Arm These Thy Soldiers, Mighty Lord
Arm these Thy soldiers, mighty Lord
Arm These Thy Soldiers, Mighty Lord is a hymn text by Christian Worship (1941) in L.M. meter. Found in ELH 508, lw 290, tlh 332. Sung to GOTT SEI DANK.
The hymn reflects Lutheran emphasis on the reality of spiritual conflict and God's provision of divine armor through Word and sacrament. It exemplifies the Lutheran understanding of Christian life as engaged warfare against sin, death, and the devil.
History & Background
This hymn appears in the 1941 Lutheran hymnal tradition as a processional or general hymn emphasizing spiritual combat. It reflects the martial imagery common to Lutheran hymnody, particularly in the TLH tradition.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary — 508
- Lutheran Worship — 290
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 332
Bulletin Note
Published in Christian Worship (1941), this hymn recovers the Lutheran tradition of honest realism about spiritual conflict, grounding Christian warfare not in human effort but in God's Word and sacramental grace.
Preaching Connection
This hymn transforms the Law's exposure of our helplessness into the Gospel's comfort of divine provision, making it a powerful echo of Ephesians 6 and the confession that our battle is not flesh and blood but against powers and principalities.
Overview
A confirmation hymn by Christopher Wordsworth, bishop of Lincoln (nephew of the poet). Arm these soldiers with faith's shield and the Spirit's sword (st. 1); under the cross's banner they overcome the world and receive the crown (st. 2); Spirit, make their hearts your temple (st. 3) and enrich it with the sevenfold gifts — wisdom, light, knowledge, counsel, strength, fear, godliness (st. 4); praise to the Trinity (st. 5); grant us so to use your grace that we see your face (st. 6).
Central theme: The confirmands armed by the Spirit with faith and the Word for the Christian warfare, and dedicated as his temples
Structure
Six long-meter quatrains. Armor (1) — victory (2) — temple (3) — sevenfold gifts (4) — Trinity (5) — beatific vision (6).
Law & Gospel Shape
Law: the Foe; the evil world (1-2). Gospel: shield of faith; Spirit's sword; gifts of grace; the crown (1-4).
Confessional Connections
Eph 6:13 (TLH's text): 'take up the whole armor of God.' The weapons are God's gifts — faith and the Word ('the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,' Eph 6:17) — not human resolve; LC Lord's Prayer VI.102ff on the Christian's lifelong warfare. In Lutheran confirmation, the rite is a remembrance and confession of Baptism, not a sacrament completing it (Ap XIII.6; Luther). St. 4: the seven gifts of Isa 11:2 (LXX/Vulgate). St. 5: 'In whom, through whom, by whom, we live' (Rom 11:36; Acts 17:28).
Liturgical Use (Study Notes)
Confirmation; Pentecost; ordination; Baptism remembrance.
Historical Notes
Wordsworth (1807-1885), bishop of Lincoln, published it in The Holy Year (1862) for Confirmation.
About the Tune
ERHALT UNS, HERR (Geistliche Lieder, Wittenberg, 1543).
Scripture References
Eph 6:13-17 1 John 5:4 Rev 2:10 Rev 7:9 1 Cor 3:16 1 Cor 6:19 Isa 11:2 Matt 28:19 Rom 11:36 Acts 17:28 Rev 22:4 2 Cor 6:1
Stanza by Stanza
Mighty Lord, arm these your soldiers with the shield of faith and the Spirit's sword. May they go out to battle and fight boldly against the Enemy.
'Take up the shield of faith… and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God' (Eph 6:16-17). 'Your adversary the devil' (1 Pet 5:8).
- Scripture
- Eph 6:13-17, 1 Pet 5:8
- Imagery & language
- Soldiers; shield of faith; Spirit's sword; the Foe.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — God's armor given.
- Connection to previous
- Armed.
With the banner of the cross unfurled, they overcome the evil world and so at last receive from you the palm and crown of victory.
'This is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith' (1 John 5:4). 'Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life' (Rev 2:10). Palms in their hands (Rev 7:9).
- Scripture
- 1 John 5:4, Rev 2:10, Rev 7:9
- Imagery & language
- Banner of the Cross; world overcome; palm and crown.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — victory by faith.
- Connection to previous
- Banner.
Come, ever-blessed Spirit, come and make your servants' hearts your home; may each be a living temple, made holy to you forever, Lord.
'Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?' (1 Cor 3:16; 6:19).
- Scripture
- 1 Cor 3:16, 1 Cor 6:19
- Imagery & language
- Spirit; home; living temple.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — indwelling.
- Connection to previous
- Temple.
Enrich that temple's holy shrine with the sevenfold gifts of divine grace; bless it with wisdom, light and knowledge, with counsel, strength, fear and godliness.
'The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD' (Isa 11:2; the Vulgate adds pietas for seven).
- Scripture
- Isa 11:2, 1 Cor 12:4-11
- Imagery & language
- Sevenfold gifts listed.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — the Spirit's gifts.
- Connection to previous
- Sevenfold gifts.
Trinity in Unity, one God in three Persons, in whom, through whom and by whom we live, we give you praise and glory.
'From him and through him and to him are all things' (Rom 11:36). 'In him we live and move' (Acts 17:28). Athanasian Creed.
- Scripture
- Rom 11:36, Acts 17:28, Matt 28:19
- Imagery & language
- Trinity; in, through, by whom.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — praise of the Trinity.
- Connection to previous
- Trinity.
Grant us to use your grace so that we may see your glorious face and forever praise Father, Son and Holy Spirit with the heavenly host!
'We urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain' (2 Cor 6:1). 'They will see his face' (Rev 22:4).
- Scripture
- 2 Cor 6:1, Rev 22:4, Rev 7:11-12
- Imagery & language
- Grace used; glorious face; heavenly host.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — vision of God.
- Connection to previous
- Thy face.
Themes
Spiritual warfare God's armor Christian strength Divine protection Militant faith