Who is on the Lord’s side?
Who will serve the King?
Who will be His helpers
Other lives to bring?
Who will leave the world’s side?
Who will face the foe?
Who is on the Lord’s side?
Who for Him will go?
By Thy grand redemption,
By Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side,
Saviour, we are Thine.
Not for weight of glory,
Not for crown and palm,
Enter we the army,
Raise the warrior psalm,
But for love that claimeth
Lives for whom He died;
He whom Jesus nameth
Must be on His side.
Jesus, Thou hast bought us
Not with gold or gem,
But with Thine own lifeblood
For Thy diadem.
With Thy blessing filling
Each who comes to Thee,
Thou hast made us willing,
Thou hast made us free.
Fierce may be the conflict,
Strong may be the foe,
But the King’s own army
None can overthrow.
Round His standard ranging,
Victory is secure,
For His truth unchanging
Makes the triumph sure.
Master, Thou wilt keep us,
By Thy grace divine,
Always on the Lord’s side,
Saviour, always Thine.
Frances Ridley Havergal was a prolific writer of hymns, poetry and books in England in the 19th century, following in the steps of her father, Reverend William Havergal, who wrote one hundred hymns. When Frances was eleven years old and her mother was dying, she called Frances to her bedside and said she worried more about her, the youngest, than her siblings. Mrs.Havergal said that she prayed that the Holy Spirit would guide her daughter, and told her to remember that it was only the blood of Jesus that could make her clean and lovely in God’s sight. Only at the age of fifteen did Frances feel assured of her own salvation. That’s when she began her writing.
In 1877, Frances felt too busy to even answer a letter from a friend. She was overwhelmed with correspondence, proofreading, and articles to write. She had little time for her own poetry and music. Her doctor told her she was becoming too frail “to balance the nerves and the brain”, and not to pick up a pen at that time! However, Frances did pick up a pen that year, and wrote the above hymn. In the Salvation Army, we usually sing it to the tune of Rachie, by a man with the unusual name of Caradog Roberts.
