Lina Sandell

• Name — Lina Sandell • Birth Name — Karolina Wilhelmina Sandell • Birthplace — Fröderyd, Sweden • Place of death — Stockholm, Sweden • Occupation — Hymnwriter • Spouse — Carl Oscar Berg, m. 1867

The daughter of a Lutheran minister, Sandell grew up in the rectory at Fröderyd parish in the Diocese of Växjö in Småland, Sweden. Lina greatly loved and admired her father. Since she was a frail youngster, she generally preferred to be with him in his study rather than with comrades outdoors. When Lina was just 12 years of age, she had an experience that greatly shaped her entire life. At an early age she had been stricken with a partial paralysis that confined her to bed much of the time. Though the physicians considered her chance for a complete recovery hopeless, her parents always believed that God would in time make her well again. One Sunday morning, while her parents were in church, Lina began reading the Bible and praying earnestly. When her parents returned, they were amazed to find her dressed and walking freely. After this experience of physical healing, Lina began to write verses expressing her gratitude and love for God and published her first book of spiritual poetry when she was 16. At the age of 26 she accompanied her father, Jonas Sandell, on a boat trip across Lake Vättern, during which he fell overboard and drowned in her presence. Although Lina had written many hymn texts prior to this tragic experience, now more than ever poetic thoughts began to flow from her broken heart. All of her hymns reflect a tender, childlike trust in her Savior and a deep sense of his abiding presence in her life.

Sandell went on to write over six hundred hymns, including Tryggare kan ingen vara (Children of the Heavenly Father) and Blott en dag (Day by day). Some were published in the 1819 Church of Sweden hymnal, Den svenska psalmboken. She was friends with fellow hymnwriter Agatha Rosenius. Sandell's popularity owed much to the performances of Oscar Ahnfelt, who set many of her verses to music. He played his guitar and sang her hymns throughout Scandinavia. Of him she once said, "Ahnfelt has sung my songs into the hearts of the people". The "Swedish Nightingale" Jenny Lind also promoted Sandell's hymns by singing them in concert and financing their publication.

She was married in 1867 to wholesale merchant and future member of the Swedish Parliament, Oscar Berg (politician) (1839–1903). They established their residence in Stockholm. Their only child died at birth. Sandell was friends with and mentored by member of Parliament Thor Hartwig Odencrants. In 1892, Sandell became ill with typhoid fever. She died in 1903 at the age of seventy and was buried at Solna Church in greater Stockholm. Berg died due to complications caused by diabetes in October that same year.

Lina Sandell was recorded at birth as Karolina Wilhelmina Sandell. She also worked under the name L.S. The authorities additionally record the headings Karolina Wilhelmina Sandell, Carolina Wilhelmina Sandell, L.S. and Lina Berg. Her recorded language was Swedish. Her recorded confession was Lutheranism.