Christ, by heavenly hosts adored

Christ, by heavenly hosts adored. Henry Harbaugh* (1817-1867). According to Polack (1942/1958) this is part of a long hymn of eight 8-line stanzas beginning ‘God most mighty, sovereign Lord’, entitled ‘A National Litany’. Polack, following JJ, p. 484, also states that it was published in Harbaugh’s Poems (Philadelphia, 1860), but this is incorrect. It is a solemn prayer and a stirring cry to a nation to become righteous, just and prosperous ‘under God’. The last line of each verse works variations on the line ‘Save Thy people, bless our land’. It has normally been shortened to three verses, beginning Christ by heavenly hosts adored, Gracious, mighty sovereign Lord On our fields of grass...