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by Rudyard Kipling (1865 - 1936)

Recessional
 (Sung text for setting by R. De Koven)
 Matches original text
Language: English 
God of our fathers, known of old,
Lord of our far-flung battle-line,
Beneath whose awful Hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine -
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget -- lest we forget!

The tumult and the shouting dies;
The Captains and the Kings depart:
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice,
An humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget -- lest we forget!

Far-called, our navies melt away;
On dune and headland sinks the fire:
Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!
Judge of the Nations, spare us yet,
Lest we forget -- lest we forget!

If, drunk with sight of power, we loose
Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe,
Such boastings as the Gentiles use,
Or lesser breeds without the Law --
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget -- lest we forget!

For heathen heart that puts her trust
In reeking tube and iron shard,
All valiant dust that builds on dust,
And guarding, calls not Thee to guard,
For frantic boast and foolish word --
Thy mercy on Thy people, Lord!

Written for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, published in The Times, July 1897; confirmed with Rudyard Kipling, The Five Nations, New York: Charles Scribner's Son, 1903, pages 201 - 202.

Composition:

    Set to music by (Henry Louis) Reginald De Koven (1859 - 1920), "Recessional", published 1898 [ vocal quartet, chorus, orchestra ], confirmed with High School Songs (piano reduction), New York: Allyn & Bacon, 1917, pages 248 - 252

Text Authorship:

  • by Rudyard Kipling (1865 - 1936), "Recessional", appears in The Five Nations, first published 1897

See other settings of this text.


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Melanie Trumbull

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 30
Word count: 192

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