Scripture Verse

We rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go against this multitude. 2 Chronicles 14:11

Introduction

portrait
Jean Sibelius (1865–1957)

Words: Ed­ith G. Cher­ry, cir­ca 1895.

Music: Fin­lan­dia Jean Si­be­li­us, 1899 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Edith G. Cherry (1872–1897)

This hymn has a sad sto­ry as­so­ci­at­ed with it. In Jan­ua­ry 1956, five mis­sion­ar­ies sang it be­fore en­ter­ing the jun­gles of east­ern Ecua­dor to bring the Gos­pel to the Wao­ra­ni In­di­ans (this tribe is some­times mis­tak­en­ly called the Au­ca, a term mean­ing en­e­my or sav­ag­es).

The mis­sion­ar­ies were Nate Saint, Ed Mc­Cul­ly, Jim El­li­ott, Ro­ger Yo­der­i­an, & Pe­ter Flem­ing. Af­ter the men reached the Wao­ra­ni, the In­di­ans mur­dered them on the Cu­ra­ray Ri­ver.

However, the sto­ry has a hap­py end­ing. Years lat­er, con­tact with the Wao­ra­ni was re-es­tab­lished, and ma­ny came to Christ, in­clud­ing the kill­ers, which is how first hand de­tails of the mis­sion­ar­ies’ deaths came to light.

One of the best known of the five mar­tyrs was Jim El­liot. A num­ber of his say­ings are still quot­ed (e.g., He is no fool who gives what he can­not keep, to gain what he can­not lose).

Elliot’s wife Elis­a­beth went on to fame as an au­thor and ra­dio broad­cast­er. Her book Through the Gates of Splen­dor des­cribes the en­coun­ter with the Wao­ra­ni; its ti­tle comes from a line in this hymn.

Lyrics

We rest on Thee, our shield and our de­fend­er!
We go not forth alone against the foe;
Strong in Thy strength, safe in Thy keep­ing ten­der,
We rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go.
Strong in Thy strength, safe in Thy keep­ing ten­der,
We rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go.

Yes, in Thy name, O Cap­tain of sal­va­tion!
In Thy dear name, all other names above;
Jesus our right­eous­ness, our sure foun­da­tion,
Our prince of glo­ry and our king of love.
Jesus our right­eous­ness, our sure foun­da­tion,
Our prince of glo­ry and our king of love.

We go in faith, our own great weak­ness feel­ing,
And need­ing more each day Thy grace to know:
Yet from our hearts a song of tri­umph peal­ing,
We rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go.
Yet from our hearts a song of tri­umph peal­ing,
We rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go.

We rest on Thee, our shield and our def­end­er!
Thine is the bat­tle, Thine shall be the praise;
When pass­ing through the gates of pear­ly splen­dor,
Victors, we rest with Thee, through end­less days.
When pass­ing through the gates of pear­ly splen­dor,
Victors, we rest with Thee, through end­less days.