We Knelt Before Kings

We knelt be­fore kings;

We bent be­fore lords;

For theirs were the crowns

And theirs were the swords:

But times of the bend­ing

And bow­ing are past

The day of the peo­ple

Is dawn­ing at last!

We cringed be­fore gold;

We dei­fied wealth;

We laid on its al­tar

The life and the health

Of man­hood and wo­man­hood

And child­hood and youth;

Its lord­ship is doomed

In this day of the truth.

The strength of the state

We’ll lav­ish on more

Than mass­ing of wealth

And mak­ing of war;

We’re learn­ing at last

Though the les­son comes late

The mak­ing of man

Is the task of the state.

Great Day of Je­ho­vah!

Prophets and seers

Have sung of thy com­ing

Thousands of years;

Thank God for each sign

That the dark night is past;

The day of the people

Is dawn­ing at last.