If you are not English and attend the cricket you will have heard the travelling English fans sing a song. This song is called Jerusalem. It is a defacto English national anthem of sorts. Possibly you heard it through an episode of Mr. Bean? Four Weddings and a Funeral? Maybe youtube it or just read the lyrics that follow.
And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountains green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen?
And did the countenance divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among those dark Satanic Mills?
Bring me my bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!
I will not cease from mental fight
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant Land
Jerusalem in England?
Did you guess the line in the song that begs the question whether this is heresy or not? Yes, there are a lot of lines in the song that are weird and strange. The line that causes the heresy headache is the one about putting Jerusalem in England.
“Till we have built Jerusalem,
In Englands green & pleasant Land.”
Not being English myself, maybe we can give them this one little quirk. Many nations and faiths have over thousands of years coveted Jerusalem. Egypt, Athens, Babylon, Rome. There are plenty of artefacts other objects from many nations in the museums of England. Its that colonising habit. But Jerusalem is a spiky one, even today.
Where does this song come from? Who wrote it and why does it claim Jerusalem to built on England’s green and pleasant land? For that we have to look at the work of author, poet, printmaker and engraver William Blake.
William Blake Triple Threat
William Blake 1757 to 1827, his works are full to the brim of biblical symbolism, arthurian legends and gnostic spirituality. He was for the American and French revolutions and was once on trial for sedition – he was acquitted. He led a riot that stormed a prison and he was vocally against slavery and made an engraving about it. If your brave google search.
The lyrics of Jerusalem originate from Blake’s work Milton. In Milton, Blake takes the author John Milton (1608-1674) to address and respond to Milton’s “Paradise Lost”. In it Milton takes on a quest to save Albion. Milton is joined by Blake’s left foot so that they both walk together through eternity.
Ok back to Jerusalem. The songs lyrics are found in the preface of the book Milton. It is the only part of the book that is in a familiar metre and rhyme. Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry put those lines to music and well the rest is history. English history, well kind of.
As mentioned before Blake weaves biblical symbolism, Arthurian legend and gnostic spirituality into a call to arms for the people of Britain. Historically, Blake is living through the Industrial Revolution. You can clearly read that in the mention of “those dark satanic mills” which are contrasted by the “mountains green” “pleasant pastures” and “clouded hills”.
A Call For Mental Fortitude
Blake is not against technological development, his creative works would not exist without it. Blake sees the plight of the people who are chained to these mills. Blake is a revolutionary socialist informed by a unique reading of the biblical text. For Blake Jesus is not just philosopher or messiah but a supremely creative being, above dogma, logic and even morality.
Therefore when Blake calls for the people of Britain to release themselves from the bonds of these hellish mills he turns to Jesus as his exemplar. Not just Jesus from biblical text but from Arthurian Legend. Specifically from the Holy Grail. From there comes the legend that Jesus joins his Uncle Joseph of Arimathea to get Tin from Cornwall and Devon.
Such a journey was made by ships transporting Tin in that era. Tin is a rare metal used to make Bronze. Whether Jesus did or not it is imagery of the Lamb of God walking the land of Britain. This call to arms is a holy one.
A Crusade, yes. For Jerusalem, kind of. Like much of Blake’s imagery this is a moral and spiritual call to arms. This is a mental fight. Much like Ephesians 6:10-18, these weapons that are called forth are weapons to fight the ills of the heart and mind. This is a fight of imagery and ideals.
The Ideal of Jerusalem
Jerusalem for Blake is that beautiful city on Zion’s hill. The city of twelve gates that point outwards on all directions of the compass and are open for all the nations. The city where the returned Jesus rules and reigns. A pure vision of the Holy city with its King on the throne ruling with Justice and Mercy for all.
Instead of God Save The Queen (whoops King). Blake’s Jerusalem is crying out, Jesus help us save England. Yes Jerusalem the song is far from orthodox. Yet, it was always a Christian prayer for the people and the land of England.