Robert Davis

Robert Davis (1881–1950) was an American minister, teacher, writer, and hymn author whose career ranged across church ministry, education, relief work, journalism, and international cultural institutions. Born in Beverly, Massachusetts, on July 29, 1881, he graduated from Dartmouth College in 1903, pursued graduate study at Harvard, earned an M.A. from Columbia University in 1908, and completed theological study at Union Theological Seminary the same year. He later received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Kingfisher College.

Davis served as associate minister of Brick Presbyterian Church in New York City from 1908 to 1910 and as minister of Englewood Presbyterian Church in New Jersey from 1910 to 1917. During and after the First World War he worked with the American Red Cross, including service in Europe. His later career included work in France as a newspaper editorial writer, director of the American Library in Paris, and managing director of the American Hospital of Paris. He returned to teaching biblical literature at Middlebury College in the 1930s and later served as acting pastor of Union Church in Proctor, Vermont.

Hymnary identifies Davis as the author of several English hymn texts, including “I Thank Thee, Lord, for Strength of Arm” and the words commonly sung as “The Friendly Beasts.” His Christmas text was paired with the medieval French melody ORIENTIS PARTIBUS and became widely circulated in children’s hymnals and Christmas collections.