spiritual song popular in the Protestant churches of the United States and originally composed for the Presbyterians .
The author of the text is William P. Merrill . He published his poetry in the Presbyterian newspaper The Continent in 1911 . In it he refers to Mt 22.37 EU , 1 Joh 2.14 EU and Joh 12.32 EU . The lyrics are sung based on the melody of the Festal Song by William H. Walter from 1872. In it he set the Paul Gerhardt text " Befiehl du your ways" to music . Merrill's song was regularly sung in the alternate text version Rise up, O church of God in the television services from the Crystal Cathedral with Robert Schuller .
text
- 1. Rise up, O men of God!
- Have done with lesser things.
- Give heart and mind and soul and strength
- To serve the King of kings.
- 2. Rise up, O men of God!
- The kingdom tarries long.
- Bring in the day of brotherhood
- And end the night of wrong.
- 3. Rise up, O men of God!
- The church for you doth wait,
- Her strength unequal to her task;
- Rise up and make her great!
- 4. Lift high the cross of Christ!
- Tread where His feet have trod.
- As brothers of the Son of Man,
- Rise up, O men of God!
Alternative version:
- 1. Rise up, O Church of God!
- Have done with lesser things;
- Give heart and soul
- and mind and strength
- To serve the King of kings.
- 2. Rise up, O Church of God!
- His Kingdom tarries long;
- Bring in the day of brotherhood
- And end the night of wrong.
- 3. Rise up, O Church of God!
- The Church for you doth wait:
- His strength shall make
- your spirit strong,
- Her service make you great.
- 4. Lift high the cross of Christ!
- Tread where His feet have trod,
- As followers of the Son of Man
- Rise up, O Church of God!
- 5. Rise up, O saints of God!
- His Kingdom tarries long;
- Bring in the day of brotherhood
- And end the night of wrong.
- 6. Rise up, O saints of God!
- The Church for you doth wait:
- His strength shall make
- your spirit strong,
- Her service make you great.
literature
- Calvin Weiss Laufer: Hymn Lore . Philadelphia 1932.
- Baptist Hymn Book published by the Psalms and Hymns Trust, 1962.
- Methodist Hymn Book , Methodist Publishing House, 1954.