Jimbo's Jots

In 1900, James Weldon Johnson wrote a poem in tribute to Abraham Lincoln. The poem’s words powerfully resonated with many African Americans. More specifically, the words moved Johnson’s brother, John Rosamond Johnson, to put the poem to music. In 1919, this poem became the ” Negro National Anthem” as declared by the NAACP.

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.

Stony the road we trod
Bitter the chast’ning 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 fathers 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.

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 meet 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.

This anthem of God’s faithfulness as well as a prayer of freedom echoes tones of the exodus story. It is a reminder for all of us of where we have been and where God continues to take us. Many feel trapped by their past. Many feel bound by their anxiety and worry.

Yet, we have been set free from the chains that bind us. God’s plan of freedom was fulfilled in Jesus Christ and continues through the work of the Spirit. As Jesus said, “Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” So, let us all “lift every voice and sing, till all of heaven and earth ring, ring with the harmonies of liberty [as children of God].”

Be blessed! Be a blessing to others!