Abide With Me
Dagsland Sigvart Lyrics
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Fast falls the eventide
The darkness deepens
Lord, with me abide
When other helpers fail anc comforts flee
Help of the helpless
oh, abide with me
out lifes little day
earth's joys grow dim
its glories pass away
change and decay in all around i see
O Thou who changes not
Abide with me
Instrumental
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.
Abide with me
END
The first verse of Dagsland Sigvart’s “Abide with Me” sets the tone of the song with the deep and contemplative lyrics, “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, oh, abide with me.” The line “fast falls the eventide” is a poetic way of saying that the day is ending quickly, and darkness is approaching. The singer is seeking the presence of the Lord, since all other sources of comfort have failed.
The second verse of the song continues the theme of mortality with the lyrics, “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 changes not, abide with me”. The line “earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away” highlights the transience of life, and the singer is seeking the presence of the Lord as the one constant in a world of change and decay.
The final verse of the song is a proclamation of the singer’s faith in God, “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. Abide with me”. The singer affirms that with the Lord by their side, they can conquer anything.
Line by Line Meaning
Abide with me
Sigvart Dagsland is calling upon the Lord to stay with him and not leave him alone in his time of need.
Fast falls the eventide
The day is coming to an end quickly and night is upon us.
The darkness deepens
As the night progresses, the darkness grows stronger.
Lord, with me abide
Sigvart Dagsland is asking the Lord to stay with him and keep him company.
When other helpers fail anc comforts flee
Even when other people and other forms of comfort abandon him, Sigvart Dagsland trusts that the Lord will never leave him.
Help of the helpless
The Lord is capable of helping those who cannot help themselves.
oh, abide with me
Sigvart Dagsland continues to plead with the Lord to accompany him through the night.
Swift to its close ebbs
Life is fleeting and coming to an end quickly.
out lifes little day
Life is short and passes quickly.
earth's joys grow dim
The pleasures of the world begin to lose their shine and appeal.
its glories pass away
The greatness and beauty of the world will fade over time.
change and decay in all around i see
Sigvart Dagsland observes that everything around him is changing and deteriorating.
O Thou who changes not
The Lord is unchanging and constant through time.
Abide with me
Sigvart Dagsland returns to his request for the Lord's presence and companionship.
I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Sigvart Dagsland declares that he is unafraid of his enemies as long as the Lord is with him and watching over him.
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness;
Without the Lord, hardships and tears can seem unbearable, but with his presence, these wounds are an easier burden to bear.
Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
Even in the face of death, Sigvart Dagsland remains confident that the Lord's strength will be a victory over death itself.
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.
Sigvart Dagsland is convinced that he will experience triumph and joy as long as the Lord stays with him and keeps him company.
Abide with me
Sigvart Dagsland finishes by repeating his request for the Lord to stay with him always.
Contributed by Lucy L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.