Many say it! Some resent it! But all should know how the statement came to be and why it should never end!

After seeing Chris Rock’s Head of State, I was saddened at how he and co-writer Ali LeRoi attempted to cheapen the phrase “God Bless America”. (I’ve heard some other Liberals do the same.) As if it is some statement of selfish pride! I highly doubt that Chris Rock and Ali LeRoi know the history of the phrase. So for the benefit of all I will explain it here.

God Bless America, Land That I Love
In 1918 during the First World War, Irving Berlin wrote the song for a show at his army camp, at Camp Yaphank in Long Island, NY. It was rejected by the show producers as being too jingoistic. To think, after all the times in the Bible where followers of God asked the Lord to bless them and/or their territory! It is illogical for anyone to feel that singing amongst our soldiers that God Bless America during a war is too jingoistic! Well God’s divine providence ensured that we would sing for him to bless us eventually! And that happened before the start of World War II in 1938. The manager of Kate Smith (a popular singer of that time) asked Mr. Berlin to create a song for Kate to use to mark the 20th anniversary of the Armistice that brought an end to World War I. Eventually Mr. Berlin presented an updated version of “God Bless America”! And the rest is history! Americans have loved the song ever since!

This song came into being while US troops were at war, in need inspiration and hope! It was first presented to the nation as another war was looming! It is a hope that God Bless this great nation we live in! And while it is specific to America, it does not mean we don’t wish well for others that recognize the Lord. To the contrary, we pray they sing a version for their own nation. We know many nations do not accept God at all, but we are happy to sing his praises and ask for his blessings over us! We can only pray that those who do not know the Lord one day come to know him.

So click here to get the lyrics, listen to the tune and sing the song God Bless America!