A Pilgrim and a Stranger

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A pilgrim am I and a stranger

Author: Haldor Lillenas
Tune: [A pilgrim am I and a stranger]
Published in 1 hymnal

Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 A pilgrim am I and a stranger,
On earth I have no dwelling place;
I look for a city fair and bright,
Where God Himself shall be the light;
I often grow weary with longing
To come to that homeland fair,
For I am but an alien here,
But I shall be no stranger there!

2 Chorus;
A pilgrim am I and a stranger here,
Oft burdened with toil and with care,
But with joy I sing on my journey home,
For I shall be no stranger there!

3 A pilgrim am I and a stranger;
This world has no charm for my soul,
Its gold and its glitter quickly fade,
My trust on better things is staid;
My face I have set towards the city,
The city that lies foursquare;
My mansion stands within its walls,—
Oh, I shall be no stranger there!

4 A pilgrim am I and a stranger;
Tho’ sin sings its sweet siren song,
Mine ears are attuned to strains divine
That drift across the borderline.
My loved ones who gathered before me,
With me shall that homeland share—
Oh, I may be an alien here,
But I shall be no stranger there!

Source: Inspiring Gospel Solos and Duets No. 2 #85

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Author: Haldor Lillenas

Rv Haldor Lillenas DMus Norway/USA 1885-1959. Born at Stord, near Bergen, Norway, his father sold their 15 acre farm in Norway and emigrated to the U.S., buying a farm in Colton, SD. After he built a sod house, the family (wife and three chldren) also came to SD in 1887. They moved to Astoria, Oregon in 1889, where Lillenas learned English and began writing song lyrics at an early age. In 1900 the family moved again to Roseville, MN, where he worked as a farm laborer and began attending a Lutheran high school at Hawick, MN. He sold a few songs at age 19. At age 21 he began writing more songs, encouraged by some earlier ones becoming popular (“He set me free” was one). His mother died in 1906 and his father returned to ND, but Li… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	A pilgrim am I and a stranger
Title:	A Pilgrim and a Stranger
Author:	Haldor Lillenas
Language:	English
Refrain First Line:	A pilgrim am I and a stranger here