There Is A Balm In Gilead
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"There Is A Balm in Gilead" is a traditional United States African-American spiritual.
[edit] History
This is a well-known traditional African-American spiritual. The “balm in Gilead” is a reference from the Old Testament, but the lyrics of this spiritual refer to the New Testament concept of salvation through Jesus Christ. The Balm of Gilead is interpreted as a spiritual medicine that is able to heal Israel (and sinners in general). In the Old Testament, the balm of Gilead is taken most directly from Jeremiah chapter 8 v. 22: "Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wounds of my [God's] people?" (Another allusion can also be found in Jeremiah chapter 46, v. 2 and 11: “This is the message (of the Lord) against the army of Pharaoh Neco … Go up to Gilead and get balm, O Virgin Daughter of Egypt, but you multiply remedies in vain; here is no healing for you” - see also Jeremiah chapter 22, v. 6.) [1]
The first appearance of the spiritual in something close to its current form is uncertain. A version of the refrain can be found in Washington Glass's 1854 hymn "The Sinner's Cure,"(see link below) where it is in 7s.6s.7s.6s rather than the Common Meter of today's refrain. Glass attributed this hymn to himself, but like several of the hymns so attributed, it is substantially the work of another. He attached to one of John Newton's Olney hymns[2] this refrain:
- There is balm in Gilead,
- To make the wounded whole ;
- There's power enough in heaven,
- To cure a sin-sick soul.
There is no mention of the balm of Gilead in Newton's poem, but the refrain is clearly imitative of Newton's first four lines:
- How lost was my condition
- Till JESUS made me whole!
- There is but one Physician
- Can cure a sin–sick soul.
The 1925 7-shape Primitive Baptist songbook Harp of Ages has an unattributed song "Balm in Gilead" with a similar chorus, but verses drawn from a Charles Wesley hymn, "Father I Stretch My Hands to Thee."[3]
The second verse ("If you can't...") is also found in some versions of the equally well-known spiritual "(Walk That) Lonesome Valley."
[edit] Traditional Lyrics
Lyrics are as follows:
Chorus (in bold):
- There is a balm in Gilead
- To make the wounded whole;
- There is a balm in Gilead
- To heal the sin-sick soul.
- Some times I feel discouraged,
- And think my work’s in vain,
- But then the Holy Spirit
- Revives my soul again.
(Chorus)
- If you can’t preach like Peter,
- If you can’t pray like Paul,
- Just tell the love of Jesus,
- And say He died for all.
(Chorus)
