1. "Each day I'll do a golden deed, By helping those who are in need; My life on earth is but a span, And so I'll do the best I can. (Chor) 
  2. "To be a child of God each day, My light must shine along the way; I'll sing His praise while ages roll, And strive to help some troubled soul. (Chor)
  3. "The only life that will endure, Is one that's kind and good and pure; And so for God I'll take my stand, Each day I'll lend a helping hand. (Chor)
  4. "I'll help someone in time of need, And journey on with rapid speed; I'll help the sick and poor and weak, And words of kindness to them speak. (Chor)
  5. "While going down life's weary road, I'll try to lift some trav'ler's load; I'll try to turn the night to day, Make flowers bloom along the way.
Chor) "Life's evening sun is sinking low, A few more days and I must go, to meet the deeds that I have done, Where there will be no setting sun."
(Words and Music by William M. Golden)

As I have learned more about Boy Scouts in the last few years of my son being one (more than I did growing up as I never was in Scouts), I find myself referring to this number as "The Boy Scout Hymn".  After all what is the Scout Oath? "On my honor, I will do my best To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times."  Then of course there is the Boy Scout slogan, "Do a good turn (deed) daily," mirrored by the opening words to this song:"Each day I'll do a golden deed/By helping those who are in need...."

Again let's begin with our Prime Directive "checkoff list": it seems this is more of a spiritual song intended to inspire or cultivate feelings of spiritual devotion as it admonishes by reminding us, perhaps even urging us, to the duty we have to help others where and when we can, fulfilling the law of Christ to "bear one anothers burdens" (Gal. 6:2).

 It is interesting how it alternates between urging us to duty and reminding us that our time to do so here on this planet is brief.  As we begin in the first verse, we basically state that we will do a good deed daily, but immediately turn and mention how short a time we have.  And each successive verse continues alternating between those thoughts from that point, even mentioning how "[our] light must shine along the way," so much so that we can "try to turn the night to day" (and frankly, if we can reflect the light of Christ in that manner, it's not beyond reason that we could, poetically speaking of course, "make flowers bloom along the way").

 But even the chorus reminds us of the brevity of time we have here, and even if we live several years or even decades beyond this point, it is almost as if we have but "a few more days" before "[we] must go".  Placing it further in perspective, when we do go, we will "meet the deeds...[we] have done" in a place where, as we are promised, "there will be no setting sun," an allusion to two things John wrote about in Revelation: 1) what was said by the voice he heard in Revelation 14:13: "'Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.' 'Blessed indeed,' says the Spirit, 'that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!'" and 2) the fact that "the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there (Rev 21:23-25)."  Definitely something to look forward to.

As always, I welcome any additional thoughts…