When the Storms of Life Are Raging
1 When the storms of life are raging,
stand by me; (stand by me)
when the storms of life are raging,
stand by me. (stand by me)
When the world is tossing me
like a ship upon the sea,
thou who rulest wind and water,
stand by me. (stand by me) *
2 In the midst of tribulation,
stand by me; (stand by me)
in the midst of tribulation,
stand by me. (stand by me)
When the hosts of hell assail,
and my strength begins to fail,
thou who never lost a battle,
stand by me. (stand by me)
3 In the midst of faults and failures,
stand by me; (stand by me)
in the midst of faults and failures,
stand by me. (stand by me)
When I’ve done the best I can,
and my friends misunderstand,
thou who knowest all about me,
stand by me. (stand by me)
4 In the midst of persecution,
stand by me; (stand by me)
in the midst of persecution,
stand by me. (stand by me)
When my foes in war array
undertake to stop my way,
thou who rescued Paul and Silas,
stand by me. (stand by me)
5 When I’m growing old and feeble,
stand by me; (stand by me)
when I’m growing old and feeble,
stand by me. (stand by me)
When my life becomes a burden,
and I’m nearing chilly Jordan,
O thou Lily of the Valley,
stand by me. (stand by me)
by Rev. Charles Albert Tindley, 1905
Devotion
“Stand by Me” intermingles our week’s theme of choice with Father’s Day and Juneteenth, which commemorates the 1865 freeing of slaves in Texas. The composer, Rev. Charles Albert Tindley, a slave’s son and father of eight, nurtured a diverse congregation, as Galatians 3:28-29 describes. “Stand by me” expresses faithfulness—God’s choice to keep calling, “Here I am” (Isaiah 65:1)—and our choice to rely on God. Perhaps Tindley was keenly aware God’s faithfulness epitomizes fatherly roles! Tindley’s references to “persecution” (verse 4) and “tribulation” (verse 2) recall slavery’s inhumane injustices.
Verse 2’s “tribulation” and “hosts of hell” also resonate with the psalmist’s cry for deliverance (Psalm 22:19-21) and the Gerasene man’s despair (Luke 8:27-28). Additionally, verse 3’s “faults and failures” convey this man’s pleas and our painful embarrassments. Throughout all these struggles, Tindley reminds us to choose to call on God, knowing that God faithfully chooses to stand by us.
Prayer
Heavenly Father and parent of us all, please choose to faithfully stand by us. As we experience life’s responsibilities, injustices, and struggles, help us choose to rely on you and stand by each other. Amen.