DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER 805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD, WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

"Eternal Father, Strong to Save": The Navy Hymn

The song known to United States Navy men and women as the "Navy Hymn," is a musical benediction that long has had a special appeal to seafaring men, particularly in the American Navy and the Royal Navies of the British Commonwealth and which, in more recent years, has become a part of French naval tradition. The original words were written as a hymn by a schoolmaster and clergyman of the Church of England, the Rev. William Whiting. Rev. Whiting (1825-1878) resided on the English coast near the sea and had once survived a furious storm in the Mediterranean. His experiences inspired him to pen the ode, "Eternal Father, Strong to Save." In the following year, 1861, the words were adapted to music by another English clergyman, the Rev. John B. Dykes (1823-1876) , who had originally written the music as "Melita" (ancient name for the Mediterranean island of Malta). Rev. Dykes' name may be recognized as that of the composer given credit for the music to many other well-known hymns, including "Holy, Holy, Holy," "Lead, Kindly Light," "Jesus, Lover of My Soul," and "Nearer, My God to Thee." In the United States, in 1879 the late Rear Adm. Charles Jackson Train, an 1865 graduate of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis was a lieutenant commander stationed at the Academy in charge of the Midshipman Choir. In that year, Lt. Comdr. Train inaugurated the present practice of concluding each Sunday's Divine Services at the Academy with the singing of the first verse of this hymn. The hymn, entitled "Eternal Father, Strong to Save," is found in most Protestant Hymnals. It can be more easily located in these hymnals by consulting the "Index to First Lines" under "Eternal Father, Strong to Save." The words have been changed several times since the original hymn by Rev. Whiting was first published in 1860-61. One will find that the verses as now published differ from the original primarily in the choice of one or two words in several lines of each verse. However, inasmuch as it is not known whether the original words are now available in a hymnal, those original words are given below:

Eternal Father, Strong to save, Whose arm hath bound the restless wave, Who bid'st 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 Christ! Whose voice the waters heard And hushed their raging at Thy word, Who walked'st on the foaming deep, And calm amidst its rage didst sleep; Oh hear us when we cry to Thee For those in peril on the sea! Most Holy Spirit! Who didst brood Upon the chaos dark and rude, And bid its angry tumult cease, And give, for wild confusion, peace; Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee For those in peril on the sea! O Trinity of love and power! Our brethren shield in danger's hour; From rock and tempest, fire and foe, Protect them wheresoe'er they go; Thus evermore shall rise to Thee, Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

It will be noted that in the Hymnal (1940) of the Protestant Episcopal Church, the second and third verses of the hymn are different from those second and third verses published elsewhere. These substitutions give recognition to changing aspects of our culture, particularly the advent of additional modes of transportation -- the automobile and the airplane. The Episcopal second and third verses are:

O Christ, the Lord of hill and plain O'er which our traffic runs amain, By mountain pass or valley low, Wherever Lord thy brethren go; Protect them by Thy guardian hand From every peril on the land. O Spirit, Whom the Father send To spread abroad the Firmament; O wind of heaven, by Thy Might, Save all who dare the eagle's flight; And keep them by Thy watchful care From every peril in the air.

The Presbyterian Church, USA, likewise has added a new verse which recognizes the advent of the field of aviation. The best information available indicates that this new verse to "Eternal Father, Strong to Save" appeared in 1943 in a little booklet then entitled, " A book of Worship and Devotion for the Armed Forces," published by the Board of Christian Education of the Presbyterian Church, USA. All indications are that this new verse can be traced back to a completely separate hymn, "Lord, Guard and Guide the Men Who Fly," written by Mary C.D. Hamilton in 1915, during the First World War. From this hymn, the first verse and the last two lines to the fourth verse were taken to form this new verse to "Eternal Father, Strong to Save." This new verse, as appearing in the little Presbyterian booklet, is as follows:

Lord, guard and guide the men who fly, Through the great spaces of the sky; Be with them traversing the air, In darkening storms or sunshine fair. O God, protect the men who fly, Through lonely ways beneath the sky.

Apparently, during or shortly after World War II, someone in the Navy familiar with the words above adapted this verse for choral rendition. The adaptation changed a word or two here and there and substituted two new fifth and six lines. What some might call the "Naval Aviation version" is a follows:

Lord, guard and guide the men who fly Through the great spaces in the sky, Be with them always in the air, In dark'ning storms or sunlight fair. O, Hear us when we lift our prayer, For those in peril in the air.

This version, together with the original first verse are the verses sung by the men and women of the Navy, particularly those in Naval Aviation. The tune of "Melita," to which Rev. Dykes adapted the words of "Eternal Father, Strong to Save" in 1861, is, of course, a very moving and inspiring melody. Research indicates that the above additions and alterations to Rev. Whiting's original ode are not the only changes that have been or will be made to the hymn. From time to time, individuals have been and will be inspired to write verses other than those which are indicated in this brief background. Here are some current alternates:

Eternal Father, grant, we pray To all Marines, both night and day, The courage, honor, strength, and skill Their land to serve, thy law fulfill;

Be thou the shield forevermore From every peril to the Corps. --J.E. Seim, 1966 Lord, stand beside the men who build And give them courage, strength, and skill. O grant them peace of heart and mind, And comfort loved ones left behind. Lord, hear our prayer for all Seabees, Where'er they be on land or sea. --R.J. Dietrich, 1960 Lord God, our power evermore, Who arm doth reach the ocean floor, Dive with our men beneath the sea; Traverse the depths protectively. O hear us when we pray, and keep them safe from peril in the deep. --David B. Miller, 1965 O God, protect the women who, in service, faith in thee renew; O guide devoted hands of skill And bless their work within thy will; Inspire their lives that they may be Examples fair on land and sea. -- Lines 1-4, Merle E. Strickland, 1972, and adapted by James D. Shannon, 1973. Lines 5-6, Beatrice M. Truitt, 1948 Creator, Father, who dost show Thy splendor in the ice and snow, Bless those who toil in summer light And through the cold Antarctic night, As they thy frozen wonders learn; Bless those who wait for their return. -- L.E. Vogel, 1965 Eternal Father, Lord of hosts, Watch o'er the men who guard our coasts. Protect them from the raging seas And give them light and life and peace. Grant them from thy great throne above The shield and shelter of thy love. -- Author and date unknown Eternal Father, King of birth, Who didst create the heaven and earth, And bid the planets and the sun Their own appointed orbits run; O hear us when we seek they grace For those who soar through outer space. -- J.E. Volonte, 1961 Creator, Father, who first breathed In us the life that we received, By power of they breath restore The ill, and men with wounds of war. Bless those who give their healing care, That life and laughter all may share

-- Galen H. Meyer, 1969 Adapted by James D. Shannon, 1970 God, who dost still the restless foam, Protect the ones we love at home. Provide that they should always be By thine own grace both safe and free. O Father, hear us when we pray For those we love so far away. -- Hugh Taylor, date unknown Lord, guard and guide the men who fly And those who on the ocean ply; Be with our troops upon the land, And all who for their country stand: Be with these guardians day and night And may their trust be in they might. -- author unknown, about 1955 O Father, King of earth and sea, We dedicate this ship to thee. In faith we send her on her way; In faith to thee we humbly pray: O hear from heaven our sailor's cry And watch and guard her from on high! -- Author and date unknown And when at length her course is run, Her work for home and country done, Of all the souls that in her sailed Let not one life in thee have failed; But hear from heaven our sailor's cry, And grant eternal life on high! -- Author and date unknown

(Text extracted from a publication of the Bureau of Naval Personnel) This hymn is often used at funerals for personnel who served in or were associated with the Navy. Eternal Father was the favorite hymn of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and was sung at his funeral at Hyde Park, New York in April 1945. Roosevelt had served as Secretary of the Navy. This hymn was also played as President John F. Kennedy's body was carried up the steps of the capitol to lie in state. 3 November 97

(Source: http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq53-1.htm ) [The Naval Historical Center] ___________________________________________________________________________________ (from Wikipedia.org: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Navy_Hymn ): Biblical References: The first verse refers to God the Father's forbidding the waters to flood the earth as described in Psalm 104. The second verse refers to Jesus' miracles of stilling a storm and walking on the waters of the Sea of Galilee. The third verse references the Holy Spirit role in the creation of the earth in the Book of Genesis, while the final verse is a reference to Psalm 107.

U.S. Episcopal Church version: In 1940, the U.S. Episcopal Church altered three verses of the hymn to include travel on the land in the second verse (referencing Psalm 50) and in the air in the third verse (again referencing Genesis). The Hymnal 1982, which is in current use by most Episcopal congregations in the USA, has further revised this version (as Hymn #579) with opening line "Almighty Father, strong to save..." by adding the word "space" to the final verse, so it ends "...praise from space, air, land, and sea" (because by 1982 space travel was a reality); the Hymnal also has a more traditional water-only version (as Hymn #608) with opening line "Eternal Father, strong to save..." One version incorporating sea, land, and air (but not space) goes: Eternal Father, strong to save, Whose arm hath bound the restless wave, Who bidst the might ocean deep Its own appointed limits keep; O, hear us when we cry to Thee For those in peril on the sea! Christ, the Lord of hill and plain, O'er which our traffic runs amain, By mountain pass or valley low, Wherever Lord our brethren go, Protect them by Thy guarding hand From every peril on the land! O Spirit Whom the Father sent To spread abroad the firmament, O Wind of Heaven, by Thy might Save all who dare the eagle's flight, And keep them by Thy watchful care From every peril in the air! O Trinity of love and power! Our brethren shield in danger's hour; From rock and tempest, fire and foe, Protect them whereso'er they go. Thus evermore shall rise to Thee, Glad praise from air, and land, and sea! Additional Verses: In US Naval Aviation circles, an additional verse is often added to the traditional hymn. The verse in question was taken from the hymn "Lord, Guard and Guide the Men Who Fly", which was written in 1915 and rearranged around the time of World War II. Lord, guard and guide the men who fly Through the great spaces in the sky. Be with them always in the air, In darkening storms or sunlight fair; Oh, hear us when we lift our prayer, For those in peril in the air! Aloft in solitudes of space, Uphold them with Thy saving grace.

Thou Who supports with tender might The balanced birds in all their flight. Lord, if the tempered winds be near, That, having Thee, they know no fear. — Mary C. D. Hamilton (1915) Due to the hymn's association with the US Navy, additional verses have been written for various subdivisions and circumstances of the naval service, including Marines, Eternal Father, grant, we pray, To all Marines, both night and day, The courage, honor, strength, and skill Their land to serve, thy law fulfill Be thou the shield forevermore From every peril to the Corps. — J. E. Seim (1966) Seabees, Lord, stand beside the men who build, And give them courage, strength, and skill. O grant them peace of heart and mind, And comfort loved ones left behind. Lord, hear our prayers for all Seabees, Where'er they be on land or sea. — R. J. Dietrich (1960) The Merchant Marine, Lord, stand beside the men who sail Our merchant ships in storm and gale In peace and war their watch they keep On every sea, on thy vast deep. Be with them Lord, by night and day For Merchant Mariners we pray. —Wynne McClintock (Wife of former USMMA Superintendent VADM, Gordon McClintock, USMS) The Coast Guard, Eternal Father, Lord of hosts, Watch o'er the men who guard our coasts. Protect them from the raging seas And give them light and life and peace. Grant them from thy great throne above The shield and shelter of thy love. — (1955) CWO George H. Jenks, Jr., USCG Divers and Submariners, Lord God, our power evermore, Whose arm doth reach the ocean floor, Dive with our men beneath the sea; Traverse the depths protectively.

O hear us when we pray, and keep Them safe from peril in the deep. — David B. Miller (1965) Naval Nurses, O God, protect the women who, In service, faith in thee renew; O guide devoted hands of skill And bless their work within thy will; Inspire their lives that they may be Examples fair on land and sea. — Lines 1-4, Merle E. Strickland (1972) and adapted by James D. Shannon (1973); Lines 5-6, Beatrice M. Truitt (1948) Antarctic and Arctic service, Creator, Father, who dost show Thy splendor in the ice and snow, Bless those who toil in summer light And through the cold antarctic night, As they thy frozen wonders learn; Bless those who wait for their return. — L. E. Vogel (1965) Space travel, Almighty ruler of the all Whose power extends to great and small, Who guides the stars with steadfast law, Whose least creation fills with awe— Oh grant Thy mercy and Thy grace To those who venture into space. — Robert A. Heinlein (1947) as part of his short story "Ordeal in Space". Eternal Father, King of Birth, Who didst create the Heaven and Earth, And bid the planets and the Sun Their own appointed orbits run; O hear us when we seek Thy grace For those who soar through outer space. — J. E. Volonte (1961) Those Wounded in Combat, Creator, Father, Who first breathed In us the life that we received, By power of Thy breath restore The ill, and men with wounds of war. Bless those who give their healing care, That life and laughter all may share. — Galen H. Meyer (1969), adapted by James D. Shannon (1970) Civilians at home,

God, Who dost still the restless foam, Protect the ones we love at home. Provide that they should always be By Thine own grace both safe and free. O Father, hear us when we pray For those we love so far away. — Hugh Taylor (date unknown) The United States armed forces, Lord, guard and guide the men who fly And those who on the ocean ply; Be with our troops upon the land, And all who for their country stand: Be with these guardians day and night And may their trust be in Thy might. — Author Unknown (1955) As well as the commissioning and decommissioning of a ship. O Father, King of Earth and sea, We dedicate this ship to thee. In faith we send her on her way; In faith to Thee we humbly pray: O hear from Heaven our sailor's cry And watch and guard her from on High! — Author/date Unknown And when at length her course is run, Her work for home and country done, Of all the souls that in her sailed Let not one life in Thee have failed; But hear from Heaven our sailor's cry, And grant eternal life on High! — Author/date Unknown Additional Submarine verse Bless those who serve beneath the deep, Through lonely hours their vigil keep. May peace their mission ever be, Protect each one we ask of Thee. Bless those at home who wait and pray, For their return by night and day. — Reverend Gale R. Williamson (1976) United States Navy SEALs Eternal Father, faithful friend, Be quick to answer those we send In brotherhood and urgent trust, On hidden missions dangerous, O hear us when we cry to Thee, For SEALs in air, on land, and sea

For those deployed Eternal Father, lord of love We seek your blessing from above We thank you for the time we've shared And pause to show our hope and care For those deployed for whom we pray Will know your peace while underway — Author/date Unknown West Point Cadets Eternal God of strength and skill Aid students who would work Thy will To learn the lessons reverently Of Duty, Honor, and Country And boldly do the task that's set Lord, guide and guard our young cadets Notable uses: This hymn was among those sung at a religious service aboard HMS Prince of Wales attended by Winston Churchill (who requested that the hymn be sung) and Franklin D. Roosevelt at the conference creating the Atlantic Charter. [1] Use in funerals: This hymn has been played or sung at a number of funerals for those who have served in the US Navy. It was sung at the funeral of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, played by the Navy Band at the funeral of John F. Kennedy, and played by the Navy Band and the Coast Guard Band during the funeral of Ronald Reagan. Roosevelt had served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy and Kennedy was commanding officer of PT-109 in World War II.The hymn was also played to close the funeral of R. Buckminster Fuller, as well as at the Memorial Ceremony in Norfolk, VA for the USS Cole (DDG-67) after the bombing of the ship in October 2000. It was performed by the U.S. Navy Sea Chanters at the State Funeral of President Gerald R. Ford, who had served in the Navy during World War II in the Pacific Theater. Other Uses: This hymn has been played or sung in a number of films and television programs dealing with the US Navy, including Crimson Tide and JAG. It has also been used in The Right Stuff (for Naval Aviation) and in The Perfect Storm (for civilians). In the show 24, the song was played as President David Palmer's casket was loaded onto an airplane bound for Arlington National Cemetery. Tennessee Ernie Ford performed the hymn on a special episode of his television program filmed on a U.S. Naval carrier to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of U.S. naval aviation. It was sung at the end of every episode of Navy Log by the US Naval Academy Choir. In Making Waves, it was sung by the crew of the Royal Navy ship HMS Suffolk at the Funeral of Andy Fellows. The third verse of the hymn was used briefly in an episode of "Mr. Bean", when the titular character attends a church mass; it is sung as he enters but ends before he gets a chance to join in.

Its usage in the movie Titanic is an anachronism. The version sung in the movie is the 1940 Protestant Episcopal version, which was not yet written when the Titanic sank in 1912. However, the film is essentially accurate in that the ship's passengers did sing the song - albeit in its original version - during the hymn service of Reverend Ernest Courtenay Carter. This song is referenced in David Weber's "Flag in Exile" as part of a religious service aboard a Royal Manticore Navy superdreadnought.