On Eagle’s Wings
I think I’ve liked the song On Eagle’s Wings ever since hearing it while growing up, although I don’t remember where I heard it first. I played an arrangement of it in 2013 at Christ Church, but that was mostly because I really liked the tune without paying a lot of attention to the words. It came to my attention more strongly after attending the Catholic funeral mass of an employee, RN, and friend who had ended her two-year struggle with cancer.
After that day, I actually went home and researched the song online, curious as to why it was almost universally present at Catholic funerals, as well as wanting to research the meaning and origin of the song itself. It was actually written in the late 1970’s by a man not yet ordained to be a priest in the Catholic Church, (now) Father Michael Joncas, who went on to write over 300 other songs. This one remains the most well known. He wrote the song while visiting a fellow seminarian in another state after that friend received word that his father had had a heart attack, and the song was sung during the man’s father’s funeral wake in the days that followed.
The verses of the song were based primarily on parts of Psalm 91, which was part of our reading this past week, and the chorus came from Exodus 19:4 and Matthew 13:43. Father Joncas meant the verses to be sung by a cantor who could handle the wide range of notes, while the chorus was written more simply, and is easier to sing. Nevertheless the whole song is often sung by whole congregations within the Catholic Church. I don’t think many Protestants know or think of it as a funeral song, and I don’t think it has to be thought of that way.
Exodus 19:4 comes from God’s message to the Israelites three months after leaving Egypt, “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.” (RSV). Matthew 13 discusses the meaning of the parable of the sower, and it says “Then the righteous shall shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” Psalm 91’s theme is God as our refuge and fortress, so the song is meant to be a comfort in times of mourning, but can also be used as a reminder to us in many other situations as well.
Verse 1 of the song, “You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord, who abide in his shadow for life, say to the Lord, ‘My refuge, my Rock in whom I trust,’” is derived from verses 1 & 2 of Psalm 91.
The refrain expands on Exodus 19:4 and references Matthew 13:43: “And he will raise you up on eagle’s wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of his hand.”
Verse 2 comes from Psalm 91:3 & 4: “The snare of the fowler will never capture you, and famine will bring you no fear: under his wings your refuge, his faithfulness your shield.”
Verse 3 comes from Psalm 91:5-8: “You need not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day; though thousands fall about you, near you it shall not come.”
Psalm 91:11-12 gives us the last (4th) verse: “For to His angels He’s given a command to guard you in all of your ways. Upon their hands they will bear you up lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Incidentally, we are more familiar with that phrase as a temptation Satan presents to Christ in Matthew 4:6.
Listening to this hymn during times of stress or trial can definitely be used in our lives as a reminder to rely on Him, as He is our Refuge.
Listen to Vivan and and Janelle sing and play “On Eagle’s Wings.”
Photo by Birger Strahl on Unsplash