From 20 Nov 08, 5:28 p.m., "The tune is just too beautiful and tranquil to have been composed as a self-congratulatory song about winning a battle, especially if the composer had had real knowledge of the anguish, cruelty, blood and guts of a battle."

So true. And that tune has never, as far as I know, been used for a "self-congratulatory song about winning a battle". It is usually used for a song that instead explicitly rejects self-congratulations, stating rather that ALL congratulations are to be given, not to oneself, but to GOD:
"Thou, Lord, were at our side, ALL glory be THINE!"

The battle is the spiritual battle against Satan. This is shown by the statement that God was "maintaining His kingdom DIVINE".

That is also why the prayer is not for God's protection of the nation, or of the regiment, but for the CONGREGATION:
"pray that Thou still our Defender will be.
Let Thy congregation escape tribulation..."

Kent