Lyrics:

(Bobby Bare - Billy Joe Shaver)

Not so long ago in Oklahoma
The son of an Okie preacher knelt to pray
He said Lord I wanna be a Christian soldier just like you
And fight to build a new and better day.

Now many years and miles from Oklahoma
That same young Okie boy still kneels to pray
But he don't pray to be a Christian soldier anymore
He just prays to make it through another day.

'Cause Lord it's hard to be a Christian soldier when you tote a gun
It hurts to have to watch a grown man cry
But we're playin' cards and writin' home and havin' lots of fun
Telling jokes and learning how to die.

Things I'm seeing now seem so confusin'
Lord it's gettin' hard to tell what's wrong from right
I can't separate the winners from the losers anymore
So I'm thinking bout just giving up the fight.

'Cause Lord it's hard to be a Christian soldier when you tote a gun
It hurts to have to watch a grown man cry
But we're playin' cards and writin' home and havin' lots of fun
Telling jokes and learning how to die...