Day by Day

Lina Sandell Berg (1832–1903)

Lina Sandell Berg, born Carolina Wilhelmina Sandell, was a Swedish hymn writer whose poetry has become deeply treasured in Christian hymnody, especially in Scandinavian and English-speaking traditions. She is often regarded as one of the most important Swedish devotional poets of the nineteenth century, known for hymns that emphasize trust in God, comfort in suffering, and childlike faith.

She was born in 1832 in Fröderyd, where her father served as a Lutheran pastor. Raised in a deeply Christian home, she developed an early love for Scripture and poetry. Her writing was profoundly shaped by personal tragedy, especially the accidental drowning of her father when she was a young woman, an event that influenced much of her later emphasis on God’s comfort in sorrow.

Hymn writing ministry

Lina Sandell became widely known through her hymns, many of which were originally written in Swedish and later translated into English and other languages. Her poetry was often published in devotional collections and quickly entered congregational use.

Among her most beloved hymns are:

• “Children of the Heavenly Father”

• “Day by Day, and with Each Passing Moment”

• “Thy Holy Wings, Dear Savior”

• “More Secure Is No One Ever”

• “Hide Not Thy Face, O Savior”

Her most famous hymn in Swedish is:

“Tryggare kan ingen vara” (“No One Can Be More Secure”)

This hymn expresses deep confidence in God’s fatherly protection, especially for children and believers facing fear or uncertainty. It has become one of the most beloved hymns in Swedish Christianity and is widely sung across generations.

Themes in her writing

Sandell’s hymns are known for:

• Trust in God during suffering

• The fatherly care of God

• Childlike faith and dependence

• Comfort in grief and hardship

• Daily reliance on divine grace

Her writing reflects a theology shaped not by abstract argument, but by lived experience of sorrow and consolation in Christ.

Influence and legacy

Her hymns were translated into English by various translators, including figures like Ernst W. Olson, helping spread her work throughout Lutheran and evangelical hymnals in North America and Europe.

Lina Sandell Berg died in 1903, but her hymns continue to be sung widely, especially “Children of the Heavenly Father” and “Day by Day.” Her legacy endures as a voice of comfort, faith, and quiet confidence in God’s care over every circumstance of life.