Songs of Love and Praise No. 4 ‎#194

194. When Our Ships Come Sailing Home

1 When our ships have crossed the ocean,
and been all around the world,
When they safely gain the haven,
and their sails again are furled;
We rejoice to see them enter,
and to know the anchor’s cast,
Raising joyful shouts of welcome,
for our ships are home are last.

Refrain:
Oh what singing, oh what shouting,
When our ships come sailing home!
They have stood the mighty tempests,
they have crossed the ocean’s foam;
They have passed o’er stormy billows,
but they now have gained the shore;
The anchor’s cast, they’re home at last,
the voyage is safely o’er.

2 But if there is such rejoicing
to see vessels here get home,
When we know in a little
while these ships again will roam—
Oh, what must it be in heaven
when a soul comes sailing in
To go out no more for ever
sailing on the sea of sin? [Refrain]

3 Oh, me-thinks I hear the angels shout,
“Here comes an earthly bark,
She has found her way to heaven,
though the way was rough and dark;
But she had a star to guide her
called the Night and Morning Star—
It has guided millions over
from that distant land afar.” [Refrain]

4 So with Jesus as our Captain
we expect to gain that shore;
We expect to cast our anchor there,
and stay for evermore:
And we know the angels will be there
to greet us when we come,
They will join in songs of rapture,
“Welcome come, oh, welcome home!” [Refrain]

Text Information

• First Line: When our ships have crossed the ocean
• Title: When Our Ships Come Sailing Home
• Author: Rev. Johnson Oatman, Jr.
• Refrain First Line: Oh what singing, oh what shouting
• Publication Date: 1897

Tune Information

• Name: [When our ships have crossed the ocean]
• Composer: Jno. R. Sweney