Abide with Me, Help of the Helpless

This is part two in a series on the song Abide with Me. Read part one.

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, O abide with me.
Henry Francis Lyte, 1847

What is eventide? That is my first thought when I sing this song. Do you do that too, latch onto the word you don’t understand and think about how you’re going to look it up later?

And when you finally look it up, you realize “eventide” simply means evening. It does not mean a huge wave crashing in on you, as you thought at first. Or is that just me?

Today, we’ll look at the first verse of the classic hymn “Abide with Me” and decide what it tells us about God.

Abide with me, fast falls the eventide;

The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.

Does it feel like the evening comes quickly to you? When you’re standing there watching it, the sun seems to go down slowly. But if you’re busy, working or playing, it seems like the light is gone too soon. You have plenty of light, then all of a sudden you don’t.

It can also feel this way when darkness creeps in our lives – the darkness that is brought on by sin, gloominess, grief, anxiety, depression, peer pressure, stress. Night may not be a slow fade, but actually all of a sudden. In the same way, it feels like God is there, and then He’s not.

The phrase “abide with me” is a plea for God to stay. Even as you can feel the darkness coming on, knowing that God is in the light, we beg for Him to stay. Abide with me as the good things go dim, and the bad things seem to spread.

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1

When other helpers fail and comforts flee,

Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

“Other helpers” will never measure up to God. It’s all fleeting, isn’t it? The sweet relief of a nap, or the satisfaction of a tidy house, it’s only temporary. The numbness provided by alcohol or drugs give way to more dangerous effects. Friends can be a help, but friends move or move on.

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2

Any help we receive from earthly things will only be for a short while. But God offers help that is eternal. Who are the helpless? Romans 5:6 in the New Living Translation says while we were “utterly helpless” Christ died for us. Christ helped us when we couldn’t help ourselves. Here are some other examples of the helpless from Scripture.

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me,
To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound.”
Isaiah 61:1

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
James 1:27

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Matthew 11:28-29

God sent Jesus to be a help to the poor, the brokenhearted, the captives, and the prisoners. If we want to look like Jesus, we also must be a help to them. God has given commands concerning taking care of orphans and widows. As Christians we must be willing to help the helpless.

And Jesus says to those who are burdened and carrying loads to heavy to bear, “come to me . . . and you will find rest for your souls.” Jesus wants to carry our burden for us, if only we will let Him.

For You have been a strength to the poor, A strength to the needy in his distress, A refuge from the storm, A shade from the heat; For the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
Isaiah 25:4

What sweet relief shade is on a hot day. God is our relief from the darkness that tries to take over our lives. He helps us when nothing of this earth can. When we need hope, contentment, and peace, God is there waiting for us to invite Him into our lives.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

What “darkness” are you facing in your life right now?

What “helpers” have you found lacking?

How can you ask God for help?

A PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, Abide with us when the day is over and darkness surrounds. Show us your light when we cannot see, and allow us to reflect your light to others. Help us in our weaknesses, so that we may be strong. Thank you for the hope of a better tomorrow and thank you for the rest for our souls. In the name of your son we pray, Amen.

Read next: Abide with Me, Thou Who Changest Not