Sea liturgies

[ABOVE: John Flavel, [A New Compass for Seamen, Consisting of XXXIII Points] (foldout). In Navigation Spiritualiz’d: Or A New Compass for Seamen.... 7th ed. (London: 1733), after p. xxv—public domain, Internet Archive]

From the 1662 Book of Common Prayer (still the official prayer book of the Church of England), Forms of Prayer to Be Used at Sea:

O Eternal Lord God, who alone spreadest out the heavens, and rulest the raging of the sea; who hast compassed the waters with bounds until day and night come to an end: Be pleased to receive into thy Almighty and most gracious protection the persons of us thy servants, and the Fleet in which we serve. Preserve us from the dangers of the sea, and from the violence of the enemy; that we may be a safeguard unto our most gracious Sovereign Lord, King [or Queen] ____ , and his Dominions, and a security for such as pass on the seas upon their lawful occasions; that the inhabitants of our Island may in peace and quietness serve thee our God; and that we may return in safety to enjoy the blessings of the land, with the fruits of our labours; and with a thankful remembrance of thy mercies to praise and glorify thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(Specifically for use in a storm)

O most glorious and gracious Lord God, who dwellest in heaven, but beholdest all things below: Look down, we beseech thee, and hear us, calling out of the depth of misery, and out of the jaws of this death, which is ready now to swallow us up: Save, Lord, or else we perish. The living, the living shall praise thee. O send thy word of command to rebuke the raging winds, and the roaring sea; that we, being delivered from this distress, may live to serve thee, and to glorify thy Name all the days of our life. Hear, Lord, and save us, for the infinite merits of our blessed Saviour, thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

From Navigation Spiritualized (1664) by John Flavel (d. 1691), which used nautical metaphors to teach sailors about salvation:

My soul’s the sea, wherein,

from day to day,

Sins like Leviathans do sport and play.

Great master-lusts, with all the lesser try.

Therein increase, and strangely multiply.

—from chapter 3

Lord, rouse my drowsy soul,

lest it should knock,

And split itself upon some dangerous rock.

If it of faith and conscience shipwreck make,

I am undone for ever; soul, awake!

Till thou arrive in heav’n, watch, and fear;

Thou may’st not say. Till then, the coast is clear.

—from chapter 5

This 1871 hymn was written by Edward Hopper (1816–1888), who pastored a church for sailors and composed the hymn for a meeting of the Seamen’s Friend Society. Another of his hymns is called “Wrecked and Struggling in Mid-ocean:”

Jesus, Savior, pilot me

over life’s tempestuous sea:

unknown waves before me roll,

hiding rocks and treach’rous shoal.

Chart and compass come from Thee:

Jesus, Savior, pilot me.

US Navy Chief of Chaplains and Rear Admiral Neil M. Stevenson (1930–2009) prepared a book of prayers and worship resources for navy chaplains sometime in the 1980s. Here is one of his prayers:

Gracious Father, as we quiet ourselves for the evening, we ask you to bless the hand on the wheel, those who stand the night watches, and the snipes who keep the engines running. We thank you for their faithfulness and sense of duty. In their lonely hours may they talk to you. Amen. God, give us expectant hearts whenever we bow for prayer, for you have promised that if we ask, we shall receive. May we not face the duties of this night or tomorrow with the same old attitudes when you can give us a new spirit. Take away our depression and give us enthusiasm. We commit ourselves and those we love to your continued “watch care.” Grant us quiet and refreshing rest, we pray. Amen.