Long to reign over us

“Send her victorious, happy and glorious, Long to reign over us, God save the Queen”. 

Despite calls for it to be updated or replaced in recent years, the National Anthem has been sung countless times over the decades at everything from sporting events to national ceremonies. If like me you watch the Queen’s speech at Christmas, you’ll be familiar with hearing it each year, and you may even have had older members of your family who would stand when the music starts up. 

According to Wikipedia, no-one is absolutely sure when and where it originated though the first published version of the tune came in 1744, though the melody may go back far earlier to a combination of an early plainsong melody with an early dance rhythm. 

In 2002 Brian May played it on the roof of Buckingham Palace at high volume from his red special electric guitar for the Golden Jubilee, which was an idea he had which he called the most “incredible energizing moment, but terrifying” and is set to do so again next week- I can’t wait. 

These are all interesting facts about the National Anthem. But it’s easy to miss something very obvious.

The national anthem is actually a prayer. It’s a prayer in which we ask God to “Save the Queen”- in other words that she will know the rescue that only Jesus can provide. 

And one of the lines “Long to reign over us” is a prayer that God has certainly answered, as our 96 year monarch now hits 70 years since her coronation. We’ll be giving thanks to God for answering this prayer at a special service at Stukeley Meadows a week on Sunday. You’d be most welcome to join us in person or on youtube. 

Whether you are a keen royalist or not, I hope we will all be able to thank God for a monarch who like the Lord Jesus who she follows, has been a servant leader. Queen Victoria was once asked what she would do if she met Jesus Christ. She said, “I would take off my crown and lay it at his feet”. 

Followed by “Dancing Queen” by ABBA.

Charlie Newcombe 25/5/22