I'm in the Lord's Army
As a follow up to my last post on the theological messages we send children, I wanted to post the lyrics to a common children's church song. I recently stumbled upon the fact that there are actually two versions of the song – representing wildly divergent theological positions. So which version are you familiar with?
I may never march in the infantry, Ride in the cavalry, Shoot the artillery.
I may never fly o'er the enemy, But I'm in the Lord's army. (yes, sir!)
or
I will never march in the infantry, Ride in the cavalry, Shoot the artillery.
I will never fly o'er the enemy, For I'm in the Lord's army. (yes, sir!)
I grew up singing the first version, complete with motions involving us pretending to shoot each other. In fact this was one of my favorite songs as a child. In my strictly non-charismatic church motions with songs were the only opportunity to be physically involved in worship. Plus it was just fun. I had no idea the more pacifistic version existed until recently. From what I've read the pacifist lyrics may even be the original lyrics. Which version one is familiar with seems to depend on one's denomination background and, interestingly, on which side of the Atlantic one resides. Apparently, the pacifistic version is much more popular in England than America. At least this implies that some churches do occasionally think about the messages we send to children…
julieclawson(at)gmail(dot)com 
at least you knew it was cavalry instead of calvary – unlike a lot of other adults I know….
oh – I grew up with the same version as you.
Interesting – I never knew there was a pacifist version.
wow, I never knew that either – definitely the first one for me
Definitely the first one.
And I'm getting chills just thinking that someone might have altered the latter for the former. That's really scary.
The first one, which may explain that pervasive sense of inferiority to uniformed military personnel. Yes Sir!
The first one is the only one I ever heard. I'd be really surprised if that isn't the version that came first, with the pacifist lyrics being a later version. But maybe I'm wrong.
definitely takes me back the VBS days. i can't tell you how many times the first version was pounded into my headed growing up. i totally didn't know there was another version. that's awesome!
karl – with stuff like this it is hard to tell. People who know one version have rarely heard of the other, so tracing exactly which came first is hard. I read a few claims saying the Pacifist one is older, but there is no hard evidence either way.
Why? It honestly seems more likely to me the other way around. Somehow I don't really see pacifist Christians being all that keen to adopt and tweak a militaristic song.
"Somehow I don't really see pacifist Christians being all that keen to adopt and tweak a militaristic song."
Really? The pacifists are taking the Bible and recreating it by twisting the verses to be gender neutral and reflect their own world views in other areas as well – why wouldn't they twist a popular Christian kids song to their own agenda? I can't see pacifists being the ones to come up with such a militaristic song in the first place!
Mike, regardless of whether the pacifist tradition is more faithful to the message of Jesus (and thus older), I think the "just war" tradition has been dominant in Christian thinking, poetry and hymnody, both east and west, for a lot longer than that hymn has been around. I just think the odds favor the first version mentioned above being the original.
There is some logic in what you type, but I'm not sure a non-pacifist Christian would be any more likely to adopt and tweak a pacifist song, than the other way around. In fact to me, co-opting the song with modified lyrics DOES sound like the sort of thing some pacifist Christians with whom I am acquainted would do.
I fully agree!
Interesting and helpful post. I'd forgotten about this song.
Both!!! From recollection, they were interchangeable. Now I'm really mixed up!
Definitely and only the first version, even on cassette sung by Gerbert and Courtenay at our house… 100% conservative upbringing for me.
You know, though, I don't think I'm that much more comfortable with the second version. I certainly woudn't encourage my kids to associate the idea of God with an army.
"I certainly wouldn't encourage my kids to associate the idea of God with an army."
Really? Why not?
1 Chronicles 12:22
For at that time they came to David day by day to help him, until it was a great army, like the army of God.
Revelation 12:7
And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon
Heavenly host refers in the Bible to an 'army' (Luk.2:13; Rev.19:19) of good angels in Heaven.
It is comparable and directly contrasts with the legions of Hell.
Most descriptions of angels in the Bible describe them in military terms. For example in terms such as encampment (Gen.32:1-2), command structure (Ps.91:11-12; Matt.13:41; Rev.7:2), and combat (Jdg.5:20; Job 19:12; Rev.12:7).
Honestly, I'm getting tired of the church being feminized by pacifists! It's no wonder why men are leaving the church in droves! Next time you're at church, check out how many women there are compared to men. God made men masculine, not feminine, because HE is masculine! Two of the men Jesus chose for disciples were known as "the sons of thunder" They had trouble controlling their temper, they spoke without thinking, they had a a pride problem – and they were brave. They were 2 of the closest disciples to Christ! He honed their masculine attributes to His glory! In fact, the apostle James was the first one to die for his faith, probably because his extra strong zeal for God made him stand out! Now think about the men you do know who attend all these feminized churches – can you picture any one of them picking up a sword and fighting in God's army? Why not? Because they're just as feminine as the church has become, aren't they?
Songs like this (with the lyrics of the first version!) inspire pride in one's faith and I will never share the latter with my boys!
I'm in New Zealand, and grew up in a very pentecostal church. I remember this being a very popular song at "children's church"- and definately the first version complete with actions and other somewhat less disturbing verses (I may never fly like a Rocket Ace/ Lasso a Buffalo/ work for the FBI). Songs like this now make me quite uncomfortable and often reluctant to take my daughter to church.
Mel – I'm with you there. While I understand the historic use of the metaphor in the social justice scene (think Salvation Army), it doesn't sit well with me these days.
My 3 y/o innocently sings "shoot at the enemy!"
My long-ago version was different yet…and with less of a religious overtone. It was "I don't want to ride…)etc. – instead of either of the alternative offered above – and ended with "I want to be friendly" instead of being in the Lord's army. I "action" that went along with being friendly was shaking another person's hand – or, if no one available, shaking hands with oneself. Also, we sang "I don't want to fly over Germany" for the forth "don't want to". Learned it as a child (where?) during WWII.
I always enjoyed the less known versions such as "I may never take a trip to Mexico. Eat a cheesy taco. Wear a big sombrero. I may never speak a word of Espanol but I'm in the Lord's army. (Si sienor!)
I learned the first one and a couple of others. "I'm too young" in place of "I may never".
I may never rope the big steer, brand the little steer, ride on around them. I may never ride in the rodeo, but I'm in the Lord's cowpoke.
There was another verse that I can't remember but I think it was about the Navy.
The latter lyrics are a disgusting reflection of how feminized the church has gotten (and why real men – like the apostles who were known as the "Sons of Thunder" – are REPELLED by it!) Why don't we just start referring to God as "she"? How do all these pacifists who don't like to think about the FACT that God does have an army, teach their kids to battle evil? I fought off a demon by invoking the name of Jesus Christ at age 16! They don't just attack adults! It's a dangerous game parents play when they don't teach their children what they need to know to fend off spiritual attacks! What do they expect their children to do? LOVE the devil to death? Ugh!
Good point!
I agree with Liz.
Basically I think this song might be written with the contest that we need to fight against the powers of the dark world.
Ephesians 6:10-16
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
We have to be well equipped to fight against the powers of the dark world.
Also, we need to tie the Strong man (Satan who has all the people blinded and as captives) in order to deliver the people.
Mat 12:29
29 “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.