Recently, all eyes in America were glued to television news stations, with coverage of Hurricane Ike's devastating descent on the Texas coastline. Images of enormous waves, destructive winds, and rising floodwaters filled our minds as millions of prayers were uttered for those in the path of the storm.
The popular hymn, "A Shelter in the Time of Storm," was written by an English pastor, Vernon J. Charlesworth, in the late 1800s. Set to a different tune than what we're familiar with today, the song became popular with fishermen on the north coast of England. They were often heard singing it as they approached their home harbors while storms were raging.
In 1885, composer Ira D Sankey wrote and copyrighted the tune that we still know today, and added the refrain. Although this song is more than a century old, it still speaks to us today, as we seek refuge from the storms that enter every life – the only true shelter is in our Rock, our Lord.
A Shelter in the Time of Storm
Author: Vernon J. Charleswort
Composer: Ira D. Sankey, 1885
The Lord's our Rock, in Him we hide -
A shelter in the time of storm;
Secure whatever ill betide -
A shelter in the time of storm.
Refrain:
O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land,
A weary land, a weary land;
O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land -
A shelter in the time of storm.
A shade by day, defense by night -
A shelter in the time of storm;
No fears alarm, no foes affright -
A shelter in the time of storm.
Refrain
The raging storms may round us beat -
A shelter in the time of storm;
We'll never leave our safe retreat -
A shelter in the time of storm.
Refrain
O Rock divine, O Refuge dear -
A shelter in the time of storm;
Be Thou our helper ever near -
A shelter in the time of storm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In between cleaning, cooking, and chasing a toddler, Jeni blogs daily about life, faith, and parenting at Allen Family Circus.
References:
- Morgan, Robert J. The Sings My Soul, Book 2. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2004.
- Osbeck, Kenneth W. 101 More Hymn Stories. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1985.
- Photo courtesy of Krikit.
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Absolutely!
For some reason, reading this made me think of the song, "In Christ Alone," by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend.
http://www.worshiparchive.com/worship_chord_sheet.asp?t=song&id=229
So now it's stuck in me head – but I guess that's not a bad thing.
Love it. Wish I'd thought of this column idea. Great job!
Wow. Um. I know I go to a rock'n'roll church, but I've seriously never heard this hymn.
I'm not -quite- as bad as our music director… often, when we do a hymn, he has to go to someone on staff who was raised in a more traditional church and ask them to sing it so he can learn it.
Unless Fernando Ortega ever recorded it (they're friends), then he'll just listen to the CD. LOL.
Wow, this is one of my all-time favorite hymns. Good to have it brought to my mind this morning as I struggle through a storm of children with bad attitudes and laundry and cleaning and cooking and….
Thanks
I love learning about the people behind the music (what can I say–I'm 30, which means I'm the MTV generation). Thanks for this portrait.