Scripture Verse

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. Deuteronomy 33:27

Introduction

portrait
Elisha Hoffman (1839–1929)

Words: Eli­sha A. Hoff­man, in The Glad Ev­an­gel (Dal­ton, Geor­gia: A. J. Sho­wal­ter, 1887).

Music: An­tho­ny J. Sho­wal­ter (🔊 pdf nwc). Sho­wal­ter wrote this tune, and words to the ref­rain, af­ter hear­ing from two friends whose wives had died, and asked Hoff­man to write the re­main­ing lyr­ics.

portrait
Anthony J. Showalter
(1858–1924)

The Song in Films

This song was sung in the 1943 mo­vie The Hu­man Co­me­dy, star­ring Mick­ey Roo­ney, which was nom­in­at­ed for Aca­de­my Awards in five ca­te­gor­ies, in­clud­ing Best Pic­ture and Best Ac­tor. Will­iam Sa­roy­an won Best Orig­in­al Sto­ry for the film.

Lyrics

What a fel­low­ship, what a joy di­vine,
Leaning on the ev­er­last­ing arms;
What a bless­ed­ness,
What a peace is mine,
Leaning on the ev­er­last­ing arms.

Refrain

Leaning, lean­ing,
Safe and se­cure from all alarms;
Leaning, lean­ing,
Leaning on the ev­er­last­ing arms.

O how sweet to walk in this pil­grim way,
Leaning on the ev­er­last­ing arms;
O how bright the path
Grows from day to day,
Leaning on the ev­er­last­ing arms.

Refrain

What have I to dread? What have I to fear?
Leaning on the ev­er­last­ing arms;
I have bless­èd peace
With my Lord so near,
Leaning on the ev­er­last­ing arms.

Refrain