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The Sinner's Cure/Balm in Gilead/There Is A Balm in Gilead/
Traditional Old-Time Gospel; Folk Songs of the American Negro, published at Nashville, TN, in 1907 by Frederick J. Work and John W. Work Jr.
ARTIST: Folk Songs of the American Negro, published at Nashville, TN, in 1907 by Frederick J. Work and John W. Work Jr.
See a later arrangement by John Work:http://books.google.com/books?id=FuRS9uzSlxMC&pg=PA128&lpg=PA128&dq=Balm+Gilead+John+work&l
r=&as_brr=0&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html
CATEGORY: Traditional And Public Domain Gospel;
DATE: 1800s; Text 1779 Newton; William Walker tune with Newton text 1835
Washington Glass in The Revivalist, 1854; Folk Songs of the American Negro, published at Nashville, TN, in 1907 by Frederick J. Work and John W. Work Jr.
RECORDING INFO: Balm in Gilead
Rt - Good Physician
Winds of the People, Sing Out, Sof (1982), p 42
Sing Out Reprints, Sing Out, Sof (1959), 5, p 9
Blood, Peter; and Annie Patterson (eds.) / Rise Up Singing, Sing Out, Sof (1992/1989), p208
Work, John W. / American Negro Songs and Spirituals, Dover, Bk (1998/1940), p128
Jackson, George P.(ed.) / Spiritual Folk Songs of Early America, Dover, Sof (1964/1937), p147/#127 [1870ca]
McSpadden, Lynn. McSpadden, Lynn / Four and Twenty Songs for the Mountain Dulcimer, Dulcimer Shoppe, sof (1970), p21
Robeson, Paul. Essential Paul Robeson, Vanguard VSD 57/58, LP (1974/1958), trk# A.02
R. N. Dett, "Religious Folk-Songs of the Negro," 1927, p. 88, with score . Also in "Songs of Zion," etc. Although sung (and recorded) by the Fisk Jubilee Singers, the song is not included in my copy of "The Songs of the Jubilee Singers," but it is in Dett's book (Hampton Institute); the Fisk Institute is credited for some 25 of the songs in the book.
OTHER NAMES: "There Is A Balm in Gilead"
RELATED TO: "The Sinner's Cure" "Good Physician"
SOURCES: Wikipedia; Folk Index;
NOTES: "Balm in Gilead" or "There Is A Balm in Gilead" is a 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.)
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 of 1779 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 it begins:
How lost was my condition
Till JESUS made me whole!
There is but one Physician
Can cure a sin–sick soul.
The similarities in the refrain make it likely that it was written for Newton's verse.
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."
The second verse quoted below ("If you can't...") is also found in some versions of another well-known spiritual "(Walk That) Lonesome Valley." "Wandering verses," as they are often called, are quite common in the camp meeting and revival context, and were already found in by 1800 in the African-American community, as shown by Richard Allen's 1801 "A Collection of Hymns and Spiritual Songs Selected from Various Authors."
GOOD PHYSICIAN- Southern Harmony 1835
7, 6 Wm. Walker (arranged 1835)- Text by John Newton- five stanzas found in Olney Hymns No. 62 (1779)
1. How lost was my condition,
Till Jesus made me whole;
There is but one Physician
Can cure a sin-sick soul.
Next door to death he found me,
And snatched me from the grave,
To tell to all around me,
His wondrous power to save.
2. The worst of all diseases
Is light compared with sin;
On every part it seizes,
But rages most within:
'Tis palsy, plague, and fever,
And madness, all combined;
And none but a believer
The least relief can find.
3. From men great skill professing,
I thought a cure to gain;
But this proved more distressing,
And added to my pain;
Some said that nothing ailed me,
Some gave me up for lost;
Thus every refuge failed me,
And all my hopes were crossed.
4. At length this great Physician
(How matchless is his grace.)
Accepted my petition,
And undertook my case;
First gave me sight to view him,
For sin my eyes had sealed;
Then bid me look unto him--
I looked, and I was healed.
5. A dying, risen Jesus,
Seen by the eye of faith,
At once from anguish frees us,
And saves the soul from death;
Come, then, to this Physician,
His help he'll freely give;
He makes no hard condition,
'Tis only Look and live.
THE SINNER'S CURE- Washington Glass in The Revivalist, 1854; Has the same verses as found in the Southern Harmony (originally John Newton 1779) with "Balm in Gilead" chorus
1. How lost was my condition,
Till Jesus made me whole;
There is but one Physician
Can cure a sin-sick soul.
CHORUS: There is balm in Gilead,
To make the wounded whole;
There's power enough in heaven,
To cure a sin-sick soul.
2. Next door to death he found me,
And snatched me from the grave,
To tell to all around me,
His wondrous power to save. CHORUS:
3. The worst of all diseases
Is light compared with sin;
On every part it seizes,
But rages most within. CHORUS:
4. 'Tis palsy, plague, and fever,
And madness, all combined;
And none but a believer
The least relief can find. CHORUS:
5. From men great skill professing,
I thought a cure to gain;
But this proved more distressing,
And added to my pain. CHORUS:
6. Some said that nothing ailed me,
Some gave me up for lost;
Thus every refuge failed me,
And all my hopes were crossed. CHORUS:
7. At length this great Physician
(How matchless is his grace.)
Accepted my petition,
And undertook my case.CHORUS:
8. First gave me sight to view him,
For sin my eyes had sealed;
Then bid me look unto him--
I looked, and I was healed. CHORUS:
9. A dying, risen Jesus,
Seen by the eye of faith,
At once from anguish frees us,
And saves the soul from death.CHORUS:
10. Come, then, to this Physician,
His help he'll freely give;
He makes no hard condition,
'Tis only Look and live. CHORUS:
BALM OF GILEAD- Arr. H. T. Bryant 1861; A version of "Down in Alabam." The lyrics "balm of Gilead" probably refer to hard liquor. Copyright 1861, by Oliver Ditson & Co. Printed with musical score, pp. 109-111, "Minstrel Songs Old and New," Copyright 1882, Oliver Ditson & Co., Boston.
Oh, we ain't, going home any more,
Oh, we ain't going home any more,
Oh, we ain't going home any more, .....
Down't the peach blow farm.
Balm of Gilead,
Balm of Gilead,
Balm of Gilead,
Down't peach blow farm.
1. Massa loved his good old jamaica, his good old jamaica, his good old jamaica,
Massa loved his good old jamaica,
Down in Al-a-ba-ma.
2. Ain't I glad to get out the wilderness, get out the wilderness, get out the wilderness,
Ain't I glad to get out the wilderness,
Oh, my lamb.
3. My old horse he came from Jerusalem, he came from Jerusalem, he came from Jerusalem,
He kick so high they put him in the mus'eum,
Down in Al-a-ba-ma.
Chorus: Hip! Hip! hurrah!
Ah, ah, Hip! hip! hurrah!
Oh, my lamb.
Oh, we aint, going home anymore,
Oh, we ain't going home any more,
Oh, we ain't going home any more ......
Down't the peach blow farm.
Balm of Gilead,
Balm of Gilead,
Balm of Gilead,
Down't the peach blow farm.
BALLAD INDEX Balm in Gilead
DESCRIPTION: "There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole; There is a balm... to heal the sin-sick soul." "Sometimes I feel discouraged... But then the Holy Spirit Revives my soul again." "If you can preach like Peter... Go and tell your neighbour...."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1909 (recording, Fisk University Jubilee Quartet)
KEYWORDS: religious nonballad
FOUND IN: US(Ap)
REFERENCES (4 citations):
MWheeler, pp. 68-70, "I Come Up Out uv Egypt" (1 text, 1 tune, with this verse and several others not found in the common versions of this song; the result is sort of a bluesy spiritual)
Fuson, pp. 199-200, "The Little Shepherd" (1 text, with this chorus and verses of the form "I am a little (shepherd/scholar/watchman/etc.), I (feed my master's sheep), Over the hills and mountains I daily do them keep")
Silber-FSWB, p. 360, "Balm in Gilead" (1 text)
DT, BALMGIL*
Roud #11967
RECORDINGS:
Harry C. Browne, "Balm of Gilead" (Columbia A-2179, 1917)
Fisk University Jubilee Quartet, "There is a Balm in Gilead" (Victor 16487, 1910; rec. 1909)
Beverly Green, "Balm in Gilead" (on BlackAmRel1)
The King's Heralds, "Balm in Gilead" (Chapel CR 23, n.d.)
Notes: The Book of Jeremiah refers twice to Gilead's balm (Jer. 8:22, 46:11), but there is no real discussion of what it is used for nor why it is unusually effective (if it is; it is perhaps worth noting that, by Jeremiah's time, Gilead had been in foreign hands for about a century, and had been in Israelite rather than Judean hands for two centuries before that). - RBW
Compare to the quite different Standard Traditional Spiritual Lyrics:
Chorus: 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)
Alternate Spiritual Lyrics:
Chorus: 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 hope again.
(Chorus)
If you cannot sing like angels,
If you can’t preach like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus,
And say He died for all.
(Chorus)
BALM IN GILEAD- Spiritual
“Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there?” (Jer. 8:22)
Several have expressed various ideas about what the song means. Wikipedia says, “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).” Another source made a similar comment yet with a different twist. “The ‘balm in Gilead’ is quoted in the Old Testament, but the lyrics of this spiritual refer to the New Testament (Jesus, Holy Spirit, Peter, and Paul). This difference is interesting…. In the Old Testament, the balm of Gilead cannot heal sinners. In the New Testament, Jesus heals everyone who comes to Him.” William J. Reynolds in the “History of Hymns” noted, “In the Old Testament days, Gilead was the name of the mountainous region east of the Jordan River, mentioned 80 times in the Old Testament. Gilead was famous for having skillful physicians and for an ointment with special qualities made from the gum of a tree peculiar to that area. The balm, a fragrant, transparent, pale yellow ointment, was known far beyond the boundaries of Gilead. Many believed in its mysterious, miraculous powers to heal the human body. Jeremiah’s question is answered in the spiritual with the assurance that the work of the Holy Spirit makes the wounded whole, and heals the sinsick soul.”
Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord’s church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, “There Is a Balm in Gilead” appeared in the 1975 Supplement to the 1937 Great Songs of the Church No. 2 originally edited by E. L. Jorgenson; and the 1978 Hymns of Praise edited by Reuel Lemmons (both in an arrangement by Jack Boyd). Today, it may be found in the 1978/1983 Church Gospel Songs and Hymns edited by V. E. Howard; the 1986 Great Songs Revised edited by Forrest M. McCann (both in the arrangement by Boyd); the 1990 Songs of the Church 21st C. Ed. and the 1994 Songs of Faith and Praise both edited by Alton H. Howard (and both in an arrangement by David Sexton); and the 1992 Praise for the Lord edited by John P. Wiegand. Among other hymnbooks, I have seen some form of the hymn in the 1964 Methodist Hymnal with an arrangement by Daniel Rideout and the 1989 United Methodist Hymnal with an arrangement by William Farley Smith both from the (United) Methodist Publishing House; the 1974 Hymns for the Living Church and the 2001 Worship and Rejoice hymnal both from Hope Publishing Company; the 1976 Hymns for the Family of God from Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing; the 1979 Praise: Our Songs and Hymns from Singspiration Music with an arrangement by Jon Drevits; the 1986 Hymnal for Worship and Celebration from Word Music; the 1987 Worship His Majesty hymnal from Gaither Music Company; the 1989 Worship the Lord Hymnal of the Church of God from Warner Press; the 1991 Baptist Hymnal from Convention Press; the 1992 Hymnal: A Worship Book from Brethren Press; the 1993 Sing to the Lord Hymnal from the Lillenas Publishing Company; and the 2006 Christian Life Hymnal from Hendrickson Publishers Inc.
Besides the 1909 Fisk Jubilee Singers recording, "Balm" was recorded by the Utica Institute Jubilee Singers from Mississippi in 1927. In 1925, William H. Holtzclaw organized the Utica Institute Jubilee Singers, taking the name from the Fisk Jubilee Singers. The group toured New York and New England on their first trip to help raise funds for The Institute. By 1926, The Utica Institute Jubilee Singers had their own bus in which to travel.
BALM IN GILEAD- John Work 1907
CHORUS: There is a balm in Gilead
To make the wounded whole;
There is a balm in Gilead
To heal the sin sick soul.
VERSE: Sometimes I feel discouraged,
And think my work’s in vain,
But then the Holy Spirit
Revives my soul again.
If you can’t sing like angels,
If you can’t preach like Paul,
Just tell the love of Jesus,
And say He died for all.
Don’t ever feel discouraged,
For Jesus is your Friend,
And if you look for knowledge,
He’ll ne’er refuse to lend.
How lost was my condition
Till Jesus made me whole!
There is but one Physician
Can cure a sin-sick soul.
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