National Anthem of the Northern States

The National Anthem of the Northern States is the first couplet of an untitled poem by Visiphorus (f. 1570) set to the tune of Hymn 134. The poem is known as the "universal psalm" because it ascribes all humanity as the beneficiaries of the work of the Godhead and intercedes on behalf of all of them.

Words

The national anthem of the Northern States is one of the shortest in the world, consisting of 18 words.

génišmuš θxmō āmmərətát-šxa holūvotát-šxa βā ərətā́-kə̄ haduvṓ

To the end that the nations of Earth shall have immortality, soundness, and righteousness,

žiiōš dédāṯ āhúš-xa ártaōš pāi̯š áiiū mərətim xātiyṓi̯-kə̄ nū nanā́ diθí

Give now [these things] to us, thou giving god and lord of truth that has upheld life and vanquished death.

The poem composed by Visiphorus contains many extra lines that are not considered part of the Northian anthem, but are often sung with the national anthem anyway.

History

The "Universal Psalm", written with a somewhat imperfect command of Galic Northian, is not an actual Gale dating to the Bronze Age as its language may at first sight suggest. Rather, it is dated to the 1570s and attributed to the priest Visiphorus, who was also the first high priest to have included it in his liturgy. It was penned as an intermedial psalm and was (at least originally) addressed to the Sun. In the Renaissance period, the Galic text, which was chanted in the holiest part of the monthly service, was broken into two halves to permit priests to rest slightly, as otherwise the Gales consisted of around 6,000 words and took an hour to chant. However it was deemed an irreverence to break the chain of praiseful hymns, and so psalms in Galic language were inserted and chanted by either visiting priests or the laity, while the officiating priests rested.

The Universal Psalm gained popularity very rapidly through the Northian dioseces, and at many instances were inserted at the behest of the laity. Martius Kronen, a wealthy merchant of Cleiden, said it is a "most beloved psalm and evidence of great piety of anyone who sings it". From 1597, it was used at the Congress of the States, which at that time had the vestigial function of intercity religious festivals. Held in such high esteem it was spoken six times by the officiating priests, and it therefore became a canon at the Congress of the States. From there, it became one of several standard psalms used when religious offices were involved in public functions.

See also

• Northern States