When the Battle’s Over

Am I a soldier of the cross,
A follower of the Lamb,
And shall I fear to own His cause,
Or blush to speak His Name?

Refrain

And when the battle’s over
We shall wear a crown!
Yes, we shall wear a crown!
Yes, we shall wear a crown!
And when the battle’s over
We shall wear a crown
In the new Jerusalem
Wear a crown (wear a crown)
Wear a crown (wear a crown)
Wear a bright and shining crown;
And when the battle’s over
We shall wear a crown
In the new Jerusalem.

Must I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize,
And sailed through bloody seas?

Refrain

Are there no foes for me to face?
Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace,
To help me on to God?

Refrain

Author: Isaac Watts

Year: 1709

The opening stanzas are directly from Isaac Watts' hymn 'Am I a Soldier of the Cross?' (1709). The 'When the Battle's Over' chorus with its repeated 'we shall wear a crown' and 'new Jerusalem' is a later 19th-century camp-meeting/gospel addition, but the core lyrics are Watts'. No other author is credited for the original verses.