I don’t know much of the song. They play it in JFK during Kennedy’s televised funeral. They also sing it in Titanic, while on the ship “in church”. These are just fragments of the hymn:
“……………………………….…
………………………………..…
Pro-tect them by thy God & hand?
From e-vry pe-ril on, the land
.
Oh spi-rit whom thy Fa-ther sent
To spread a-part? the fir-ma-ment
Oh wind, of Hea-ven
By thy might
Save all who dare the ea-gle’s flight
And keep them by thy watch-ful (..?…)
From e-vry pe-ril ……?
.
Sorry I can’t remember more. Any clues?
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What are the lyrics to What’s This Old Hymn Called?
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It’s called “Eternal Father Strong to Save” http://www.higherpraise.com/lyrics/cool/… It was written by Rev. Whiting in 1860/61 and is also called “The Navy Hymn”, which is probably why it was sung on Titanic. But here is a history on the song and some of the verse changes http://www.scribd.com/doc/7703172/The-Na…
The underlying hymn, “Eternal Father, strong to save,” is called the Naval Hymn, and every verse seeks aid from the Persons of the Trinity for those “in peril on the sea.” That is what was sung in Titanic, and the tune, Melita, was played at JFK’s funeral.
However, what you have quoted comes from a later modification of the hymn, which begins “Almighty Father, strong to save,” which has verses seeking protection of those on land, sea, and air (and there is even a more modern verse for those in space).
Your last two lines here are:
And keep them by your watchful care
From every peril in the air.
Eternal father strong to save.