"Day by Day (and with Each Passing Moment)" is a Christian hymn written in 1865 by

Lina Sandell Lina Sandell (full name: Karolina Wilhelmina Sandell-Berg) (3 October 1832 – 27 July 1903) was a Swedish poet and author of gospel hymns. Background The daughter of a Lutheran minister, Sandell grew up in the rectory at Fröderyd parish in t ...

several years after she had witnessed the tragic drowning death of her father. It is a hymn of assurance used in American congregational singing. Sandell-Berg was a prolific Swedish hymn writer. Two of her hymns, "Day By Day" and " Children of the Heavenly Father" are widely known in the United States. The original and most popular English translation of the hymn is by Andrew L. Skoog, a Swedish immigrant to the United States. "Day by Day" started appearing in American hymnals in the latter half of the 1920s, and its popularity has increased since then. The hymn's tune was composed in 1872 by

Oscar Ahnfelt Oscar Ahnfelt (1813–1882) was a Swedish singer, composer and music publisher.''Twice-Born Hymns'' by J. Irving Erickson, (Chicago: Covenant Press, 1976) page 87. Biography Ahnfelt composed the music for many of Lina Sandell's hymns. He was a ...

. The hymn's Swedish name is "Blott en dag," its first three words in Swedish. The words mean "just one day" or "just another day." In Sweden and Finland, it is popular at funerals. It was recorded by Carola Häggkvist in 1998 on the album ''

Blott en dag "Day by Day (and with Each Passing Moment)" is a Christian hymn written in 1865 by Lina Sandell several years after she had witnessed the tragic drowning death of her father. It is a hymn of assurance used in American congregational singing. San ...

''. Other Swedish recordings include one in 1965 by

Curt & Roland Kurt is a male given name of Germanic or Turkish origin. ''Kurt'' or ''Curt'' originated as short forms of the Germanic Conrad, depending on geographical usage, with meanings including counselor or advisor. In Turkish, Kurt means "Wolf" and i ...

and on

Anna-Lena Löfgren Anna-Lena Löfgren (1 May 1944 – 21 May 2010) was a Swedish singer from Stockholm. During the years 1962 and 1995, more than 40 of her songs made it onto Svensktoppen, the record chart of Sveriges Radio. Löfgren became one of the most best kno ...

's 1972 Christmas album, ''Nu tändas tusen juleljus''.

Lyrics

Robert Leaf Robert Daniel Leaf (February 20, 1936 – October 11, 2005) was an American composer''. Robert Daniel Leaf was born and raised in Lindsborg, Kansas. The son of Bernard and Judith (Valine) Leaf, he attended Luther Academy and College in Wahoo, Neb ...

's translation from the Swedish ''

Lutheran Book of Worship The ''Lutheran Book of Worship'' (''LBW'') is a worship book and hymnal used by several Lutheran denominations in North America. Additional hymns and service music are contained in the companions, ''Hymnal Supplement 1991'' and ''With One Vo ...

'' hymnal is:

Day by day, your mercies attend me,
Bringing comfort to my anxious soul.
Day by day the blessings Lord, you send me
Draw me nearer to my heavenly goal.
Love divine, beyond all mortal measure,
Brings to naught the burdens of my quest;
Savior lead me to the home I treasure,
Where at last I find eternal rest.

References

{{Authority control 1865 songs 1998 singles American Christian hymns Swedish-language songs Carola Häggkvist songs Lutheran hymns 19th-century hymns