Here you go, wilco. The chords are from Rise Up Singing The lyrics are what I've gleaned from several sources. I hate the idea of chords, actually - this song sounds best a cappella.
-Joe Offer-
BALM IN GILEAD
cho: There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole,
There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul.
D - - - A / D - BmA D
Sometimes I feel discouraged And think my work's in vain
But then the Holy Spirit Revives my soul again.
D EmA D A / D EmA F#m G
Don't ever be discouraged For Jesus is your friend;
And if you lack for knowledge He'll ne'er refuse to lend.
[CHORUS]
If you cannot preach like Peter, if you cannot pray like Paul
You can tell the love of Jesus, He died to save us all*
[CHORUS]
*Go home and tell your neighbor, He died to save us all.
Each group of chords is a measure. Dashes mean same as previous measure. Slash indicates the end of a line.
Here are the lyrics from the Digital Tradition. I can't say I've ever heard the "your father is your friend" phrase anywhere.BALM IN GILEAD
cho: There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole,
There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul.
Sometimes I feel discouraged
And think my work's in vain
But then the Holy spirit
Revives my soul again.
Don't ever feel discouraged
Your Father is your friend;
And if you lack for knowledge
He'll not refuse to lend.
@religion @spiritual @America
filename[ BALMGIL
TUNE FILE: BALMGIL
CLICK TO PLAY
RG
Here is the entry on this song from the Traditional 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,SE)
REFERENCES (6 citations):
Dett, p. 88, "There Is a Balm in Gilead" (1 text) (1 tune)
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")
Warren-Spirit, pp. 93-94, "There Is a Balm in Gilead" (1 text, 1 tune)
Silber-FSWB, p. 360, "Balm in Gilead" (1 text)
DT, BALMGIL*
Roud #11967
RECORDINGS:
Harry C. Browne, "Balm of Gilead" (Columbia A-2179, 1917)
Campbell College Quartet, "There Is a Balm in Gilead" (OKeh 8900, 1931; rec. 1930)
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.)\
Utica Institute Jubilee Singers, "Balm in Gilead" (Victor 21842, 1929)
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
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