CHRISTIAN LIFE >> FAITH & TRUST
SDAH 507
Dying with Jesus, by death reckoned mine,
Living with Jesus, a new life divine,
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine,
Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.
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For Worship Leaders
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Hymn Spotlight: Moment by Moment
This hymn grew out of a conversation at the Chicago World’s Fair, where evangelist Daniel W. Whittle was struck by his friend Henry Varley’s comment, “I need Him every moment,” a thought that reshaped the familiar idea of needing God “every hour.” Whittle wrote the text with the phrase “moment by moment” anchoring each stanza and the refrain, capturing the continual, unbroken care of God described in Isaiah 27:3: “I… will water it every moment.” He offered Ira Sankey the copyright if Sankey would print 500 copies for his personal distribution. The tune—often titled MOMENT BY MOMENT—was composed by Whittle’s daughter, Mary (May), who later married Will R. Moody, son of evangelist Dwight L. Moody. First appearing on copyrighted leaflets in 1893 and later in Sankey’s Sacred Songs (1896), the hymn remains a gentle yet profound reminder that God holds, guards, and sustains His people not just daily, but every moment of life.
📖 Reference: Feel free to share but please cite hymnsforworship.org when reproducing.
Introductions for Sabbath School Song Service (based on specific lesson quarterlies):
Evangelist Daniel Webster Whittle (1840-1901; see SDAH 195) was talking with his friend Henry Varley at the Chicago World’s Fair and was greatly impressed by Varley’s remark, “I do not like the hymn ‘I Need Thee Every Hour’ [SDAH 483] very well, because I need Him every moment.” This prompted a line of thought that resulted in the writing of this hymn. The expression “moment by moment” occurs once in each stanza, and three times in the refrain. Whittle brought the manuscript to Ira Sankey (1840-1908; see Biographies) saying that he would give his copyright of both words and music to him if he would print 500 copies for Whittle to distribute to his friends.
This constant care of God for His people moment by moment is mentioned in Isaiah’s parable of the vineyard: “I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day” (Isa. 27:3). Whittle also wrote SDAH 195, “Showers of Blessing,” and SDAH 511, “I Know Whom I Have Believed.”
The tune, sometimes called MOMENT BY MOMENT, was composed by Whittle’s daughter Mary, or May, who later became the wife of Will R. Moody, son of evangelist Dwight L. Moody. In 1893 the first copyrighted leaflets were printed, and the gospel song appeared in Sankey’s Sacred Songs, 1896.
📖 Reference: Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal by Wayne Hooper and Edward E. White. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1988.
Text
1
Dying with Jesus, by death reckoned mine,
Living with Jesus, a new life divine,
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine,
Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.
Refrain
Moment by moment I’m kept in His love;
Moment by moment I’ve life from above;
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine;
Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.
2
Never a trial that He is not there,
Never a burden that He doth not bear,
Never a sorrow that He doth not share,
Moment by moment I’m under His care.
3
Never a heart-ache, and never a groan,
Never a teardrop and never a moan;
Never a danger but there on the throne,
Moment by moment He thinks of His own.
4
Never a weakness that He doth not feel,
Never a sickness that He cannot heal;
Moment by moment, in woe or in weal,
Jesus, my Savior, abides with me still.
Hymn Info
Biblical Reference
(a) Gal 2:20 (b) Matt 1:29 (d) Heb 4:15
Author
Daniel W. Whittle
Year Published
1893
Metrical Number
10.10.10.10.Ref.
Composer
Mary Whittle
Year Composed
1893
Theme
FAITH AND TRUST
