This is part one of a series on the song “Abide with Me.”
Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them.
Luke 24:28-29
Abide with Me is a beautiful hymn that is sung all over the world, even today. I recently taught a ladies class based on this song, and I learned so much from it, I just knew I had to share it here!
To abide with someone is to stay close. Not just merely in the same place, but togetherness, staying side by side. When we sing the words “abide with me” we’re asking God to be present with us as close as possible. Not just in the same room with us, but right beside us, holding our hand.
I hope you’ll enjoy this blog series as I talk about each verse of the song and what the lyrics teach us about God. Here is what you can expect to read in each post: God is a help of the helpless, God is unchanging, God is our guide and stay, God is victorious, and God is with us in life and death. {I’ll add the links here as each post is published.}
ABIDE WITH ME IS STILL POPULAR TODAY
“Abide with Me” was played by the Salvation Army band at Ground Zero, ten days after 9/11. It was also heard at the funerals of Richard Nixon and Mother Teresa. It is played every year in Australia and New Zealand as part of their Anzac Day ceremonies, similar to Veterans Day in America.
The hymn seems to be especially popular in England. It was sung by at the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Emile Sande beautifully sang the lyrics to remember the bombing attacks in 2005 on London’s Underground railway. You must watch it here.
“Abide with Me” is typically associated with death, but surprisingly, it was heard at two royal weddings, including the reigning Queen Elizabeth’s wedding to Prince Phillip. It is also sung every year at the Football Association’s Challenge Cup Final in England. Watch the video to see sports fans cheering wildly after a hymn has been sung!
HISTORY OF ABIDE WITH ME
Abide with Me was written by Henry Francis Lyte, between 1820 and 1847. He wrote his own tune for the lyrics, but the version we sing today and most widely known was composed by William Henry Monk in 1861.
The story goes that in 1820, Henry Francis Lyte was with a dying friend. The friend repeated the phrase “Abide with Me” over and over, and inspired Lyte to write the song. He even supposedly sent the lyrics to his friend’s family. But as he neared his own death from tuberculosis in 1847, he was traveling to France. He finished the song at that time and sent the arrangement to a relative.
WHAT DOES ABIDE MEAN?
“Abide with Me” is not just a song about decay and dying. The words are poetic and have many layers to them. We don’t want God to just be with us in our last moments, but also in our everyday.
Abide means to live, dwell, or stay. So when we sing “abide with me” we’re asking God to stay with us. Google’s definition of abide is “to continue without fading or being lost.” I love the wording “without fading,” because God is a constant and steady presence in our lives. We need Him “every passing hour”, “through cloud and sunshine.”
I can’t wait to dive into the words of this song with you! I hope it’ll give you a new understanding and new perspectives as you sing this song.
Read part two in the series: Help of the Helpless
Sources:
She Reads Truth blog
Wikipedia
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