The Ship Of the King Is Sailing

1 The ship of the King is sailing
From earth to the heavenly land;
It steadily cuts through the billows,
Controlled by His masterly hand.

2 Adrift over life's dark ocean
Are wrecks of the proud and forlorn
Who, scorning the compass and pilot,
Were put by the billows to scorn.

3 But safely through shoals and shallows,
Through storms and the billow's wild roar,
The ship of the King presses onward
To heaven's the sun lighted shore.

4 And foremost among His heroes
Is standing the King of all kings,
His features are bright as the sunlight,
His voice with great tenderness rings.

5 He views the ship-wrecked with sadness,
And calling to east and to west,
He gathers them into the life-boat,
As many as long for His rest.

6 And quickly the ship is filling
With precious souls on it way,
And soon we shall run into harbor
And into the sun-lighted day.

Source: Hymnal for Church and Home (2nd ed.) #286