Roll On, Thou Mighty Ocean

Roll on, though mighty ocean!
And, as thy billows flow,
Bear messengers of mercy
To every land below.
Arise, ye gales, and waft them
Safe to the destined shore;
That man may sit in darkness,
And death’s black shade no more.

O Thou eternal Ruler,
Who holdest in Thine arm
The tempests of the ocean,
Protect them from all harm!
Thy presence, Lord, be with them,
Wherever they may be;
Though far from us who love them,
Still let them be with Thee.

Author: Unknown

Year: 1826

This hymn first appeared in the 1826 "Christian Psalmist" (compiled by Thomas Hastings and William Patton). It is frequently listed as anonymous or unattributed in 19th-century hymnals; some later collections credit it to "Hastings" but this is likely editorial attribution rather than authorship of the text. No strong evidence points to a single verified writer.