This hymn from 1887 has a personal story behind its origins. From separate brokenhearted letters to a music professor, we are blessed by that professor's insight and encouraging heart, as he was inspired by the verse in Scripture about God's everlasting arms. He supplied the idea and the music, and his prolific hymn-writing friend supplied the famous lyrics, with that first line so many of us know so well: "What a fellowship, what a joy divine -- leaning on the everlasting arms."