RISE Spirituals and Gospel Songs
Lyric Archive

“Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel”

~Traditional Spiritual

Didn’t my Lord deliver Daniel,
Deliver Daniel, deliver Daniel?
Didn’t my Lord deliver Daniel,
And why not a every man?

He deliver’d Daniel from the lion’s den,
And Jonah from the belly of the whale,
And the Hebrew children from the fi’ry furnace,
And why not every man?

Didn’t my Lord deliver Daniel,
Deliver Daniel, deliver Daniel?
Didn’t my Lord deliver Daniel,
And why not a every man?

He set my foot on the gospel ship,
And the ship it begin to sail.
It landed me over on Canaan’s shore,
And I’ll never come back anymore.

Didn’t my Lord deliver Daniel,
Deliver Daniel, deliver Daniel?
Didn’t my Lord deliver Daniel,
And why not a every man?

Oh, Daniel cast in the lion’s den,
He pray both night and day.
The angel came from Galilee
And took that lion away!

Didn’t my Lord deliver Daniel,
Deliver Daniel, deliver Daniel?
Didn’t my Lord deliver Daniel,
And why not a every man?

“Down in the Valley to Pray”

~Traditional Spiritual

As I went down in the valley to pray,
Studying about that good old way,
When you shall wear the starry crown,
Good Lord, show me the way.

O Sisters, let's go down,
let's go down, let's go down,
O Sisters, let's go down,
Down in the valley to pray

O Brothers. . .
O Mothers. . .
O Fathers. . .
All Together. . .

_____________________________________________

The earliest known version of the song, titled "The Good Old Way," was published in Slave Songs of the United States in 1867. The song was contributed to that book by George H. Allan of Nashville, Tennessee, who may also have been the transcriber.

“Elijah Rock”

~Spiritual - Mahalia Jackson, arr. Brent Holl

Elijah rock, shout, shout
Elijah rock, comin' up Lord
Elijah rock, shout, shout
Elijah rock, comin' up Lord

Elijah, Elijah
Elijah
Elijah, Elijah
Elijah

Satan is a liar and a conjure too
If you don't watch out
He'll conjure you
If I could I surely would
Stand on the rock where Moses stood

Elijah rock, shout, shout
Elijah rock, comin' up Lord
Elijah rock, shout, shout
Elijah rock, comin' up Lord

Elijah, Elijah
Elijah
Elijah, Elijah
Elijah

Ezekiel said he saw him
Wheel in the mid' of a wheel
John talked about him
Book of the seven seals
Some say the Rose of Sharon
Others say the Prince of Peace
But I can tell everybody
He's been a rock and a shelter for me
Hallelujah

Elijah rock, shout, shout
Elijah rock, comin' up Lord
Elijah rock, shout, shout
Elijah rock, comin' up Lord

Elijah, Elijah
Elijah
Elijah, Elijah
Elijah

You can call my rock in the mornin'
Call him late at night
He's always with me
And all my battles He'll fight
When I'm in trouble
I can call him on the line
He put a telephone in my heart
And I can call God anytime
Hallelujah

Elijah rock, shout, shout
Elijah rock, comin' up Lord
Elijah rock, shout, shout
Elijah rock, comin' up Lord

Elijah, Elijah
Elijah
Elijah, Elijah
Elijah

“Guide My Feet”

~Bernice Johnson Reagan / Traditional Spiritual

Guide my feet, while I run this race
Guide my feet, while I run this race
Guide my feet, while I run this race
For I don’t want to run this race in vain.

Hold My Hand….
Stand by Me….
I’m your child…
Search my heart…
Guide my feet…

“Hold on”

~African-American Spiritual, arr. Mahalia Jackson

Hold on, Hold on
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on
Hold on, Hold on
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on

Heard the voice of Jesus say
Come unto me, I am the way.
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on.

When my way gets dark as night,
I know the Lord will be my light,
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on.

Hold on, Hold on
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on
Hold on, Hold on
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on

You can talk about me much as you please
The more you talk, gonna stay on my knees.
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on.

When I get to heaven, gonna sing and shout
Be nobody there to put me out.
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on.

Hold on, Hold on
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on
Hold on, Hold on
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on

Brothers and Sisters don’t you cry!
There’ll be good times by and by
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on.

When I get to heaven, gonna sing and shout
Be nobody there to put me out.
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on

Hold on, Hold on
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on
Hold on, Hold on
Keep your hand on the plow, hold on

“I shall not be moved”

~Traditional Freedom Song

Refrain:
I shall not be, I shall not be moved
I shall not be, I shall not be moved
Just like the tree that's planted by the waters
I shall not be moved

Glory hallelujah, I shall not be moved
Anchored in Jehovah, I shall not be moved
Just like the tree that's planted by the waters
I shall not be moved

In His love abiding, I shall not be moved
And in Him confiding, I shall not be moved
Just like the tree that's planted by the water
I shall not be moved

I shall not be, I shall not be moved
I shall not be, I shall not be moved
Just like the tree that's planted by the waters
I shall not be moved

I’ve got the fire and the Holy Ghost, I shall not be moved
I got the fire and the Holy Ghost, I shall not be moved
Just like a tree that’s planted by the water
I shall not be moved

Though the tempest rages, I shall not be moved
On the rock of ages, I shall not be moved
Just like the tree that's planted by the water
I shall not be moved

I shall not be, I shall not be moved
I shall not be, I shall not be moved
Just like the tree that's planted by the waters
I shall not be moved

“I've Been a-List'ning All de Night Long”

~R. N. Dett, 1927 as performed by Jean Ritchie

(Throughout the song, leader sings once; congregation sings once in response.)

Chorus:
I've been listening all the night long,
Been listening all the day
I've been listening all the night long,
To hear some sinner pray.

Some say John was a Baptist,
Some say he was a Jew,
But the Bible does inform us
He was a preacher too.

Go read the fifth of Matthew,
Go read that chapter through,
It is a guide to Christians,
And tells us what to do.

There was a search in heaven,
And all the earth around,
John stood in sorrow hoping
A Saviour would be found.

“Jesus met the woman at the well”

~Traditional

Jesus met the woman at the well (x3)
And He told her everything she'd ever done

He said, "Woman, woman, where is your husband?" (x3)
"I know everything you've ever done"

She said, "Jesus, Jesus, I ain't got no husband" (x3)
"And You don't know everything I've ever done"

He said, "Woman, woman, you've got five husbands" (x3)
"And the one you have now, he's not your own"

She said, "This man, this man, He must be a prophet" (x3)
"He done told me everything I've ever done"

“Jesus Walked that Lonesome Valley”

~Traditional Gospel Hymn

Jesus walked this lonesome valley;
He had to walk it by himself.
Oh, nobody else could walk it for him;
He had to walk it by himself.

You must go and stand your trial;
You have to stand it by yourself.
Oh, nobody else can stand it for you;
You have to stand it by yourself.

There's a road that leads to glory
Through a valley far away,
Jesus asked us to walk it with him
He will show us the way.

We must walk this lonesome valley;
We have to walk it by ourselves.
Oh, nobody else can walk it for us;
We have to walk it by ourselves.

“Keep Your Lamps”

~Gary Davis

Keep your lamps trimmed and burning,
Keep your lamps trimmed and burning,
Keep your lamps trimmed and burning,
Come see what the Lord has done.

Children, don't grow weary,
Children, don't grow weary,
Children, don’t grow weary,
Come see what the Lord has done.

Troubles and trials soon be over,
Troubles and trials soon be over,
Troubles and trials soon be over,
Come see what the Lord has done.

Keep your lamps trimmed an burning,
Keep your lamps trimmed and burning,
Keep your lamps trimmed and burning,
Come see what the Lord has done.

Soon the morning will be breaking,
Soon the morning will be breaking,
Soon the morning will be breaking,
Come see what the Lord has done.

Brothers and Sisters keep on singing,
Brothers and Sisters keep on singing,
Brothers and Sisters keep on singing,
Come see what the Lord has done.

Keep your lamps trimmed an burning,
Keep your lamps trimmed and burning,
Keep your lamps trimmed and burning,
Come see what the Lord has done.

“Let Us Break Bread Together”

~African American Spiritual

Let us break bread together on our knees
Let us break bread together on our knees
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun
O Lord, have mercy on me

Let us drink wine together on our knees
Let us drink wine together on our knees
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun
O, Lord have mercy on me

Let us praise God together on our knees
Let us praise God together on our knees
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun
O, Lord have mercy on me

“My God is a Rock”

~African-American Spiritual

My God is a rock in a weary land, weary land, weary land
My God is a rock in a weary land
A shelter in the the time of the storm.

Stop and let me tell you about chapter one
When the lord God's work had just begun
Stop and let me tell you about chapter two
When the lord God preached that Bible through
Stop and let me tell you about chapter three
When the lord God died up on Calvary.

My God is a rock in a weary land, weary land, weary land
My God is a rock in a weary land
A shelter in the the time of the storm.

Now stop and let me tell you about chapter four
When the lord God visits among the poor
Stop and let me tell you about chapter five
When the lord God brought all the dead alive
Stop and let me tell you about chapter six
When he went to Jerusalem and healed the sick.

My God is a rock in a weary land, weary land, weary land
My God is a rock in a weary land
A shelter in the the time of the storm.

Stop and let me tell you about chapter seven
When he died and he risen and he went to heaven
Stop and let me tell you about chapter eight
When the lord God was standin’ at the golden gate
Stop and let me tell you about chapter nine
When the lord God turned all the water to wine

My God is a rock in a weary land, weary land, weary land
My God is a rock in a weary land
A shelter in the the time of the storm.

“Oh What A Beautiful City”

Oh! What a beautiful city!
Oh! What a beautiful city!
Oh! What a beautiful city!
Twelve gates to the city
Hallelu!

Three gates in the east
Three gates in the west
Three gates in the north
Three gates in the south
Making it twelve gates to the city
Hallelu!

My Lord built-that city
Said it was just four square
Wanted all sinners
To meet Him in the air
Cause He built twelve gates to the city
Hallelu!

Who are all those children
All dressed in white?
They must be the children
Of the Israelites
Cause He built twelve gates to the city
Hallelu!

Who are all those children
All dressed in red?
They must be the children
That Moses led
The Lord built twelve gates to the city
Hallelu!

When I get to Heaven
I’m gonna sing and shout
Ain’t nobody up there
Gonna put me out
‘Cause He built twelve gates to the city
Hallelu!

“Take Me To THe Water”

~Traditional Spiritual

Take me to the water (x3)
To be baptized.

None but the righteous (x3)
Shall see God.

I love Jesus (x3)
Yes I do.

In the name of Jesus (x3)
We shall be saved.

I know I got religion (x3)
Yes I do.

Glory, hallelujah (x3)
To be baptized.