O God of Truth, Whose Living Word

O God of truth, whose living word
upholds whate'er hath breath,
look down on thy creation, Lord,
enslaved by sin and death.

Set up thy standard, Lord, that we
who claim a heav'nly birth,
may march with thee to smite the lies
That vex thy groaning earth.

We fight for truth? we fight for God?
Poor slaves of lies and sin!
They who would fight for thee on earth
must first be pure within.

Then, God of truth, for whom we long,
thou who wilt hear our prayer,
do thine own battle in our hearts,
and slay the falsehood there.

Yea, come: then tried as in the fire,
from ev'ry lie set free,
thy perfect truth shall dwell in us,
and we shall live in thee.