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Sing My Tongue How Glorious Battle

Sing my tongue the Savior's glory

Sing My Tongue How Glorious Battle is a hymn text by Venantius Honorius Clementianus Fortunatus (569) in 8.7.8.7 meter. Translated by John Mason Neale. Found in CW21 419, CW93 122, ELH 298, elw 356. Sung to PICARDY.

This hymn encapsulates Lutheran understanding of Christ's cross as the center of salvation history and divine wisdom, emphasizing that apparent defeat becomes ultimate victory. It reflects the Lutheran insistence that Christ's suffering and death accomplish redemption for all humanity through God's gracious substitutionary atonement.

History & Background

Originally composed in Latin by Venantius Fortunatus in the 6th century for the feast of the Holy Cross, this hymn became one of the most significant processional hymns in medieval liturgy. John Mason Neale translated it into English in 1851, preserving its contemplative meditation on Christ's redemptive work through crucifixion.

Hymnal Appearances

  • Christian Worship: Hymnal — 419
  • Christian Worship — 122
  • Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary — 298
  • Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 356
  • The Hymnal 1982 — 165
  • Lutheran Book of Worship — 118
  • Lutheran Service Book — 454
  • Lutheran Worship — 117

Translation

John Mason Neale

Bulletin Note

Written by Venantius Fortunatus in 569, this hymn shaped medieval and Reformation theology by centering the cross as wisdom's paradox—where Christ's death becomes the cosmos' redemption and humanity's ransom.

Preaching Connection

This hymn crystallizes the Law-Gospel dialectic: the cross simultaneously pronounces judgment on sin and executes God's merciful redemption, teaching us that Christ's condemnation is humanity's deliverance.

Stanza Arc

The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: From Law's demand for reverent silence before God's majesty to Gospel's revelation of Christ's humble incarnation, culminating in heavenly liturgy and Easter victory

In the Church Year

Suggested in the one-year series

  • Good Friday (7×)
  • Holy Cross (2×)
  • Quinquagesima (2×)
  • Holy Monday (1×)

Suggested in the three-year series

  • Good Friday (8×)
  • Last Sunday of the Church Year (3×)
  • Holy Cross (1×)
  • Lent 1 (1×)

From LCMS Worship's published hymn suggestions, 2014–2026. The count is how many of those yearly lists suggested this hymn for that day.

Themes

Cross of Christ Redemption through suffering Paschal mystery Triumph through sacrifice Christian victory

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