Lift Every Voice and Sing

I teach this song to all my kids every February. I don't get into the misnomer of a "black national anthem," but I think it's a beautiful song and an important one for them to learn.

But better yet is singing this song in church. The Johnson brothers did a great job of writing a song that appeals to a specific time without alienating everyone else. Obviously, the song refers to slavery, but if one were not aware of that beforehand, the song would still be beautiful. They are able to generalize the specific in a great way.

There are a couple hymns that I find very moving. One is the third verse of How Great Thou Art. The last verse of this one is another. Hopefully quoting just one verse won't tick of the Johnson estate. :)

God of our weary years,

God of our silent tears,

Thou who has brought us thus far on the way;

Thou who has 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.