The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is made up of some 360 men and women, all of whom are volunteers. There are many husband-wife combinations and many families have participated in the choir for generations. Choir members are currently limited to twenty years of participation, allowing new members to join the choir on a regular basis.
The choir was founded in August 1847, one month after the Mormon Pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley. The choir is completely self-funded, traveling and producing albums to support their organization. Choir members are not paid for their participation or performances.
Although the choir has traditionally been recognized for its sound quality, the most recent director, Craig Jessop, a student of Robert Shaw, has made changes designed to improve the overall quality of the choir. Jessop's efforts to add vitality to the choir's sound include the formation of The Orchestra at Temple Square, the 2005 addition of The Bells on Temple Square (a hand bell choir), and continual refinement of the choir's tone, enunciation, and repetoire. The minimum age for participation has been reduced from 30 to 25. In addition, new choir members participate in The Temple Square Chorale training choir, a combination music theory/performance school led by associate director and composer/arranger Mack Wilberg.
Abide With Me 'tis Eventide
Mormon Tabernacle Choir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The day is past and gone;
The shadows of the evening fall;
The night is coming on.
Within my heart a welcome guest,
Within my home abide.
O Savior, stay this night with me;
Behold, 'tis eventide.
Behold, 'tis eventide.
Abide with me; 'tis eventide.
Thy walk today with me
Has made my heart within me burn,
As I communed with thee.
Thy earnest words have filled my soul
And kept me near thy side.
Abide with me; 'tis eventide,
And lone will be the night
If I cannot commune with thee
Nor find in thee my light.
The darkness of the world, I fear,
Would in my home abide.
In the song "Abide with Me 'Tis Eventide," the singer is inviting Jesus Christ to join them and stay with them for the evening, as the night falls and the day draws to a close. The singer acknowledges that they have felt Christ's presence throughout the day and urges him to continue to remain nearby. The words of Christ have filled the singer's soul and kept them close to him, and they fear that the darkness of the world will enter their home if Christ does not stay.
The song offers a sense of comfort and reassurance to those who may be feeling lonely or afraid as the night approaches. The singer's invitation to Christ is phrased as a request, but is also imbued with a sense of confidence and trust in his ability to provide protection and guidance. The imagery of light and darkness is particularly significant in this song, as it acknowledges the presence of darkness in the world but also emphasizes the hope that comes from communing with Christ.
Line by Line Meaning
Abide with me; 'tis eventide.
Stay with me, Lord, as evening falls.
The day is past and gone;
The day has ended.
The shadows of the evening fall;
The darkness of night approaches.
The night is coming on.
The night is arriving.
Within my heart a welcome guest,
You are always welcome in my heart.
Within my home abide.
Please stay with me in my home.
O Savior, stay this night with me;
Lord, stay with me tonight.
Behold, 'tis eventide.
This is the evening time.
Thy walk today with me
Spending time with you today
Has made my heart within me burn,
Your presence has filled me with passion.
As I communed with thee.
As I talked with you.
Thy earnest words have filled my soul
Your sincere words have touched me deeply.
And kept me near thy side.
And kept me close to you.
Abide with me; 'tis eventide,
Stay with me, Lord, during this evening time.
And lone will be the night
The night will be lonely
If I cannot commune with thee
If I cannot talk with you.
Nor find in thee my light.
Nor find in you my guiding light.
The darkness of the world, I fear,
I fear the darkness of the world.
Would in my home abide.
Would enter my home.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@noel3620
Abide with me; 'tis eventide.
The day is past and gone;
The shadows of the evening fall;
The night is coming on.
Within my heart a welcome guest,
Within my home abide.
O Savior, stay this night with me;
Behold, 'tis eventide.
O Savior, stay this night with me;
Behold, 'tis eventide.
Abide with me; 'tis eventide.
Thy walk today with me
Has made my heart within me burn,
As I communed with thee.
Thy earnest words have filled my soul
And kept me near thy side.
Abide with me; 'tis eventide,
And lone will be the night
If I cannot commune with thee
Nor find in thee my light.
The darkness of the world, I fear,
Would in my home abide.
@nanikdasani4547
1. Abide with me; ’tis eventide.
The day is past and gone;
The shadows of the evening fall;
The night is coming on.
Within my heart a welcome guest,
Within my home abide.
[Chorus]
O Savior, stay this night with me;
Behold, ’tis eventide.
O Savior, stay this night with me;
Behold, ’tis eventide.
2. Abide with me; ’tis eventide.
Thy walk today with me
Has made my heart within me burn,
As I communed with thee.
Thy earnest words have filled my soul
And kept me near thy side.
3. Abide with me; ’tis eventide,
And lone will be the night
If I cannot commune with thee
Nor find in thee my light.
The darkness of the world, I fear,
Would in my home abide.
@mattparker2323
I have been away from the church for a long time but this hymn gives me comfort. I am going through a difficult time and going through a contentious divorce. I need the Lord's comfort now more than ever. Savior stay this night with me.
@churchofjesuschrist
Hi, thank you for your comment and for sharing your experience. We're so sorry for the pain and difficulty you're experiencing. Our Heavenly Father promises strength and comfort when divorce or other difficulty become our reality: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28). The following article from a young divorced member of the Church may be of interest to you or others with these same questions: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2014/03/young-adults/hope-and-healing-after-divorce?lang=eng Take care! You are loved and you belong.
@iesidiomas8455
Be strong, the lord always help, as he helped me with the same problem , at the end everything is gonna be ok , just keep strong.
@anitanabudde2111
The Lord comforts all who love Him
@SoftNLazey
This is the one song my mother would sing to me while rubbing my back on the couch after a bad panic attack or if I couldn’t keep up with my own thoughts… I regret not telling her how much that helped me at that point in my life, because now (being an adult and living alone) that’s all I could ask for…
@Nita1931
One day you will be with her forever! God bless you!
@helenlehman1683
She knows and is so very grateful for your gratitude. She is so grateful it helped you through such difficult times ❤️
@niki-mars955
♥♥♥♥
@nl5686
Panic attacks are probably the worst things I've ever experienced. I'm glad she helped you
@ferwallace1903
Hugs and kisses to you. It shall be well