“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.” Psalm 33:12
Every country has an anthem. A song that stands out in their country describing the greatness of the land. America is no different but how did this song that we sing in churches, schools and sports events across the land come about?
The official title of our anthem is, “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Our anthem originally came from a poem called, “Defence of Fort M’Henry.” This was a poem written by an American lawyer, Francis Scott Key on September 14, 1814. He had just witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British in the War of 1812. Key was inspired by the American flag of 15 stripes and 15 stars (known as the star-spangled banner) flying triumphantly high over the fort after the battle.
The music came from a popular British song whose tune was making the rounds in the Americas with various lyrics. It is known for being a particularly difficult song to sing due to it’s 19 semitones and the fact the melody is only in the soprano.
Our anthem has four verses (one not really known) but, generally only the first is sung.
Officially, Congress passed an act in 1931, making this song our nation’s anthem and shall we say, the rest is history?
Skim through the words and notice not only does he tell a story of the battle but the third verse is relatively unknown. If you would love to see a great pictorial of this song, pick up Peter Spier’s book on the story of our anthem. The last verse shows us once again that our nation was founded by men who knew God or were at least aware there was a God and respected Him!
O say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines on the stream:
‘Tis the star-spangled banner, O long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave,
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave,
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
O thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand,
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation,
Blessed with vict’ry and peace, may the heav’n rescued land,
Praise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave,
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!