God Save the King

**National anthem of  the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland**

**Royal anthem of  the Commonwealth realms**

### Adopted

September 1745

"**God Save the King**", alternatively titled "**God Save the Queen**" if the reigning monarch is female, is the national and royal anthem of the United Kingdom. It is also one of the official national anthems of New Zealand, and the royal anthem of the Commonwealth realms played alongside their respective national anthems. Its composer remains unknown to this date, though it might have originated in plainchant; an attribution to the composer John Bull is sometimes made.

"God Save the King" has been the *de facto* national anthem of the United Kingdom since September 1745. Since 1977, it has also been one of the national anthems used by New Zealand since 1977, and is of equal status to "God Defend New Zealand". It is also the royal anthem, played in the presence of the monarchs, of the aforementioned countries as well as Australia since 1984, Canada since 1980, Belize since 1981, Antigua and Barbuda since 1981, The Bahamas since 1973, and most other Commonwealth realms. There is also a Chinese version of it, allegedly as the unofficial anthem of Weihaiwei between 1898 and 1930, and also an unofficial Cantonese version used by British Hong Kong.

In countries not previously part of the British Empire, the melody of "God Save the King" has provided the basis for various patriotic songs such as France's "Grand Dieu Sauve le Roi", though it is still generally connected with royal ceremony. This tune continues to be used for Liechtenstein's national anthem "Oben am jungen Rhein", and Norway's royal anthem "Kongesangen". In the United States, the melody is used for the patriotic song and former *de facto* national anthem "My Country, 'Tis of Thee". The melody was also used for "Heil dir im Siegerkranz" of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918, and for "The Prayer of Russians" of the Russian Empire from 1816 to 1833. In Switzerland, it was used for "Rufst du, mein Vaterland".

Beyond the first verse, "God Save the King" has many historic and extant versions. Since its first publication, different verses have been added and removed and, even today, different publications include various selections of verses in various orders. In general, only one verse is sung. Sometimes two verses are sung, and on rare occasions, three..

## Lyrics

### English official

God save our gracious King,
Long live our noble King,
God save the King:
Send him victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us:
God save the King.

O Lord, our God, arise,
Scatter his enemies,
And make them fall.
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their knavish tricks,
On thee our hopes we fix:
God save us all.

Thy choicest gifts in store,
On him be pleased to pour;
Long may he reign:
May he defend our laws,
And ever give us cause
*To sing with heart and voice*
*God save the King.*

[ɡɒd seɪv ˈaʊə ˈɡɹeɪ.ʃəs kɪŋ ǀ]
[lɒŋ lɪv ˈaʊə ˈnəʊ.bəl kɪŋ ǀ]
[ɡɒd seɪv ðə kɪŋ ǀ]
[sɛnd hɪm vɪk.ˈtɔː.ɹiəs ǀ]
[ˈhæ.pi ænd ˈɡlɔː.ɹiəs ǀ]
[lɒŋ tuː ɹeɪn ˈəʊ.və ǀ]
[ɡɒd seɪv ðə kɪŋ ‖]

[əʊ lɔːd ǀ ˈaʊə ɡɒd ǀ ə.ˈɹaɪz ǀ
[ˈskæ.tə hɪz ˈɛ.nə.miz ǀ]
[ænd meɪk ðɛm fɔːl ǀ]
[kəɱ.ˈfaʊnd ðɛə ˈpɒ.lə.tɪks ǀ]
[fɹʌ.ˈstɹeɪt ðɛə ˈneɪ.vɪʃ tɹɪks ǀ]
[ɒn ðiː ˈaʊə həʊps wiː fɪks ǀ]
[ɡɒd seɪv ʌs ɔːl ‖]

[ðaɪ ˈt͡ʃɔɪ.sɪst ɡɪfts ɪn stɔː ǀ]
[ɒn hɪm biː pliːzd tuː pɔː ǀ]
[lɒŋ meɪ hiː ɹeɪn ǀ]
[meɪ hiː dɪ.ˈfɛnd ˈaʊə lɔːz ǀ]
[ænd ˈɛ.və ɡɪv ʌs kɔːz]
[tuː sɪŋ wɪð hɑːt ænd vɔɪs]
[ɡɒd seɪv ðə kɪŋ ‖]

### English original

God save great George our king

God save our noble king,

God save the king!

Send him victorious

Happy and glorious

Long to reign over us

God save the king!

### French version used in Canada

Dieu protège le Roi

De sa main souveraine !

Vive le Roi !

Qu'un règne glorieux,

Long et victorieux

Rende son peuple heureux.

Vive le Roi !

### Māori version used in New Zealand

Me tohu e t'Atua

To matou Kingi pai:

Kia ora ia

Meinga kia maia ia,

Kia hari nui, kia koa,

Kia kingi tonu ia,

Tau tini noa.

### Latin version

O Deus optime

Salvum nunc facito

Regem nostrum

Sic laeta victoria

Comes et gloria

Salvum iam facito

Tu dominum.

### Italian version

Dio salvi il nostro re,

lunga vita al re,

Dio lo salvi !

A lei vittoria,

a lei la gloria,

regni su noi felice;

Dio salvi il re !

Sorgi o Signore,

fa' i suoi nemici

spersi cader;

frustra gli inganni,

scalza i lor piani,

con lui ch'è nostra speme

Ci salvi insieme !

Spargi o Signore

d'eletti doni

il suo regnar;

leggi ei difenda,

renda felici

chi canta con gran cuor,

Dio salvi il re !

### Esperanto version

Di' savu la Reĝinon,

Vivu nia Reĝin',

Di' savu ŝin.

Faru ŝin venkinta

Feliĉa kaj glora

Ke ŝi regu longe

Di' savu ŝin.

## International usage

* Banat Swabians
	+ Hymne der Banater Schwaben
* Kingdom of Bavaria
	+ Heil unserm König, Heil!
* Empire of Brazil
	+ Avé Gloria, Avé Imperio (used by pro-monarchists)
* Confederate States of America
	+ God Save the South (some music notes)
* Grand Duchy of Finland
	+ Laulu Suurelle Ruhtinaalle (Keisarihymni)
* Kingdom of France
	+ De Notre jeune Roi
	+ Grand Dieu Sauve le Roi (alledged)
* German Empire
	+ Heil dir im Siegerkranz (1871–1918)
	+ Heil dir, Germania
* Kingdom of Greece
* Kingdom of Hannover
	+ Heil dir, Hannover
* Kingdom of Hawaii
	+ E Ola Ke Aliʻi Ke Akua
* Grand Duchy of Hesse
	+ Ernst Ludwig, Heil!
* Hong Kong
* Kingdom of Iceland
	+ Eldgamla Ísafold (unofficial)
* Republic of India
	+ Santatam Pahimam (used as a children's song)
* Republic of Latvia
	+ Dievs, svētī Latviju! (rearranged)
* Principality of Liechtenstein
	+ Oben am jungen Rhein
* Duchy of Mecklenburg
	+ Gott segne Friedrich Franz
* Kingdom of the Netherlands
	+ O Dierbaar Plekje Grond (unofficial)
	+ Eeuwig en machtig Heer (unofficial)
* Kingdom of Norway
	+ Kongesangen (royal anthem)
* Kingdom of Prussia
	+ Heil dir im Siegerkranz (1795–1918)
* Ottoman Empire
	+ Osmanlı Sergi Marşı (unofficial)
* Kingdom of Poland
	+ Jezu, miłości Twej (used as a Christian hymn)
* Portugal
	+ Invocação e Louvor
* Russian Empire
	+ Molitva russkih (1816–1833)
* Kingdom of Saxony
	+ Gott segne Sachsenland
* Kingdom of Siam
	+ Côrm Rảrt Cong Càrơrn
* Kingdom of Sweden
	+ Bevare Gud vår kung (1805–1893)
* Swiss Confederation
	+ Rufst du, mein Vaterland (1848–1961)
* United States of America
	+ My Country, 'Tis of Thee (*de facto* formerly)
	+ God Bless Our Native Land
	+ God Save Great George Our King (loyalist anthem)
	+ God Save Our Thirteen States

## External links

* God Save the King – National Anthem • United Kingdom (1801–) – YouTube

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 National Anthem. *The official website of The British Monarchy*.
2. ↑ Isle of Man. *NationalAnthems.info*. Kendall, David. Winnipeg, Canada.
3. ↑ A Crown of Maples (2008). MacLeod, Kevin S. Ottawa, Canada. *Queen's Printer for Canada*. ISBN: 978-0-662-46012-1.
4. ↑ The World Factbook (2012). *Central Intelligence Agency*. pp.79.
5. ↑ The World Factbook (2012). *Central Intelligence Agency*. pp.32.
6. ↑ The World Factbook (2012). *Central Intelligence Agency*. pp.59.
7. ↑ United Kingdom. *NationalAnthems.me*.
8. ↑ cf. the versions in the hymn books *English Hymnal*, *Hymns Ancient and Modern*, and *Songs of Praise*
9. ↑ National Anthem. *The Royal Family*.
10. ↑ http://www.historytoday.com/charles-dimont/god-save-queen-history-national-anthem
11. ↑ Hymne royal " Dieu protège la Reine ". *Government of Canada*.
12. ↑ E Ihowa Tohungia Te Kuini (1900). *Te Pipiwharauroa*. pp.5.
13. ↑ God Save the King, William H. Cummings, Novello and Company Ltd, London 1902.
14. ↑ GOD SAVE THE KING