A Song Worth Remembering: Stand by Me

Stand by Me

Sometimes a song gets stuck in your head, or maybe your heart. Because of my love of music and how it affects me in my soul and in my writing, this often happens.

For the last two days, I’ve heard “Stand by Me” the old negro spiritual. It’s always been one of my favorites. It’s a song of strength… the testimony of someone who has been through the storms and troubles of life and found a strong foundation in Jesus.

Stand by Me

By Charles A. Tindley

When the storm of life is raging / Stand by me / When the storm of life is raging

Stand by me / When the world is tossing me / Like a ship upon the sea / Thou who rulest wind

and water / Stand by me

In the midst of tribulation / Stand by me / In the midst of tribulation / Stand by me / When the

hosts of hell assail / And my strength begins to fail / Thou who never lost a battle / Stand by

me

In the midst of faults and failures / Stand by me / In the midst of faults and failures / Stand by

me / When I do the best I can / And my friends misunderstand / Thou who knowest all about

me / Stand by me

When I’m growing old and feeble / Stand by me / When I’m growing old and feeble / Stand

by me / When my life becomes a burden / And I’m nearing chilly Jordan / O Thou “Lily of

the Valley” / Stand by me

If you’ve never heard it sung, YouTube “Stand by Me/gospel song” * Everyone from the King (Elvis) on down have done takes on this classic.

* There is another fine song, “Stand by Me”, made famous by Ben E. Keith and Johnny Lee. Writer Keith said that he borrowed from the gospel version for his.