Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 June 2026 Psalm 22:19.
Psalm 22:19. ‘But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me.’
It’s a new day friends, in particular, the Lord’s Day, or as we call it Sunday. That means we ought to get out there sometime today to the Lord’s sanctuary and fellowship with other believers, offering up thanks and praise while receiving confidence and strength to face the upcoming week. And today’s song of praise is indeed a beautiful and truthful one, and most appropriately titled, ‘I Need Thee Every Hour.’ The hymn was written in 1872 by Annie Sherwood Hawks, the American poet and gospel hymnist, but this one seems to be the one she’s best known for. Her pastor Robert Lowry apparently wrote the music and added the chorus.
And according to Ms. Hawks: “For myself, the hymn was prophetic rather than expressive of my own experiences, for it was wafted out to the world on the wings of LOVE and joy, instead of under the stress of personal sorrow.” And that’s good to hear, for so many great songs have been written in times of sorrow and under great duress. And what’s the theme of the song? Basically, the lyrics suggest a constant need for our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ at all times in our lives…and that’s no lie!
So having said all of that, let’s now offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a most heartfelt and sincere mid–tempo version, (a la Nathan Drake’s version on his Hymns of the Spirit album), so that everyone will know that we truly mean what we sing. Singing: ‘I need thee every hour, Most gracious Lord, No tender voice like thine, Can peace afford. (Chorus: I need thee oh I need thee, Every hour I need thee, Oh bless me now my Saviour, I come to thee.) I need thee every hour, Stay thou near by, Temptations lose their power, When thou art nigh
(Chorus) I need thee every hour, In joy or pain, Come quickly and abide, or life is vain. (Chorus) I need thee every hour; teach me thy will, and thy rich promises in me fulfill. (Chorus) I need thee every hour, Most holy one, Oh make me thine indeed Thou blessed Son. (Chorus: I need thee oh I need thee, Every hour I need thee, Oh bless me now my Saviour, I come to thee. I need thee, Oh I need thee, Oh bless me now my Saviour, I come to thee…I come to thee…’
Yes my fellow believers, that was truly beautiful, and all heaven knew that we meant exactly what we sang. So what’s there to be said about the song? Plenty. But we obviously don’t have time and space to say it all. Let’s therefore pick and choose a few juicy and relevant bits. (smile) First off, it’s said that the scripture reference for the title ‘I Need Thee Every Hour’ echoes the cries of Bruh David in Psalm 22, a Plea for God’s Presence. And the particular verse it refers to is, ‘But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me.’ s (Ps. 22:19) And I’m sure that’s a cry all of us have shouted at one time or another, desperately seeking the Lord’s help in our time of need.
It’s also been said that the first printing of the song carried the scripture reference of John 15:5, which we all know, says: ‘I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ And if that isn’t the gospel truth, then I don’t know what is. For without Christ prominently in our lives, we are lost and alone like little fish in a big pond. But with Him featuring in our lives, we’re capable of great miracles.
And as per that line in the beginning of the song says; ‘No tender voice like thine, Can peace afford,’ it’s been said to mean, ‘No “other” voice than yours, can bring the peace that your voice brings, O Lord. There’s a tenderness in the voice of Jesus, that nothing else can quite compare to.’ That’s more gospel truth my people. Only the awesome, LOVING and tender voice of God can truly instill the peace and calm we truly need in these strife-filled and evil times.
But the most touching aspect of this song is found in an excerpt from an article on the hymn by Jon Bloom from the desiringGod.org website. In the words of Annie Hawks, re the hymn and its origins. ‘One day as a young wife and mother of 37 years of age, I was busy with my regular household tasks. Suddenly, I became so filled with the sense of nearness to the Master that, wondering how one could live without Him, either in joy or pain, these words, I Need Thee Every Hour, were ushered into my mind, the thought at once taking full possession of me…
I did not understand at first why this hymn had touched the great throbbing heart of humanity. It was not until long after, when the shadow fell over my way, the shadow of a great loss, that I understood something of the comforting power in the words which I had been permitted to give out to others in my hour of sweet serenity and peace.’
Yes friends, the Lord seldom allows us to write or sing stuff without knowing what it means on a personal level. And I can testify to that, as ofttimes I’ve written stuff in the Bit, and before I could even finish it, I was called upon to testify to it in my personal life. And it’s tough that it was only long after in her time of sorrow that she realized the true benefits of what the Lord had put in her heart. But then we all know the Lord moves in mysterious ways; ways that we can never understand, but nonetheless we need to put our utmost faith and trust in Him, because He’s our Creator, Lord and Saviour and knows what’s best for us, at all times.
And we’ll end on this marvellous note from one commentary. ‘It is not the skill of the hymn’s construction that makes it so powerful. It is the colossal truth it so beautifully expresses. O I Need Thee! We need God. It is not until we feel in the depths of our souls our utter poverty without Christ, our bankruptcy of any inherent righteousness, the impotence of our own strength and self-sufficient planning, our inconsolable loneliness when we are out of fellowship with God, the pathetic pretentiousness of our pathological pride, the hollow emptiness of all the godless gain of the world, our utter helplessness in the face of personal, institutional, cosmic, and molecular evil, that we know just how much we need God.’
And I certainly hope and pray, that all of us, at some time before it’s too late, will personally come to know, understand and action the overwhelming need we have for God! Much LOVE!
…we need to feel that urgent need for Jesus…for where real need is not felt…praying is at a minimum…
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