Moravian Book of Worship ‎#707

707. Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing

1 Lift every voice and sing
till earth and heaven ring,
ring with the harmonies of liberty.
Let our rejoicing rise
high as the list'ning skies,
let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith
that the dark past has taught us.
Sing a song full of the hope
that the present has brought us.
Facing the rising sun
of our new day begun,
let us march on
till victory is won.

2 Stony the road we trod,
bitter the chastening rod,
felt in the days when
hope unborn had died;
yet with a steady beat,
have not our weary feet
come to the place for which
our people sighed?
We have come over a way
that with tears has been watered.
We have come, treading our path
thro' the blood of the slaughtered,
out from the gloomy past
till now we stand at last
where the white gleam
of our bright star is cast.

3 God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
thou who hast brought us
thus far on the way,
thou who hast by thy might
led us into the light,
keep us forever
in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places,
our God, where we met thee,
lest our hearts, drunk with the
wine of the world, we forget thee,
shadowed beneath thy hand,
may we forever stand,
true to our God,
true to our native land.

Text Information

• First Line: Lift ev'ry voice and sing
• Title: Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing
• Author: James Weldon Johnson, 1871-1938
• Meter: Irregular
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1995
• Scripture:
  Exodus 19:3-6
  ;
  Psalm 98
  ;
  Isaiah 43:1-5
• Topic: Hope; Journey; Justice; Steadfastness

Tune Information

• Name: ANTHEM
• Composer: J. Rosamund Johnson, 1873-1954
• Meter: Irregular
• Key: A♭ Major
• Copyright: © 1921 by Edward B. Marks Music Company Copyright renewed. International copyright secured. All rights reserved. Used by permission.