My book, 40 Days of Praise, can be found on Amazon. Celebrating some of the greatest songs of the Christian faith, I hope that you will use this as a devotional. Each day features a song and brief comments on the hymn. Who knows … you might discover a new favorite or see some verses you never knew existed.

Stand Up, Stand for Jesus by George Duffield, Jr.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus  Ye soldiers of the cross

Lift high His royal banner       It must not suffer loss

From victory, unto victory      His army shall He lead

Till every foe is vanquished    And Christ is Lord indeed

Stand up, stand up for Jesus  The solemn watchword hear

If while ye sleep He suffers     Away with shame and fear

Wherever ye meet with evil    Within you or without

Charge for the God of battles And put the foe to rout

Stand up, stand up for Jesus  The trumpet call obey

Forth to the mighty conflict    In this His glorious day

Ye that are brave now serve Him     Against unnumbered foes

Let courage rise with danger  And strength to strength oppose

Stand up, stand up for Jesus  Stand in His strength alone

The arm of flesh will fail you  Ye dare not trust your own

Put on the Gospel armor       Each piece put on with prayer

Where duty calls or danger     Be never wanting there

Stand up, stand up for Jesus  Each soldier to his post

Close up the broken column   And shout through all the host

Make good the loss so heavy  In those that shall remain

And praise to all around you  That death itself is gain

Stand up, stand up for Jesus  The strife will not be long

This day the noise of battle    The next the victor’s song

To him who overcometh          A crown of life shall be

They with the King of Glory    Shall reign eternally

When I was a child, I did not understand this hymn. Well, to be honest, I understood all but one line of it. In the fourth stanza, at the end, the poem goes, “where duty calls or danger, be never wanting there.”

In my young mind I took this phrase to mean “never be wanting to go wherever danger might be.” I knew, though, that while this made sense to my child’s mind, it didn’t make sense in a song about fighting for God, and being willing to put all on the line for the Lord.

Finally, it was explained to me. To be found wanting is to be found missing from where one needs to be. You are wanted, needed somewhere. You need to be somewhere that duty is calling, but you have gone AWOL. You have gone astray. The writer of this song is encouraging us to always be where we are needed, and to never let cowardice keep us from standing up for the Lord.

What a powerful song. Based on Ephesians 6:14 and written as a tribute to the Reverend Dudley Tyng (one of America’s great preachers) this song has inspired many to look to Jesus and not at the world. It is Jesus alone we look to, Jesus alone we are called to serve. Let us, therefore, be found true and faithful to the One who gave His life for us. Let us stand up for Jesus at home, school and play. Let us never be found wanting where we are needed.

Lord, help me be unashamed of You. Help me to witness clearly, speak boldly and oppose evil mightily. Give to me, the strength and protection I need.