God of Our Fathers

O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us the work that You did in their days, in the days of old.  You with Your own hand drove out the nations; then You planted them; You afflicted the peoples, then You spread them abroad.  For by their own sword they did not possess the land, and their own arm did not save them, but Your right hand and Your arm and the light of your presence, for You favored them.  Psalm 44:1-4

God of Our Fathers
Daniel Crane Roberts (1841-1907)

God of our fathers, whose almighty hand
leads forth in beauty all the starry band
of shining worlds in splendor through the skies,

our grateful songs before Thy throne arise.

Thy love divine hath led us in the past;

in this free land by Thee our lot is cast;

be Thou our ruler, guardian, guide, and stay,

Thy Word our law, Thy paths our chosen way.

From war's alarms, from deadly pestilence,

be Thy strong arm our ever sure defense;

Thy true religion in our hearts increase,

Thy bounteous goodness nourish us in peace.

Refresh Thy people on their toilsome way;

lead us from night to never-ending day;

fill all our lives with love and grace divine,

and glory, laud, and praise be ever Thine.

.....

Six years before his death in 1907, Daniel Roberts wrote, "I remain a country parson, known only within my own small world."  This hymn was penned while he pastored a rural church in Brandon, Vermont.  He wrote it in 1876 to commemorate the one-hundredth birthday of the Declaration of the Independence, and it was sung for the first time at Brandon's Fourth of July celebration

Because the people of Brandon enjoyed the hymn, Roberts submitted it to the committee planning the Constitution's centennial celebration.  The committee chose it as the official hymn for the occasion and sent it to the organist at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in New York City to compose an original tune.  The new tune, with a dramatic trumpet fanfare, helped to make this hymn unique.

I still get goosebumps remembering the first time I heard the amazing organist at my childhood church play the trumpet fanfare.  

.....

Daniel C. Roberts | Hymnary.org

USNA Pipe Organ, "God of Our Fathers", Ty Thompson - YouTube  (This instrument is impressive.)

God Of Our Fathers by Hammond (George W. Warren) - YouTube (Good sound on this video.  Wait a bit to see ALL the pipes!)