Stanza 3 Summary

Lines 22-27

God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
Thou who hast brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who hast by Thy might,
Led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray.

• This stanza begins by invoking God. The reference to God allows us readers to frame the poem as a hymn, or religious song. 
• These lines present God as the Big Boss. He's there during the "weary years" and he's there during the "silent tears." He's the one who brings people toward "the light" and who supports them during hard times. 
• The speakers' reference to "the light" can be understood as a metaphor. The speakers aren't talking about a literal light that God is leading them toward. They're telling us that God is leading them toward better times, toward freedom. The light is a metaphor for freedom and an easier life. 
• These lines also evoke the metaphor of the "road," which appears earlier in the poem (11). God is leading the speakers along a "way." This "way," or "path," is a metaphor for the progress toward liberty. A bit how like we're all on the "road" to better understanding this poem, the speakers of the poem are on the "road" to freedom. 
• Line 25 ("Keep us forever in the path, we pray") is also an important line because it highlights the importance of religion and prayer in this poem. The speakers suggest that we can't make it without prayer and without God's help.

Lines 28-31

Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee,
Lest our heart, drunk with the wind of the world, we forget Thee;
Shadowed beneath Thy hand,
May we forever stand

• These lines build on the lines that have come before. Here, the speakers elaborate on how they wish for God to guide them. 
• The speakers want God to guide them so that their "feet" don't stray from the right path. Here again we can see the speakers using metaphor and synecdoche. The path that they're walking is a metaphor for the "way" to freedom. 
• These lines also set up a contrast between the worldly life and the spiritual life. The speakers' words in line 29 suggest that it isn't good for us to indulge too much in the "world," or in all the things that we associate with living in the world, like wealth and status. Instead, we should keep our sights focused on the spiritual realm and should always remember God. 
• In line 30, the speakers use another metaphor: they imagine themselves "shadowed" by God's hand. This is a strong visual image: we see a "hand" shadowing someone. But it works as a metaphor to convey God's presence in the speakers' lives as a protective presence. 
• Not only is God's presence protective, it gives the speakers strength. This is suggested in line 31, in which the speakers say "May we forever stand." Given that this line follows the speakers' praise of God, it suggests that we can't stand, and we can't find the strength to stand, without God's protection. Are we ready for church yet?

Lines 32-33

True to our God
True to our native land. 

• These two final lines of the poem emphasize the importance of religion. According to the speakers, we must always remain loyal to God. 
• In fact, God is so important that being "true" to him is more important than being "true" to our native land.
• After all, the speakers mention God before they mention their "native land." 
• But in stating that we must also be true to "our native land," the speakers suggest that, despite the fact that their native land (America) hasn't been true to them (you know, because it's enslaved them, oppressed them, and violated them in all kinds of terrible ways), they still have a sense of love and loyalty toward it. That's what you call ending on a high note.