Recently my memory was stirred when I heard a hymn that I hadn't heard in years, "Constantly Abiding". I don't think it will be found in hymn books anymore. Since most churches no longer use hymn books it certainly isn't a part of today's praise and chorus music, although, maybe it should be
I remember it for a special reason - my family sang it several times for special music in our church during those early days when we didn't have too much special music for services. None of us were trained, but we learned to sing hymns as soon as we could sing. We didn't have a car until I was in second grade and, if I recall correctly, we didn't have a radio in our first car. So everywhere we went together, we would sing as we traveled. As a result, I grew up knowing the words of all the verses to hundreds of hymns.
But for some reason, the hymn "Constantly Abiding" was the one that we sang several times together in church. Maybe it was the words, maybe it was the back time in the chorus, but whatever it was, we enjoyed it. My mother sang soprano, my sister alto, my dad bass, I sang tenor, and I think my brother either sang melody or else harmonized.
I could not find out much about the background of this hymn. It was written by Anne Murphy (1878 - 1942) whose husband ran a pottery business in Ohio. However, she was widowed around 1929. Having lost her wealth, she then moved to California to live with her sister. I don't know what her music background was or even if she wrote other hymns. I can only guess that this hymn was written as a personal testimony to the hard times she had endured after her husband's death. She must have experienced the peace that she writes about that believers can experience in times of trial. She must have experienced the constant abiding of the Holy Spirit in her life. And she knew that some glorious day her Savior would take her to her heavenly home.
So I believe this may have been her personal testimony. Is it yours? Concentrate and meditate on the words of this hymn.
(1) There's a peace in my heart that the world never gave,
A peace it cannot take away;
Though the trials of life may surround like a cloud,
I've a peace that has come here to stay!
Constantly abiding, Jesus is mine;
Constantly abiding, rapture divine;
He never leaves me lonely, whispers, oh, so kind:
"I will never leave thee"— Jesus is mine.
(2) All the world seemed to sing of a Savior and King,
When peace sweetly came to my heart;
Troubles all fled away and my night turned to day,
Blessed Jesus, how glorious Thou art!
Constantly abiding, Jesus is mine;
Constantly abiding, rapture divine;
He never leaves me lonely, whispers, oh, so kind:
"I will never leave thee"— Jesus is mine.
(3) This treasure I have in a temple of clay,
While here on His footstool I roam;
But He's coming to take me some glorious day,
Over there to my heavenly home!
Constantly abiding, Jesus is mine;
Constantly abiding, rapture divine;
He never leaves me lonely, whispers, oh, so kind:
"I will never leave thee"— Jesus is mine.
If you don't know it, you can hear it sung here, actually by a family. I wish I had a recording of my family. But these folks are probably better musicians than we ever were.
Listen to it here. LISTEN
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