The Origins of the Phrase, "God Be With You" (2024)

It’s amazing how words and phrases can evolve over time and take on new meaning—for instance, in the 1300’s, the word “nice” meant “silly,” or “ignorant.” “Egregious,” which now means “outstandingly bad,” used to mean “remarkably good.”

While the evolution of “goodbye” isn’t as dramatic of a shift in meaning as the previous examples, it has quite an interesting background. The first known use of the word “goodbye” was recorded in 1573 in a letter by English writer and scholar, Gabriel Harvey, which reads: “To requite your gallonde [gallon] of godbwyes, I regive you a pottle of howdyes.”" “Godbwye” is a contraction of the phrase “God be with ye.” Throughout the years the word “good” was substituted for “God” due to the influence of phrases such as “good day” or “good evening.”

The hymn “God Be With You Till We Meet Again”, which was written by Jeremiah Rankin, was composed so his church choir could have something to sing when they parted each week. Rankin said this about the hymn, “Written…as a Christian goodbye, it was called forth by no person or occasion, but was deliberately composed as a Christian hymn on basis of the etymology of “goodbye,” which is “God be with you.” He got the idea for the first stanza of the song when he saw the dictionary definition of “good-bye” was short for “God be with you.” The song was written in 1882 when Rankin was 54 years old.

As a close to many of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir broadcasts, “God Be With You Till We Meet Again” is the final goodbye number and acts as a benediction to many of the General Conferences of the Church.


The Origins of the Phrase, "God Be With You" (2024)

FAQs

Where does God be with you come from? ›

The hymn “God Be With You Till We Meet Again”, which was written by Jeremiah Rankin, was composed so his church choir could have something to sing when they parted each week.

What is the meaning of God be with you? ›

God be with you" is a phrase typically used as a farewell or a way to express good wishes, particularly in religious contexts. It is often shortened to simply "God be with you" or the initials "GBY" in text-based communication.

What is the history of the hymn God be with you? ›

Rankin was the minister for the First Congregational Church in Washington, D.C. and said this about the hymn, “Written…as a Christian goodbye, it was called forth by no person or occasion, but was deliberately composed as a Christian hymn on basis of the etymology of “goodbye,” which is “God be with you.” He got the ...

Is it correct to say may God be with you? ›

this simply means they wish the best for you and you prosper in God's will and nothing bad or evil happens. Wherever you go, God will be there to guide and protect you.

Where in the Bible does it say God will be with you? ›

Joshua 1:9

Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

What is the response to may God be with you? ›

The response is Et cum spíritu tuo, meaning "And with your spirit." Some English translations, such as Divine Worship: The Missal and the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, translate the response in the older form, "And with thy spirit." Eastern Orthodox churches also follow this usage, although the episcopal and ...

Does goodbye come from God be with you? ›

“Goodbye” is actually a contraction of the phrase “God be with ye,” and started popping up around the 1570s (spelled “godbwye”). The “God” part of “goodbye” likely gained an extra “o” over time to be consistent with other common English salutations, such as “good morning” and “good night.”

What is a synonym for God is with you? ›

Synonyms for God be with you

int. be well. god bless. good wishes always. grace and peace.

What is God's promise to be with you? ›

God's promises that He will always be with you

Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” James 4:7-8. “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8.

What hymn did Jesus sing? ›

Unless Jesus and His eleven Jewish disciples ignored the tradition of centuries, they sang Psalms 113-118 (or selected stanzas from them) that night. They probably sang one part before the meal and another part after the meal. Almost certainly, the one song we know Jesus did sing is Psalms 113-118.

Is God Be With You Till We Meet Again a burial song? ›

A reverent and emotional arrangement especially suitable for funeral services or other farewells.

Who wrote the first hymn? ›

The music and parts of the text of a hymn in the Oxyrhynchus Papyri from the 2nd century are the earliest known hymnody. The earliest exactly datable hymn is the Heyr Himna Smi¢ur (Hear, the Maker of Heaven) from 1208 by the Icelandic bard and chieftain Kolbeinn Tumason (1173-1208).

Is it better to say God bless you or may God bless you? ›

“God bless you” is the lazy version of “May God bless you”, which is a lovely thing to say and you are essentially asking God to bless someone. “God blesses you” means that you think that God blesses (present tense) the person you are speaking directly to … you believe that the person is currently blessed by God.

Is it OK to say God bless? ›

The phrase has been used in the Hebrew Bible by Jews (cf. Numbers 6:24), and by Christians, since the time of the early Church as a benediction, as well as a means of bidding a person Godspeed. Many clergy, when blessing their congregants individually or as a group, use the phrase "God bless you".

What can I say instead of May God bless you? ›

20 Other Ways to Say “God Bless You”
  • Best wishes.
  • All the best.
  • Take care.
  • Good luck.
  • Wishing you well.
  • Stay safe.
  • Be well.
  • Stay healthy.
Mar 16, 2024

Who can say the Lord be with you? ›

The dialogue is only used between the priest and the people, or exceptionally, between the deacon and the people. The greeting is never used in the Roman Liturgy between a non-ordained person and the gathered assembly. Why does the priest mean when he says “The Lord be with you”?

How does God come to people? ›

God communicates directly with people 'at many times and in various ways' (Hebrews 1:1). For example, the Old Testament records God speaking through a burning bush (Exodus 3), a thick cloud (Exodus 19:9) and in a gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:12).

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