Christ My Song - 709
Abide with us, the shades of eve - Abide with us
(John S. B. Monsell/Johannes Thomas Rüegg)
Abide with us.
Abide with us, for it is toward evening,
and the day is far spent. (Luke 24,29)
1. 'Abide with us,' the shades of eve
are falling fast around;
'far spent' the day – O do not leave
the souls thy love has found! (PDF - Midi)
2. We lost thee in an hour of fear,
thy words of love forgot;
once more that blessed Voice we hear –
O Saviour, leave us not!
3. O leave us not! – tho' slow of heart
to trust thy plighted word;
abide, nor ever more depart,
abide with us, O Lord!
4. Alas! that we should e'er forget
the hope thy suff'rings gave,
'thine agony and bloody sweat,'
the Garden, Cross, and Grave;
5. or lose amid their gloom the pure
perfection of that joy,
no clouds of grief should e'er obscure,
no cross or grave destroy.
6. But thou art come to us again;
our souls so dull and sad
thou 'madest soft with drops of rain,'
and now with sunshine glad.
7. Then O 'abide with us,' nor leave
those whom thy Love hath found,
for life is wearing – shades of eve
are falling fast around.
8. The solemn joy, the awful fear,
the hallowed hush of peace,
the consciousness that thou art near,
we would not these should cease.
9. They came to us with glad accord
this blessed Easter-tide
they will 'abide with us,' O Lord,
if thou with us abide.
John S. B. Monsell, 'Spiritual Songs', 1864, 77-78.