Goodly Were Thy Tents, O Israel

Goodly were thy tents, O Israel,
Spread along the river’s side;
Bright thy star, which rose prophetic,
Herald of dominion wide;
Fairer are the homes of freemen,
Scattered o’er our broad domain;
Brighter is our rising daystar,
Ush’ring in a purer reign.

Welcome to the glorious freedom,
Which our fathers hither brought;
Welcome to the priceless treasure,
Which with constant faith they sought!
See, from ev’ry nation gath’ring,
Swarming myriads throng our coasts,
Hear, with steady steps advancing,
Ceaseless tread of countless hosts.

God of nations! Our Preserver,
Hear our prayers, our counsels bless;
Lift o’er all Thy radiant banner,
On these souls Thy love impress;
From Thy throne of endless blessing
O’er our land Thy Spirit pour;
In the grandeur of Thine empire
Reign supreme from shore to shore.

Author: Unknown

No clear attribution found in standard hymnals or author indexes for this patriotic text. It appears in 19th-century American hymnals and school songbooks (often set to a tune like 'Hamburg' or similar), but without a named lyricist. It may be the work of an anonymous editor, compiler, or occasional poet of the era.