Be with me Lord

The words to this song were penned by T. O. Chisholm, and the music was composed by L. O. Sanderson. It is particularly meaningful to me because my mother kept on requesting that I sing it to her while she lay dying of leukemia in February and March of 1993. Today, I find it difficult to sing because of that memory, but the prayer is still in my heart.

Be with me, Lord--I cannot live without Thee,
I dare not try to take one step alone.
I cannot bear the loads of life, unaided,
I need Thy strength to lean myself upon.

Be with me, Lord, and then if dangers threaten,
If storms of trial burst above my head,
If lashing seas leap everywhere about me,
They cannot harm, or make my heart afraid.

Be with me, Lord! No other gift or blessing
Thou couldst bestow could with this one compare—
A constant sense of Thy abiding presence,
Where e'er I am, to feel that Thou art near.

Be with me Lord, when loneliness o'er-takes me,
When I must weep amid the fires of pain,
And when shall come the hour of "my departure"
For "worlds unknown," O Lord, be with me then.

 

BE WITH ME, LORD--I CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT THEE,

Sometimes people who are with us can make us discouraged and make our hearts faint in the work we have to do.

Some people depend upon other people to be with them and forget to depend upon God

But if the Lord be with us, we, like Joshua, will prevail

Jabez prayed that the Lord would be with him to keep him from evil, and the Lord granted his request

Even though Job lost everything, he remembered the days when the Lord was with him

David praised and thanked God because He was with him

What will be the result, if the Lord is with us?

Christ knew the power of having His disciples with him.

When Paul was ready to be delivered to death, he knew the power of having a faithful, godly friend with him.

Finally, we see a glimpse of what it means to be with the Lord.

I DARE NOT TRY TO TAKE ONE STEP ALONE.

Being alone in the world can make us vulnerable to the enemy or to the elements.

When we stand for the Lord and his ways, we often must stand alone.

Jesus knew that he would be left alone in His greatest trial.

Paul knew that the faith of some would fail when they were left alone.

I CANNOT BEAR THE LOADS OF LIFE, UNAIDED,

Paul knew the power of God's watchful care.

Sometimes weak christians doubt that God can save them.

I NEED THY STRENGTH TO LEAN MYSELF UPON.

Daniel knew the power of God's strength and protection.

The psalmist, David, knew the power of God's strength.

BE WITH ME, LORD, AND THEN IF DANGERS THREATEN,
IF STORMS OF TRIAL BURST ABOVE MY HEAD,

Many are the examples of godly men and women, who trusted in the power of His might as they were faced with temptations. They were men and women of faith who overcame and were victorious. (Heb 11:1-40)

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.

3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

21 By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;

25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

38(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

IF LASHING SEAS LEAP EVERYWHERE ABOUT ME,
THEY CANNOT HARM, OR MAKE MY HEART AFRAID.

One of the most poignant accounts in the New Testament of Jesus' protection is recounted in Matthew 14:32, Mark 6:51, and Mark 4:35-41. Here we see His powerful protection and love for the ones who served Him.

35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.

36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.

37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

BE WITH ME, LORD! NO OTHER GIFT OR BLESSING
THOU COULDST BESTOW COULD WITH THIS ONE COMPARE—
A CONSTANT SENSE OF THY ABIDING PRESENCE,
WHERE E'ER I AM, TO FEEL THAT THOU ART NEAR.

Moses knew he could never lead the nation of Israel without the presence of the Lord.

Jehoshaphat knew that the Lord's presence was in the temple and that He would hear their cry when troubles came.

The Psalmist, David, knew where to find fullness of joy and true pleasures.

David's sincere prayer was for God's judgment, and sentence to come from His presence.

David knew that he had to have a clean heart and a right spirit in order to remain in God's presence.

David asks who will dwell with God and who will be in His presence?

Isaiah is asking God to come down and tell them more of His truth, like he did on Mt. Sinai and reveal what He has prepared for those that wait on Him. (see also 1 COR 2:9)

Those who yearn to live in the presence of the Lord must meet certain qualifications or be forever cast out.

BE WITH ME LORD, WHEN LONELINESS O'ER-TAKES ME,
WHEN I MUST WEEP AMID THE FIRES OF PAIN,
AND WHEN SHALL COME THE HOUR OF "MY DEPARTURE"
FOR "WORLDS UNKNOWN," O LORD, BE WITH ME THEN.

Many were the tests and procedures which my mother had to endure, but when she called us to come home from India, all she said was, "The nights are long, and I am afraid." The last verse of this prayer song seemed to embody what she felt at the prospect of death.

Now would come the questions of what kind of building she had made and what kind of fruits she had borne.

Like Paul, she wanted to be able to say:

Beth Johnson

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)