Scripture Verse

I will refine them and test them. Jeremiah 9:7

Introduction

portrait
Katharine L. Bates
1859–1929

Words: Kath­ar­ine L. Bates, 1893, alt. Bates orig­in­al­ly wrote the words as a po­em, Pikes Peak, first pub­lished in the Fourth of Ju­ly edi­tion of the church pe­ri­od­i­cal The Con­gre­ga­tion­al­ist in 1895. At that time, the po­em was ti­tled Am­er­ica.

Music: Ma­ter­na Sam­uel A. Ward, 1882 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

portrait
Samuel A. Ward
1847–1903

Lyrics

illustration
On Summit of Pikes Peak

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain;
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood,
From sea to shining sea.

O beautiful for pilgrim feet,
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness,
And every gain divine.

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam,
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self control,
Thy liberty in law.

Bates’ original version:

O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!

O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife,
When once or twice, for man’s avail,
Men lavished precious life!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain,
The banner of the free!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!