Switzerland adopted “Swiss Psalm” as its national anthem in 1981.
The anthem’s original German title is “Schweizerpsalm,” and it also exists in Switzerland’s other national languages: French, Italian, and Romansh. Leonhard Widmer wrote the German text, while Alberich Zwyssig composed the melody in 1841.
For many years, the song functioned as a provisional or unofficial anthem. Switzerland formally adopted it in 1981, replacing “Rufst du, mein Vaterland,” which had used the melody of the British royal anthem “God Save the King.” The change helped avoid confusion when the two countries’ anthems were performed at international events.
The “Swiss Psalm” uses religious and landscape imagery, including mountains, dawn, storms, and prayer. Switzerland’s federal structure and multilingual population explain why official versions are available in four national languages, even though the melody remains the same.