Few hymns evoke a time, culture, language, people, and mood as keenly as the “Jerusalem” hymn, the words written by William Blake and the music by C. Hubert H. Parry. “Jerusalem” is almost synonymous with England, but this grand and enduring hymn captures the imagination in ways that inspire even those outside the United Kingdom.
“Jerusalem” (or “And Did Those Feet in Ancient Times”) is commonly referred to as the unofficial national anthem of England and is featured in many films where the country is central. Most famously with our modern generation, the song is prominent in Chariots of Fire, the 1981 classic about British Olympic runners Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams. The film features this hymn as arranged by Greek composer Vangelis.
The hymn is so dear to the British that Bloomberg reports it was played as the sun rose on the day of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral procession:
“At around 5.20 am, the sound of brass playing God Save The Queen rang out from under the arch, before the state hearse departed through the Apsley Gate of Hyde Park between rows of Household Cavalry. The procession continued to play in the half-light, and Beethoven’s Funeral March and the hymn Jerusalem[sic] could be heard before the sun came up.”
The hymn’s mystical and legendary lyrics are enhanced by composer Parry’s majestic, stately, yet hauntingly moving score. The enduring popularity of this hymn demonstrates both the power of musical composition, the desire of every Christian that Jesus’ impact is reflected somehow in their own people, the allure of myth, and the romance of mystery.
The lyrics of the hymn, taken from the preface of William Blake’s work “Milton, A Poem,” are this:
And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England’s mountains green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England’s pleasant pastures seen?
And did the countenance divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among those dark satanic mills?
Bring me my bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear: o clouds unfold!
Bring me my chariots of fire!
I will not cease from mental fight;
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England’s green and pleasant land.<
Blake penned these words as an homage to John Milton, author of Paradise Lost. He wrote and illustrated the epic poem between 1804 and 1810. The British industrial revolution was in full swing. Blake expresses dismay at the changes resulting from “those dark satanic mills” and waxes poetic devotion to “England’s green and pleasant land.”
Following the poem, Blake quotes Moses from Numbers 11:29, quoted here in the NKJV translation: “‘Oh, that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!’” The rest of the epic centers around the concept of Milton returning from heaven and joining Blake on a mystical journey exploring the connection between living writers and those who have gone before them. However, that part of the poem isn’t reflected in “Jerusalem.”
Only the poem’s preface became the lyrics to “Jerusalem.” The first verse refers to an urban legend involving Joseph of Arimathea. There are numerous variations of this myth, but The Conversation summarizes it this way: “In the 19th century, a popular West Country folk tale claimed that Christ had visited Britain with his great uncle, Joseph of Arimathea, in pursuit of the tin trade.”
Glastonbury Abbey is steeped in this legend, as the article explains: “By the 14th century, it was popularly believed that Glastonbury Abbey had been founded by the biblical figure of Joseph. The legend emerged that Joseph had travelled to Britain with the Grail, the vessel used to collect Christ’s blood. For 800 years, Glastonbury has been associated with the romance of King Arthur, the Holy Grail and Joseph of Arimathea. Later stories connected Glastonbury directly to the life of Christ.”
With connections to King Arthur, the Holy Grail, the Joseph who donated his tomb for Jesus, and potentially, Jesus as a youth, it’s no wonder the hymn has staying power in England and for all who love her.
The second verse is rich with biblical imagery. For example, “chariots of fire” is taken from 2 Kings 6:15-17 when a great army surrounded Elisha and his servant. Elisha’s servant panicked, so Elisha asked God to open his eyes. When they were opened, he saw the mountain “full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”
A central example of biblical metaphor is the reference to building Jerusalem: “In England’s green and pleasant land.” This imagery was inspired by the New Jerusalem John saw in Revelation 21:1-2: “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
Many who resist the colonization put forth by the British Empire would see this romanticized notion of England as the New Jerusalem as hubris. Certainly, we must be careful of interpreting any earthly nation (Britain, America, wherever) as New Jerusalem, heaven on earth. However, we must acknowledge that every believer who has longed to see “God’s kingdom come” and experienced the yearning for their homeland to shine in re-creation. Blake simply writes about this desire as a son of England.
It’s clear from the text of Revelation that it is God who creates a new Heaven and a new Earth. It’s not something that the redeemed build. We enter His “kingdom come” when we begin a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, but He is the architect, and we are the building. 1 Peter 2:5 says, “you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house.”
Blake grew up loving the Bible; however, he grew to dislike the established church. In this respect, he wasn’t unlike many modern Jesus followers. He was influenced by the French and American revolutions, which means he also appreciated a tone of action in his faith as opposed to passively waiting for God’s re-creation.
As steeped in biblical and mythical imagery as the lyrics are, it could be argued that the music by C. Hubert H. Perry truly elevates this hymn.
Blake wrote his poem in 1804, but, according to the BBC, “In 1916, poet laureate Robert Bridges included it in an anthology, The Spirit of Man, which was intended to fortify readers’ spirits at a time when the world was facing destruction and slaughter on a wholly unprecedented scale.”
The world was smack in the midst of WWI. The war was exacting a terrible toll on soldiers and citizens alike. According to the same article, Bridges approached Parry, asking him “to set Jerusalem [sic] to music for a meeting of Fight for Right, a nascent movement intended to boost morale among Britain’s beleaguered soldiers.”
Parry overcame his initial reluctance, and “Jerusalem” was an instant hit that inspired and revived a weary military and a besieged citizenry. It continues to be played in movies, public worship services, and sporting events.
One note of interest is that J.R.R. Tolkien would have been 24, and C.S. Lewis would have been 18 at the time of the hymn’s release. Both served and fought in WWI, losing many peers. Echoes of Blake’s themes in this hymn can be found in both their legendary works—a distaste for what the industrial revolution had done to the natural world, an intense love for the “pleasant pastures” of England, and a spirit to fight against dark evil for all that is right and good.
The rendition in this clip from the DVD Great Christian Revivals is a traditional presentation of the hymn with powerful orchestration.
England's Green and Pleasant Land - Parry's Jerusalem from job293 on GodTube.
However, the current generation is just as mesmerized by the music composed by Parry. Here it is sung in an arrangement by James Rose by Naturally 7, The Swingles, and Chantage Choir in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II.
Other hymns with a more traditional take on Jerusalem as their theme are:
See Him in Jerusalemby Robinson, Thompson, and Tranter.
This video recounts the story of the creation of this contemporary hymn:
This one provides a rendition of the poem.
Jerusalem, My Happy Home by F.B.P. and Bromehead
Some may outright reject “Jerusalem” based on a strict interpretation of the lyrics. These may find a certain discomfort knowing the lyrics are largely based on unverifiable legends and present a commitment to British nationalism. But God gave us minds that not only reason. They imagine. They create. They wonder. They translate universal longings into artistic expression through poetry, literature, music, film, and great art. There is still a place, in worship, for wonder, mystery, and a humble acknowledgment that we don’t yet see everything as clearly as one day we will. We still see “through a mirror dimly.”
The poetry and music of “Jerusalem” inspire us to look upwards to a greater calling than the story we’re living below. They encourage us to look to that new Jerusalem coming when Christ returns and incite us to eagerness that His kingdom come, His will be done, even now.
When we see God in His power, majesty, and His promise, our hearts respond rightfully with a longing that He impacts our lives, our nations, and our world now. And that is worship.
Further Reading:
Hymns about the Gospel to Praise the Word of God
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/valio84sl