No Waters Can Swallow: Hymn Story for Master, the Tempest Is Raging

With heavy hearts for those suffering from Hurricane Helene and prayers for those with more storms to face (physical or otherwise), several hymns come to mind that refer to Christ's power over the winds and waves.

The author, Mary A. Baker, wrote it upon request for a series of Sunday School lessons on the subject of "Christ Stilling the Storm."

When asked to write several song lyrics for the occasion, her mind immediately went to a time when Christ stilled an especially dark storm that wasn't on any sea — it had been in her heart!

She and her sisters deeply loved their younger brother who had shown such promise early in life. He had become sick and moved south with hopes that the warmer weather would bring back good health. His health, however, took a turn for the worse. After a series of letters back and forth between the young man and his sisters, the sisters received another letter disclosing the heartbreaking news that their brother had died. 

Mary took it especially hard and became bitter against God, doubting He was anywhere near the storm her brother faced or the one she was in the midst of right then. 

But then Christ stilled her storm and she went back to a peaceful relationship with her Savior. 

With this experience in mind, Mary penned the words to "Master, The Tempest is Raging."

The first stanza calls to mind Christ stilling a physical storm on the Sea of Galilee which we read in Mark 4.

The second stanza calls to mind those times when we feel Christ isn't anywhere near the storms we face — physical or spiritual.

And then finally the third stanza calls to mind what it's like to feel the peace that only God can give. 

When reading or singing this hymn, it's good for us to remember that ultimately Christ is in control of our storms and ultimately He gives peace. Sometimes He stills the storm and sometimes He stills our hearts in the storm.

While we don't fully understand the reason why He chooses one or the other, we can know for sure there is a divine purpose in it all. And this purpose is ultimately for our sanctification and His glory.

Mary Baker refers to this purpose in her own account of her experience:

"I said in my heart that God did not care for me or mine. But the Mas­ter’s own voice stilled the tem­pest in my un­sanc­ti­fied heart, and brought it to the calm of a deep­er faith and a more per­fect trust."

Whether we face actual, physical storms and their terrible aftermath or whether we face storms in the form of a variety of other trials, we can find comfort in knowing God is in complete control over our circumstances and "that with joy we shall make that blest harbor."

Master, the Tempest Is Raging

by Mary A. Baker

Master, the tem­pest is rag­ing!
The bil­lows are toss­ing high!
The sky is o’er­sha­dowed with black­ness,
No shel­ter or help is nigh;
Carest Thou not that we per­ish?
How canst Thou lie asleep,
When each mo­ment so mad­ly is threat­en­ing
A grave in the ang­ry deep?

Refrain

The winds and the waves shall ob­ey Thy will,
Peace, be still!
Whether the wrath of the storm tossed sea,
Or de­mons or men, or what­ev­er it be
No wa­ters can swal­low the ship where lies
The Mas­ter of ocean, and earth, and skies;
They all shall sweet­ly ob­ey Thy will,
Peace, be still! Peace, be still!
They all shall sweet­ly ob­ey Thy will,
Peace, peace, be still!

Master, with ang­uish of spir­it
I bow in my grief to­day;
The depths of my sad heart are trou­bled
Oh, wak­en and save, I pray!
Torrents of sin and of ang­uish
Sweep o’er my sink­ing soul;
And I per­ish! I per­ish! dear Mas­ter
Oh, hast­en, and take con­trol.

Master, the ter­ror is ov­er,
The ele­ments sweet­ly rest;
Earth’s sun in the calm lake is mir­rored,
And Hea­ven’s with­in my breast;
Linger, O bless­èd Re­deem­er!
Leave me alone no more;
And with joy I shall make the blest har­bor,
And rest on the bliss­ful shore.