Whence came the armies of the sky

Whence came the armies of the sky,John saw in vision bright?Whence came their crowns, their robes, their palms,Too pure for mortal sight?

Cho.—They looked like men in uniform,They looked like men of war;They all were clad in armor bright,And conquering palms they bore

Were these tried soldiers of the crossVictorious in the fight?Were these the trophies they had won,Reserved in worlds of light?

Once they were mourners here below,And poured out cries and tears;They wrestled hard, as we do now,With sins, and doubts, and fears.

They saw the star of BethlehemArise in splendor bright;They followed long its guiding ray,Till beamed a clearer light.

From desert waste, and cities full,From dungeons dark, they 've come,And now they claim their mansion fair,They 've found their long-sought home