Scripture Verse

He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. Psalm 107:29

Introduction

portrait
James Montgomery
(1771–1854)
National Portrait Gallery

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Words: James Mont­go­me­ry, Sac­red Po­ems and Hymns for Pub­lic and Pri­vate De­vo­tion (New York: D. Ap­ple­ton, 1854), pag­es 246–47, alt.

Music: St. Ca­the­rine (Wal­ton) ar­ranged by James G. Wal­ton, in Crown of Je­sus Mu­sic, by Hen­ri F. He­my (Lon­don: Tho­mas Ri­chard­son & Sons, 1864) (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Wal­ton (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

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Lyrics

Now weigh the an­chor, hoist the sail,
Launch out up­on the path­less deep,
Resolved, how­ev­er veers the gale,
The des­tined port in mind to keep;
Through all the dan­gers of the way,
Deliver us, good Lord, we pray.

When tem­pests min­gle sea and sky,
And winds like lio­ns rage and rend,
Ships o’er the mount­ain-wa­ters fly,
Or down un­fa­thomed depths des­cend,
Though skill avail not, strength de­cay,
Deliver us, good Lord, we pray.

If light­nings from em­bat­tled clouds
Strike, or a spark in sec­ret nursed,
From stem to stern, o’er masts and shrouds,
Like dooms­day’s con­fla­gra­tion burst,
Amid the fire Thy pow­er dis­play,
Deliver us, good Lord, we pray.

Through yield­ing planks, should ocean urge
Rude en­trance, flood­ing all be­low,
Speak, ere we found­er in the surge—
Thus far, nor far­ther shall ye go;
Here, ye proud waves, your fu­ry stay
;
Deliver us, good Lord, we pray.

With cord­age snapped, and can­vas riv’n,
Through straits thick-strewn with rock and shoal,
Along some gulf-stream, dark­ly driv­en,
Fast wedged ’midst ice­bergs at the pole,
Or on low break­ers cast away,
Deliver us, good Lord, we pray.

Save, or we per­ish—calms or storms,
By day, by night, at home, afar,
Death walks the waves in all his forms,
And shoots his darts from ev­ery star;
Want, pain, and woe man’s path way­lay,
Deliver us, good Lord, we pray.