My country, 'tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing:
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims' pride,
From every mountainside
Let freedom ring!
My native country, thee,
Land of the noble free, Thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
Thy woods and templed hills;
My heart with rapture thrills
Like that above.
Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees
Sweet freedom's song:
Let mortal tongues awake,
Let all that breathe partake;
Let rocks their silence break,
The sound prolong.
Our fathers’ God, to Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing;
Long may our land be bright
With freedom’s holy light;
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God, our King.
— Samuel Francis Smith (1831)
Moved deeply by the desire to create a national hymn that would allow the American people to express their gratitude to God for their wonderful land, a 24-year-old theological student named Samuel Francis Smith penned these lines on a scrap of paper in less than 30 minutes on a rainy day in 1831. Despite its relatively short creation, “My Country, ’Tis of Thee” has become widely regarded as the nation’s favorite patriotic hymn and is often referred to as our “unofficial national anthem.”
The song’s easily singable words are accompanied by a popular international melody that is used by many nations, including England, where it is commonly sung alongside “God Save the King/Queen.” The emotionally powerful ideas expressed by Smith resonated with the public, and the hymn quickly gained popularity as a national favorite. The stirring tributes to our fatherland in the first three stanzas culminate in a worshipful climax of gratitude to God and a prayer for His continued guidance.
After graduating from Harvard and Andover Theological Seminary, Samuel Smith became an accomplished minister in several Baptist churches in the East. Throughout his 87 years, he composed 150 hymns and played a significant role in compiling the leading Baptist hymnal of his time. He also served as the editor of a missionary magazine, where he exerted a strong influence in promoting the cause of missions. Later, he became the secretary of the Baptist Missionary Union and spent considerable time visiting various foreign fields. Samuel Smith was truly a remarkable representative of both his country and his faith.
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