In Life, in Death, O Lord, Abide with Me

Henry F. Lyte wrote the hymn "Abide With Me" in 1847 while dying from tuberculosis. It's a prayer to the Lord to be near the believer in life and, in particular, death. The lyrics below are from the Trinity Hymnal.

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.

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 ev'ry 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, O 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.

Over the past week I've really enjoyed Page CXVI's beautiful rendition of this hymn on the album Hymns II. Make sure to check it out.

About Ryan

Ryan writes for weary pilgrims learning to follow Jesus through the wilderness. He served as a lead pastor at a church in Southern California from 2016–2025. Before that, he worked as a software engineer in the biotech space. Today, he lives with his family in Escondido, California.

The Weary Pilgrim

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