On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Queen's Coronation (2nd June 1953) this seems an appropriate time to de-bunk the tiresome and incorrect notion - usually heard from nationalists - that the National Anthem "includes a verse" about Marshal Wade "crushing rebellious Scots". In April 2007 there was an early day motion, number 1319, to the British Parliament to propose that there should be a separate England anthem: "That this House ... believes that all English sporting associations should adopt an appropriate song that English sportsmen and women, and the English public, would favour when competing as England". An amendment (EDM 1319A3) was proposed by Evan Harris that the song "should have a bit more oomph than God Save The Queen and should also not involve God." [69]

There have been several attempts to rewrite the words. In the nineteenth century there was some lively debate about the national anthem as verse two was considered by some to be slightly offensive in its use of the phrase "scatter her enemies". Some thought it placed better emphasis on the respective power of Parliament and the Crown to change "her enemies" to "our enemies"; others questioned the theology and proposed "thine enemies" instead. Sydney G. R. Coles wrote a completely new version, as did Canon F. K. Harford. [31] O Lord Our God Arise [ edit ]This version did appear in some works at literature prior the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, however only the version mentioned in the Standard Version in the United Kingdom was used at her Coronation and ever since on all official occasions where 2 verses were sung. The words used today are those sung in 1745, substituting 'Queen' for 'King' where appropriate. On official occasions, only the first verse is usually sung. Moreover, it is certainly not possible that the Boys Brigade would include any verses which were not authorised by the Church of Scotland and listed in its official Hymnary.

The French apparently did not use the hymn again until 1715 at which time the Old Pretender, claiming to be King James III of England, was organising his rebellion from France. Madame de Maintenon is said to have presented him with the words and music as his national or royal anthem. Fisher, J. L. (2010). Pioneers, settlers, aliens, exiles: the decolonisation of white identity in Zimbabwe. Canberra: ANU E Press. p.60. ISBN 978-1-921666-14-8.Since 18 January 2022, GB News has played "God Save the Queen" at the start of live programming every day. [71] [72] Use in other Commonwealth countries [ edit ]

White, Richard Grant (1861). National Hymns: How They are Written and how They are Not Written. Rudd & Carleton. p.42. It was in 1743 that Wade gained the rank of Field Marshal and in this same year he commanded the British contingent in Flanders. The campaign did not go well and Wade, who was seventy years of age and in bad health, resigned the command in March 1744. Benjamin Britten – The National Anthem". Boosey.com. 21 August 2013. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018 . Retrieved 12 February 2014.

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Marshal Wade was in fact the British Field Marshal, George Wade. George was born in 1673, the son of Jerome Wade of Kilavally, Westmeath in Ireland and he entered the British Army in 1690. Martin-Pavitt, Ross (18 January 2022). "GB News plays national anthem every morning to mark Queen's Platinum Jubilee year". The Independent . Retrieved 2 February 2022. a b Kallmann, Helmut. "National and royal anthems". In Marsh, James Harley (ed.). The Canadian Encyclopedia. Toronto: Historica Foundation of Canada. Archived from the original on 10 October 2011 . Retrieved 25 June 2010.

Gioachino Rossini used this anthem in the last scene of his Il viaggio a Reims, when all the characters, coming from many different European countries, sing a song which recalls their own homeland. Lord Sidney, bass, sings " Della real pianta" on the notes of "God Save the King". Samuel Ramey used to interpolate a spectacular virtuoso cadenza at the end of the song. If it has been sung in the modern age, it would be either in jest or perhaps by a group which had been misled into thinking it was part of the National Anthem. Parliamentary Information Management Services. Early day Motion 1319". Edmi.parliament.uk. Archived from the original on 31 October 2018 . Retrieved 12 February 2014. Restoring the first recording of computer music – Sound and vision blog". British Library. 13 September 2016 . Retrieved 28 August 2017. The phrase "God Save the King" is much older than the song, appearing, for instance, several times in the King James Bible. [16] A text based on the 1st Book of Kings Chapter 1: verses 38–40, "And all the people rejoic'd, and said: God save the King! Long live the King! May the King live for ever, Amen", has been sung and proclaimed at every coronation since that of King Edgar in 973. [17] Scholes says that as early as 1545 "God Save the King" was a watchword of the Royal Navy, with the response being "Long to reign over us". [18] [19] He also notes that the prayer read in churches on anniversaries of the Gunpowder Plot includes words which might have formed part of the basis for the former standard verse "Scatter our enemies...assuage their malice and confound their devices".

Are Scots mentioned in the national anthem? 

Scholes, Percy A. (1954). God Save the Queen!: The History and Romance of the World's First National Anthem. Oxford University Press.