This song “Closer Still” is a confident and humble prayer for our relationship with the Lord to become closer and closer. The song points to a wonderful truth — which is that the Lord will help and guide us toward building the relationship, but we must work at it, too, by receiving His instruction and acting on it. Please give “Closer Still” a sing-along listen, then come back and we’ll talk about the two-way nature of fellowship with the Lord.

Relationships go two ways

It is not unusual for someone to seek a relationship with a superior who will agree to work together with the person to reach specific goals and benefits.

We sign up for a class with the understanding the teacher will serve to guide us and we will pay attention and apply ourselves to study and practice. Teacher does things; we do things.

We get on a sports team, and submit to the coach who directs us as we do physical training and learn to play together.

We might need a physical therapist to show us moves to regain health — and then we actually have to stretch — maybe howl — and do as we are told.

When functioning according to God’s design, the parent and child relationship works something like this. Of course most children did not ask to get in that relationship in the first place. Nevertheless the Bible instructs children to obey their parents in the Lord. (Don’t forget, the Bible also calls this “the first commandment with promise”. Remember, kids, God is good.) And, parents, don’t forget the Bible also instructs you how to be godly parents. The roles of parent and child have different requirements, but note the Lord gives instructions for both. Parents need to pair up with the Lord. So do kids, and they begin by pairing up with their parents.

It is interesting that ministers are likened to parents in 1 Thessalonians 2. First it says they were like mothers to the believers: “…we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her children. We cared so deeply that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our own lives as well. That is how beloved you have become to us.” Only a few verses later, we read they were like fathers, too — “For you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children — encouraging you, comforting you, and urging you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” Someone summarized that the ministers both “charged” and “cherished” their brothers in Christ. Beautiful relationship!

In light of the examples of relationships we just looked at, think how lovely the request of the song’s opening line really is — “♫♪ Savior, draw me to Thy side, nearer still … ♫♪” . How magnificent and wise it is to partner with the Lord, asking that He teach, coach, charge and cherish us.

Ask and act

This song has us asking the Lord for a closer relationship with Him.
Is that something we can properly ask for?
If so, what actions are we supposed to take to help bring us closer?

Since this is a “Bible” song, we should be able to find Bible verses that line up with the lyrics — verses that will help us answer those two questions. (TIP: Comparing the lyrics for any song with what the Bible says is never a bad idea. I’m pretty sure the Bible has something to say about every song out there.)

To find, believe and act on verses about getting closer with the Lord would be like getting coaching from Him. Are we ready to receive some coaching? If yes, then let’s borrow this song’s ideas and go and find some verses that will help us see both His promise and action we can take to receive it. (I’m sure you understand that verses I suggest here are not complete courses on the topics. I offer them as threads to tug on to encourage us and help us see steps we can take to get closer to Him.)

“♫ Savior, draw me to Thy side♫ “
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. (James 4:8)

“♫ There would I in peace abide ♫ “
You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. (Isaiah 26:3) (And remember the favorite from Philippians — Let your requests be made known … and the peace of God … shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.)

“♫ Let me now Thy beauty see. ♫”
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2)

Do you see the idea of matching song lyrics with Bible verses? Do you see His promise and action we can take in those verses from Scripture? As we draw closer to the Lord by finding His promises in the Bible and acting on them, He will make Himself better known to us. To this point, we might think of Paul telling Timothy (2 Timothy 2:7), “Consider what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all things.” (The promise here in 2 Timothy? “Insight …”. The action here? “Consider…”)

Let’s do one more lyric/verse pair.

“♫ May Thy love within me shine ♫”
But the fruit of the Spirit is love,… (Galatians 5:22a) Lots to unpack there — but this verse gives us a thread to tug on, doesn’t it? (We’ll want to draw on other verses to learn how to cultivate “fruit of the spirit” so we can harvest love, joy, peace … . Do you notice how our song serves to remind us to think about such things?)

We did not look at all the lyrics in this Bible verse pairing effort.
What about “♫ Songs of praises I would sing ♫” ?
What about “♫ Lord I would be in thy sight purer still ♫” ?
What about “♫ Make and keep me by Thy might ♫” How does that even work?
Where in the Bible might we go to learn about these?

(For the first, about praise, I might start by reading Psalms 145 through 150. Then — purer — Romans 12, Ephesians 4, and Colossians 3 come to mind … OH — and 1 Corinthians 6:18. The third regarding “might” — Psalm 91 could generate some ideas of promises and actions to take. But do your own hunting, and “the Lord give thee insight” … )

“♫ More than life Thou art to me ♫”

This line from our song gives us a lot to ponder. I’ll offer these thoughts —

If “life” in this lyric is the life we were born with, how much bigger than THAT life is the Lord to us?

If “life in this lyric is the Lord’s gift of everlasting life, we might think of John 10 where Jesus said he came that “that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.” Not “mere” life, but life including more — life and all its fullness. “More than life You are to me …”

I’ll close with this thought —

Once again we get to sing a lovely little song,
It goes about three minutes … it doesn’t take too long,
But if we ponder while we sing
We see the Lord’s good will,
And all the more that makes us want
To draw Him closer still.

God bless you lots
-Dale R.

---

Download this song sheet

LYRICS – Closer Still
Text: David J. Beattie (1913)
Tune: Chas. H. Gabriel (1913)

1 Savior, draw me to Thy side,
Nearer still, nearer still.
There would I in peace abide,
Nearer still, nearer still.

Chorus:
Draw me closer, Lord, to Thee.
Let me now Thy beauty see.
Help me, Lord, to know Thy will.
Draw me closer, closer still.

2 Songs of praises I would sing
Louder still, louder still.
Praise to glorify my King,
Louder still, louder still.

3 May Thy love within me shine
Brighter still, brighter still.
As a beacon light of Thine,
Brighter still, brighter still.

4 Lord I would be in Thy sight
Purer still, purer still.
Make and keep me by Thy might,
Purer still, purer still.

5 More than life Thou art to me,
Dearer still, dearer still.
Daily grows my walk with Thee
Dearer still, dearer still.

Let’s stay in touch

Each time I post a new song and lesson here I send a brief, cheerful note to friends of this song site. The note gives a quick description of the song and lesson along with a link to the new song’s page. It is super-easy for you to get a note from me, too. Just click the green “Song of the Week” button below and you are almost there.

To sweeten the deal, you will also get instant access to the “Music Box” where I put all the free resources and downloads that go along with these song pages. Check it out now! Good stuff. (Side note — I still post announcements on social media, too, even though I have learned it is terribly unreliable at getting the message out and keeping us connected. Email gets that job done where social media fails. We do well to connect this way, and avoid getting throttled by social media.)

Song of the Week

Share your wisdom with other readers ...

Please feel free to add your thoughts to this conversation. Scroll to the bottom of the page and jot your note in the “comments” box just below the “Leave a reply” title. Easy!