Prayer Journal
Wednesday, June 14, 2000
Today is Flag Day.
When Frances Scott Key wrote the words to the "The Star-spangled Banner", he gave America its National Anthem. Those words are sung in schools, churches, recreation events, government celebrations and for virtually every occasion imaginable. I am certain every American can quote at least some of the words in the anthem. We place our right hands or our hats over our hearts, look toward the flag of the United States and proudly sing, "O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?"
Did you realize there are TWO verses to the anthem? Did you know the first verse is a question and the second verse is the answer? I've never sung the second verse. Have you? Probably not! All these years we've been singing a song ending with a question and never singing the answer!
Here is the answer to the question, "Does our flag wave over the home of the free and the land of the brave?":
"O thus be it ever, when free men shall stand between their loved homes and the war's desolation; blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserved us as a nation! Then conquer we must when our cause it is just; And this be our motto: "In God we trust!" And the star spangled spangled banner in triumph SHALL WAVE o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave."
We'd better not alert the ACLU. Before long, the Supreme Court will forbid music publishers from printing any song with such "unfair" and "insensitive" language. Millions of hymn books have been printed and distributed around the world with two verses. The court may have to "interpret" the meaning of the words used by the patriot, Francis Scott Key. If so, they will most likely force music publishers to send a recall notice to everyone with a hymn book, else furnish a free kit to be used in modifying the lyrics. The free kit will include a black magic marker with the following written instructions:
- change the question mark at the end of verse one to an exclamation mark, rendering the question rhetorical.
- Draw a solid black line through the entire second verse.
As an alternative for those of other faiths, this can be done in lieu of the above modification:
A sticker is provided with the phrase "**(Whoever that may be to you)". This sticker can be placed at the bottom of the song page and two asterisks (**) written by the words, "Pow'r" and "God". In addition you may want to change the phrase "cause it is just" and replace it with, "cause it doesn't offend".
"Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some trust in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm." Psalm 20:6-8
(1) Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society
(2) The images used herein were obtained from the Learning Company's ClickArt Christian Graphics Deluxe product, (c)1999 The Learning Company, Inc and its subsidiaries, 88 Roland Way, Novato, CA 94945 USA. All Rights Reserved.
Construction team from Kentucky in Bosnia
