“This Is My Song”

I love this hymn we sang at church this week, as the theme of the service was celebrating our nation’s independence holiday.

It challenges the belief that the United States is “God’s country,” that the USA is more special and deserving of good than other nations.

Take a look at the lyrics, with my emphasis in red:

This Is My Song

by Georgia Elma Harkness, Jean Sibelius, and Lloyd Stone

Verse 1

This is my song O God of all the nations

A song of peace for lands afar and mine

This is my home the country where my heart is

Here are my hopes my dreams my holy shrine

But other hearts in other lands are beating

With hopes and dreams as true and high as mine

Verse 2

My country’s skies are bluer than the ocean

And sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine

But other lands have sunlight too and clover

And skies are everywhere as blue as mine

O hear my song Thou God of all nations

A song of peace for their land and for mine

Verse 3

This is my prayer O Lord of all earth’s kingdoms

Thy kingdom come on earth Thy will be done

Let Christ be lifted up till all shall serve Him

And hearts united learn to live as one

O hear my prayer Thou God of all nations

Myself I give Thee let Thy will be done

God bless … the World and all its Nations.