Lofsöngur Facts for Kids

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Lofsöngur

National anthem of	Iceland
Also known as	"Ó Guð vors lands" English: "O, God of Our Land"
Lyrics	Matthías Jochumsson, 1874
Music	Sveinbjörn Sveinbjörnsson, 1874
Adopted	1944; 81 years ago (1944)

"Lofsöngur" (which means "Hymn"), also known as "Ó Guð vors lands" ("O, God of Our Land"), is the national anthem of Iceland. A national anthem is a special song that represents a country.

The music for this anthem was created by Sveinbjörn Sveinbjörnsson. The words were written by Matthías Jochumsson. Iceland officially chose it as their national anthem in 1944. This happened when the country decided to become a republic and no longer be connected to Denmark.

Many people find "Lofsöngur" very hard to sing. Also, it talks a lot about religion. This has caused some discussion in Iceland today.

History of the Anthem
Lyrics of the Anthem
Why the Anthem is Discussed
See also

History of the Anthem

Sveinbjörn Sveinbjörnsson (left) wrote the music for "Lofsöngur". Matthías Jochumsson (right) wrote the words.

This plaque in Edinburgh shows where the music for "Lofsöngur" was composed.

How the Music Was Made

In the late 1800s, music in Iceland really started to grow. Many Icelandic musicians had to study in other countries. This was because there weren't enough chances to learn music at home. But they brought their new skills back to Iceland.

One of these musicians was Sveinbjörn Sveinbjörnsson. He was the first Icelander to have a worldwide career as a composer. He lived in Edinburgh, Scotland, in the early 1870s. In 1874, he wrote the music for "Lofsöngur" in a house there.

By 1922, the song was so popular in Iceland. The Althing (Iceland's parliament) gave Sveinbjörnsson a special payment for life. This was called a state pension. He was the first composer in Iceland to receive such an honor.

How the Lyrics Were Written

The words for the anthem were written by Matthías Jochumsson. He was a priest and one of Iceland's most loved poets. A plaque in Edinburgh says both the music and words were written there. However, people now believe Jochumsson wrote the words in Iceland.

Like Sveinbjörnsson, Jochumsson was the first Icelandic poet to get a state pension. The Althing also gave him the title of "National Poet".

When It Was First Played

The song was written for a big celebration in 1874. This event honored 1,000 years since the Norse people first arrived in Iceland. Because of this, the anthem's full title means "The Millennial Hymn of Iceland."

The song was first played on August 2, 1874. It was at a church service in Reykjavík Cathedral. The King of Denmark, Christian IX, was there. At that time, he was also the King of Iceland.

However, the song did not become the official national anthem until 70 years later. In 1944, Icelanders voted to become a republic. They ended their connection with Denmark. That's when "Lofsöngur" officially became their national anthem.

Lyrics of the Anthem

The Icelandic national anthem has three verses. But usually, only the first verse is sung.

Icelandic original	Poetic English translation
I Ó, guð vors lands! Ó, lands vors guð! Vér lofum þitt heilaga, heilaga nafn! Úr sólkerfum himnanna hnýta þér krans þínir herskarar, tímanna safn. Fyrir þér er einn dagur sem þúsund ár og þúsund ár dagur, ei meir: eitt eilífðar smáblóm með titrandi tár, sem tilbiður guð sinn og deyr. Íslands þúsund ár, Íslands þúsund ár, eitt eilífðar smáblóm með titrandi tár, sem tilbiður guð sinn og deyr. II Ó guð, ó guð! Vér föllum fram og fórnum þér brennandi, brennandi sál, guð faðir, vor drottinn frá kyni til kyns, og vér kvökum vort helgasta mál. Vér kvökum og þökkum í þúsund ár, því þú ert vort einasta skjól. Vér kvökum og þökkum með titrandi tár, því þú tilbjóst vort forlagahjól. Íslands þúsund ár, Íslands þúsund ár! Voru morgunsins húmköldu, hrynjandi tár, sem hitna við skínandi sól. III Ó, guð vors lands! Ó, lands vors guð! Vér lifum sem blaktandi, blaktandi strá. Vér deyjum, ef þú ert ei ljós það og líf, sem að lyftir oss duftinu frá. Ó, vert þú hvern morgun vort ljúfasta líf, vor leiðtogi í daganna þraut og á kvöldin vor himneska hvíld og vor hlíf og vor hertogi á þjóðlífsins braut. Íslands þúsund ár, Íslands þúsund ár! verði gróandi þjóðlíf með þverrandi tár, sem þroskast á guðsríkis braut.	I Our country's God! Our country's God! We worship Thy name in its wonder sublime. The suns of the heavens are set in Thy crown By Thy legions, the ages of time! With Thee is each day as a thousand years, Each thousand of years, but a day, Eternity's flow'r, with its homage of tears, That reverently passes away. Iceland's thousand years, Iceland's thousand years! Eternity's flow'r, with its homage of tears, That reverently passes away. II Our God, our God, we bow to Thee, Our spirits most fervent we place in thy care. Lord, God of our fathers from age unto age, We are breathing our holiest prayer. We pray and we thank Thee a thousand years For safely protected we stand; We pray and we bring Thee our homage of tears Our destiny rest in Thy hand. Iceland’s thousand years, Iceland's thousand years! The hoarfrost of morning which tinted those years, Thy sun rising high, shall command! III Our country’s God! Our country’s God! Our life is a feeble and quivering reed; We perish, deprived of Thy spirit and light To redeem and uphold in our need. Inspire us at morn with Thy courage and love, And lead through the days of our strife! At evening send peace from Thy heaven above, And safeguard our nation through life. Iceland’s thousand years, Iceland’s thousand years! O, prosper our people, diminish our tears And guide, in Thy wisdom, through life!

Why the Anthem is Discussed

"Lofsöngur" is known for being very hard to sing. It has a wide range of notes, from very high to very low. This makes it a challenge for many singers.

The anthem is also like a Christian hymn. It has strong religious messages. Today, Iceland is becoming less religious. So, some people question if this song is still the best choice for a national anthem. Even though Iceland still has an official religion (the Church of Iceland), some suggest finding a new song. They think a different song might include everyone, no matter their beliefs.

Lofsöngur facts for kids

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