Scripture Verse

He that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us. 1 John 3:24

Introduction

portrait
Harriet B. Stowe
1812–1896

Words: Har­ri­et B. Stowe, in the Ply­mouth Col­lec­tion of Hymns and Tunes, by her bro­ther, Hen­ry W. Beech­er (New York: A. S. Barnes, 1855).

Music: Cu­ba Tem­pli Car­mi­na, by George Kings­ley (North­amp­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: 1853) (🔊 pdf nwc).

Lyrics

Abide in me,
O Lord, and I in Thee,
From this good hour, oh,
Leave me nevermore;
Then shall the discord cease,
The wound be healèd,
The lifelong bleeding
Of the soul be o’er.

Abide in me;
O’ershadow by Thy love
Each half formed purpose
And dark thought of sin;
Quench ere it rise
Each selfish, low desire,
And keep my soul as
Thine, calm and divine.

As some rare perfume
In a vase of clay,
Pervades it with
A fragrance not its own,
So, when Thou dwellest
In a mortal soul,
All Heav’n’s own sweetness
Seems around it thrown.

Abide in me;
There have been moments blest
When I have heard Thy voice
And felt Thy power;
Then evil lost its grasp;
And passion, hushed,
Owned the divine
Enchantment of the hour.

These were but seasons
Beautiful and rare;
Abide in me,
And they shall ever be;
Fulfill at once
Thy precept and my prayer,
Come, and abide
In me, and I in Thee.