God Bless America: The verse we have forgotten

Did you know that God Bless America doesn’t start with the words God Bless America? There is a verse preceding the chorus we know as the song. It is a preamble, if you will, or a statement of intention about the words to be sung.

This is how God Bless America really begins:

“While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that’s free,
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer. “

It’s a prayer.

As storm clouds gather, not far across the sea, but near to us indeed,
In our land, full of freedoms, opportunity and promise,
Can we, in gratitude and thanks, together raise our voices
in a solemn prayer…

Father God,

Bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, My home sweet home.

Here is Kate Smith singing God Bless America as Irving Berlin wrote it and our country once knew it. As one nation, under God, can we this day, unite in our allegiance? May we all gather in thanks and gratitude for those who have sacrificed their all for the freedom we enjoy and sing together…