Lift Every Voice and Sing

These are our songs of joy and sadness

They were given life by slaves who toiled in the fields of America

Sweat on their brows, hope in their hearts

These are our songs of happiness and sorrow

The soul of black folk

Coupled with religious fervor and vigorous

Rhythms that hint of their African heritage

These are our songs of hope

Lift every voice and sing

'Til Earth and Heaven shall ring

Ring with the harmonies of liberty

Let our rejoicing rise

High as the listening skies

Let it resound loud as the rolling sea

Lift every voice and sing

And let the entire world hear this universal

Tribute to the magnificent glory of the Holy Spirit

Lift every voice and sing

And let the world hear us praise ye the Lord

Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet

Praise Him with the harp

And praise Him with stringed instruments

Lift every voice and sing

And let the world hear our prayer to Jesus

Oh, Jesus, lay Your head in the window

And hear some sinner pray

Stony the road we've trod

Bitter the chastening rod

Felt in the days when hope unborn had died

Yet with a steady beat have not our weary feet

Come to the place for which our fathers died

And oh, wasn't it a pity and a shame that he, too, died

And never, never said a mumbling word?

Not a word

Not a word

Lift every voice and sing

Let the universe hear us praise Him upon the loud cymbals

Praise Him upon the high-sounding cymbals

Praise ye the Lord and honor Him

Honor Him

Let everything that hath breath

Praise the Lord

Praise the Lord