Will Your Anchor Hold?

Priscilla Jane Owens was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1829. Raised in the Scottish and Welsh heritage of her parents, Priscilla was committed to working with children and youths and spent a lifetime dedicated to education as a school teacher and to Christian ministry. Always looking for ways to teach and inspire youths to a faithful walk and greater love of their Savior Jesus, she wrote many hymns during those years. 

Her most enduring piece, "Will Your Anchor Hold" (also called "We Have an Anchor") was written in 1882 and set to music by William Kirkpatrick, a Pennsylvania musician and hymn compiler of some renown. The hymn underwent modifications when it was adopted for use by Dwight L. Moody and Ira Sankey for use in revival meetings, asking rhetorical questions that would give the audience pause to consider the condition of their hearts. Priscilla’s hymn spread far and wide, partly because of its use in those meetings, but also because it went on to have a long connection with The Boys’ Brigade, an international, interdenominational Christian organization in the United Kingdom.

Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,

When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?

When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain,

Will your anchor drift, or firm remain?

The imagery in the hymn is vivid and powerful. It opens with a question that pierces the heart: “Will your anchor hold in the storms of life?” This metaphor of an anchor—something that secures a vessel against the pull of tides and tempests—immediately evokes the trials and uncertainties of human existence. The “clouds unfold their wings of strife,” and “strong tides lift” with “cables strain,” painting a picture of overwhelming forces that threaten to uproot and destabilize. Yet, the refrain bursts forth with confident assurance: “We have an anchor that keeps the soul.” This anchor is not made of iron or rope, but of divine love and eternal truth.

We have an anchor that keeps the soul

Steadfast and sure while the billows roll;

Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,

Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.

At the core of the hymn lies a profound Christian theme: the unshakable security found in Jesus Christ. The anchor is “fastened to the Rock which cannot move,” a clear reference to Christ as the immovable foundation of faith. This echoes Hebrews 6:19, which speaks of hope as “an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Owens’ hymn is not merely poetic—it is theological, reminding believers that their spiritual safety is not dependent on circumstances but on the Savior’s steadfast grip. The storms may rage, but the soul moored in Christ will not be lost.

It is safely moored, ’twill the storm withstand,

For ’tis well secured by the Savior’s hand;

And the cables passed from His heart to mine,

Can defy the blast, through strength divine.

This second verse offers one of the most intimate and tender images in the entire hymn—a spiritual tether between Christ and the believer. The anchor is “safely moored,” not by human effort, but “secured by the Savior’s hand,” emphasizing divine initiative and protection. But the most striking line is “the cables passed from His heart to mine,” suggesting a living connection, not merely mechanical or symbolic. It evokes the idea of Christ’s love as the binding force, a lifeline that transmits strength, peace, and endurance directly into the soul. which can “defy the blast,” not through personal resilience alone, but “through strength divine.” It’s a beautiful fusion of theology and poetry—Christ’s heart beating into ours, sustaining us through every storm.

It will firmly hold in the straits of fear,

When the breakers tell that the reef is near;

Though the tempest rave and the wild winds blow,

Not an angry wave shall our bark o’erflow.

The third verse plunges us into the “straits of fear” where danger looms close and the soul feels hemmed in. The “breakers tell that the reef is near” conjures the image of crashing waves warning of sharp, unseen rocks that could tear a vessel apart. It’s a metaphor for moments when fear grips us, when we sense that disaster is imminent, and we feel insufficient. Yet even here, the hymn declares that the anchor will hold. The “tempest” may “rave” and “wild winds blow,” but the promise remains: “Not an angry wave shall our bark o’erflow.” This is a bold proclamation of divine protection—in the straits of fear, faith becoming our compass, and Christ our anchor, steadying us when all else trembles.

It will firmly hold in the floods of death–

When the waters cold chill our latest breath,

On the rising tide it can never fail,

While our hopes abide within the veil.

The fourth verse plunges into the deepest and most sobering of human experiences—death itself. Though the “floods of death” and “waters cold” evoke the chilling finality of life’s end, the hymn offers a radiant counterpoint: the anchor of faith will “firmly hold,” even as breath fades and the tide rises. The phrase “within the veil” draws from Hebrews 6:19–20, where Christ is described as our forerunner who has entered the inner sanctuary behind the veil. In this light, the anchor is not merely for life’s storms but for death’s crossing, tethering the soul to a hope that transcends mortality—held fast by the Savior’s love, drawn toward the harbor of eternal life.

When our eyes behold through the gath'ring night

Shining gates of pearl, our harbor bright,

We shall anchor fast by the heav'nly shore,

With the storms all past forevermore.

The final verse further lifts our eyes beyond the storm to the eternal harbor. “When our eyes behold through the gathering night / shining gates of pearl, our harbor bright,” the hymn shifts from earthly struggle to heavenly hope. The “shining gates of pearl” is a reference to New Jerusalem, the eternal dwelling place of the redeemed. Here, the anchor holds not just through life’s storms but into eternity. The promise is clear: one day, the storms will cease, and we shall “anchor fast by the heavenly shore.” It’s a vision of peace, fulfillment, and divine welcome.

“Will Your Anchor Hold” is more than a hymn—it’s a spiritual compass. It invites reflection, challenges doubt, and offers comfort. Originally written for youth, its message has transcended age and circumstance, becoming a beloved anthem that has anchored generations of believers in hope and assurance. In a world where many feel adrift, Owens’ words remind us that there is a Rock that cannot move, and a love that grounds us firm and deep. Whether sung in quiet devotion or in the swell of congregational worship, this hymn continues to inspire believers to hold fast, trust deeply, and look forward to the harbor bright.

We Have An Anchor

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