JESUS SAVIOR PILOT ME

Edward Hopper was a Presbyterian minister who spent most of his life in his home town of New York City helping sailors from around the world in a small church in New York harbor known as the "Church of Sea and Land."   As part of his ministry to the sailors he published a  poem which first appeared as an "anonymous" poem in the Sailor's Magazine of New York in 1871.  Shortly afterwards, John E. Gould, while in ill health, took the poem and put it to music. Later that year it was published in The Baptist Praise Book.  In 1880 the secretary of the Seamen's Friend Society, asked Dr. Hopper for an anniversary hymn and he sent him the first two and last verses of the poem.  These were printed, and sung by the congregation at the Broadway Tabernacle on May 10,1880. Now while the words were written specifically for sailors who regularly experienced the roughness of the sea, thousands of others have been helped since then as they have experienced the difficult waves and stormy seas of life.  Life too is filled with hidden rocks and treacherous shoals.  And we only get through those seas and times with a pilot, the Lord Jesus, who guides us with His chart and compass.  Our cry needs to be, Jesus Savior, Pilot Me.  Maybe today you are being rocked by the seas and waves of life.  Trust Jesus.  He knows the way and He will pilot you to shore. Hopper actually penned six verses and they are all included below.  However, most hymnals only carry three - the ones shown in bold below.  Edward Hopper's prayer expressed in the final stanza of his immortal hymn had its complete fulfillment when he died in 1888. He was found sitting in his study chair, pencil in hand, writing a new poem on the subject of heaven.

(1)    Jesus, Savior, pilot me

Over life's tempestuous sea;

Unknown waves before me roll,

Hiding rock and treacherous shoal.

Chart and compass come from Thee;

Jesus, Savior, pilot me.

(2)   While th'Apostles' fragile bark

Struggled with the billows dark,

On the stormy Galilee,

Thou didst walk upon the sea;

And when they beheld Thy form,

Safe they glided through the storm.

(3)   Though the sea be smooth and bright,

Sparkling with the stars of night,

And my ship's path be ablaze

With the light of halcyon days,

Still I know my need of Thee;

Jesus, Savior, pilot me.

(4)   When the darkling heavens frown,

And the wrathful winds come down,

And the fierce waves, tossed on high,

Lash themselves against the sky,

Jesus, Savior, pilot me,

Over life's tempestuous sea.

(5)   As a mother stills her child,

Thou canst hush the ocean wild;

Boisterous waves obey Thy will,

When Thou sayest to them, "Be still!"

Wondrous Sovereign of the sea,

Jesus, Savior, pilot me.

(6)   When at last I near the shore,

And the fearful breakers roar

'Twixt me and the peaceful rest,

Then, while leaning on Thy breast,

May I hear Thee say to me,

"Fear not, I will pilot thee."

Listen to it being sung here.   LISTEN