The Best Gospel Songs and their composers ‎#204

204. Our Dearly Loved Banner

1 Our country, so dear to the hearts of thy children,
Inspire us with rapture when singing of thee;
Thy mountains and valleys, thy lakes, and thy rivers,
And over them all, floats the flag of the free.

Refrain:
Our dearly lov’d banner, our star-spangled banner,
The proud flag that ever floats over the free;
Our dearly lov’d banner, our star-spangled banner,
The proud flag that ever floats over the free.
Wide open we fling our doors to the homeless,
From the ends of the earth they are turning to thee;
The riches and learning of nations are gather’s
Within thy broad borders, oh, land of the free.

2 Our country! thy warm heart is always responsive
To the cries of the suff’ring where’er they may be;
From Maine unto Texas, from ocean to ocean,
And hearts touch’d with sorrow far over the sea. [Refrain]

3 O God of our fathers who made us a nation,
Still guard, and protect, leave us not to our fate;
Bless army, and navy, let right be triumphant,
With Thy guiding hand, steer the old ship of state. [Refrain]

Text Information

• First Line: Our country, so dear to the hearts of thy children
• Title: Our Dearly Loved Banner
• Author: Marian W. Hubbard
• Refrain First Line: Our dearly loved banner, our star-spangled banner
• Publication Date: 1904

Tune Information

• Name: [Our country, so dear to the hearts of thy children]
• Composer: M. Pauline Gilmour