(Portrait of C. Luise Reichardt)
WHO IS ON THE LORD’S SIDE?
“…Who is on the Lord’s side?…” (Exodus 32:26)
INTRO.: A hymn which asks us if we are on the Lord’s side or not is “Who Is on the Lord’s Side?” The text was written by Frances Ridley Havergal (1836–1879). It is dated Oct. 13, 1877, was entitled “Home Missions,” and was first published with five stanzas in her 1878 Loyal Responses. The tune (Armageddon) is an adaptation of a German melody credited to C. Luise (or Louise) Reichardt, who was born on April 11, 1779, at Berlin, Germany, the daughter of composers Johann Friedrich Reichardt and Juliane Reichardt, and granddaughter of Bohemian violinist and composer Franz Benda. Having studied with her music teacher father, she made her debut as a singer at Berlin in 1794. In 1809, she moved to Hamburg, where she studied with Johann Frederich Clasing. She also taught singing in a vocal academy and directed a women’s chorus which by 1819 evolved into the Hamburg Singverein.
Miss Reichardt’s life knew tragedy. Her fiancé, Friedrich Eschen, died shortly before they were to marry. Her second fiancé also died before their wedding. Somewhat later, she lost her voice. Known for her translations and arrangements of Handel’s oratorios, she composed over 90 songs and choruses of her own, a number of which remained popular for many years. Luise died on November 17, 1826, at Hamburg, Germany. This melody attributed to her appeared in Part III of Layriz’s Kern des Deutschen Kirchengesangs of 1853, where it was set to the hymn “Wenn Ich Ihn Nur Habe” by Hardenberg. The arrangement was made by John Goss (1800–1880). It is dated 1871 and first appeared in its present form in The Church Psalter and Hymn-Book of 1872, set to Sabine Baring-Gould’s hymn “Onward, Christian Soldiers.” Goss also provided music for “Praise, My Soul, The King Of Heaven” by Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847), and “On Wings of Living Light” by William Walsham How (1823-1897).
Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord’s church for use in Churches of Christ, “Who Is on the Lord’s Side” appeared in the 1921 Great Songs of the Church (No. 1) edited by Elmer Leon Jorgenson. However, I first saw it in the 1968 Great Hymns of the Faith edited by John W. Peterson and published by Singspiration Inc., then a division of Zondervan Publishing House of Grand Rapids, MI.
The song refers to several aspects of being on the Lord’s side.
I. Stanza 1 mentions serving the King
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 call of mercy,
By Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—
Savior, we are Thine.
A. The song is based on the account of David’s army and the men who said to David, “We are on your side”: 1 Chron. 12:1-18
B. To be on the Lord’s side, we must leave the world’s side: Rom. 12:1-2
C. Once cleansed, like Isaiah, we can answer His call to go for Him: Isa. 6:1-8
II. Stanza 2 mentions entering the Lord’s army
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.
By Thy love constraining,
By Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—
Savior, we are Thine.
A. Christians are in the Lord’s army to fight the good fight of faith: 1 Tim. 6:12
B. Because we are in His army, His love constrains us: 2 Cor. 5:24
C. And we show that we are in His army by naming His name in departing from evil: 2 Tim. 2:19
III. Stanza 3 mentions being bought by the blood of Jesus
Jesus, Thou hast bought us,
Not with gold or gem,
But with Thine own life blood,
For Thy diadem;
With Thy blessing filling
Each who comes to Thee,
Thou hast made us willing,
Thou hast made us free.
By Thy grand redemption,
By Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—
Savior, we are Thine.
A. Jesus bought us with His own blood: Rev. 1:5
B. As a result, we can be filled with all spiritual blessings in Him: Eph. 1:3
C. And we can rejoice that He has made us free from sin and death: Rom. 8:2
IV. Stanza 4 mentions gaining the victory that awaits us
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.
Joyfully enlisting,
By Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—
Savior, we are Thine.
A. In the spiritual conflict that surrounds us, our great foe is the devil: 1 Pet. 5:8-9
B. Yet Jesus promised that the gates of hell could not overthrow His building His church: Matt. 16:18
C. So, however strong Satan may be, victory is assured the one who overcomes: 1 Cor. 15:54-57
V. Stanza 5 mentions being faithful soldiers of the Lord
Chosen to be soldiers,
In an alien land,
Chosen, called, and faithful,
For our Captain’s band;
In the service royal,
Let us not grow cold;
Let us be right loyal, noble,
True and bold.
Master, Thou wilt keep us,
By Thy grace divine,
Always on the Lord’s side—
Savior, always Thine.
A. Christians are chosen to be soldiers of the Lord: 2 Tim. 2:3-4
B. As such, we must be called, chosen, and faithful: Rev. 17:14
C. Jesus Christ is the Captain of our salvation: Heb. 2:10
CONCL.: Christians are soldiers of the Lord, and thus the church is His spiritual army. As soldiers, we must wage a good warfare and fight the good fight of the faith. Therefore, we need to be ready, willing, and able to respond with a resounding “We are!” to the question, “Who Is on the Lord’s Side?”
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