[3] A competition to compose music for the poem was held in 1876 by The Saturday Advertiser and judged by three prominent Melbourne musicians, with a prize of ten guineas.

[6] A Māori version of the song was produced in 1878 by Thomas Henry Smith of Auckland, a judge in the Native Land Court, on request of Premier George Edward Grey.

[12] An alternative official arrangement for massed singing by Maxwell Fernie was announced by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Allan Highet on 31 May 1979.

[17] This version was played, accompanied by a video montage of New Zealand scenes, animals, plants etc, as TVNZ's transmission opening from the second quarter of 1988 right through to 1995.

[20] The guidelines in the 1977 Gazette notice for choosing which anthem should be used on any occasion advise that the royal anthem would be appropriate at any occasion where the monarch, a member of the royal family or the governor-general is officially present, or when loyalty to the Crown is to be stressed; while "God Defend New Zealand" would be appropriate whenever the national identity of New Zealand is to be stressed, even in association with a toast to the reigning head of state.

Guard Pacific's triple star From the shafts of strife and war, Make her praises heard afar, God defend New Zealand.

Kia hua ko te pai; Kia tau tō atawhai; Manaakitia mai Aotearoa [ˈe ihowaː aˈtu.a] [ˈo ŋaː ˈiwi ˈmaːto.u ɾaː] [aːta ɸakaˈɾaŋona] [ˈme ˈa.ɾoː.ha ˈno.a] [ˈki.a ˈhu.a ˈko ˈte pai] [ˈki.a ˈta.u ˈtoː a.taˈɸai] [maˈnaːki.tia ˈma.i] [aɔˈteaɾɔa] O Lord, God, Of all people Listen to us, Cherish us May goodness flourish, May your blessings flow Defend us New Zealand Men of every creed and race, Gather here before Thy face, Asking Thee to bless this place, God defend our free land.

From dissension, envy, hate, And corruption guard our state, Make our country good and great, God defend New Zealand.

Ōna mano tāngata Kiri whero, kiri mā, Iwi Māori, Pākehā, Rūpeke katoa, Nei ka tono ko ngā hē Māu e whakaahu kē, Kia ora mārire Aotearoa Let all people, Red-skinned or white-skinned, Māori or Pākehā Gather before you May all our wrongs, we pray, Be forgiven Live in peace New Zealand Peace, not war, shall be our boast, But, should foes assail our coast, Make us then a mighty host, God defend our free land.

Tōna mana kia tū Tōna kaha kia ū; Tōna rongo hei pakū Ki te ao katoa Aua rawa ngā whawhai Ngā tutū e tata mai; Kia tupu nui ai Aotearoa May it be forever prestigious, May it go from strength to strength, May its fame spread far and wide, To the whole world Let not strife Nor dissension ensue, May it ever be great New Zealand Let our love for Thee increase, May Thy blessings never cease, Give us plenty, give us peace, God defend our free land.

Waiho tona takiwā Ko te ao mārama; Kia whiti tōna rā Taiāwhio noa.

Guide her in the nations' van, Preaching love and truth to man, Working out Thy glorious plan, God defend New Zealand.

Kaua mōna whakamā; Kia hau te ingoa; Kia tū hei tauira; Aotearoa Let its good features endure, Let righteousness and honesty prevail Be standing, be sitting Among the people of God Let it never be ashamed, But rather, let its name be known Thereby becoming the model to emulate New Zealand Meaning of "Pacific's triple star" There is some discussion, with no official explanation, of the meaning of "Pacific's triple star".

An alternate form of the verb, whakarongona, first appeared as one of several errors in the Māori version when God Defend New Zealand was published as the national hymn in 1940.