Captain of my salvation, hear! Stir up Thy strength

Verse 1
Captain of my salvation, hear! (Heb. 2:10)
Stir up thy strength and bow the skies (II Sam. 22:10, Ps. 80:2, Ps. 18:9, Ps. 144:5)
Be thou the God of battles near;
In all thy majesty arise!

Verse 2
The day, the dreadful day’s at hand! (Mal. 4:5, Joel 2:1)
In battle cover thou my head: (Ps. 140:7)
Past is thy word: I here demand,
And confident expect thine aid.

Verse 3
Now arm me for the threatning fight (Eph. 6:10-13)
Now let thy power descend from high, (Acts 4:31, Luke 24:49)
Triumphant in thy Spirit’s might (Eph. 3:16)
So shall I every foe defy.[1]

Verse 4
I ask thy help; by thee sent forth
Thy glorious gospel to proclaim, (Matt. 28:19-20, Mark 16:15, Rom. 10:15)
Be thou my mouth, and shake the earth, (Ex. 4:12, Hag. 2:6, Heb. 12:26)
And spread by me thy awful name. (Deut. 28:58, Ps. 99:3)

Verse 5
Steel me to shame, reproach, disgrace, (Heb. 13:13)
Arm me with all thy armour now, (Eph. 6:11-13)
Set like a flint my steady face, (Isa. 50:6-7)
Harden to adamant my brow. (Ezek. 3:8-9)

Verse 6
Bold may I wax, exceeding bold (Acts 4:29, Eph. 6:19-20)
My high commission to perform,
Nor shrink thy harshest truths t’ unfold, (Acts 20:27)
But more than meet the gathering storm.

Verse 7
Adverse to earth’s rebellious throng, (Ps. 2:1-2)
Still may I turn my fearless face, (Ezek. 3:8-9)
Stand as an iron pillar strong,
And stedfast as a wall of brass. (Jer. 1:18-19, Jer. 15:20)

Verse 8
Give me thy might, thou God of power;
Then let or men or fiends assail! (Eph. 6:12)
Strong in thy strength, I’ll stand a tower (Eph. 6:10)
Impregnable to earth or hell. (Matt. 16:18)

[1] Wesley changed “defy” to “despise” in 1739, but reverted to “defy” in following editions.