Eternal Father, Strong to Save
Recently I came across a website that lists a hymn of the day. The hymn for today is Eternal Father, Strong to Save. This is a hymn written by William Whiting in 1860. Inspiration for this hymn came from Psalm 107 which describes the dangers of the sea. This hymn is commonly associated with Naval Armed Services and is often referred to as the “Navy Hymn.” Here are the lyrics of the hymn:
- Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm does bind the restless wave;
Who bids the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
O hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea.
- O Savior, whose almighty word
The winds and waves submissive heard
Who walked upon the foaming deep,
And calm amid the rage did sleep;
O hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea.
- O Holy Spirit, who did brood
Upon the waters dark and rude,
And bid their angry tumult cease,
And give for wild confusion peace;
O hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea.
- O Trinity of love and pow’r,
Your children shield in danger’s hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them where-so-e’er they go;
Thus, evermore shall rise to Thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.
The writer, William Whiting, grew up near the shores of England. At the age of thirty-five he had felt his life was saved by God when a fierce storm nearly destroyed the ship on which he was traveling. This event instilled a faith in God’s control over the rage of the sea. Whiting wrote the hymn to “anchor his faith” and is commonly believed to have been inspired by Psalm 107 which describes the power and danger of the seas in great detail:
“Some went out to the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. They saw the works of the Lord, His wonderful deeds in the deep. For He spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away,” Psalm 107: 23-26.
This hymn was popularized by the Royal Navy and the U.S. Navy, and has been adopted by many branches of the armed services in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has been sung at the funerals of many of our presidents and dignitaries – most recently John McCain and George H.W. Bush. For a stunning YouTube rendition of this hymn, search for “Naval Academy Glee Club Tribute to Pearl Harbor.”