Yesterday, my son participated in a Veteran’s Day program and a big choir of kids sang, America the Beautiful. I was brought to the verge of tears several times as I listened to the lyrics – I wish more Americans knew these words well.
The most commonly known words in this hymn are the first stanza, which describes the majesty of the American landscape, which is no doubt among the great glories of the earth.
But the rest of the hymn (7 verses!) is about the character of the American people, and how the greatness of this nation is confirmed by honor, grace and mercy.
I often reflect on what it means for us that our national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, is a retelling of a horrendous battle, a description of war. This is what we sing to celebrate the United States.
That’s not to diminish in any way the sacrifice of those who have persevered through the horrors of war. But that is only one dimension of the American historical experience, and holding it up as our National Anthem, suggests (to me) that we wish violent conquest to be the primary lens through which we tell our story as a people.
I wonder what it would be like if we sang America the Beautiful at the beginning of our sports events, inaugurations and civic gatherings. It is just as powerful a testament to American greatness, and provides a vision of a people with a wide range of gifts, unified by a collective courage and graciousness.
If this song was the first message we turned to at times when we want to express our patriotism, we would remind ourselves, over and over, throughout our lifetimes, to:
“Crown thy good with brotherhood”
“Confirm thy soul, through self-control”
“Love mercy more than life”
“Let all success be nobleness”
and
“Let selfish gain no longer stain the banner of the free.”
Here are the lyrics to America the Beautiful, by Katherine Lee Bates.
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!
O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!
O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stem impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!
O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
for man’s avail
Men lavished precious life!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!
Rob Leveridge 