The Strife Is O’er, The Battle Done

“The Strife Is O’er, the Battle Done” is an Easter hymn celebrating Christ’s resurrection and victory over sin, death, and the grave. The text is an English translation by Francis Pott (1832-1909), derived from a 17th-century Latin hymn “Finita iam sunt proelia”. Francis Pott translated it in 1861 for his hymnal Hymns fit-ted to the Order of Common Prayer.

The hymn’s lyrics paint vivid resurrection imagery: the battle is over, death’s powers are defeated, Christ rises glorious from the dead, the gates of hell are shut, and we are set free. Many hymnals use it during the Easter season, because the themes correspond to Scripture passages about resurrection, Christ’s triumph, and the victory believers have in Him.

Musically, the hymn is set to the tune Victory, which includes the repeated “Alleluia” refrain after each verse. Another common tune is Vulpius (German: Gelobt sei Gott im höchsten Thron). These tunes enhance the triumphant tone of the text. The meter is 8.8.8 with alleluias.