As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the starry crown?
Good Lord show me the way!
O sisters let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
O sisters let’s go down
Down in the river to pray
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the robe & crown?
Good Lord show me the way
O brothers let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
Come on brothers, let’s go down
Down in the river to pray
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the starry crown?
Good Lord show me the way
O fathers let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
O fathers let’s go down
Down in the river to pray
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the robe and crown?
Good Lord show me the way
O mothers let’s go down
Come on down, don’t you wanna go down?
Come on mothers, let’s go down
Down in the river to pray
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the starry crown?
Good Lord show me the way
O sinners, let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
O sinners, let’s go down
Down in the river to pray
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the robe and crown?
Good Lord show me the way
I thoroughly enjoy southern Gospel. I think one of the reasons I do is because it recognizes that living the Christian life is a difficult undertaking. Many of the favorite southern Gospel songs were were written by people who were poor, outcast, and had a strong sense of their personal failures.
In fact, southern country and western music often expresses a major contradiction. The same artist who may sing about infidelity and drunkenness will also sing about going down to the river and about repenting. On the one hand, at times southern music almost seems to be proud of its sin. On the other hand, southern music expresses the need for the redemption that Our Lord Jesus Christ offer us.
And here is where the best of southern music expresses reality. If we are but honest, our Christian reality is that we live two lives. One life is a decadent, self-satisfying life that only focuses on our desire and pleasures. If we admit our sin, we often do not really want to repent of that orientation. The other life is a life devoted to Our Lord in which we strive to change, strive to achieve the likeness of Our Lord Jesus Christ, through the overwhelming help of the Holy Spirit. If we recognize our innermost desires, we know that this is what we truly wish, but often do not put into practice.
Instead of finishing with the Orthodox prayer, “Lord, have mercy,” let me finish with the following phrase:
Good Lord show me the way.
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