War Cry

Micah Stampley's “War Cry” takes its main line from the voice crying in the wilderness: prepare ye the way of the Lord. The song begins with the sound of that voice, like thunder, and then names itself a war cry calling all the warriors.

The warriors are told to bring weapons fit for the fight and to stand as a people filled with his light. The chorus repeats the command to prepare the way of the Lord. The next verse says the Creator is waiting for us to acknowledge him, and the singer promises to sing and shout until the Lord returns for him. A call to kneel and reverence his presence follows, so all the world will see that he is faithful and just, deserving all glory. In the bridge the singers describe waiting on their Savior, King and Master, who is their everything, and then they return to the war cry for the warriors to pick up their weapons because it is time to fight. The final section repeats the title line five times. Stampley is known for his powerful tenor, and the track gives him room for long runs over a driving choir. The military imagery should be read as spiritual warfare, a call to prayer and readiness and not a call to violence.

The voice crying in the wilderness is Isaiah 40:3. Putting on the armor of God is Ephesians 6:11, and John the Baptist preparing the way is Matthew 3:3.