Forty Days And Forty Nights

When the purple vestments come out and the Gloria is put away, "Forty Days And Forty Nights" is one of those foundational hymns that immediately sets the tone for Lent. It draws the congregation straight into the wilderness with Christ, asking us to reflect on His fasting and temptation. As a choir, singing this piece feels like a solemn march—a steady, deliberate walk through the season of repentance.

The verses are deeply personal, moving from a reflection on Christ's time in the desert to a direct plea for our own spiritual endurance. We ask to share in His sorrow, to abstain from worldly joys, and to find the strength to resist temptation. The progression of the text is striking, carrying us from the struggles of the wilderness all the way to the hopeful promise of the eternal Eastertide.

This particular sheet offers two distinct tunes, giving choir directors a bit of flexibility depending on the mood they want to strike during Mass. A choir might sing it as an Entrance hymn on the First Sunday of Lent or during the Offertory as the season deepens. Its steady rhythm and clear four-part harmony make it a staple that congregations know and rely on to anchor their Lenten journey.