1
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.
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide!
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.
2
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.
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.
3
Come not in terrors, as the King of kings;
But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings:
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea;
Come, Friend of sinners, thus abide with me.
But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings:
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea;
Come, Friend of sinners, thus abide with me.
4
I need Thy presence every passing hour:
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who like Thyself my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, oh, abide with me.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who like Thyself my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, oh, abide with me.
5
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.
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.
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Bangalore, Karnataka, India
6. Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies
Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me
Abide with me, abide with me
Storrs, Connecticut, United States
Reverend Francis Lyte handed this hymn to a family member along with a tune he composed on the last day he preached to his congregation before going to be with the Lord.
It wasn’t until eight years later that Henry Ward Beecher introduced it to American Congregationalists, and fourteen years after his death that it began to be sung in England.
Before dying, Lyte wrote these words, the work of a dying man who had hoped he might not be “wholly mute and useless” while lying in his bed and who had prayed—
O Thou whose touch can lend
Life to the dead, The quickening grace supply,
And grant me swan-like my last breath to spend in song that may not die!
His prayer was answered by the Lord. Henry William Monk wrote the melody that propelled this hymn to great heights and revealed to the world its immortal value.
By the time it had gained recognition in England, it was tuneless and the compilers of Hymns Ancient and Modern (1861) realized the need for a tune and asked Dr. Henry Monk, their music director, to write it. “In ten minutes, ” it is said, “Dr. Monk composed the sweet, pleading chant that is wedded permanently to Lyte’s swan song. ”
William Henry Monk, Doctor of Music, was born in London, 1823. His musical education began at an early age and was extensive. At the age of 26 he was organist and Choir Director in Kings College, London. Elected in 1876 to be professor of the National Training School, he became actively interested in popular musical education, delivering lectures around educational institutions and establishing choral services. His hymn-tunes are found in many song manuals of the English Church as well as Scotland and several have gone to America.
Dr. Monk died in 1889.
(Brown and Butterworth)
Owode -Ede, Osun, Nigeria
What a song of consolation!
What a song I love to hear!
What a song I love to sing!
Abide with me, abide with me.
Abide with me O Lord.
Abide with me forever and ever!
Johannesburg, South Africa
Thank you so much Adriel Lowe for adding the 6 th verse. A triumphant end to a beautiful hymn.
Kabwe, Central, Zambia
Nice
Georgetown, Demerara-Mahaica, Guyana
Verse 6
Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes.
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven's morning breaks and earth's vain shadows flee;
in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
This is such a wonderful soothing song dripping with scriptural assurances. Our God is a great God and Jesus came to ensure we understood, that God became flesh because of His desire to abide with you and me. Forever!
Yola, Adamawa, Nigeria
"when other helpers fail and comfort flees help of the helpless O! abide with me" my energy would expire, the arm of flesh would be confronted by its inadequacies but their is a lender of last resort. Never fails, ever present help. This assurance is all I need each day.
Abuja, Nigeria
No matter how gloomy, the present situation,
No matter the woes, that stare at us,
No matter the Rage of the 😈,
No matter the battle, confronting us
With the Saviour's power , comfortable, counsel, and spirit we shall come out triumphant.
Abide with us in Nigeria, help us not to give in, give out or chicken out for the devil and his cohorts.
Hoima, Oil City, AL, Uganda
O what a peace of mind and heart to know and sing with the writer that there is change and decay, and dimming of earth's joys and glories, and that there is a CONSTANT in amidst these variables!!!
Jesus Christ our Rock. Yeah, we triumph still if God abide with us.
Hallelujah Amen.
Ridgeland, MS, United States
I am currently reading a book by Elizabeth Strout titled “ Abide With Me”. The hymn and lyrics are mentioned throughout. I had heard the hymn all my life, but reread the lyrics here and it is a good hymn to help in troubling times-very comforting.