From In God We Still Trust by Dr. Richard G. Lee
THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER
[The Lord] rescued us from our enemies, for His mercy endures forever.
-Psalm 136:24
During the War of 1812, the British navy fiercely bombarded Fort McHenry from the Baltimore harbor. On September 13, 1814, a young American lawyer named Francis Scott Key watched the relentless bombing throughout the night, then silence followed. Had the fort been forced to surrender? In the first rays of sunlight, Key saw the American flag waving proudly. Inspired, he began writing “Defense of Fort McHenry.” This poem was set to a popular tune, renamed “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and made the national anthem by a congressional resolution on March 3, 1931. It expresses one man’s deep gratitude for America’s freedom and God’s blessings, as this lesser known verse clearly reflects:
O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
Patriot’s Prayer
Thank You for keeping this nation safe and protecting us from harm. Call us back to You that we may live with You as our trust.
Patriot’s Promise
“He has put a new song in my mouth—praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord “ (Psalm 40:3).
Order your own copy of In God We Still Trust by Dr. Richard G. Lee
Experience Hope Through Jesus
Written in the same style as Jesus Calling®, Jesus Today™contains all-new devotions for a hope-filled walk with God. Born out of missionary Sarah Young’s own trials, Jesus Today shows that hope shines brightest in adversity. Grow in grace, hear from God, and walk with Jesus Today.