A song sung by my high school choir

Song: Lost in the Night (Finnish Song, 1929, Tr. Olav Lee)

Lost in the night doth the heathen yet languish,
Longing for morning the darkness to vanquish,
Plaintively heaving a sigh full of anguish:
Will not day come soon? Will not day come soon?

Must he be vainly awaiting the morrow?
Shall we who have it no light let him borrow?
Giving no heed to his burden of sorrow:
Will you help us soon? Will you help us soon?

Sorrowing brother, in darkness yet dwelling,
Dawned hath the day of a radiance excelling,
Death's dreaded darkness forever dispelling:
Christ is coming soon! Christ is coming soon!

Light o'er the land of the heathen is beaming,
Rivers of life through its deserts are streaming,
Millions yet sigh for the Savior redeeming:
Come and save us soon! Come and save us soon!


Yes, our high school choir sang it; we possibly even sang it in a church, because we sang in churches more than once.  I'm talking public high school here.


How times have changed.  Our choir director would be hung from the lampposts today if he taught a bunch of high school students to sing this song.  I liked the song, without quite understanding what it was about. The meaning just went over my head.   You probably think that my head was rather thick.  Remember that I was only 15 and completely ignorant of theology.  I  thought the song was rather pleasingly mournful, as songs from northern countries tend to be.  Something about the long winters, I believe.  Or the short winter days.
I still remember the melody and most of the words.

I like hymns, anyway.