In this song of despair and hope, the words inspire the music. Behind a soulful, plaintive solo, the choral accompaniment starts very sparse but gradually thickens into rich and flowing harmonies with a surprise Dorian flavor at just the right moments. The choir sings the third verse which builds into a triumphant maestoso at “I’m goin’ there to see my savior.” But the soloist reminds us that we are not there yet, and there is a long way to go. Even so, the piece ends on a hopeful note.

The voicing is SSAA + solo, but in the third verse the choir has a five-part SSSAA split, without a solo.

Also check out the newly released He’s Just a Poor Wayfaring Stranger for SATB, with original lyrics by Richard Chisholm, telling the story of a modern-day refugee.