Forty Days and Forty Nights

This is a Lenten hymn about Jesus spending 40 days and nights in the desert.

The words were written by English Anglican clergyman George Hunt Smyttan (1822-1870), and first published under the title "Poetry for Lent", in the Penny Post in 1856.

With meter 7.7.7.7, it is almost always set to the tune HEINLEIN (also called AUS DER TIEFE), first published in the Nürnbergisches Gesang-Buch (1676-77) and attributed to German composer Martin Herbst (1654-1681).

Downloads

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PowerPoint slides

Downloadable organ solo, arranged by Craig A. Penfield, 3 pages

Contemporary SAB choir arrangement by Gerard Willmes

Examples

Church choir with organ accompaniment:

Choir, with better sound quality:

Solo singer self-accompanied on keyboard:

Instrumental: piano

Lyrics

Traditional language

Forty days and forty nights
Thou wast fasting in the wild;
Forty days and forty nights
Tempted, and yet undefiled.

Shall not we Thy sorrow share,
And from earthly joys abstain,
Fasting with unceasing prayer,
Glad with Thee to suffer pain?

And if Satan vexing sore,
Flesh or spirit should assail,
Thou, his Vanquisher before,
Grant we may not faint or fail.

So shall we have peace divine;
Holier gladness ours shall be;
Round us, too, shall angels shine,
Such as minister'd to Thee.

Keep, O keep us, Saviour dear,
Ever constant by Thy side;
That with Thee we may appear
At th' eternal Eastertide.

Modern English

Forty days and forty nights
You were fasting in the wild;
Forty days and forty nights
Tempted, and yet undefiled.

Shall not we Your sorrow share,
And from earthly joys abstain,
Fasting with unceasing prayer,
Glad with You to suffer pain?

And if Satan vexing sore,
Flesh or spirit should assail,
You, his Vanquisher before,
Grant we may not faint or fail.

So shall we have peace divine;
Holier gladness ours shall be;
Round us, too, shall angels shine,
Such as ministered to You.

Keep, O keep us, Saviour dear,
Ever constant by Your side;
That with You we may appear
At the eternal Eastertide.