Eternal Father, Strong to Save
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An instrumental sample of a single verse from Eternal Father, Strong to Save.
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"Eternal Father, Strong to Save" is a hymn traditionally associated with the Royal Navy, the Corps of the Royal Marines, the Royal Air Force, and the British Army, as well as the navies of the British Commonwealth; additionally with the United States Navy, United States Coast Guard and United States Marine Corps. Accordingly, it is commonly known and referred to as the Hymn of Her Majesty's Armed Forces, the Royal Navy Hymn or the United States Navy Hymn (or just The Navy Hymn), and sometimes by the last line of its first verse, "For Those in Peril on the Sea."
History [edit]
The original hymn was written in 1860 by William Whiting of Winchester, England, in the United Kingdom. It was originally intended as a poem for a student of his, who was about to travel to the United States. In 1861, John B. Dykes, an Anglican clergyman, composed the tune "Melita" for this hymn. "Melita" is an archaic term for Malta, an ancient seafaring nation which has been a colony of the British Empire and remains to this day a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations. It was the site of a shipwreck, mentioned in Acts of the Apostles (chapters 27-28), involving the Apostle Paul .
Lyrics [edit]
The original words are:
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Certain verses have been changed in modern hymnals for various reasons.
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's 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 [edit]
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). This was published as Hymn #513 while the original lyrics were also published as Hymn #512 in The Hymnal 1940. 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 "Glad 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..."
The 1940 version — incorporating sea, land, and air (but not space[dubious ]) — is:
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Stanzas 2-3 of the version in the 1940 Hymnal were written by the American Bishop Robert Nelson Spencer (1877–1961) and published in 1937.
U.S. military variants [edit]
Several additional or variant verses are in use in the U.S. military services, including the Marines, Seabees, submariners and coastguards.[1]
SEALs [edit]
- Eternal Father, faithful friend,
- Be swift 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
Aviation (1943) [edit]
- 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.
This portion is likely written by John H. Eastwood, chaplain[2] of the 464th Bombardment Group during World War II.[3]
Aviation (variation) [edit]
- 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.
Marines [edit]
- 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 [edit]
- 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
Submariners [edit]
- 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
Information Dominance Corps [edit]
- Lord God, our wisdom evermore
- Guide Thy Information Dom’nance Corps.
- O, Grant them knowledge, skill, and grace
- To warn sailors what perils they face
- From weather, networks, jets, or ships
- Share Thy holy omniscience!
- -ENS Michael A. Clauser, USNR, 2012[4]
[edit]
- 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
Arctic Exploration [edit]
- 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
Coast Guard [edit]
- 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.
- -George H. Jenks, Jr., 1955[5]
Coast Guard Auxiliary [edit]
- Eternal Father, Lord of hosts,
- Watch o'er the men who guard our coasts.
- Protect the ones who volunteer
- Their time for service far and near;
- Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
- For those in the Auxiliary!
- -George H. Jenks, Jr., 1955
- Adapted for the Auxiliary by Chaplain Jens C. Bargmann, 2013
Astronauts [edit]
- 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
Doctors [edit]
- 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
Military Families [edit]
- 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
[edit]
- 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, about 1955
The Airborne Hymn (General) [edit]
Veterans going back to World War II remember singing the "Armed Forces Hymn" at church services in the United States and overseas. The hymn was an adapted version of the original Navy hymn "Eternal Father Strong to Save". With its beautiful, meaningful verses and powerful plea for protection, it evoked a strong emotional response from those singing the hymn. While preparing a funeral service for his friend, Colonel Delbert Townsend, a highly decorated paratrooper, Colonel John Kormann became aware that there were further adaptations to the basic hymn. In addition to the Navy, there were now verses for the Army, the Air Force, the Marines, the Coast Guard, the astronauts, Seabees, nurses, SEALS, etc. Dismayed that he found no words of "Eternal Father" for the "Airborne", Kormann, a past president of the 17th Airborne Division Association, proceeded to change a verse and add some words. At a reunion of Airborne veterans in Lancaster, PA, on March 7, 2010, Colonel Kormann formally proposed that the second verse of the hymn, as altered (below), be adopted and included in "Eternal Father", to be sung, as appropriate, at services for Airborne veterans. Thus, the "Airborne Hymn" was born.
- 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 Spirit Whom the Father sent
- To spread abroad the firmament,
- O Wind of Heaven, by Thy might
- Save all who dare in Airborne flight
- And keep them by Thy watchful care
- They drop to battle from the air!
- Lord, guard and guide all them who fly
- And those who on the ocean ply;
- Be with our troops upon the land
- And all for who their country stand:
- Be with these guardians day and night
- Do keep them ever in Thy sight.
- O Gracious God 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 fore'ermore shall rise to Thee,
- Glad praise from air, and land and sea.
Ship's Dedication [edit]
- 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
Ship's Decommissioning [edit]
- 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
Notable uses [edit]
This hymn was among those sung on August 9, 1941,[7] at a Church Service aboard the Royal Navy battleship 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.[8]
It was also the last song sung during the Sunday Church Service on 14 April 1912 aboard the RMS Titanic, just hours before it sank.[9]
On Saturday, May 19, 2012, it was the last hymn to be sung during the Church Service held upon a symbolic field of battle at Windsor Castle as part of the Armed Forces Tribute to the Commander in Chief of the combined services, HM Queen Elizabeth II. The Tribute marked the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee, or 60th anniversary, of her accession to the thrones of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories, and Dominions and Realms of the Commonwealth of Nations, as well as her accession to the position of Sovereign and Head of State of the Commonwealth of Nations.
Use in funerals [edit]
This hymn has been played or sung at a number of funerals for those who have served in or been otherwise associated with the U.S. Navy. It was sung at the funeral of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, played by the Navy Band at the funeral of John F. Kennedy, sung at the funeral of Richard Nixon, 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. This is fitting as the hymn was also played at the funeral services of those killed among the crew of the USS Maine at the beginning of the Spanish-American War. 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. The hymn was sung by the congregation attending the funeral of news broadcaster Walter Cronkite at St. Bartholomew's Church in New York City. This was the last hymn sung at the funeral of Claude Choules, the last living fighter from WWI, at his funeral in Fremantle, Western Australia on May 20, 2011.
In popular culture [edit]
The hymn, and variants of it, make numerous appearances in films, TV shows, literature and other formats.
- Crimson Tide
- The Right Stuff
- The Perfect Storm
- Titanic – anachronistically uses 1940 version[10]
- Flag in Exile
- Brothers
- JAG – American TV series
- Making Waves – British TV series
- 24 – American TV series
- Navy Log – American TV series
- Nation by Terry Pratchett
- Robert A. Heinlein wrote a variant verse for "those who venture into space" in his short story "Ordeal in Space"
- St. John's College uses a variant as its fight song with the United States Naval Academy.[11][12][13][14]
References [edit]
- ^ "Eternal Father, Strong to Save: The Navy Hymn". Naval Historical Center. 1997=11-03.
- ^ Shepherd, Raymond F. On Wings of the Wind. pp. 62–64.
- ^ "For Our Morale: An Airman's Prayer". The 464th in WWII. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
- ^ "Naval Intelligence Professionals Quarterly". 2013=02-24.
- ^ http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/e/t/eternalf.htm, Retrieved 14 February 2012.
- ^ Department of the Navy. "The Navy Hymn". Retrieved 20 May 2011.
- ^ Hal Buell, ed. (2006). World War II Album: The Complete Chronicle of the World's Greatest Conflict. New York City: Tess Press. p. 124. ISBN 1-57912-408-9.
- ^ "W.G. Parker". Ohinemuri.org.nz. Retrieved 2011-09-02.
- ^ {{cite book}last=Lord|first=Walter|year=1976|title=A Night to Remember|location=London|publisher=Penguin Books|isbn=978-0-14-004757-8}}
- ^ "The Secretary's Newsletter". Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland. 2008. Retrieved 2010-09-25.[dead link]
- ^ http://www.stjohnscollege.edu/resources/magazines/thecollege_2010_spr.pdf
- ^ "Collegiate neighbors face off for croquet cup". WTOP.com. 2009-04-20. Retrieved 2011-09-02.
- ^ "St. John’s College | Events | Annapolis | Croquet". Stjohnscollege.edu. Retrieved 2011-09-02.
- ^ "Rite of spring: St. John's crushes Navy at croquet • Top Stories (www.HometownAnnapolis.com - The Capital)". www.HometownAnnapolis.com. 2010-04-18. Retrieved 2011-09-02.
External links [edit]
- "Eternal Father, Strong to Save" at CyberHymnal
- "Eternal Father, Strong to Save" at Oremus Hymnal
- US Navy FAQ on the Navy Hymn
Sources [edit]
Eternal Father, Strong to Save is in the public domain. Some of the commentary is taken from http://www.navy.mil/navydata/questions/eternal.html, which was written by a sailor or employee of the U.S. Navy during the course of the person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. Federal Government, it is in the public domain. The short quotation from Robert Heinlein is believed to be fair use. USCG source: http://www.uscg.mil/hq/chaplain/misc/coast_guard_hymn.htm The Methodist purge is described at http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1996/vp/.htm.[dead link]
