While serving in the U.S. Army during World War I, Irving Berlin, one of the greatest composers and songwriters in American history, penned his first rendition of “God Bless America” in 1918.
And promptly put it in a trunk, with a thousand other ideas, for 20 years.
Between feeling the song was overly sentimental and there being several other patriotic songs, the song just didn’t seem to fit.
But by 1938, fascism was on the rise in Europe, and the continent was unstable. War again loomed. Berlin wanted to see people live in peace, so he dusted off the song and revised the lyrics for the moment. He softened some militaristic language and emphasized gratitude and prayer for the nation. The song was personal for a Russian-Jewish immigrant who came to the United States as a boy barely able to speak English.
With revisions made, singer Kate Smith performed the song publicly for the first time as part of her Nov. 11, 1938, Armistice (now Veterans) Day broadcast. Given the global tension and gathering clouds of war, the song struck an emotional chord, quickly spread, and went on to become iconic during World War II, with many seeing it as an unofficial national anthem.
Both the Democratic and Republican parties adopted “God Bless America” as the theme song for their respective conventions. And just hours after terrorists suddenly and brutally attacked the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, Congress stood on the steps of the U.S. Capitol and sang “God Bless America” in a massive, bipartisan show of American unity.
An interesting, lesser-known fact is that the song has a rarely sung prelude:
While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that’s free.
Let us all be grateful that we are far from there,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer.
At the doorstep of our 250th anniversary as a nation, we live in a moment where the people of our nation need to be captured by the spirit behind the song and, like Berlin, sing it as a prayer.
As a prayer of gratitude for this great nation that God has indeed blessed in so many incredible ways.
As a prayer for the well-being of our nation, our communities and our neighbors.
And as a prayer for the spiritual awakening our country so desperately needs.
Proverbs 14:34 says “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” Adrian Rogers said, “You cannot have true liberty without true righteousness.”
That is where our Baptist distinctives intersect with the song. This isn’t about chest thumping but about humility in recognizing God’s goodness to us. As Baptists, we celebrate gratitude for religious freedom, the stewardship of liberty, prayer, and gospel mission.
With these providential blessings in our hearts and minds, “God Bless America” takes on a depth of spirit and meaning, I believe, inspired Berlin’s composition.
So, let’s not allow America’s 250th anniversary to pass as merely a momentary milestone celebration. Let us pause in a moment of quiet reflection, recognizing that our nation’s greatest blessings have never been guaranteed, only granted by God for us to steward.
And with one voice, let us pray, “God bless America.”
It is a joy to be with you on this historic journey. B&R