A Little Night Music, Part IV: Abide with Me

I have notice subtle variations in the text with a few of these selections of Abide with Me. A hymn text in public domain is often changed to suit the needs of the individual, group or denomination.

Sometimes religious references are removed entirely (not so in these cases).

Sometimes the theology of one individual or denomination does not match the theology in a hymn.

Still other times changes are made for cultural reasons, like updating Elizabethan English or using "folk" instead of "man" in reference to people in general. Some go so far as to remove gender entirely whether it references humans or God (I don't think that happened with these).

The first two videos are the same setting, but both have altered the text to some extent. As you listen through each video, perhaps you will find more.

Anyways, here is the text of all eight verses of Abide with Me. I don't think any of these recordings covered all eight verses, but you can sing them yourself for your personal devotion.

~~~~

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.


The Choir of Michigan Lutheran Seminary, Saginaw, Michigan

~~~~~

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.


The Nathaniel Dett Chorale

~~~~~

Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word;
But as Thou dwell’st with Thy disciples, Lord,
Familiar, condescending, patient, free.
Come not to sojourn, but abide with me.


RattlerMan's Wife and Daughter

~~~~~

Come not in terrors, as the King of kings,
But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings,
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea—
Come, Friend of sinners, and thus bide with me.


The Webb Family

~~~~~

Thou on my head in early youth didst smile;
And, though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee,
On to the close, O Lord, abide with me.


Mahalia Jackson

~~~~~

I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.


Hayley Westenra

~~~~~

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.


The Voices of the Valley Men's Chorus

~~~~~

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.


St. Paul's Cathedral
Abide with Me with Schubert's Holy, Holy, Holy

A Little Night Music, Part III

Two songs are featured in this next clip from the evening service.

For the first one, you can find the tune in Lutheran Service Book, Hymn 734. That hymn, while not specifically an evening hymn, is quite appropriate for that time of day. Here is the first verse from LSB, followed by a more traditional translation from The Lutheran Hymnal (1941).

~~~~~

I trust, O Lord, Your holy name;
O let me not be put to shame
Nor let me be confounded.
My faith, O Lord,
Be in Your Word
Forever firmly grounded.

~~~~~

In Thee, Lord, have I put my trust;
Leave me not helpless in the dust,
Let me not be confounded.
Let in Thy Word
My faith, O Lord,
Be always firmly grounded.

~~~~~



~~~~~

The first hymn you hear in the evening service, though, has more nighttime themes to it.

~~~~~

Mit meinem Gott geh ich zur Ruh
und tu in Fried mein Augen zu,
denn Gott vom Himmelsthrone
ueber mich wacht
bei Tag und Nacht,
auf dass ich sicher wohne.

~~~~~

I go to rest with my God
and close my eyes in peace,
since God, from heaven's throne,
watches over me
by day and night,
that I may dwell in safety.

~~~~~



~~~~~

The second hymn you hear from this video is not familiar to me. The text and tune are neither in Lutheran Service Book nor The Lutheran Hymnal. It is considered a folk song or volkslied.

Der Mond ist aufgegangen,
die goldnen Sternlein prangen
am Himmel hell und klar;
der Wald steht schwarz und schweiget,
und aus den Wiesen steiget
der weisse Nebel wunderbar.



~~~~~

The moon is rising,
the little golden stars shine
in the heavens, bright and clear;
the forest remains dark and silent,
and from the meadows rises
the wonderful white fog.


Der Mond Ist Aufgegangen with metered English Text

~~~~~

If you are looking for a hymn with similar themes that is more readily accessible, you can try "Now Rest Beneath Night's Shadow," (in German, Nun Ruhen Alle Wälder)which can be found in most Lutheran hymnals. The meter is the same, and the tunes are interchangeable.

In this video, you can see both German texts are used in the graphics.

~~~~~

Nun ruhen alle Wälder,
Vieh, Menschen, Städt und Felder,
Es schläft die ganze Welt;
Ihr aber, meine Sinnen,
Auf, auf, ihr sollt beginnen,
Was eurem Schöpfer wohlgefällt!



~~~~~

Now rest, all forest,
Animals, people, cities and fields,
As the whole world sleeps.
But you, my senses,
Up! Up! You should begin
whatever pleases your Creator.



~~~~~

Now rest beneath night's shadow
The woodland, field and meadow,
The world in slumber lies;
But now, my heart, awaken thee,
To prayer and song betake thee;
Let praise to thy Creator rise.

A Little Night Music, Part II

Similar to Der Mond Ist Aufgegangen, the two selections in the next video fall under the heading of German folk songs or Volklied.

The first hymn, does not fit any tune in Lutheran Service Book or the Lutheran Hymnal. You would have to use, say, "Come to Calvary's Holy Mountain" or "Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty" and repeat the last to musical phrases to make it work. These tunes are not quite suited for an evening song.

Another option would be to sing LSB 428, "Cross of Jesus" with its meter 87.87. followed immediately by LSB 468, "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today" with its meter 77.77.

The use of two tunes with one text isn't uncommon in German hymnody, but these particular tunes are not in the same style and were not ever meant to be put together.

Here is the text in German, followed by a word-for-word translation.

~~~~~

Weisst du, wieviel Sternlein stehen
an dem blauen Himmelszelt?
Weißt du, wieviel Wolken gehen
weit hinueber alle Welt?
Gott, der Herr, hat sie gezaehlet,
dass ihm auch nicht eines fehlet
an der ganzen grossen Zahl,
an der ganzen grossen Zahl,



~~~~~

Do you know how many stars are standing
in the blue sky?
Do you know how many clouds go
far across the world?
God, the Lord has number them,
that in Him also not one lacks
of the entire big number,
of the entire big number.



~~~~~

Where the first folk song is metered 87.87.77.77., the second folk song is metered 77.77.87.87. Again, there is no tune in TLH or LSB that can be used. Now, I wouldn't recommend it, but you could sing the tune for LSB 486, "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today" followed by LSB 428, "Cross of Jesus." Ugh! Don't do it! Perhaps you or another musician can transcribe this beautiful tune instead. I personally would love to learn this one!

Please note this particular song has at it's center the moon and not Jesus, so perhaps the discussion on tunes is futile if we are talking about the Divine Service or perhaps Evening Prayer.

~~~~~

Guter Mond, du gehst so stille
durch die Abendwolken hin.
Deines Schoepfers weiser Wille
hiess auf jene Bahn dich zieh'n.
Leuchte freundlich jedem Mueden
in das stille Kaemmerlein
und dein Schimmer giesse Frieden
ins bedraengte Herz hinein!



~~~~~

Dearest Moon, you go so quietly
through the evening clouds.
The will of your Creator
takes you on the path.
Friendly light of every tired one
be in that quiet little chamber
and pour your light of peace
into the troubled heart.

A Little Night Music, Part I

The Evening Hymns perhaps make up my favorite section in the hymnal.

I came across an evening hymn service in Germany a few days ago.

As best I can, I will try to give translations. The first is a favorite bedtime prayer for many who are of German ancestry. So, dim the lights, set the video to full screen, light your own candle, and enjoy!

~~~~~

Müde Bin Ich

Muede bin ich, geh' zur Ruh',
schließe beide Aeuglein zu.
Vater lass die Augen dein
ueber meinem Bette sein.

Hab ich Unrecht heut getan,
sieh es lieber Gott, nicht an!
Deine Gnad' und Jesu Blut
machen allen Schaden gut.

Alle, die mir sind verwandt,
Gott lass ruhn in deiner Hand.
Alle Menschen gross und klein,
sollen dir befohlen sein.

Back in high school, we learned this hymn alongside Now the Light Has Gone Away. This was first year German, and I had no idea these two hymns were not at all related! For more on the latter's hymn writer, check out this post featuring Francis Havergal over at Wordwise Hymns.

Here is a rough word-for-word translation, with a group effort from the Wittenberg Trail community on stanza 3. Special thanks to Trail friend Rik for piecing together everyones' translation bits into one cohesive stanza.

I am tired, I go to rest.
My little eyes are sleepy.
Father, let Your eyes
Be over my bed.

The wrong I have done today,
Look not on it, Loving God!
Your grace and Jesus' blood
Make all sorrow good.

(Let) all who are akin to me,
Rest, God, in Your hand.
(Keep) all mankind, great and small,
Commended to Your care.

Of course, if you want to sing along in English, you can always sing this fine hymn, which was originally penned in English and is paired with the tune, "Muede Bin Ich."

Now the light has gone away;
Father, listen while I pray,
Asking Thee to watch and keep
And to send me quiet sleep.

Jesus, Savior, wash away
All that has been wrong today;
Help me every day to be
Good and gentle, more like Thee.

Let my near and dear ones be
Always near and dear to Thee.
Oh, bring me and all I love
To Thy happy home above.

Now my evening praise I give;
Thou didst die that I might live.
All my blessings come from The;
Oh, how good Thou art to me!

Thou, my best and kindest Friend,
Thou wilt love me to the end.
Let me love Thee more and more,
Always better than before.