Our tenant had this song up on her facebook page the other day, I was having a rather rough day and it lifted my spirits a bit. I thought perhaps Will Your Anchor Hold might lift yours as well during this time of 2020 Covid-19 pandemic.
Lyrics to Will your anchor hold
Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,
when the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain,
will your anchor drift, or firm remain?
Refrain:
We have an anchor that keeps the soul
steadfast and sure while the billows roll;
fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love!
Will your anchor hold in the straits of fear,
when the breakers roar and the reef is near?
While the surges rage, and the wild winds blow,
shall the angry waves then your bark o’erflow?
Will your anchor hold in the floods of death,
when the waters cold chill your latest breath?
On the rising tide you can never fail,
while your anchor holds within the veil.
Will your eyes behold through the morning light
the city of gold and the harbour bright?
Will you anchor safe by the heavenly shore,
when life’s storms are past for evermore?
Author and History
Priscilla Owens of Baltimore, Maryland is the author of this song. Most of the 230 songs Ms. Owens wrote were for children and youth. It makes sense since she not only taught as a schoolteacher, but also served as a Sunday School teacher. Her church was the Union Square Methodist Episcopal Church. There is a touching story about the effect of this song at Wordwise Hymns.
Pondering Deeper
Did you know this song was based on Heb.6:19? That verse reads “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain”.
I enjoyed listening to those little boys sing this song, when they finished I wondered if those boys knew well that anchor that we have. Do they feel grounded and secure?
You know what an anchor does right? It holds a boat securely. You drop it down to the bottom of the water bed, and the boat stays right with the anchor. The only time it doesn’t is when the anchor rope breaks.
So Christ is that anchor. He is the one the holds us securely. But unlike the ships’ anchor, there is no rope or chain to break. His hold on us is secure through and through.
This is a song heard frequently around our place. My youngest just pops out with it at times and often, just when I need that reminder. It is a good hymn and I appreciate the imagery used in it.
it’s been running through my head fairly constantly for the past week or so. Sometimes it gets a bit old, but mostly it just has me surprising the bunnies when I start to sing. 🙂 They don’t complain!
Your link to Wordwise Hymns isn’t working. I would love to know what that story is.
I went and tested the link, it worked for me. I did need to go to the advanced settings though. I’ll copy it here for you though.
In his book The Romance of Sacred Song (Marshall, Morgan and Scott Ltd., 1931), Plymouth Brethren author David Johnstone Beattie tells the touching story of how the present song by Priscilla Owen helped a grieving man in Scotland (pp. 218-219).
A Christian worker…lost two sons, both fine young men. One died very suddenly, and a short time afterwards the other was seriously injured in a motor accident. The young man was conveyed to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. His father stood by the bedside, watching the last struggles ere life left that young body. And when all was over he seemed to give way to bitterness of heart and rebellion against God for the great affliction which had come upon him.
Leaving the ward, he went into an adjoining room where his wife waited for him. As he entered, his wife, realizing that their son had passed away, but ignorant as to her husband’s bitter thoughts, said to him, “Mattha, there’s a young fellow doon there in the street whistling Will Your Anchor Hold?” The bereaved father broke down at the significant words of his wife, and could only say, “Weel, the storm is very high just now.”
And indeed it was. But he afterwards confessed that the strains of the hymn, whistled by a young plumber going to work in the early morning, wafted to the top storey of the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, were the means of overcoming the evil of doubt, and placing faith in the sure Anchor, Christ Jesus.