THE STORY BEHIND THE HYMN ~ “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”
“After seeing the movie “True Grit” I could not get the music soundtrack out of my mind. I was intrigued by how the composer Carter Burwell took an old hymn and interwove it throughout the whole movie. He arranged the music score to the same hymn in such a way that depending on what scene he wrote it for it told the story and created the emotions for what I was watching. My fascination lead me to make my very first iTune purchase which then led me to find out about the story and composer behind the hymn……
LEANING ON THE EVERLASTING ARMS
by ELISHA ALBRIGHT HOFFMAN
Elisha Hoffman
A minister’s son, Hoffman attended Union Seminary in New Berlin, Pennsylvania, and was ordained in 1868. In his lifetime, he wrote over 2,000 Gospel songs and edited 50 song books.
Anthony J. Showalter
However, it was Anthony J. Showalter who wrote this tune and words to the refrain after hearing from two friends whose wives had died, and asked Hoffman to write the remaining lyrics.
LEANING ON THE EVERLASTING ARMS ~
“The eternal God is your Refuge, and underneath
are the everlasting arms.” Deuteronomy 33:27
What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
Refrain
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.
O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
O how bright the path grows from day to day,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
Refrain
What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
