CHRISTIAN LIFE >> Watchfulness
SDAH 605
My soul, be on thy guard!
Ten thousand foes arise;
The hosts of sin are pressing hard
To draw thee from the skies.
Get the hymn sheet in other keys here
For Worship Leaders
Make each hymn more meaningful with these helpful tools: Short, ready-to-use hymn introductions for church bulletins, multiple ways to introduce a hymn based on your worship theme and in-depth history and insights to enrich your song service.
📖 Reference: Feel free to share but please cite hymnsforworship.org when reproducing.
Introductions for Sabbath School Song Service (based on specific lesson quarterlies):
George Heath (1745-1822) became a Presbyterian pastor in Honiton, wrote a History of Bristol, 1797. He also wrote Hymns and Poetic Essays, published in Bristol in 1781; it is from that book that this hymn is taken. It is entitled “Steadfastness.” Unfortunately, Heath failed to heed the counsel of his own hymn and fell into unworthy ways.
The tune LABAN was composed in 1830 by Lowell Mason (1792-1872; see Biographies), but the name has no associative significance.
📖 Reference: Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal by Wayne Hooper and Edward E. White. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1988.
Text
1
My soul, be on thy guard!
Ten thousand foes arise;
The hosts of sin are pressing hard
To draw thee from the skies.
2
O watch, and fight, and pray!
The battle ne’er give o’er;
Renew it boldly every day,
And help divine implore.
3
Ne’er think the victory won,
Nor lay thine armor down;
Thy arduous task will not be done
Till thou obtain the crown.
Hymn Info
Biblical Reference
(b) Mark 13:33 (c) Eccl 8:8; Rev 3:11
Author
George Heath (1745-1822)
Year Published
1781
Hymn Tune
LABAN
Metrical Number
S.M.
Composer
Lowell Mason (1792-1872)
Year composed
1830
