My Country, 'Tis of Thee
GodTube Staff
A beloved song of national gratitude, written by the Baptist preacher Samuel Francis Smith in the 19th century. Its lyrics inspire an appreciation for the beautiful landscapes of America and our freedom to worship as the Pilgrims sought in the new world. Read more about the history of this hymn and watch video performances below.
1 My country, 'tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty,
of thee I sing:
land where my fathers died,
land of the pilgrims' pride,
from every mountainside
let freedom ring!
2 My native country, thee,
land of the noble free,
thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
thy woods and templed hills;
my heart with rapture thrills
like that above.
3 Let music swell the breeze,
and ring from all the trees
sweet freedom's song:
let mortal tongues awake,
let all that breathe partake;
let rocks their silence break,
the sound prolong.
Source: Hymns of Promise: a large print songbook #195
Songwriters
Samuel Francis Smith
Published by
Public Domain
The Story Behind My Country, 'Tis of Thee
"My Country, 'Tis of Thee" was written in 1832 by Samuel Francis Smith, and first sung at a children's Fourth of July celebration in Park Street Church, Boston. It was included in The Psalmist, 1843, No. 1000, and found in a large number of American hymn-books, but not in use in Great Britain. It is one of the most popular of Dr. Smith's compositions.
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