To Be One of Them…
January 16, 2008 by Ruth
Sometimes we find ourselves in a season of discouragement…heaviness of heart, perhaps, or disillusionment. To summon the right words to describe it even feels too great a task. No one seems to know, but the Lord…and that’s okay. Yet, when you stumble upon words that seem to have flowed from your own lips–the lips of faith you fight to keep, and not despair, you remember that God does know, and He provides.
When The Saints
Lyrics by Sara Groves
Lord I have a heavy burden of all I’ve seen and know
It’s more than I can handle
But your word is burning like a fire shut up in my bones
and I cannot let it go
And when I’m weary and overwrought
with so many battles left unfought
I think of Paul and Silas in the prison yard
I hear their song of freedom rising to the stars
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
Lord it’s all that I can’t carry and cannot leave behind
it often overwhelms me
but when I think of all who’ve gone before and lived the faithful life
their courage compels me
And when I’m weary and overwrought
with so many battles left unfought
I think of Paul and Silas in the prison yard
I hear their song of freedom rising to the stars
I see the shepherd Moses in the Pharoah’s court
I hear his call for freedom for the people of the Lord
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
I see the long quiet walk along the Underground Railroad
I see the slave awakening to the value of her soul
I see the young missionary and the angry spear
I see his family returning with no trace of fear
I see the long hard shadows of Calcutta nights
I see the sisters standing by the dying man’s side
I see the young girl huddled on the brothel floor
I see the man with a passion come and kicking down the door
I see the man of sorrows and his long troubled road
I see the world on his shoulders and my easy load
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
and when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
I want to be one of them
I want to be one of them
I want to be one of them
I gotta find this song… the words are beautiful!
KH
its so funny how much music helps me, lyrically i mean. i go through phases where all i can listen to is praise for awhile, because i just need it so badly. a friend of mine played this song for me a few months ago and i loved it. i’ll have to find it again. and you know, its like, so many people are going through stuff SO MUCH WORSE than this, but for some reason, when its your own life, you don’t want a basis of comparison. you just want to feel this way and get through it! anyway, thanks for the encouraging words.
Awesome song - great passion - an encouraging and convicting word from the Holy Spirit to our hearts. Thanks!
How can I get the chords?
I heard this song last night, Googled the lyrics this morning and here I am. Thanks!
I also heard this song last night, loved it and googled the lyrics. This was the first link I clicked on and was able to find them. Thanks!
At 75 I use my Ipod to “read” books ( I am an audible learner). However I do have one song on my I pod and it is this one. I love it!
I would like to get a copy of the sheet music for my Worship leader to use in our church. Where can I purchase copies?
Ummm…I think you came to my blog…yes? Anyway…I just read who you are and I love you!
I am a pastor’s wife too…youth pastor, but I don’t have any of my own children yet. And I LOVE Sara Groves.
(As you already know).