Dusky Hands

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Dusky hands are reaching for the bread of life

Author: Haldor Lillenas
Tune: [Dusky hands are reaching for the bread of life]
Published in 12 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, MusicXML
Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1. Dusky hands are reaching for the bread of life
Far across the rolling sea;
Shall they perish in their misery and strife,
Shall they always hungry be?

Refrain
Send the Gospel tidings over land and sea,
Let the hungry souls be satisfied,
Till the pow’r of Jesus sets the captives free,
O lead them to the Master’s side.

2. Dusky hands are bound in chains of want and woe
In the far off heathen lands;
Shall we not in haste unto their borders go,
Set them free, as God commands? [Refrain]

3. We cannot be idle any longer now,
While the souls in darkness die;
Gather them as jewels for the Savior’s brow,
While the days are passing by. [Refrain]

4. Dusky faces look to us for hope and peace,
Shall they look to us in vain?
Jesus can redeem them, cause their sighs to cease,
Rend their chains of sin in twain. [Refrain]

Source: The Cyber Hymnal #1278

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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:	Dusky hands are reaching for the bread of life
Title:	Dusky Hands
Author:	Haldor Lillenas
Language:	English
Refrain First Line:	Send the gospel tidings over land and sea
Copyright:	Public Domain