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A MONTHLY HYMN FOR YOUR FAMILY TO LEARN AND SING TOGETHER

Abide With Me

 
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October - Abide With Me

Lyrics

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;

The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;

When other helpers fail and comforts flee,

Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;

Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;

Change and decay in all around I see—

O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need Thy presence every passing hour;

What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r?

Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?

Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;

Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness;

Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?

I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;

Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies;

Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;

In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

Words and Music by Henry Francis Lyte

 
 
 

October Bible Memory Verse

Psalm 23:4, ESV

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

 

Story Behind the Song

This hymn was written by an Anglican clergyman from Scotland called Henry Francis Lyte. We were interested to find out that he went to high school in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. He was a preacher and a poet. He was passionate about education, helping people in need and teaching children about the Lord. He spoke several languages and loved to play the flute. He often prayed for two or three hours first thing in the morning. 

He wrote ‘Abide with me’ in 1847 when he was dying from a disease called Tuberculosis. He had been troubled with sickness throughout his life so this lyric flows from a very real struggle and need for the Lord.

A couple of months before he died he insisted on preaching a final sermon in his church in Brixham. Although he was very weak he managed to do it and it was powerful. Later that day after he had rested he went to watch the sunset on the cliff side over Torbay and Dartmoor. He felt that his life, like the sun, was slowly fading away. From these moments came the hymn ‘Abide with me’. He left for France a few days later and there he passed away. His other most well-know. hymn is ‘Praise my soul the King of heaven’. 

‘Abide With Me’ is most often sung to a melody called ‘Eventide’ by William Henry Monk. It has been heard in movies and at British soccer games. It is a very comforting and popular hymn for funerals. It was sung at the funerals of both King George V and Queen Mary. 

 

Something to Think About

When we sing to the Lord ‘abide with me’ we are saying to Him ‘stay with me’. The hymn writer is remembering that in the end it is the Lord who can and will always remain. 

In the Fall as the days shorten and the air cools the leaves begin to change to beautiful colors. The needed water and sugars that travel from the branches to feed the leaf stop coming and so they begin to turn, grow weak and fall away. It is a season of great changes held in God’s hand as He turns the days like the pages of a book.

But in all the changes we can remember how wonderful it is that God never changes. Sometimes we are sad when we have to say goodbye. But God is always with us as He promised, there are no goodbyes with Him. Sometimes we have to move house or change schools or jobs. But the Lord remains the same wherever we go. We are sad when a friend is unkind to us or when our bodies get sick. But the Lord’s word is always true and we can trust Him. 

This song tells of the closeness of the Lord. And because of that closeness we are not like the leaf that breaks away. In fact Psalm 1 tells us that the one who trusts in God is like a green leaf that stays and never withers! So we do not need to fear, even the very worst of things. Jesus’ death on the cross brought life that can never be taken away. He will stay with us, take care of us, and we can trust Him through every day of life.

 
 
 

Prayer

Father in Heaven,

We thank You that in You are no shadows of change. As You were even before the beginning You are today and always will be. You are our constant and forever home. 

Each day help me trust You and draw near to You in song and prayer and thought and word and deed. Even when I am old may I trust You knowing that all my days are in Your hand. For You are my life and my hope.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

 

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