The Right Must Win

by Frederick William Faber English

O, It is hard to work for God,   To rise and take his part Upon this battle-field of earth,   And not sometimes lose heart! He hides himself so wondrously,   As though there were no God; He is least seen when all the powers   Of ill are most abroad. Or he deserts us at the hour   The fight is all but lost; And seems to leave us to ourselves   Just when we need him most. Ill masters good, good seems to change   To ill with greater ease; And, worst of all, the good with good   Is at cross-purposes. Ah! God is other than we think;   His ways are far above, Far beyond reason’s height, and reached   Only by childlike love. Workman of God! O, lose not heart,   But learn what God is like; And in the darkest battle-field   Thou shalt know where to strike. Thrice blest is he to whom is given   The instinct that can tell That God is on the field when he   Is most invisible. Blest, is he who can divine   Where the real right doth lie, And dares to take the side that seems   Wrong to man’s blindfold eye. For right is right, since God is God;   And right the day must win; To doubt would be disloyalty,   To falter would be sin!

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