Under His Wings Lyrics William O. Cushing, 1896
3 verses and a refrain, meter 11.10.11.10.8.7.9.7, public domain, free to print and project.
The words
Verse 1. Under His wings I am safely abiding;
Though the night deepens and tempests are wild,
Still I can trust Him—I know He will keep me;
He has redeemed me, and I am His child.
Refrain Under His wings, under His wings,
Who from His love can sever?
Under His wings my soul shall abide,
Safely abide for ever.
Verse 2. Under His wings, what a refuge in sorrow!
How the heart yearningly turns to its rest!
Often when earth has no balm for my healing,
There I find comfort, and there I am blest.
Verse 3. Under His wings, oh, what precious enjoyment!
There will I hide till life’s trials are o’er;
Sheltered, protected, no evil can harm me;
Resting in Jesus I’m safe evermore.
Sing the refrain after every verse.
Words copied from Sacred Songs and Solos: Twelve Hundred Hymns (1921). They were published in 1896, so they are in the public domain in the United States, and your church may print them, show them and sing them without a license.
The hymn library's slide and print features are made by Church Posting.
The story behind Under His Wings
William Cushing was born at Hingham, Massachusetts, in 1823 and pastored churches in New York State. Hymnary.org says paralysis took his voice and he retired from ministry after 27 years. He turned to writing and produced about 300 hymn texts. One account says he wrote Under His Wings 25 years after he lost his voice, inspired by Psalm 17:8, where David asks to be hidden under the shadow of God's wings. That account puts the hymn near 1898, while Hymnary.org dates the text to 1896, so the retelling and the date do not match exactly. Ira Sankey set the words to music. Hymnals usually print the tune as HINGHAM, which is also the name of Cushing's birthplace, and hymnal listings credit the music to Sankey. Sankey was the singing partner of the evangelist Dwight L. Moody, and Cushing contributed several other texts to Sankey's collections, among them Ring the Bells of Heaven and O Safe to the Rock That Is Higher Than I. Hymnary.org lists about 170 hymnals that carry Under His Wings. The wing image also appears in Ruth 2:12, Psalm 36:7, Psalm 57:1 and Psalm 91.
William O. Cushing
1823-12-31 to 1902
William Orcutt Cushing was born at Hingham, Massachusetts. He decided at 18 to become a minister and served Christian churches in New York State, beginning at Searsburg. His wife Hena died in 1870. Paralysis cost him his voice, and he retired from ministry after 27 years. He then discovered a talent for writing and produced about 300 hymn texts, many of them for Ira Sankey's collections. He gave his savings of $1,000 to help a blind girl get an education. For his last 13 years he lived at Lisbon Center, New York, with a Wesleyan Methodist minister's family. His hymns include Under His Wings and When He Cometh.
Ira D. Sankey
1840-08-28 to 1908-08
Ira David Sankey was born at Edinburg, Pennsylvania, to a Scotch-Irish family and grew up on a farm. He joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, led choirs, and enlisted in the Twelfth Pennsylvania Regiment in 1860, where he led singing at religious services. After the war he worked as a collector of internal revenue. He met Dwight L. Moody at a YMCA convention in 1870 and joined his evangelistic work the next year. The two held meetings in Great Britain in 1873 to 1875. Sankey sang as a baritone, composed many gospel songs and co-edited Gospel Hymns. He spent his last years blind, and sources give his death as 13 or 14 August 1908.
- Hymnary.org, Under His Wings , read 2026-10-16
- Hymnary.org, William O. Cushing , read 2026-10-16
- Hymns Illustrated, Voiceless Praise: Under His Wings and the Story Behind It , read 2026-10-16
- Hymnary.org, Hymnal for Worship and Celebration No. 356 , read 2026-10-16
Scripture in Under His Wings
The Bible passages behind the words, with the verse of the hymn that draws on each.
- Psalm 17:8 In verse 8 of the hymn
- Psalm 91
- Ruth 2:12 In verse 12 of the hymn
- Psalm 36:7 In verse 7 of the hymn
- Psalm 57:1 In verse 1 of the hymn
Under His Wings videos
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Under His Wings SE Samonte, Congregation
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UNDER HIS WINGS - MASS CHOIR murahomesa -CHANNEL OF BLESSINGS, Choir
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Under His Wings Acapeldridge, A cappella
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Under His Wings - piano instrumental hymn with lyrics Kaleb Brasee, Piano
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Under His Wings - FBC Jacksonville, FL videosofblessings, Congregation
Videos play from YouTube, and nothing loads from YouTube until you press play. A video may sing different verses from the ones printed on this page.
Downloads, printing and slides
Sheet music files
- Sheet music PDF 102 KB. Words and all four parts, ready to print.
- Lead sheet PDF 86 KB. Melody, words and chord symbols for piano or guitar.
- MusicXML score XML 89 KB. Opens in MuseScore, Finale, Sibelius and Dorico to change the key or print parts.
- MIDI, all parts MIDI 3 KB. Plays the four-part harmony in any MIDI player or notation app.
- MIDI, melody only MIDI 1 KB. The tune alone, for learning it.
Practice tracks for each voice part, as MIDI: Alto , Tenor , Bass .
Chords and keys
Hymnals print it in C.
Questions people ask
Who wrote Under His Wings?
William Cushing wrote the words, and Ira Sankey is credited with the music. Hymnary.org dates the text to 1896.
What Bible verse is Under His Wings based on?
Psalm 17:8 is the verse most often named, where David asks to be hidden in the shadow of God's wings. Hymnary.org also lists Psalm 91, Psalm 36:7 and Ruth 2:12.
Why did William Cushing begin writing hymns?
Hymnary.org says paralysis took his voice and he retired from ministry after 27 years. He then found he could write, and he produced about 300 hymn texts.
Is Under His Wings in the public domain?
The words are public domain in the United States. Hymnary.org dates the text to 1896, and Sankey's tune is from the same decade.
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