Henry Lyte coined the phrase, "It is better to wear out than to rust out." And Henry Lyte wore out when he was fifty-four years old, an obscure pastor who labored for twenty-three years in a poor church in a fishing village in Devonshire, England.
This hymn that was written shortly before his death was inspired by the words of the two disciples met by Jesus on the road to Emmaus: "Abide with us, [they said,] for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent" (Luke 24:29, KJV).
Note the fourth stanza, which carries such hope for the Christian. As Lyte wrote this, he knew he was dying of tuberculosis and asthma. It was "eventide" for him, darkness was deepening, and he felt very much alone. But he was not alone, and we are not alone even in our darkest times. Our Lord is with us, "the help of the helpless," the one who never changes, our guide and security.