O God Of Earth And Altar
O God of Earth and Altar
O God of earth and altar,
Bow down and hear our cry,
Our earthly rulers falter,
Our people drift and die;
The walls of gold entomb us,
The swords of scorn divide,
Take not Thy thunder from us,
But take away our pride.
From all that terror teaches,
From lies of tongue and pen,
From all the easy speeches
That comfort cruel men,
From sale and profanation
Of honor, and the sword,
From sleep and from damnation,
Deliver us, good Lord!
Tie in a living tether
The prince and priest and thrall,
Bind all our lives together,
Smite us and save us all;
In ire and exultation
Aflame with faith, and free,
Lift up a living nation,
A single sword to Thee.
G. K. CHESTERTON, the noted British author and journalist, blended the realms of earth and altar. He was known for writing both detective stories and profound Christian apologetics; humorous essays like “On Running after One’s Hat” and deep polemical works like Orthodoxy; hilarious nonsense poems and hymns for worship. He always kept a sense of humor about him, whether in writing his personal testimony, which he called “My Elephantine Adventures in Pursuit of the Obvious,” or in this hymn, where he asked God to “Tie in a living tether the prince and priest and thrall.”
Chesterton calls for unity between the political and the spiritual, reminding us that political freedom can only find its source in God. Only as the hearts of political leaders, religious leaders, and citizens are turned to Him can a nation become “aflame with faith, and free.”
Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.
Isaiah 59:1-2
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