“But the Lord shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment.”(Psalm 9:7)
This world will eventually
pass away. The law of entropy assures us, in fact, that everything
decays and dies. Atheistic scientists have even calculated that the very
protons of which matter is composed will eventually disintegrate. And
the Bible itself also tells us that the present earth and heaven “shall wax old as doth a garment” and “shall perish” (Hebrews 1:11).
But God Himself is eternal! As our text confirms (and many other texts agree), “the LORD shall endure for ever.”
And that is not all! His glory will remain! “The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works” (Psalm 104:31).
And His great name will never change.“His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him” (Psalm 72:17).
That also means that His righteousness will never change.“His righteousness endureth for ever” (Psalm 112:3).
Then also “His mercy endureth for ever.” All 26 verses of Psalm 136
end with this wonderful assurance, and the same promise occurs 16 other
times as well. If God’s perfect righteousness will last forever, then
His great mercy must also endure forever, and we shall continue to thank
Him for His everlasting mercy in all the ages to come.
Next, God’s Word will endure.“For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89). “But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you” (1 Peter 1:25).
Finally, because God is forever, we also shall live forever.“His seed shall endure for ever” (Psalm 89:36). “The world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 John 2:17). HMM
Abide with Me is a hymn written by Henry Francis Lyte. He wrote it in 1847 while he lay dying from tuberculosis; he survived only a further three weeks after its completion.
This remake has only 5 out of the original stanzas. Here are the original 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, O abide with me.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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."
Posts
